Common Causes Of Filled Legs In Horses

As a horse owner, it`s important to understand what kinds of problems your horse may face, the signs of it, how it`s caused and what you can do about it. While vets are always there for helping you solve the problem, you need to know what causes things and how to prevent it so you can keep your horse healthy and happy. One issue that many horses can get is filled legs, which is when the legs become swollen with fluid, usually overnight. While filled legs can be treated, you need to know what you`re looking at so you can notify your vet and get a treatment plan in order. These are some of the most common causes of filled legs in horses.

Obesity

Another common cause for filled legs is when the horse is obese. Just like a human, the more weight you carry around the higher the toll is on your feet, in horses` case, hooves. By having more weight than what they`re built to have, your horses` legs can become filled because of the strain put on them.

Diet - High In Protein

When horses have a diet that`s very high in protein, this also can sometimes affect their legs, causing a filled legs problem. Usually if this is the case, the swelling will begin to go down after they begin moving again and get a bit of exercise, but if it`s a repeating problem you may need to talk with your vet about changing your horses` diet.

Cellulitis and Lymphangitis

This is another cause for filled legs, but also a far more serious one than the problems above. While the above causes can be prevented, these are much harder to. Cellulitis is an inflammation of the skin and soft tissue and as a result lymphangitis can develop, when the inflammation spreads further and deeper into the tissue. Typically this is a result of a bacterial infection and you`ll need to get in touch with your vet immediately to treat the issue.

While this is a far more serious cause, that`s not to say it`s impossible to heal so don`t get too concerned, just be aware that if you see these problems it may be more complicated than not enough exercise.

Filled legs in horses is sometimes a worrying thing to have to deal with, but once you understand exactly what the causes may be it puts you in a much better position to see the problem immediately and seek vet assistance or make a change in your horses` routine.

Lack Of Exercise
Filled legs happen when horses aren`t moving around a lot and the circulation isn`t as great. A common cause for filled legs is when you turn your horse out and they`re standing still for long periods of time. Typically, filled legs occur overnight when the horse is sleeping or resting. Alternatively a horse may have filled legs if they spend to much time in the stable without the proper exercise.

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