just wondering. my horse had what the vet said was a hematoma but ive also heard people use the term edema for something that looks alot like what the vet said was a hematoma so i was wondering what the difference was between the two. thanks.

When blood vessels are torn from an injury, blood leaks out into adjacent tissues. It can spread diffusely, as you see under skin when you develop a bruise. In some cases, the bleeding is such that it brings about an immune response wherein the body will build a fibrous membrane to contain the blood, and a localized, enclosed pouch of blood will form. This is a hematoma.

Edema refers to an excessive accumulation of tissue fluid. This fluid is constantly formed as water and certain substances leave the blood and enter the tissues, and then excesses are removed from the tissues by the lymphatic capillaries. The lymphatics return the fluid to the bloodstream and excesses are eventually excreted from the body in urine, feces, sweat, and moisture breathed off by the lungs. Sometimes more fluid accumulates than the lymphatics can remove, and it is called edema.

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Anytime tissue fluid accumulates either in one localized area or diffusely, it is called edema.

Both hematomas and edema can occur superficially and be apparent beneath the skin. Both may also occur deep within the body. for example, cerebral edema is a fluid accumulation within brain tissue. A subdural hematoma occurs beneath the dura mater which is a membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

A superficial swelling that feels like pudding and is associated with an injury may be a hematoma. Edema feels more like water. Hematomas and abscesses can feel similar, and sometimes it is hard to differentiate them. If there is an injury with no open wound, hematoma is more likely. If there is an open wound with contamination, possible abscess should be investigated if the swelling feels like pudding consistency.

Edema will absorb more rapidly than a hematoma.
To absorb a hematoma, the immune system has to remove the cellular elements of clotted blood and close the fibrous cavity it formed, which may take weeks or even months in some cases. pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Also, a hematoma is not considered to be "mature" until a couple weeks after the injury. During that time, bleeding may resume. This is a major reason for never attempting to drain a hematoma before it is two weeks old. Evacuating the clotted blood may resume bleeding, and it will fill again. The other reason is the risk of introducing germs into the sterile cavity formed by the hematoma, which may lead to infection and abscessation.

Registered Nurse and 57 years with horses

Hematoma is a bruise. Actually it is a formation of blood under the skin. So it is just a big old blood clot that the body will reabsorb in time.
Edema is when the body releases clear fluid into surrounding tissues and the extra fluid causes swelling. The body will reabsorb this fluid also.
So the answer to your question is Edema is a clear fluid in the bodys tissue that causes swelling
(you can also have edema in your lungs or around your heart)

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And Hematoma is always Blood that has leaked under the skin

A hematoma is a fancy medical term for a bruise. ( usually a bad one...) Edema is the medical term for swelling in general. Usually the word edema is used when swelling is diffuse.. ie, when you sprain your ankle, for example, and the whole ankle and foot is swollen. A hematoma is localized, such as if one were to smack your leg really hard and you get a big dark ugly bruise.

Hematoma; this is a area of fluctuating swelling that has blood & usually just under the surface of the skin. it can also surface. Edema; this is an acute, but can be fatal neurological disorder that happens with area swelling about & around an organ. like the heart or anywhere. it may turn into a disease right after a baby is weaned.

heamatoma is like bleeding under the skin, bit like a blood blister,odema is fluid filled swelling

I believe that Casey had the right answer!!