pros/cons of sweating legs?

[ChloeSimpy]

I’m thinking about sweating my mares back legs because she stocks up very easily, is currently not really getting out due to the weather and all our rings being closed due to wetness, however I am hand walking her daily.

I have sweated before and know how to properly wrap, however furazone just kind of makes me uneasy. What exactly does sweating do to the leg? It doesn’t actually burn them right, just keeps heat in to literally sweat out inflammation? I know there should not be any cut or open wound. Is it okay to do both back legs at once? I don’t want her to be uncomfortable…she is very used to regular standing wraps.

I would be using a DMSO/furazone combo my vet gave me. Also my mare is chestnut, I hear they are more sensitive? Should I do just a regular poultice to help with inflammation while on essentially stall rest?

Thank you all!

[Laurierace]

Not an answer to your question but if the issue is just generalized stocking up you probably don’t need anything other than standing wraps. I would not sweat for that. Poultice is never a bad thing although I have always thought it’s real value is all the hosing you have to do to get it off.
If I did have a leg I thought needed to be sweated down I use Fura-Free not furacin due to it’s potential carcinogen risk. Does the trick without the risk. Neither burn the horse, just create heat to help draw out the excess fluid. Lots of horses , especially chestnuts will not tolerate DMSO but that is one of those things you never know until you try.

[ChloeSimpy]

@Laurierace

Not an answer to your question but if the issue is just generalized stocking up you probably don’t need anything other than standing wraps. I would not sweat for that. Poultice is never a bad thing although I have always thought it’s real value is all the hosing you have to do to get it off.
If I did have a leg I thought needed to be sweated down I use Fura-Free not furacin due to it’s potential carcinogen risk. Does the trick without the risk. Neither burn the horse, just create heat to help draw out the excess fluid. Lots of horses , especially chestnuts will not tolerate DMSO but that is one of those things you never know until you try.

Good to know, thank you!

[tabula_rashah]

I’m not a big fan of sweating. For stocking up, really I’d get her as much movement as possible, maybe cold hose when you are out there and do standing wraps if anything.

[ChloeSimpy]

@tabula rashah

I’m not a big fan of sweating. For stocking up, really I’d get her as much movement as possible, maybe cold hose when you are out there and do standing wraps if anything.

Cold hosing never seems to help maybe ill just stick to wraps and hand walking

[tabula_rashah]

@ChloeSimpy

Cold hosing never seems to help maybe ill just stick to wraps and hand walking

Have you tried the cold hosing either in conjunction with a good rub down of the legs or a pressure nozzle (not too hard though!)?

[ChloeSimpy]

@tabula rashah

Have you tried the cold hosing either in conjunction with a good rub down of the legs or a pressure nozzle (not too hard though!)?

My barns hose doesn’t have a pressure nozzle, will have to try massaging her legs though!

[MJE]

I’ve always just done standing wraps or in the winter Back on Track quick wraps. Both help when my horse is stocked up. When I was boarding I liked the quick wraps better because they were easier for whoever was turning out to get off quickly.

[StormyDay]

Another option would be those compression socks for horses. From what I understand they can wear them overnight and they aren’t as hot as standing wraps as it gets warmer

[Simkie]

Yeah, another vote that sweating isn’t the way to go here. It’s useful when you have an inflammatory condition causing filling, but stocking up isn’t that. Stocking up is just fluid accumulation from inactivity. There’s nothing to “fix” there and you won’t make any permanent change.

Ignoring it is fine, dry standing bandages are fine, massage is fine, walking–a nice forward, marching walk–is also fine. But sweating? No point.

[RedHorses]

I find Back on Track quick wraps very helpful for my horse too.

Side note: You can use rubbing alcohol as a sweat. Though I agree that a sweat isn’t warranted in this case.

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹

[IPEsq]

Since it wasn’t mentioned, the mix can irritate the skin if used regularly. Or even with a medical bandage that you leave on for 2-3 days. Part of it is the furazone and part is just because the leg is now wet and there will be some degree of friction from the wrap. I usually see sores first around the edge of the wrap on the sensitive ones—just from the edge of the quilt or the tape if you make a medical bandage.

So there is definitely a con to sweating. The pros can outweigh that for an acute injury where you are trying to bring inflammation down. For stocking up, you will get most of the benefit from the compression which as mentioned can be done safer with a dry wrap. However, regular compression wraps could make her stock up more after you stop because they become dependent on the compression. Especially if this is chronic because the leg has already become like stretched out pantyhose from the chronic edema. It’s just a cosmetic problem although could in theory affect the normal slide of the soft tissue within the tendon sheath.

Given current circumstances, wrapping and hand walking for a while will be fine. But also fine to hand walk without wrapping. You can also use your thumb to create some pressure from the hose…or can you buy your own nozzle? I have found that when you don’t have hot legs, pressure hosing works better than cold therapy. Because it massages the edema.

I like the BOT no bows for this but a regular cheap quilt will work fine.

[ChloeSimpy]

@IPEsq

Since it wasn’t mentioned, the mix can irritate the skin if used regularly. Or even with a medical bandage that you leave on for 2-3 days. Part of it is the furazone and part is just because the leg is now wet and there will be some degree of friction from the wrap. I usually see sores first around the edge of the wrap on the sensitive ones—just from the edge of the quilt or the tape if you make a medical bandage.

So there is definitely a con to sweating. The pros can outweigh that for an acute injury where you are trying to bring inflammation down. For stocking up, you will get most of the benefit from the compression which as mentioned can be done safer with a dry wrap. However, regular compression wraps could make her stock up more after you stop because they become dependent on the compression. Especially if this is chronic because the leg has already become like stretched out pantyhose from the chronic edema. It’s just a cosmetic problem although could in theory affect the normal slide of the soft tissue within the tendon sheath.

Given current circumstances, wrapping and hand walking for a while will be fine. But also fine to hand walk without wrapping. You can also use your thumb to create some pressure from the hose…or can you buy your own nozzle? I have found that when you don’t have hot legs, pressure hosing works better than cold therapy. Because it massages the edema.

I like the BOT no bows for this but a regular cheap quilt will work fine.

You worded this really well, thanks! I’d definitely only keep them on 6-8 hours, however I decided to not sweat since its not really necessary like everyone said. I’ve been doing regular wraps every other night so she doesn’t get dependent like you said. I’ll probably buy my own nose for the hose too, I figure why not.

[Equestrianette]

Also remember the physiology behind stocking up. The hoof is a pump that sends blood and lymphatic fluid back up the leg into circulation. If the horse isn’t moving, the pump isn’t working, that’s why walking or applying standing wraps are pretty much the only things you can do. Cold hosing will help an inflammatory puffiness, but not necessarily an accumulation of lymphatic fluid. What you can do is separate hay from the water, even if it’s at opposite ends of a stall they at least have to walk from one end to the other to get hay or water.

If only they made SCDs for horses.

[endlessclimb]

Related but off topic question : can you sweat a hock or other joint that has effusion? Cause of effusion is known.

[Simkie]

@endlessclimb

Related but off topic question : can you sweat a hock or other joint that has effusion? Cause of effusion is known.

Sure. But wrapping that hock to sweat it isn’t easy.

Sweating is generally limited to the lower legs for ease of wrapping.

[endlessclimb]

@Simkie

Sure. But wrapping that hock to sweat it isn’t easy.

Sweating is generally limited to the lower legs for ease of wrapping.

When you have to wrap both hocks for 6 months straight after bilateral surgical arthrodesis with many complications, it becomes second nature. Thanks!

[ChloeSimpy]

@endlessclimb

Related but off topic question : can you sweat a hock or other joint that has effusion? Cause of effusion is known.

I’ve sweated my mares hock before, it wasn’t too bad, there’s youtube videos on how to do a figure-8 hock wrap. I would only sweat wrap a hock under direction of your vet though