The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

joint problem??

4K views 20 replies 6 participants last post by  BlackbeautyJJ 
#1 ·
Hi everyone,

A few days ago, I noticed that my horse's back right hock was ever so slightly swollen. In fact, I couldn't even really tell.

Well, today, after a much more close inspection, I notice that it is slightly swollen. You can barley tell unless you are looking right at it and comparing it to the other.

I haven't done anything with her recently (no riding or driving). The only reason I noticed was because I am treating a small cut -like spot on her leg (same leg, almost same location). This spot isn't a real cut, it's just a bald spot trying to heal (the flies are bothering it). Anyway, that's healing...but I'm not sure what is causing the swelling in her joint.

I know it can be so many things...I'm not sure if I need my vet or not, it's in my mind though.

She moves fine....and pretty freely in my opinion. I don't know. Any suggestions? :idea:
 
#2 ·
Isn't feathers in her 20's? It could be the start of arthritis, but if she's not being sore on it, I kind of doubt its arthritis. Drafts are known for being more "pain-tolerant" but it still raises my concern. How long has it been swollen? A few days?

EDIT
I just was thinking, is it real hot at all? Is there anyway she could have injured herself playing or something?
 
#3 ·
Thanks for your response Abby...yes, she is 23 years old.

I thought arthritis too at first, but I really can't be sure. Yes, it was hot to the touch when I felt it. I don't know if she injured herself on accident or not...I guess it is possible...

I think I am going to call the vet. I have no idea what I can do for it by myself...and I think the vet would probably just be safer all around.

Here is a picture I took today. I can notice that the 'back' right leg is a bit swollen. The back right leg has that little 'black line on it, that is the 'cut' I am talking about..to my knowledge, she's only had this swelling for a little bit...not too long. I really noticed it as swelling today.

 
#4 ·
Okay, I'm confused on which leg in the pic..the her left hind (closest to the camera) or her right ? The near one looks like a capped hock. Like she was rolling and bumped a rock or something and it's irritated and puffy. Not a huge deal, really if it goes away soon. Try putting an ice pack on it (frozen peas are great!) for a few minutes, if you can. That can help with the swelling.

Or if I"m totally off at what I see in the pic, please tell me! It's small (the pic) and I'm not sure which leg you are worried about....
 
#6 ·
Umm, it's her back right foot, in the picture, it's the one farthest from the camera...kind of hard to tell...but that's good, since that means that the swelling isn't that noticable :wink:

It has been improving. I iced it yesterday and I put some 'cooling' gel on it today. I'm going to see how it looks tomorrow. The heat on it is starting to go away too...she must have injured herself somehow...I'm no longer sure if I suspect arthritis. She just isn't lame or favoring the leg.

I'll check on it it a bit more though...if it doesn't go away after my icing and treating it, I'll call a vet. But, it has gotten betters so far. :D
 
#8 ·
Well, drats...no good news to report here :( The swelling is back and perhaps a bit bigger. The flys are just 'horrible'. They won't leave the swollen spot alone. Forget flyspay, I put a lose wrap on it to keep the flys off and I'm calling my vet....time to see what's up.

She's not walking right to me either...somethings not right...but at 23 years old, anything is possible.

barefoothooves, it's okay, I really can't see the swelling in the picture I posted either :lol: It's hard to see unless you look at her two legs from the back.

Hopefully, it won't turn out to be something too bad.
 
#9 ·
You know Feathers,
Those older guys can really scare you sometimes over nothing. Our 24 yr old (the Appy) had a rough winter and I had the appointment to put him down and everything-he wouldn't eat, lost a TON of weight , vet couldn't find anything else wrong-teeth, fever, ANYTHING(he'd bowed his tendon late fall -an old war wound for him anyways) and the cold had been hard on him, even with blankets and extra food, and lots of my time freezing my butt off trying to tend to that leg and the vet had an emergency and couldn't do it that day, and I'll be darned if that horse didn't suddenly decide life was worth living again and he's not only doing better, but you would never know he got hurt now. :roll: He's sound, and gaining weight. I was part mad at having gone through all that worry of "am I doing the right thing or not" and relief that the old fart was just fine! :D

My thoughts are the bute that I was giving him for the tendon gave him ulcers and he didn't want to eat..and that sprialed him downhill. I'm not sure what suddenly made it all better, but I'm glad it did. All that starving did a number on his hair coat this spring, he shed out bald before he grew in the summer hair, but he's sleek and shiney now. Back to his old, pushy self. Still needs a more weight, but he looks a lot better! He acts younger than the 7 yr old.

So don't get too worried just yet over your girl. Sure, have the vet check, but it might just be something simple and manageable along with the age factor.


I edited to add a recent picture of the old guy-like I said, still needs more weight but he was a rack of bones and he's gained a couple hundred pounds back already. (I don't normally leave halters on them, but in this pic they are in the front yard-and the driveway is wide open but for a string I put across and the halters are in case they figure out that string isn't a hot wire!)
 
#11 ·
She isn't sore on it? then I would wait and give her a few days to see if it improves.

COLD HOSE It LOTS. Twice a day cold hose it for a good 20 mins. You said there was a bit of a laceration at close proximity, so chances are it seems to me she probably got kicked by another horse, maybe slipped and landed on something? got stung by a bug? who knows! these silly horses do things that are beyond are understanding.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for your advice everyone! Hosing is a great idea. I've done some icing, and I've been appling this 'cooling' stuff (it's a vitaflex product), and I have hosed it a few times but not that much.

And thanks for the encouragment barefoothooves!! Your guy looks great !! He looks like a beautiful appy too! :D I'm glad he decided to pull through and live!!

I hope it is just a minor injury...but, yes, arthritis is lingering in my mind. I am going to see what the vet has to say, and I will most likely start her on a joint supplement of some kind (I was actually already going to). I have a pending vet appointment (they are trying to schedule me in as of right now).

I'll keep you posted!
 
#13 ·
Feathers said:
Thanks for your advice everyone! Hosing is a great idea. I've done some icing, and I've been appling this 'cooling' stuff (it's a vitaflex product), and I have hosed it a few times but not that much.

And thanks for the encouragment barefoothooves!! Your guy looks great !! He looks like a beautiful appy too! :D I'm glad he decided to pull through and live!!

I hope it is just a minor injury...but, yes, arthritis is lingering in my mind. I am going to see what the vet has to say, and I will most likely start her on a joint supplement of some kind (I was actually already going to). I have a pending vet appointment (they are trying to schedule me in as of right now).

I'll keep you posted!
How old is your pony? isn't she quite young for arthritis?
 
#14 ·



I took this short video yestereday. My sister just rode her around for a short time. I thought she was walking a bit funny. I know this video is very shaky and blah...but if you do notice anything weird in her movement, please point it out.

M2G, hehe, she's 23 years old. :D

I'll try and get a better one today or so.
 
#16 ·
Thanks M2G!

The vet came today and the problem seems to be an allergic reaction to flies.

Her other back hock started to swell today...same problem.

I'm glad it's not arthritis. Needless to say, she is on more than one type of medication for awhile now. Hopefully, things will start to get better now!
 
#19 ·
hmmm, could you take an old tube sock and cut the closed toe off and snip a triangle out and slip it over her hocks (the triangle is where the point of her hock would poke out, to keep it from being too tight) and soak the crap out of it with fly repellent? Or are her legs too big?

Used that once to medicat a skinned hock-horse kept knocking the hide off his hocks when he layed down and I just kept socks on him during the show season. LOL Looked raggety, but worked well.
 
#20 ·
That's a good idea barefoothooves!

I will have to try that. I just need to find an extra large sock.

After a few days on meds, her legs are already just about normal, if not normal. The swelling looks to be gone.

She's not too happy with the meds in her food but, that's tough luck i suppose.

Thanks for your support everone!! :D
 
#21 ·
I have a welsh sec D, and he has what feels like squidjy on his back right leg, been advised it is a capped hock.
I have tried absoloutly everything and i cannot get hold of my vet, she seems always to be busy - can anybody give me any advise as my horse seems to have the same problem, does anybody know what i can do without getting the vet out ?
He is fine in the field gallopin around but when i tried sitting on him he seems lame on the leg but he isnt lame on it with no rider on :S
I am really confused
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top