Hi, found my mare with this injury this morning. It s hard, not too painful when i touche it, there IS a wound it s on thé bony facial Crest. I suppose it s from a kick maybe. Someone has aver Seen this? Perhaps a fracture?I m calling thé vet tomorrow but in the meantime someone has Seen something similar before. Tia.
VID-20230727-WA0015
I can’t really tell from your pictures, but I had a horse that had a huge, hard swelling roughly between his eyes. The vet did think it was a minor fracture but had a hard time getting good xrays in the field. He never really seemed painful or bothered at all by it, and it very slowly went away over about six months.
2 Likes
Am I correct that the swelling is in the chestnut region where the flies are congregating in the second photo of the OP?
I have seen similar from a horse swinging its head and hitting something such as a post, a tree or another horse’s teeth. There’s just no padding in this area to soften any significant blow.
I’d be icing the area and giving anti-inflammatories (if not contra-indicated for other reasons) after consulting the vet and scheduling an appointment.
Most likely will require time but will be fine eventually.
Good luck and jingles.
2 Likes
Yes it IS where thé flies are congregating., But with a such hard lump it IS more likely a fracture? I Know i have to wait next week for thé xray but normally when fractures IS there a lot of oedema?
Ah, I thought that was the horse’s shoulder! Yes, it certainly could be a fracture, or there could be something in it. I think bute, monitoring and xray next week is probably a good idea.
If she hit it hard enough, it could be a bone bruise (periosteal contusion). Blood collects between the bone and the thin membrane covering the bone, making a hard, painful lump. Not much to do, just like waiting for a normal bruise to dissipate.
2 Likes
Thanks do Bone fractures with Time get smaller or normally thé head will bé deformed for lifetime?
They go away. My gelding had a “rhino horn” for close to a year.
3 Likes
yes me too! The very short video helped!! Never seen this though. Horses 
1 Like
What happened to him?
From the straight on camera angle, I thought that was rhe shoulder, too. I kept looking for a lump on the white face.
Now I see it. Maybe a profile photo, from the side, would be helpful.
Even if it’s a fracture there, not much to be done but to keep pain down and keep wound clean.
1 Like
Banamine can help with facial swelling. If the wound is deep (all the way through the skin), you probably want antibiotics. My guy had to get staples there once for a deep wound though he didn’t have that much swelling. If it isn’t bothering her much, my guess would be not broken.
Yes, i suppose that when there IS a fracture it hurts when you apply pressure which it s not thé case. It looks liké a splint but on thé face
Can a Bone exostose on thé face form on a single day?
You mean like a bony tumor? I’m not a vet-- at all-- but I would think that there’d be some gradual swelling, not a sudden eruption.
On the other hand, are you sure it looks like an actual wound, and not an abscess? Or perhaps a drainage tract that has opened up?
I’m thinking like a dental issue or even a tooth bud tract that has finally reached the surface and opened up externally.
Yes i mean liké a splint but on thé face. I also thought a tooth maybe but thé wound IS liké a scratch, liké as she banged her head against something
Update…vet came and it IS an abcess. Have to give antibiotics and bute and sée if in three weeks it goes down. If not she will have an xray to sée if there IS a New bony formation
1 Like
