Hock Injury - any brilliant ideas to reduce swelling?

[BABYGREENTB]

Hello COTHers…I have an injury-related question for you. About 6 weeks ago, my dear mare came in from the field with a big fat hock. It was swollen and super painful, and we had the vet out for the requisite ultrasounds and x-rays. Several visits and tests later, we determined that she had strained a ligament (thankfully no tear), and she has been on stall rest ever since.

We recently started walking her under tack, and her hock is still pretty puffy (though no longer painful or hot). The vet says that it may stay that way permanently…not ideal for obvious reasons. She’s getting regular shockwave treatments, cold hosing, and still isn’t turned out. I ordered an ice boot this week to start icing her each day, but was wondering if anyone had any other brilliant ideas?

She’s not currently on any anti-inflammatories, but was wondering if they might help with the swelling?

Has anyone dealt with this kind of injury before?

[cheerio280]

My horse had hock surgery several years ago (to remove two bone chips and some abcessed wood splinters after a pasture accident) and his hock was big for quite a while (here it is one month post-op). I was sure it would be huge for the rest of his life, but it did eventually return to a normal size. I used BOT hock boots for a while, not sure they helped significantly though.

[SugarRush]

I own a horse who had a hock injury with subsequent severe infection and surgery, and I swear by Back on Track. I just pop in the hock boots and it brings down the fluid. For chronic enlarged joints due to fluid build up ice won’t do much (it’s not swollen because of acute inflammation, it’s just a long term change) your best bet is heat and lots of movement. Hope that helps

[kbrethauer]

BBGT - I have a pair of BOT hock boots I could sell you if you want… Fits my 16.2 WB gelding who is not big boned. Just let me know, as they are sitting around and I would love to get rid of them.

[vxf111]

Surpass?!

[katiemayo]

I had a gelding with what sounds like a similar injury. His hock never went back to normal size (sorry).

I have a game ready that I used on him frequently. This helped reduce swelling a lot more than the ice boot I used. Maybe if you know someone who has one see if you can borrow or rent it for a bit? It took him a long time to be okay with standing there with the hock boot on for the treatments, but he did get used to it. When it would compress he would try to kick it off.

I tried the back on track hock boot, but he wouldn’t leave it on (would either try to kick if off immediately or would rip it off)

[BABYGREENTB]

Thanks everyone - much appreciated advice!

Kbrethaur sent you a PM.

Fingers crossed for her recheck tomorrow. I suspect once she is able to go out for a bit each day that will also help.

[Limerick]

I would second the Surpass suggestion. It can’t hurt. In Canada, the human version (same ingredients) is sold over the counter as Voltarin and it is very cheap. Feelbest.com ship quickly to the US.

[equisusan]

I third Surpass/Voltaren. Just rubbed it on my own big lumpy leg from a recent fall. Ice if it’s hot and Surpass and massage if it’s not.

[vxf111]

Surpass is some good stuff. I use it on anything soft tissue, horse or human. Not terribly expensive either. Do clip the area down to the skin (surgical clip) so you get the maximum amount of Surpass in and don’t waste it on the hair. Really, really GOOD STUFF.

I threw out my back tonight. I wish I had some Surpass NOW!

[Kimstar]

I used to use Voltaren on my horse’s arthritic hocks - I think it did help a bit.

OP, if you do try the Voltaren/Surpass, make sure it is completely washed off the skin before trying the BOT boot, even if several days have elapsed since application. It caused some major scurfing on my horse because I wasn’t careful the first time. The heat from the BOT really opens up the skin pores and anything that might irritate it will cause a problem.

And yes, the Voltaren is very cheap here in Canada - one good thing that actually is available here and not in the States. I think the best price on it here when I was buying it was $19.95 for two 150 gm tubes at Costco, although I think it may be a little more expensive now.

[society]

Is the ligament the high suspensory (just below hock on inside)? For a ligament strain, cold therapy+epsom salts+NSAIDS would help with healing, and swelling should decrease as heals. Rest, rehab, PRP possibly if suspensory. If the main part of the hock is swollen/boggy, could be capsulitis (like a shoe boil), hematoma, or edema. DMSO/sweat could help with edema and vet can inject with atropine and corticosteroid if capsuilits. Swelling may come back though. Hematoma will resorb over time. If its swollen on top of hock, the flexor tendon runs there and could be that tendon that is strained.
So, if its just a pouch of fluid, like a hematoma, edema, or capsulitis, NSAIDS and ice won’t help. If its a tendon/ligament injury, NSAIDS, and ice will help with healing along with a treatment program. The cold water spas are great for this.

[islgrl]

I had very good luck with Naquasone (sp??) with a very fat knee that would not go down.

[Wish_Upon_a_Star2000]

My friend had a horse that sliced his back leg, it was awful. His leg was also swollen badly, and she used Bute for the anti-inflammatory. It worked. Surpass sounds good too, I’d recommend it!

[beau159]

I was also going to suggest the BOT hock wrap (and leg wrap if you are having lower swelling as well), as I see many others did.

I have a set of the quick wraps for my horse and I was never really sure how much they helped until I kept him overnight in a stall at a show. WOW did it help keep him from stocking up (like he normally does in a stall). After that, I am totally sold on their products.

Good luck with your horse.

[BABYGREENTB]

Thanks everyone! Her recheck is today, and I asked the vet to think about whether Surpass (or something similar) would help. He’s pretty proactive, and I’m sure will be able to help steer us correctly. I also acquired a pair of BoT hock boots, so hopefully those will help too!

[borntobewild129]

No tear on the DDFT?

[MorganJumper848]

There are many options. My horse has a curb on his right hock along with adhesions that I am treating. There was a lot of swelling and heat when it started. The treatment that work for him was. Spectra laser therapy hock boot 2-3 times a week, and using a game ready machine every day for 25-30 minutes. He also gets surpassed in the morning and the back on track hock boot at night. Obviously I have been very aggressive and most of the swelling has now come down but there will always be thickened tissue there.

[Kestrel]

Just a side note - Surpass (diclofenac) is an NSAID, so you can either use Surpass or Voltaren or take oral NSAIDs - not do both. The diclofenac is absorbed through the skin (though I personally would wonder how much of a dose you get) so be careful not to double your dose. Maybe not so much of an issue with horses, but in riders we may not be as careful.

[staceymc]

I had a horse with an injury to the DDFT sheath. No tear visible on ultrasound, etc and the tendon itself appeared to be fine. But the sheath was very inflamed and the space between the sheath and the tendon kept building up with fluid. The entire inside area above the hock was incredibly swollen.

The vet injected the tendon sheath with steroids and I got about a 30% improvement. After 5 weeks of stall rest, we injected it again, but with a different concoction that had 2.5 bottles of Depo in it (yes, you read that right).

Within a week you couldn’t tell anything had ever happened. He had another 4 weeks of stall rest and then we started bringing him back. Vet fully expected the hock area to blow back up once u/s, but it’s been about 9 months and it looks perfect still (knocking on wood). He’s back jumping 3’6" and everything.