Splints
"How did you get my cell phone number?"
by Ken Marcella, D.V.M. http://www.manepoints.com

"Hello, this is Dr. Marcella -- Oh hi, Ms. Thornton. How did you get my cell phone number?"

"Well, OK, I know that you are concerned about your horse. But you shouldn't tell my receptionist that you are my sister. I don't have a sister. So what's going on with your horse?

"You say he has a large, swollen place on his front leg and he's off a bit. Is the swollen area on the inside or outside? Inside. Is it tender when you press on it? No marks on the skin like he's gotten kicked or cut? Yes, that all fits.

"No, I didn't say he was having a fit, I said your description fits; it's the static on this phone. Your description fits a condition called splints. Sometimes horsemen say that a horse has 'popped' a splint.

"Yes, it's common. Splints come in a few types. First, the anatomy. Remember us talking about the cannon bone last fall when your Pinto got cut? .... Yes, I know, he's fine now ... but remember when I showed you the drawing of the cannon bone and the two small bones on either side?

"Good. The small bones are splint bones attached to the cannon bone by a thick ligament called the interosseous ligament. The splint bones are really remnants of toes from early evolutionary days when prehistoric horses had more than one toe. They serve as support bones now, which is where the name comes from. They act like splints on both sides of the cannon bone.

"When a horse strains or damages the connection between the splint bone and the cannon bone, swelling and inflammation of the splint is called a 'true splint' and is commonly seen with mild to moderate lameness, heat, swelling and tenderness.

Sometimes the damage to the ligament is not as severe, and the swelling occurs between the splint bone and the cannon, so that is much harder to see or feel. This is called a 'blind splint.'

"Which do you have? ... Since he's slightly lame, tender and you've noticed swelling on the inside of the leg, I'd say that you have a true splint .... No, I don't really think that any one is better to have than the other ... That's a good question, but wait just a minute while I pass this minivan .... OK, as to your question, there are a number of causes for splints and factors that contribute to them.

"Conformation abnormalities that increase the stress on either the inside or outside of the leg can predispose to splints. Horses that toe-out or toe-in tend to have such stress.

"Splints are more of a condition in young, growing horses. Imbalance in nutrition or overfeeding can also lead to splints. It occurs more during periods of rapid growth because the bones are not strong yet, and the horse's weight on those soft bones is increasing.

"Another factor than can predispose to splints is poor trimming and shoeing.... No, no I'm not saying Clyde did anything wrong. But certain horses tend to have uneven growth to their feet, and need constant attention to make the hoof land level. I can't tell you exactly what caused your horse to pop a splint, but think about the causes I've mentioned and see if they apply. It's important to treat the problem now to avoid further splints.

"What?.... Yes, these bumps can be treated. In fact, there are hundreds of remedies on the market promising to remove splints.... Oh, so you've seen the ads.... No, I don't believe many of them work the way they are advertised to work. Remember, a splint is caused by inflammation of the ligament that holds the splint bone to the cannon bone.... It's the interosseous, Ms. Thornton, but you were close....

"Anyway, the way to treat the problem is to treat the inflammation. The first step is to apply an ice pack or a cold hose to the leg.... Cold hose, not cold nose; our connection must be getting worse.

"Yes, 25 to 30 minutes at a time throughout the day, then wrap the leg with a pressure support wrap or cold poultice wrap in between. I'd continue the treatment until the splint is no longer hot to the touch and not very tender."

"Pressure support wraps or cold poultice works best. Some people like to hand-massage the area daily once it is no longer warm, then wrap it. Injecting the area with corticosteroids is also done, and applying a solution of DMSO and steroid can help to reduce the swelling. But it is going to take a bit of time.

"No, there is no shot or ointment to make it go away quickly, but the cold and wrapping that you do immediately can greatly reduce the size of the splint and keep a small problem from becoming a larger one later.

"Good, I think it would be a great idea to go out to the barn now and get started on your cold therapy and wrap the leg....

"I'm glad that I could answer your questions. I'm sure that it was quite a shock to see that lump and you were very concerned, but please don't give anyone else my cell phone number."