Carpal Hygroma- Experiences?

[dani0303]

My accident prone TB came in with a huge knee last week. There was no heat with the swelling and he wasn’t lame so I kept an eye on it for a few days until the vet was coming out for a regularly scheduled appointment.

He diagnosed it as a carpal hygroma. It’s basically a fluid buildup underneath the skin but outside of the joint. He said he could drain it but it would likely come back.

Has anyone dealt with this before? The horse is still sound on and it and doesn’t work too hard in life. If I need to semi-retire him to being my DH’s trail horse I will but he’s awfully nice to just sit around if this is manageable.

Pic of the knee
https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18920602_10213440215508572_7959946521734827656_n.jpg?oh=fd3546fe4eb46f1fe6a8696444d6a639&oe=59A10FA8
https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18920411_10213440216188589_875824316995286472_n.jpg?oh=615158601430af6e8b6d7df219a45e63&oe=59D17954
https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19059051_10213440216548598_6424048928604078961_n.jpg?oh=9d555228846513c88e3f9eaec6ed33d0&oe=59E7841B

[HoofHeartSoul]

3 different vets diagnosed my horse with a hygroma ( bump appeared after work and went away with rest at first, then eventually stayed and became bigger) and didn’t xray. I finally let it go at that and years later we found out it was really arthritis and it was already moderate and he lost range of motion. He can barely bend it now as it progresses.

Radiograph it

[JJ_sLuckyTrain]

I have seen a couple of hygromas over the years. They are usually no big deal. But, I agree with HoofHeartSoul – I would get some more diagostics to confirm.

[eternalbeginner]

If it is really (and only) a hygroma, it will disappear in the long run with a lot of cold hosing, massage with cold poultices and/or bandaging. But if you’re going to bandage you have to bandage the whole leg. If you bandage only the knee the bandage will slip overnight. So you need to bandage the leg (with wraps underneath) and then to bandage the knee with an 8 shape.

The hygroma in your pictures does not look very big to me. A friend of mine has a mare that is very keen on hitting hard objects with her knee, I will try to upload pictures tomorrow. And the subsequent hygroma did not disappear overnight but it has reduced a lot just with time.

[silverdog]

That hygroma looks tiny! My very accident prone horse got a huge knee as a 3 year old. Initially treated as hygroma after xrays and US with pressure bandages for 3 weeks. In the end diagnosed with tendon sheath infection. Luckily got away with drainage, intra sheath antibiotics, several doses of IV antibiotics and oral antibiotics. Took about 4 mths to completely resolve the swelling. Wore the bandage for 4 months. Didn’t bother him any - went out with his pasture mate every day.