# Swollen Tender Hock and dragging foot....



## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

My old draft mare has a swollen hock joint and hock (and that part on the back top of the hock/ankle is swollen) and its swollen in all directions not just on one side or the other. The Swelling feels hard. and she's being really tender with it and dragging it just a little as she steps. There is nothing in the hove and all looks normal. The farrier happens to be coming out tomorrow so is going to look at it. Just trying to get ideas before then. 
I put the cold hose on it for about 15 minutes and as the other leg got wet I noticed there were a few scraps on the opposite leg under her feathering but they already had scabs so did not look fresh, I did not notice the swelling or lameness till today but it looks like she got scraped up a little but not deep just surface. She has cataracts and her vision is starting to fade so wonder if she got hung up in something. 
She has no temp and is eating fine and getting around fine. 
I dont have a ton of experience with horses, any ideas or advice?


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

Cold hose as often as you can bear it. (just for short periods of time) 
Bute for pain may be a good idea if she won't overdo it if It feels better. 

Poor girl


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

where do you get Bute?


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## dkrabec (Apr 5, 2012)

You get bute from the vet, but you can use regular people aspirin as well. I crush up about 15-20 aspirin depending on the size of the horse mix it with some water an apple sauce to make a paste in a syringe and shoot it down their throat. You did not say if there was heat or not. If there is heat then the hose is good. Otherwise not sure I would bother. The aspirin should help with the pain and swelling. Feed stores also sell horse aspirin but the people aspirin is cheaper. Hope she feels better.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Bute is a prescription item but most people with using horses or show horses might be able to give you some.
I was confused about the location of the swelling. If it's under her feathering, then it is probably the fetlock? Although feathering on a draft can go to the hock. But if it's not the hock, it could mean scratches or mud fever. Not something to run cold water or use bute.
If you know the it's really the hock, I'm sorry for my words. It just wasn't clear to me.
You can also use aspirin for pain.


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

Its at the 'ankle' joint, all the way around.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

The ankle is called a pastern on a horse, is the area just below the pastern scabby around the top of the hoof and up the back by the heel and swollen or is it above the pastern? 

We're trying to picture what you're describing.


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

The back leg ankle joint....there are no scratch marks on the leg thats swollen, just on the opposite leg, but are just surface scratches. So wondering if she got hung up on something and hurt herself.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Old Mission, if it is a injury type thing, I'd be more inclined to think she landed in a hole before having been hung up on something because there are no visible signs of injury but there could be several reasons for that kind of swelling and your farrier would be the best place to start.


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

I went out this morning and her leg was more swollen up high, by the knee, the swelling moved up. The farrier was out right after that and said the vet would probably just tell me to put her down, due to she's old. I was super depressed about it. I went back out there a few hours later, and the swelling went down about half what it was this morning, and she is not dragging the foot nearly as bad. Only every once in awhile for one step only it would just nick the ground as she stepped. She was not limping at all and not babying it anymore. And she is in much better spirits, rolling in the dirt, more social, scratching, back to her normal self, ect. So that was a huge relief!!! I sure hope she's on the road to recover and that it was just a simple injury thats going to be ok!


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

I've seen hoof abcesses that caused swelling up the leg, maybe that was it and the abcess burst. Hopefully she'll be OK now. I'm glad she's feeling better. :grin:


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

One morning I went out to feed only to find my husband's gelding foaming sweat, covered in welts and wouldn't touch one of his front legs to the ground. His leg was hot and swollen, I thought for sure this horse had broken his leg out on the pasture. Put a call in to the vet and we led the gelding, hopping on three legs, to the barn. We ran cold water over his leg and a bucket of cold water seemed to bring him relief. The vet gets there and digs out a huge abcess. Until the abcess burst, the gelding acted like he was dying(and had me fooled).

Hopefully it was just an abcess.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

OK- it's the fetlock that is swollen. The hock is higher up on the back leg. The knee is higher up on the front leg.
Have you looked under her feathers to see if there are any crusties or injuries? 
If a horse does not walk on a leg much, it can stock up- which means it fills with fluid because the pumping action in the foot stops. It may be uncomfortable but not threatening to the health. 
Is the swelling hot or cold? Is the swelling under the fetlock hot? 
If it's a twist or strain, it will take a little while to heal. If it's scabby sores, you need to treat it.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

Irish Pixie said:


> The ankle is called a pastern on a horse, is the area just below the pastern scabby around the top of the hoof and up the back by the heel and swollen or is it above the pastern?
> 
> We're trying to picture what you're describing.


Duh. :smack I was so focused on scratches/mudfever that I called the fetlock a pastern. I'm getting old. The proper order is- hoof, pastern (area between the hoof and the joint) then the joint itself is called the fetlock. Sorry if I confused you, Old Mission.

ETA: How is your mare today?


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