My horse's front legs are swollen, but she's sound. What should I do?

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.

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.

You have some great observation skills about your horse!! It sounds like you are describing a joint that is filled with excessive fluid. Joints have 'pouches' that bulge on the sides of the joints when they are filled with fluid - and when you press on one side, the fluid moves to the other side. Structures on the hind leg that have obvious pouches like that are the fetlock joint and, in the same region, the tendon sheath. Up higher on the leg - another tendon sheath as well as the hock joint can have obvious pouches. The swelling itself may not be cause for alarm, unless it is brand new and/or is also accompanied by lameness (limping). If there is lameness, you should have Ellie evaluated by your veterinarian to determine if the swelling is associated with the lameness and what treatment should be done. If there is not lameness associated with that leg, mention the swelling to your veterinarian the next time they are out for an appointment or you talk with them next. Good luck with Ellie and thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'd keep an eye on Bud for now. Most bog spavin heals without treatment, and horses only become lame if the condition is caused by stress. If it's caused by an accident, the bog spavin resolves as soon as the joint heals. If the joint stays inflamed and the swelling is hard and tense, or he does become lame, then yes I would call the vet to come and see him. Rest him for now to allow him to heal. I hope this helps!

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.

Hello. The only way to avoid the problem is to avoid the hay. I would definitely make sure you can get & keep some bute on your farm, & the first signs of stocking up, start the bute. If you can familiarize yourself with how the weed looks in the hay, you can pick through it to remove as much as you can. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Sadie! I would call your equine vet to come and see her. There are many things that can cause lameness in the cannon bone and pastern of a horse including strains and sprains of the ligaments, fractures of the bone, or arthritis among others. The vet can do a lameness exam including flexion tests, nerve blocks, and possibly field x-rays. Once the cause of the lameness is found, the vet can discuss treatment options with you.