Please help me with mysterious knee/carpus issue

[doublesstable]

Almost four months ago one of my horses had a swollen carpus coming out of his stall. The swelling was the Extensor Carpus Radialis. Exact shape of that area. My regular vet was out of town so another vet came out - did some flexions - she gave me Surpass and had me rest him for the week and ice it until the regular vet was back.

Regular vet came the next week and we Ultrasounded it. He said the top of the extensor had a small strain. Vet drained it and injected a Steroid. A month of tack walking. Carpus swelling did go down. Just after a month it got a bit more swollen again… Vet came out again; drained and injected again. Vet said there was some blood - that it looked like he re-injured it. We have no freaking clue how he is injuring it. Suspecting pawing (other horses across from him paw at feeding time) so we moved him to a different stall. No one sees him pawing so we are still a bit confused.

After an additional 5 weeks vet said to start him slowly back to work. Horse has been sound. The extensor never did go down 100%…

Well it started to get a bit large after two weeks of light work… vet said no riding until next week he will come out and look at it again.

Today is Tuesday, vet is scheduled for this Thursday and I was out of town for two days… went to the barn today (Tuesday) and his knee is HUGE. Bigger than it was initially. I am extremely bummed and just don’t understand what is going on. It does feel slighly warm.

My thoughts are xrays and if there is some way to check for infection (blood work)? I just don’t know… vet seems stumped too.

I really could use some thoughts… I have searched the internet and have found nothing…

[Peggy]

Is his temperature normal? With an infection you’d expect an elevated temperature.

Is it possible that, with the holidays, he didn’t get out of his stall as much Sunday and Monday and the lack of movement caused the increased swelling? I’m assuming that he was getting hand walked.

As far as how he’s doing it, the glib answer is that he’s a horse (mine whacked his head so hard in the turnout on Sunday that he was doing that thing where they move their jaw and convince you that it’s broken). Could be be whacking the knee by pawing?

[doublesstable]

Thanks Peggy… I will take his temp when I go to the barn today… He never gets out on Monday… our barn is closed on Mondays and none of the horses get out that day… not that I support that idea but that is just the norm there. I wasn’t around on Tuesday but he was supposed to get his turn out.

He is getting grass turn out. I was tack walking but waiting on the Vet to come back he said not to tack walk.

Well the cause we did think it was pawing so we moved him in a stall that is not in crazy horse row. No one sees him pawing… the barn has been so wonderful and even feeds him first… so??? Cause??? He is a HORSE…

I am just so concerned because of this issue being chronic no matter what we do. I wonder if an MRI is in order? There is just something going on there and we need to figure it out.

I am sorry about your horse… I hope he is okay…

[Peggy]

Grady is fine. It was a mere flesh wound.

[doublesstable]

Mystery solved… x-ray showed bone bruise with remodeling. Thought it may be interesting to share.

[Peggy]

Where do we go from here?

[doublesstable]

Vet did IRAP today… and will continue once a week for a few doses. And lay up… does want him walking and were doing grass turn out as long as he is quiet. So we will re ultrasound in a few months.

[Peggy]

Well, at least the mystery is solved. And an active rehab will keep everyone saner. Fingers crossed to a good recovery.