Lump between front legs

Spinnaker · 02-02-2009, 06:47 AM

So I have the vet coming out tomorrow morning, but I figured I'd ask...

My horse has a lump between his front legs, more towards the left side. It's about the size of my palm. I have been watching it for a few days...noticed it and I remember it being bigger and it definitely had heat coming off of it. So I figured he possibly got kicked (weird spot to get kicked...don't really see how that could've happened) out in the pasture and would watch it for a day or two to see if it changed. Now, the heat is almost completely out of it, but the lump remains and it's hard to the touch. I pushed on it and he didn't seem to react to me pushing, but he likes to cover things up sometimes...anyway, like I said, the vet is coming out tomorrow morning, but any clue what it could be? Anyone have an injury like this? I thought of the possibility of a cyst or tumor, but that is incredibly rapid to be conceivable, or at least I thought...plus the heat makes me think it's not a cyst/tumor. I'm really worried about a tear or severe pull...would a lump result from anything like that? I've just never seen anything like this before...anyone heard of an abcess developing there?

LiveWire · 08-04-2009, 05:16 PM

Is it underneath between his legs or more toward the chest?
My moms horse got kicked in the neck by one of my horses, it was huge, like a softball and hard she showed very little sign of pain when I touched it. And there was some heat from it.
After 3 weeks I can still tell she was kicked there but it has gone down.

WashingtonBay · 08-04-2009, 05:41 PM

Sounds like a hematoma or an edema, and that could be from a strike or blow or strain somewhere else, higher up... the blood or subcutaneous fluids tend to sink and collect at the lowest point... due to gravity.

If so, they generally reabsorb without the vet wanting to anything to it, but it can take awhile.

WashingtonBay · 08-04-2009, 05:48 PM

Here's a pretty intense video of a vet opting to drain a large chest hematoma...

Equine Hematoma | Vet Moves

LiveWire · 08-04-2009, 08:14 PM

I just realized Spinnaker started this thread back in Feb, d'oh!
anyway, I've seen a hematoma in a stifle before, about 20 yrs ago. Back then the vet opted to let it reabsorb.
With my moms horse, the vet told me to give her 2 doses of banamine. 1 then and 1 in the am. And put her on antibiotics for 5 days. Oh and to stall her and ice her neck. I did everything but stall her. We have no stalls yet. After a week I decided since it hadn't gone down, to try and massage her to see if that would help. I started at the bottom of her chest and worked my way up. Gradually it helped. My mom didn't ride her until after I started massaging her for a few days. Anyway it went down really fast after she started riding her.
I'm going to try and watch that video at a friends house since all I have for internet is my crackberry

Spinnaker · 08-05-2009, 05:31 AM

Wow guys! This IS an old thread! I'm amazed that it was found!! hahaha

Anyway, when the vet came out she said that he'd strained a muscle and the lump was a hematoma, she assumed from slipping on the ice. It healed great and only took about 3-4 weeks. Thanks though!

02-02-2009, 06:47 AM	#1
Spinnaker Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York Posts: 1,469 Images: 10	Lump between front legs So I have the vet coming out tomorrow morning, but I figured I'd ask... My horse has a lump between his front legs, more towards the left side. It's about the size of my palm. I have been watching it for a few days...noticed it and I remember it being bigger and it definitely had heat coming off of it. So I figured he possibly got kicked (weird spot to get kicked...don't really see how that could've happened) out in the pasture and would watch it for a day or two to see if it changed. Now, the heat is almost completely out of it, but the lump remains and it's hard to the touch. I pushed on it and he didn't seem to react to me pushing, but he likes to cover things up sometimes...anyway, like I said, the vet is coming out tomorrow morning, but any clue what it could be? Anyone have an injury like this? I thought of the possibility of a cyst or tumor, but that is incredibly rapid to be conceivable, or at least I thought...plus the heat makes me think it's not a cyst/tumor. I'm really worried about a tear or severe pull...would a lump result from anything like that? I've just never seen anything like this before...anyone heard of an abcess developing there? __________________ Spinnaker 12 year old Canadian TB Killian 12yr old OTTB Not to Know is Bad...Not to Want to Know is Worse...Not to Hope is Unthinkable...Not to Care if Unforgiveable ~Nigerian saying

08-05-2009, 05:31 AM	#6
Spinnaker Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York Posts: 1,469 Images: 10	Wow guys! This IS an old thread! I'm amazed that it was found!! hahaha Anyway, when the vet came out she said that he'd strained a muscle and the lump was a hematoma, she assumed from slipping on the ice. It healed great and only took about 3-4 weeks. Thanks though! __________________ Spinnaker 12 year old Canadian TB Killian 12yr old OTTB Not to Know is Bad...Not to Want to Know is Worse...Not to Hope is Unthinkable...Not to Care if Unforgiveable ~Nigerian saying

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08-04-2009, 05:16 PM	#2
LiveWire Full Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: PA Posts: 52	Is it underneath between his legs or more toward the chest? My moms horse got kicked in the neck by one of my horses, it was huge, like a softball and hard she showed very little sign of pain when I touched it. And there was some heat from it. After 3 weeks I can still tell she was kicked there but it has gone down.

08-04-2009, 05:41 PM	#3
WashingtonBay Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tumwater, WA Posts: 1,611 Images: 109 Blog Entries: 2	Sounds like a hematoma or an edema, and that could be from a strike or blow or strain somewhere else, higher up... the blood or subcutaneous fluids tend to sink and collect at the lowest point... due to gravity. If so, they generally reabsorb without the vet wanting to anything to it, but it can take awhile.

08-04-2009, 05:48 PM	#4
WashingtonBay Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Tumwater, WA Posts: 1,611 Images: 109 Blog Entries: 2	Here's a pretty *intense* video of a vet opting to drain a large chest hematoma... Equine Hematoma \| Vet Moves

08-04-2009, 08:14 PM	#5
LiveWire Full Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: PA Posts: 52	I just realized Spinnaker started this thread back in Feb, d'oh! anyway, I've seen a hematoma in a stifle before, about 20 yrs ago. Back then the vet opted to let it reabsorb. With my moms horse, the vet told me to give her 2 doses of banamine. 1 then and 1 in the am. And put her on antibiotics for 5 days. Oh and to stall her and ice her neck. I did everything but stall her. We have no stalls yet. After a week I decided since it hadn't gone down, to try and massage her to see if that would help. I started at the bottom of her chest and worked my way up. Gradually it helped. My mom didn't ride her until after I started massaging her for a few days. Anyway it went down really fast after she started riding her. I'm going to try and watch that video at a friends house since all I have for internet is my crackberry