Why Do Horses Legs Stocked Up?

A. “Stocking up” is swelling in the lower limbs caused by pooling of lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells that circulates through the lymphatic system. Stocking up is typically temporary and often occurs due to reduced activity, which impairs circulation.

How do you treat stocked up legs in horses?

Treating stocking up is easy—you simply need to get your horse moving. Ride him, walk him by hand or turn him out with a pasture mate. With activity, swelling will usually diminish within the hour.

What causes horses legs to fill?

Horses are prone to this ‘stocking up’ as they have relatively poor circulation in their legs. When a horse is moving, the action of his legs and his feet hitting the ground acts like a pump and sends blood and lymphatic fluid back up from his limbs.

What causes a horses legs to swell?

Caused by inactivity and reduced lymph flow, this “stocking up” is usually not serious and will dissipate as the horse is exercised. It’s more common in older horses and can affect all four legs, though stocking up is often seen only in the hind legs.

How do I reduce swelling in my horses legs?

Hosing your horse’s legs with cold water for up to 20 minutes will help to reduce any heat and inflammation while also offering a gentle massaging effect. Ice boots can also help to reduce heat and swelling — follow the manufacturer’s instructions for correct usage times.

How can I improve my horse’s circulation?

Groom and massage your horse: While regular grooming is of course hygienically important, removing dirt, shed hair, and dead skin cells, it also stimulates good blood flow under the skin. This increased circulation helps promote a healthier coat.

Can too much protein cause horses legs to swell?

Causes of Swollen Leg in Horses
Causes can include: Stall confinement after exercise. Not enough exercise. Excessive protein in diet.

What are the symptoms of salt deficiency in horses?

Horses with salt deficiency may exhibit pica (eating unusual things), and may lick or eat objects that have trace amounts of salt. If salt deficiency is not resolved, horses may become dehydrated, lose weight, and in severe cases, horses may completely lose their appetites.

What causes legs to fill with water?

Common causes of swollen ankles, feet and legs
eating too much salty food. being overweight. being pregnant. taking certain medicines – such as some blood pressure medicines, contraceptive pills, hormone therapy, antidepressants or steroids.

What are symptoms of a horse being protein deficient?

Easy-to-spot symptoms of protein deficiency in horses include:

• Flagging Stamina.
• Poor hoof growth.
• Poor hair quality.
• Loss of muscle mass.
• Poor growth as identified by lower average daily gain.
• Reduced milk production in lactating mares.

What is the cure for swollen legs?

Moving and using the muscles in the part of your body affected by edema, especially your legs, may help pump the excess fluid back toward your heart. Ask your doctor about exercises you can do that may reduce swelling. Elevation. Hold the swollen part of your body above the level of your heart several times a day.

How serious is swollen legs?

Seek medical care right away if your legs swell for no apparent reason, especially if you have unexplained leg pain, difficulty breathing, chest pain or other warning signs of a blood clot in your lungs or a heart condition. Many factors — varying greatly in severity — can cause leg swelling.

Are swollen legs life threatening?

Leg swelling is a common issue that can be caused by many different medical conditions. Sometimes, leg swelling is a sign of a life-threatening problem that needs urgent evaluation. Treatment of leg swelling is different for each person and depends on the underlying cause.

Can grass make horses legs swell?

In your instance, however, the filling occurs when your horse is standing in or is at grass during certain times of the year. In these situations, the condition is called ‘humour’ or ‘stocking up’, and vets use the term ‘oedema’ to describe this.

Does Bute help with swelling?

NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as phenylbutazone (Bute), flunixin meglumine (Banamine) and firocoxib (Equioxx) are commonly used in equine patients to help relieve pain, decrease inflammation, and control fever.

Does laminitis cause swollen legs?

Horses may exhibit increased digital pulses, increased hoof temperatures, swelling in the limbs, constant weight shifting, subtle or obvious lameness, a stance indicating discomfort, unwillingness to move, and reluctance to rise.

What helps circulate blood in legs?

Here are 7 quick tips to improve blood circulation in the legs and feet:

• Walking. Walking is the simplest yet most effective exercise to help improve blood circulation in your legs.
• Stretching exercises.
• Different sitting positions.
• Compression stockings.
• Yoga.
• A massage.
• Sauna bath.

What causes poor circulation in horses?

A very common cause of poor circulation to the hoof is inflammation. The hoof just doesn’t deal very well with inflammation. While most of the skin is able to stretch to accommodate that extra blood the hoof just can’t, because hoof horn is so tough.

How can you increase blood flow to legs?

Six Tips for Improving Blood Circulation in Legs

1. Walking. Walking is a simple, low-impact exercise that can help you create a more active and healthy lifestyle and may promote weight loss.
2. Stretching.
3. Position Your Body.
4. Wear Compression Stockings.
5. Stop Smoking.
6. Manage Your Stress Levels.

What foods cause swelling in legs?

Foods that can cause inflammation

• Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. When there’s too much sugar in our system, our insulin tries to store the excess within fat cells, causing them to get larger.
• Artificial trans fats.
• Vegetable and seed oils.
• Refined carbohydrates.
• Alcohol.
• Red meat and processed meat.

What vitamin deficiency causes swollen legs?

Edema is caused by nutrient deficiencies and imbalances, with vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, magnesium, and zinc being common vitamins and minerals that have an effect on symptoms.