My horse took a pretty good kick from another horse and has a pretty good size Hematoma on the upper rear thigh. It doesn't have any real signs of heat or other dangerous symptoms.

What do you think would be a good idea of treatment? I don't want to call the vet out on this one. I think I will put a cold pack on it and see what happens. But it looks like it is not getting any larger.

Thanks.

CD

DMSO- Hopefully it went down and everythings fine. But liberally rub DMSO on the exact sight and about 1/2" surrounding that area.

DMSO gel will work on some but be careful it gets warm and some horses will get scared. Also always use gloves as if you get it on your skin and it absorbs quickly you most likely will get this nasty garlic taste in your mouth. Good antinflam. but use carefully.

Yes on some injuries it does create heat.
But I'm not sure the "taste" is a contact issue.
I never wear gloves and never get the "taste". But I was born without the sense of smell. So I wonder is it a contact or is it a strong aroma.
It works great and for people too. Sunday tore the ligaments in my hand with 2 compound fractures. Have used DMSO for 4 days swealing gone 90% use of hand,BEST thing pain free-Well can feel no pain/pressure/feelings really.
Not one for being sidelined with an injury. Probably the "crazy" event rider in me.
Before everyone jumps on me, I'm sure its causeing other issues, so does everything else in life.
Quit smoking-so maybe this is my bad habit.

TessaBaby,

I would cold hose it 1-2 times and day for a few days, then you could do warm compresses, You could even give a gram of bute 1-2 times a day to help with the swelling and if it is a little painful. Unfortunately the swelling will probably take longer to go away since as you know swelling is pulled down by gravity. As of right now I would not try to drain it. DON'T DRAIN It is a sterile environment and you don't want to introduce anything into it or create something that the flies will lay eggs in and make it worse. If the horses body thinks it needs to drain it will come to a head and abcess, and with the warm compresses it will help this happen sooner if it does at all.

I had one of my rescue geldings get kicked right between the front legs shortly after I got him. I didn't do anything but leave him turned out where he could walk around, and it swelled up to the size a of grapefruit and it took about 10 days for the swelling to finally go away, but now he looks fine.

If all else give your vet a call and just talk to him/her and let them know what is going on and what you are doing and if they think you should change your treatment then they can let you know.

Good luck

I had a similar incident happen to one of my QH mares. She was kicked in the hindquarters below and behind the hip bone and it swelled up to a bit bigger than the size of a baseball. At that time, she was going to be sold and the buyer asked for a vet to come out and give her a physical exam (check heart rate, temperature, eyes, check for lameness etc...that sort)
Well I'll be jiggered if he totally missed that baseball puffing over her hip and passed her off as 100% sound!

That's why I say, never just get "any" vet.

So I've been applying heat pad to my mare's hematoma and have discovered that she is kicking herself in the chest & belly due to flies. She's kicking herself so hard she's giving herself hematomas!!!

DMSO has helped-- it does smell horrible....it must taste bad as well by her reaction, but carrots help!

As a result I've tried everything for fly control...sheets, spray even fly predators ( that have worked very well for the small farm where I board). I also Got her feet trimmed with newer shoes and but her bell boots on alllllll day. I'm at my whitt's end! The next thing I can think of is that she might be itchy? she's a red chestnut so it's plausable?

Any suggestions out there?:Junter-jumper-Smile

ist issue: for the treatment of hemotoma call a vet.
2nd issue: for prevention of flies bath the horse with water ( ist boil with neem leaves and cool it ) along with deltamethrins once a week.Clean the stable with some ectoparasiticidal and no stagnation of drainages should be there.

I would also check the skin around the hematoma(s) for signs of irritation--obvious fly bites, dandruff, hair loss, etc. It could be irritation from allergies, mites/ticks, stuck on dirt...She could be kicking up any number of things. I'd also suggest washing the area with Ivory (or like gentle soap) before you do anything. If it's skin related, you might consider applying some M-T-G to the skin (not on the hematomas; you don't want the DMSO mixing or potentially reacting with the M-T-G). Some horses with sensitive skin react to M-T-G (we have an arab at the barn who gets welts from it and most conditioners/treatments), so be sure to test it on a small spot of hair elsewhere a day or two before you apply it to the affected area.

My mare ran into her gate during feeding time and now has a hematoma that had started to hang down between her front legs. She has swelling on her neck and where the center of the *Y* in her throat is. I have given her bute 1 gram twice daily if needed for pain, for the past 5 days. The hematoma is starting to absorb, and her neck swelling is still there. This is the area I believe she hit as she was bucking and running to her feeder Wed. evening.(the guy who feeds saw her racing around in her paddock, but didn't notice anything until next morning) I have also been cold hosing twice a day everyday for 20-25 min. Also iceing it 20-25 min twice a day. She doesn't like me to touch right away the area with swelling on her chest. She reared 3 times so far since Thursday.Unless... if it's been iced and hosed then she doesn't mind my touching it.When she walks she kinda waddles a bit from not being able to extend out comfortably,and having the hematoma in the way, and she turns her head slightly to the left (the side of her injury) There is really no heat to the swelling. It reminds me of a Cross Country Horse injury from hitting a fence . Can anyone tell me if what I'm doing is right or should I try something else. I am trying to avoid a vet call as the prices have sky rocketed and I just had to replace the Transmission in my truck. Any advice or suggestions and help is appreciated.
*thanks*

I would definitely start putting on some DMSO (or Mineral Ice if you can't get DMSO--Mineral Ice is a bit stronger than regular liniment and works really well) on it once (or twice) a day. It'll increase circulation, thus the absorption rate. Also just make sure she's not rubbing the spots, as it'll just take longer to heal completely then.

Tessa's hematoma is almost completley vannished! I heat paded her daily for about an hr and applied DMSO twice daily. I has lucky, she stood for the heat pad very well. I rigged up a contraption to hold the heat pad to her belly/chest. so I didn't have to stand there holding it. She didn't like the cold hose at all, so I stuck with the heat.

Also what I found helpful, but you may not be able to do if she's tender, is rub my fingers over the hematoma kinda hard and work out the knott, the more I did it, the quicker it resolved. I could even trace back where my fingers had pressed after a few minutes.

If you use DMSO, wear gloves and give your gal PLENTY of treats to help cover up the horrible taste it has!

good luck!

Heat (hot compresses) should be applied to hematomas rather than cold.

But if the horse is kicking itself repeatedly and you can't solve the issue by treating for obvious irritants--flies--then it's time for a call to the vet. What you are taking as a hematoma may actually be something else like an abcess or even (depending on where you are located) something like pigeon fever. Consider checking her temp every morning and watch for fever or other signs that this may be more than a hematoma.

As for not using gloves to apply DMSO, the smell/taste aren't the main concerns when using this chemical it's actually DMSO's ability to pull just about anything that it comes into contact with through the skin. This means that if you have DMSO on your hands and come into contact with any other drug, chemicals, etc that they can enter your body and cause problems. You should always wear gloves when applying DMSO for this reason.

Cindy D.
Registered Veterinary Technician