Sweating a Cold Fat Leg

[GraceLikeRain]

Mare kicked herself or got kicked inside hind. It is An inch from a similar instance this summer so guessing she’s whacking herself rolling and getting up chaotically. Seems on brand for a nervy pony that rolls with wild abandon and likes to take off at a dead sprint after. She’s dead sound on it. It’s cold. I can manhandle with zero response.

Last time I stressed like heck. Sweat it for three days. Topical surpass for two weeks. Photographed daily. It was a solid 6 weeks before it was imperceptible to the average person and 8-10 before I couldn’t find it.

Horses are an iterative process. What should I change up? Sweat longer? Something over than furacin and dsmo. Change up the ratios? Would poultice be better even though it’s cold?

[WildGooseChase]

I’ve got a laundry list of questions! (Lol sorry!)

1. Is this horse being stalled at all?
2. Are you working this horse? How often and at what intensity?
3. Do you use wraps or boots on this horse?
4. Is the swelling localized? Or does it cover a larger area?
5. Does this horse have a history of cellulitis, lymphangitis, windpuffs, tendon/ligament injury etc?
6. Have you thoroughly inspected all 4 legs for small injuries, wounds, infections (think mud fever/scratches)? Did you find anything?
7. Did you attempt to cold hose or use ice therapy? How long did you cold hose/ice the leg? What was the end result?
8. It’s out of left field, but do you have any kind of Buttercup on the farm?

The more information you can give us the better. The photos you took with date stamps would be extremely helpful too!

With the limited information given, my gut tells me it’s probably a lymphatic drainage, or circulation issue. Surpass is a topical NSAID, so if it didn’t work, it’s probably not traditional inflammation.

Furicin (nitrofurazone) has been banned by the FDA for several species of livestock, and humans since 1991, because it causes cancer, and actually retards healing by as much as 24%. Please discontinue use and destroy what you have so it cannot be used by anyone else. There are other products on the market that are readily available, that are much safer for your horse and for you.

[Simkie]

My flow chart:

Does wrapping overnight resolve the filling?

If yes, wrap overnight until it resolves, or until I get bored of wrapping overnight. Usually these things clear up by 5-7 days, but by around 10 (which is where my attention span usually dries up) are at least good enough that filling overnight is minimal and reduces to normal in daily turnout

If no, consider sweating and or naquasone. I’ll sweat 12 on 12 off until I get a tight leg, then proceed as above.

If the leg fills during the day despite turnout, I am comfortable turning out in a dry standing wrap, although ymmv.

[GraceLikeRain]

@WildGooseChase

• Is this horse being stalled at all? - 12 in 12 out. non-negotiable due to boarding barn structure

• Are you working this horse? How often and at what intensity? worked 4-5 days a week. 30 minute flat rides. no work since cut and swelling were discovered (Sunday AM). Injury happened some time after 2 PM on Saturday.

• Do you use wraps or boots on this horse? Never

• Is the swelling localized? Or does it cover a larger area? Cut is about an inch below the inside of the hock. Swelling extends from cut down to fetlock. Mirrors about of swelling from similar injury a few months back

• Does this horse have a history of cellulitis, lymphangitis, windpuffs, tendon/ligament injury etc? No but does have a history of disproportionate swelling from cuts that takes a long time to resolve.

• Have you thoroughly inspected all 4 legs for small injuries, wounds, infections (think mud fever/scratches)? Did you find anything? All three other legs clean. It is a definite cut with a line of dried blood from the cut to the hoof so it bleed a decent amount

• Did you attempt to cold hose or use ice therapy? How long did you cold hose/ice the leg? What was the end result? Cold hosed 30 minutes Sunday and Monday. Zero change in swelling. No heat at any point in the leg.

• It’s out of left field, but do you have any kind of Buttercup on the farm? Unfortunately yes but given that there is a specific cut, I don’t think it is a systemic reaction to anything ingested.

My vet has always recommended Furacin for sweats. What alternative products do you recommend considering?

[Simkie]

@GraceLikeRain

What alternative products do you recommend considering?

I like this stuff:

SU-PER Sweat ointment

Although do still use dmso & furacin too. Just depends on what I have on hand.

[WildGooseChase]

Thanks for the information!

Since the lac is so close to a joint, did you involve your vet at the time of discovery?

Since nitrofurazone retards healing, especially of open wounds, I would be washing with a mild soap and water or a wound spray like Banixx/Vetracin etc, using a topical antibiotic ointment (TriCare is my go to) over the wound itself, and then using a barrier cream like Desitin underneath in case the wound seeps.

PS Buttercup is not only toxic when ingested, but can cause contact dermatitis of the skin. Horses with pink skinned legs are the one’s I see affected the most. But I have seen other horses have issues with it too. It’s a weird thing, but it’s always something I ask when swelling of the lower limbs arise. It’s a pretty big problem here in SE Michigan, especially in over-grazed pastures.

[GraceLikeRain]

@WildGooseChase

Since the lac is so close to a joint, did you involve your vet at the time of discovery?

No. Since we literally went through this 4 months ago I’m using the same markers the hospital provided last time: no heat, no tenderness, no lameness - no major concerns. If any of the above changes at any point, I’m having them out immediately.

Thanks @Simkie . I haven’t seen this product before