HELP!! My horse has a huge (half gallon) sized liquid or puss under her skin on one of her hind legs?

Question

In the buttox region. I noticed three days ago that area seemed to jiggle a bit more than the other when she galloped. But I just came from the pasture and it has grown tremendously in size (still in disbelief!) I put her in a stall. I just dewormed her and gave her shots (flu, tetnus, etc) about two weeks ago. Is this lameness? Isnt it usually in the lower leg area?? Please help, this is really worrying me! She is a 15 yr old tennessee walking horse mare.

Answer 1

Is it under the spot you gave the vaccines?Local injection site reactions-ranging from sore spots in the muscle to the formation of an abscess. Abscesses can occur if bacteria enter the skin during the vaccination processes, although it's also possible for your horse to develop a sterile abscess-one that contains no bacteria-simply because of the way his body responds to the vaccine. I would call the Vet. I have seen this happen before and the skin dies off and leaves a huge open wound.

Answer 2

If it's not hard or hot and she also doesn't have a fever I would hold off the penicillin for now.  If it were me I'd stick a syringe in it and see what came out but I dunno your experience level.  If she's acting normal otherwise and not sick, lethargic, feverish, uncomfortable, etc...  I don't think it's an emergency that requires the vet right now.  I would call the vet the next morning and have him out asap to find out what the fluid is and then determine what needs to be done about it.  Good chance it will need lanced to drain.  I'm kinda mixed on icing or cold hosing it but I don't think it could do much harm so go ahead and try that if you want.

Answer 3

i have no idea what it could be and it seems you don't either so i would definitely get the vet out to look at her. the only thing i could think of is some kind of tumor but they aren't liquidy as you say.

Answer 4

I am wondering if you have other horses? If you do then it is possible one of them kicked her hard in the soft tissue area of the rump. Any blunt injury can produce a hematoma under the skin but most hematomas seldom grow larger than a soft ball unless the blow is so hard that it causes a hematoma seroma, which is an accumulation of both blood and water under the skin and can grow quite large. The body will absorb minor hematomas but a large hematoma seroma usually requires sterile draining, sometimes several times. One of my horses was kicked hard and within a couple days a huge hematoma seroma completely wrapped around her upper leg so I can pretty much visualize what you are describing. It will need the attention of a vet if it is a hematoma seroma because there is a substantial risk of infection in draining it but there is an even a greater risk of impaired circulation if it is not drained. Sorry! I mentioned vet and I know you said not to do that.

Edit note: After giving more careful attention to the "additional details" you posted, I see now that you do have other horses so you can ignore the "I am wondering if you have other horses" question. That reinforces the off-the-wall guess that she has been kicked and (considering the "huge half gallon" size you mentioned) she has probably been kicked hard enough to produce a large hematoma seroma.

Answer 5

Sounds like a Hematoma. Hematoma's are traumatic bruises underneath the skin that result in a broken blood vessel. Usually the result of running into something, falling down or getting kicked by another horse.

They can be quite large and won't go down until there is enough pressure at the site for the blood vessel to stop draining into it. If you touch the area, it often feels warm. Many will go away without treatment, however, you should have vet check it out to be sure nothing else is going on with the soft tissue or muscle underneath, sometimes a muscle seperation can occur as well due to the trauma that caused the hematoma. Don't expect it to clear up fast though as it can take well over a month for a large hematoma to disappear completely on it's on, without draining it.

Initial treatment usually consists of cold water or ice pack therapy, place the ice pack or cold hose on area for 15 minutes then give at least an hour break before repeating, phenylbutazone (1grams/1000 lb. once daily), and topical DMSO. Very large hematomas, like you describe, usually require a tetanus booster and antibiotic therapy as well to be on the safe side.

If the fluid does not reabsorb by 7 to 10 days, the hematoma can be drained by your vet but most vets usually try to avoid it due to the high risk of infection from bacteria though ---to drain it they have to insert a "drain tube" and flush it daily.

Most heal well but the skin over the area may look strange afterwards due to the stretching. Massaging the area a couple times a day usually helps with that.

Call your vet, see what he thinks and see if he recomends any different treatment but I'd try to avoid draining it if possible.

Answer 6

"Could everyone please stop telling me to call a vet...(thats common sense)"

Actually...it's NOT common sense on YA.  People do this kind of stuff all the time here.  "My horse's foot fell off, what should I dooooo?"  I am glad to see that you consider calling the vet common sense, though!

Answer 7

Some allergic responses involve development of large areas of edema (fluid accumulation) under the skin.  It sounds like this is a large area that feels like water beneath the skin?  If it isn't tender and painful, and it isn't hot or firm to touch, it sounds more like edema rather than infection.  Keep us posted.

And always call the vet when you don't know the diagnosis.

Answer 8

Some times horses will get sties on their legs from their shoes pinching them when they lay down. Normally they will go down in a few hours. I have seen some pretty large ones.

More seriously it could be a cyst. Those will require a vet for the first time. They will drain it and give the horse some penicillin. I recommend you watch the vet take care of this. It can happen again and knowing how to take care of it will save you an expensive vet bill. Sometimes on a ranch you have to learn procedures like this, to not only save a little money but also, sometimes its better to administer first aid, on the spot.

I have delt with both of theses many times.

I would also check it out on this web site

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index....

If she is peeing so often I would think infection. A Vet is you best bet, but check it out on the merk web site, this is the veterinary manual website, it may help you out more than this place. Luck

Edit- Rosi has a great one there, I didn't think of that.  That is another very good possiblity.

Answer 9

even though it's 10pm you could call your vet or a vet and describe what is going on and see what they say...

Edit...lol...sorry but until you said that you already were talking to a vet, nobody knew...I hope everything goes well for your mare.

Answer 10

One other thing that has happened to one of my horses...

I went out one morning, and the gelding had a HUGE lump about the size of a cantalope on top of his rump.  It was VERY jiggly...like a water balloon under the skin.  Not one single sign of an injury.  NOT ONE.  No scrapes, scratches, hair was perfectly fine...

As we led him towards the house...we passed a large hornet nest that had been up in a tree.  It was now on the ground and destroyed.  

We told the vet what we found...and the vet said it most likely was the hornet attacks.

We took him to the river daily and stood him in the water until it covered his butt.  Took over a week for the swelling to reduce...

It wasn't 'sore or tender' either...

Just another 'thing' that can happen to cause bizarre swelling...

Answer 11

Call your vet asap!

Answer 12

I'm sure you'll get tons of screaming Y!A'ers screaming 'CALL THE VET!' and some saying it not so nicely. But I really do think that's your best option for the moment.

Even if it's just a call, where you can describe what you see forming. I'm a bit unclear as to what you're describing, is it like... a hematoma?

Answer 13

That's pretty weird... Does she seem to be in pain?? Or Anything? okay here is what i suggest you do

1. Leave your horse in the stall. If its a stall with a paddock, close the paddock off with a lead rope or take her to one that is just a stall

2. Call your vet, sometimes they DO answer calls after-hours. If your vet doesn't, try calling some other vets in the area.

3. Try to keep your horse from laying down/rolling. You don't want her opening it up, as it could cause infection/larger scars than ones from drainage(some don't even scar)

4. Don't listen to those people who are screaming "OMGGG Call your vet ASAP!!!!"

5. If your horse is prone to lying down at night, Tie her on a loose lead in the stall, but tight enough so that she cannot rub that area on something easily.

I wish you lotsa lotsa luck!! <33 Kat

Answer 14

Oh boy, I'm gonna get a LOT of thumbs down for this, BUT...

Sounds like you've got yourself a hemotomia (sp?).  I had a friend of mine who had a mare that this happened to in the late 1970's.  I got off work one day and stopped by her place enroute to the stables and saw a LOT of blood and puss along with water as she rinsed it thoroughly on the Whittier Water Company's blacktop after she made the incision and drained all of the c**p out.  She then injected hydrogen peroxide into the wound and after cleaning it out, used "Cut Heal" on it and you REALLY had to know where the incision was to find it.

I'm sure glad I didn't live in Whittier after that!  ROFLOL

Just make sure she's had her tetnus shot.

:::Hides from ALL the thumbs downs:::

Later:

Thx Kevin!  That was my first thought when she mentioned the blood and puss...  Guess old Coral was good for something afterall!  ROFLOL

Answer 15

I would call the vet.  If it has gotten bigger, then it has gotten worse.  I don't have a clue what it could be.

Answer 16

You noticed this 3 days ago & what, it never occurred to once to call a vet & ask for a prefessional opinion, instead you wait 3 days & then come on here?

And then you tell people to stop telling you to call the vet because it's common sense??????

If it is common sense then why didn't you do it?  

Never mind.....Silly me!

Answer 17

For one thing relax. call your vet, and tell them the problem. I hope your baby gets better! I dont really know what else to say. sorry i can't be of more help. good luck!!!!!!!

Answer 18

Please call a vet to look at this.

Answer 19

two words call vet very simply do it you dont know what it is and we dont so call net asap