Wind Puffs in horses
Wind Puffs in horses is a term to describe any puffiness around horse’s ankle. They are distentions of a tendon sheath, bursa, or joint capsule on a horse’s legs; usually on the fetlock. To treat wind puffs it must be determined what physiological problem is causing the problem. The treatment is different. Wind puffs are considered a blemish not unsoundness in most cases. However, since they do indicate strain, this excess strain could develop into arthritis, tendinitis, or bursitis and synovitis if not treated.
Wind puffs sometimes called windgalls, are small, soft, fluid-filled swellings on the sides of the fetlock joint toward the rear. These puffy enlargements may range from chronic symptomless blemishes with no lameness or soreness to a more serious condition caused by recent injury, in which the horse is obviously lame. Most wind puffs are the result of many years’ hard work and most of them do not cause lameness.
Location of wind puffs
Location of wind puffs in horses are-
- Ankles
- Fetlock joint capsule – Fluid accumulates just behind the cannon bone and under the end of the splint bone. It presents about the size of a quarter. This is usually considered more serious.
- Flexor tendon sheath – “Swellings in the flexor tendon sheath are located between the suspensory ligament and the back of the leg, above the sesamoid bones. Less discrete puffiness that can’t be clearly localized to one area only may be related to swelling or thickening of the annular ligament of the fetlock, a band of tissue that encircles the ankle like a cuff.”
Etiology
- Age
- Concussion in the joint
- Conformation / Genetics – Horses with coarse, meaty legs, round bones, poorly defined joints and veins are more prone to wind puffs. Windpuffs are especially common in horses with short, upright pasterns
- Excessive exercise
- Excessive load
- Excessive work on hard surface
- Fatigue
- Hard work
- Injury- Even in turnout
- Stress
- Trailering a lot
Treatment
- Stall rest
- Light walking
- Cold water hosing
- Ice wraps
- Possible ultrasound of the tendons, suspensory and annular ligament area.
- Anti-inflammatory therapy with icing
- Injectable or oral hyaluronic acid
- Exercise recommendations in course of treatment