I need some help with my horse's knee

Here are the two older threads to give some background of what happened.

Swollen Knee - please help!

Getting frustrated here!

I finally got her to the vet and he said that the problem is her tendon. He said that it is from that injury she had on a cattle feeder 2 years ago. He said it swelled up with fluid and there is nothing he can really do for it.

He said that she is sound for riding and her movement will just be restricted in that leg. She is not in pain with it though so she is fine to ride he said. I've ridden her a few times in the last few days. When I rode her today she seemed plenty happy to be ridden, her walk and trot was slightly off because of her leg - however when I cantered her she was able to do it absolutely great! It didn't seem stiff at all.

Maybe its because she can keep that knee straighter - I don't know.

I'm wondering if any of you have heard of or experienced something similar and if there was anything you were able to do for the stiffness. The vet said it is not arthritis so a joint supplement wouldn't do much.

If anyone has any ideas I would be very interested in hearing them.

So, what happens to the fluid? Does it just stay there forever and ever? Will it change at all? Will she absorb it? Why didnt' he think it would be a good idea to drain it? Why now did the fluid come, when it hasn't before? Any why did it travel up the leg -- was that the full length of the tendon?

I dunno; I wouldn't be very happy with what he told you. And for that you paid $100? And after getting your first appointment cancelled. Vets. Ick.

Sorry that I don't have any answers for you. I hope someone can help.

He said something about draining, but said at this point it wouldn't do much good. I dunno - I'm confused! I don't see why it couldn't be drained but I'm not a vet. He says it will not likely change for better or for worse and her range of motion will be always affected. Poor girl. I dunno, I wish there was something I could do for her.

He said that since the tendon was affected the fluid just filled up the whole tendon. I asked about DMSO and he said that it wouldn't do any good now. I am confused why he wouldn't drain it though. I don't see how that could hurt. This vet charged me $80 - I do wish I had more of a solution to it.

I looked this up in my handy-dandy horse-cure-all book. The closest thing I could find based on your other two threads was "tenosynovitis".

Quote from the book:

A tendon is surrounded by a sheath of specialized tissue called the synovial membrane, which secretes fluid that lubricates the tendon and reduces friction when the tendon glides. Inflammation of this sheath is called tenosynovitis. (tenos for short from here on in). The hallmark of tenos is fluid accumulation in the sheath, which causes obvious swelling. There are several types of tenos.

<a bunch of stuff but they all had lameness and/or heat except for:>

Idiopathic Tenos:
There are a number of mild conditions that produce tendon sheath swelling but do not produce pain or lameness. In some cases, chronic stress appears to be a causative factor; in others, there is a history of repeated minor trauma to the tendon sheath. Foals can be born with idiopathic tenos.

<other things; then:>
Treatment:
Swellings caused by idiopathic tenos can be drained and injected with a corticosteroid for cosmetic reasons. However, they have a strong tendency to recur. Those cause by hard training may respond to modification of the exercise program.

It also says in there that injections of steroid are not recommended if there is injury, but they are talking about recent injury, not something from years ago.

My other book doesn't give anything at all. <sigh> Not much help am I?