Why does my horse keep going lame with leg swelling and splint?

I would still be very suspicious of a hoof abscess. I would recommend having her checked out by a vet to see what is going on. Some abscesses can be tricky to diagnose and they may not even react with hoof testers, but a good equine vet should be able to tell what is going on after a lameness exam.

Your horse could have an infection. Sometimes they can get an infection in the hoof that can cause some swelling in fetlock area. It may be a good idea to have your vet examine her and possibly give her some antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds. I hope this has helped. Thank you for using pet coach.

Hi, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sorry to hear this happened to Cody. It does sound like it may be an abscess. Sidebone rarely causes lameness so I doubt it is that. Ringbone is a possibility depending on where the swelling is located (front of the hoof, one of the sides or over the heels); this swelling is usually very firm to the touch. You just said there is a lump above the coronet but not where on the foot so that makes it harder for me to be helpful. If you want to post again with a photo we may be able to assist you better. Regardless of the cause, I suggest you get a vet out there to check him. In the meantime you can soak the foot up over the fetlock in a bucket of warm Epsom Salt water for 10 minutes twice a day to hopefully draw the infection out (if that is what it is). If it is not an abscess this won't hurt but it won't help. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I am so sorry to hear about Sadie! Without seeing it in person it is difficult to say what the problem is. With her history and a newly occurring, large lump, I would be concerned for some type of trauma. I think you are right to be concerned about bleeding under the skin. This does not always have to be severe, but it sounds like she is in pain and I think it would be safest to have her examined. At the very least they will alleviate her discomfort and your fears! I hope this helps and she is back to normal soon!

Has your horse been seen by an equine vet? If not then this would be the next step. Swollen legs/veins can be a sign of heart disease. I would also have the horse tested for Equine viral arteriitis. There is a possibility that it once had this disease and these are problems connected to arteriitis. he cellulitis and the abscess can have caused sepsis which in turn caused heart problems. So these are two diseases that definitely need to be checked by an equine vet. There are a few other diseases that could cause swollen blood vessels, so your vet may want to take some blood for checking organ function as well.

Hello there and thank you very much for your question. Mud fever, as you may or may not know, is simply a skin infection caused by a moist environment. Generally speaking, horses do not show signs of lameness or the symptoms that you are seeing based on this disease only. In fact it would be very rare. Therefore, I strongly believe that there is another reason that may be causing the lameness and swelling issues that you are experiencing. I urge you to have the veterinarian perform a complete orthopedic examination as well as neurologic examination that includes diagnostic nerve testing as well as x-rays so that they can make a diagnosis. Again, I am quite skeptical that the mud fever is the reason for the symptoms your horse is experiencing. Everything is possible but in this case it would be very rare. Thanks a lot for your question. I hope I have helped.

She may be having an allergic reaction, which causes the edema, or swelling you're seeing in the legs. If she's not lame, you can give her time, with walking and cold water hosing. If the swelling persists, she probably needs steroids instead of bute and I recommend a visit to your vet for a full exam and bloodwork as well.