Page 118 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse
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Figure 3.13 This haematoma formed on the brisket after an intramuscular injection
Blood leaks from the damaged blood vessels and accumulates under the skin forming a
swelling. If the bleeding continues, the swelling will continue to enlarge over several days.
The size can be variable, ranging from a few centimetres in diameter to the size of a football.
It may be hard and tender at first, becoming soft and painless as it begins to resolve. The
swelling tends to move downwards on the horse’s body over a period of a few days.
The diagnosis is usually made on the clinical signs. Diagnostic ultrasound is helpful in
confirming that the swelling is a haematoma and not an abscess.
