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  Discussion on Mystery swelling
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Member:
Mfinan

Posted on Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 - 12:56 am:

I have a 14 yr old quarter horse gelding. He is kept in a large pasture with two other horses They all get along very well. The only shenanigans come from the yearling wanting to play occasionally. I brought my gelding in this evening because I noticed he was moving a little stiffly. I honestly thought it was a recurrence of a strained tendon he recently had a problem with. When I placed him in the stock to examine him I was appalled to see that the left side of his chest, extending down from the point where the neck meets the chest and downward between the front legs was grossly swollen. It looked like half a basketball had been stuck to his chest. The swelling is very hard and warm to the touch. I applied cold water with the hose for about 30 minutes. He wanted to rub against the rope that restrained him in the stock and made funny lip movements from the pressure of the hose. His temperature was normal, he was alert and did not indicate that the area was painful. After cleansing the area, I applied a cortisone cream, gave him 2 grams of bute and called the vet. She suggested 12 cc of banomine. After giving the shot in his neck an immediate reaction occurred around the injection area. He shook his head and neck while I tried to rub it to help disperse the medication. Eventually, the injection site stopped bothering him. I just checked him (3 hours later) and don't see any change. My vet suggested tomorrow to rotate bute and banomine, one in the morning and the other in the evening. She is thinking along the lines of a reaction to something he rolled in.
I am really concerned about the hardness of the swelling and the broad area that it covers. Anyone ever experienced anything like this?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 - 8:31 am:

Hello Marnie,
I do not know of any reason to rotate the bute and the Banamine. There are no studies on the safety of combining these in this manner. I would pick one and follow label directions. Unless you have some plant on your premises that causes such a severe contact reaction, I think it far more likely the horse was kicked and find the water massaaging and NSAID's logical. Have you taken your horse's temperature?
DrO
Member:
Mfinan

Posted on Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 - 10:29 am:

His temp has been a consistent 99.1. There is zero change this morning. Could this be the result of a kick received two weeks ago? A new mare was in that pasture for a brief time and it is highly possible she kicked him. She is a one gelding mare and this is not her guy. Are you thinking that antibiotics are in order due to possible absess? I am a little alarmed that my vet wants to combine the two meds. Just for safety sake I will stick with the bute, although I am a little concerned about long term affects. Could I spray the area with Moxy (DMSO)? I will continue to hyDrO also today. Thanks for your time DrO. PS Tried to upload an image but I received an error message, 'Page not available'.
Member:
Dres

Posted on Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 - 10:31 am:

Pigeon Fever is going thru our area like crazy this time of year.. could this be what you are seeing.. sounds like it might be ready to POP.. then you will have to flush it often to keep it open and draining.... we give Bute to relieve some of the discomfort.. but with this illness you have to let it run its course..


On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with SPOTS..

Member:
Mfinan

Posted on Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 - 4:46 pm:

My vet called minutes after I saw Ann's post. She suspects Pigeon Fever also. There have been 4 cases recently in our area. Since this morning I can see an area that protrudes more than the rest. There are pockets of edema where the legs meet the chest wall also. I will apply some Icthamol salve to the area as soon as I can. I read the posts concerning Pigeon Fever and the article provided by DrO. Rather scary. Is there a connection to goats? My neighbor keeps goats and I just purchased a mare that was turned out with sheep. She has been here since the beginning of October. I am planning on this abcess rupturing or being lanced, so I will also read the article on disinfectants.
Member:
Paul303

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 2, 2004 - 2:29 am:

I had something like it many years ago. My Appaloosa gelding was on pasture 24/7, and one afternoon when I called him, he came trotting up with one side of his chest muscle bouncing and flapping around - not lame and with no sign of other injury. The vet and the barn owner called it a "headlight" caused by a pull or kick. The "sack" that forms is caused by fluid collection. The vet recommended DMSO and to call if the horse developed any heat in the injured area
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 2, 2004 - 10:12 am:

Marnie, though lancing this may still be the best therapy I would have expected fever during the early stages of Pigeon Fever, for more see Equine Diseases » Skin Diseases » Pigeon Fever, Dryland Strangles, & Distemper.
DrO
Member:
Mfinan

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 2, 2004 - 2:19 pm:

The last temp I took was 100.5 yesterday evening. My vet wanted to put him on antibiotics. Everything I have read and subsequent discussions I have had with friends that have dealt with Pigeon Fever suggest waiting and allowing the abcess to drain and then if indicated involve antibiotics. Do you have any strong opinions one way or the other DrO? I'm going to apply hot compresses on the area this evening when I get home. One more piece of info. Ben had lost weight without any change in his feed. He maintains a good appetite and does not seem depressed.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 3, 2004 - 8:18 am:

Hello Marnie, I don't think the previous weight loss is related so you do not seem to have any systemic signs. See the reference above for suggestions on treatment, but it strikes me a good diagnosis should come first.
DrO
Member:
Mfinan

Posted on Thursday, Nov 4, 2004 - 9:16 am:

The vet was out yesterday. We drained almost 2 quarts from the abcess. She was pretty sure that we are dealing with Pigeon Fever. A culture was taken so we can see what antibiotic regimen will be best. While we are waiting to find out which antibiotics are indicated, she put him on SMZ's. I also talked to A&M on Tuesday. They also suggested holding off on the antibiotics until the abcess was drained. As an owner it can be daunting when faced with overwhelming opinion on one side and then your vet's opinion. I have learned one lesson, always be your own case manager. I need to understand the course of action and the rationality behind the decision. I educate myself because I myself have have paid the price of bad diagnosis. Thankfully, when I explained that I was not trying to insult her, just being on the offense she agreed with my approach and encouraged me to always present my concerns so I am comfortable with the treatment.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Nov 4, 2004 - 5:57 pm:

Sounds like you have this well in hand Marnie, let us know the culture results. Did the horse ever develop a fever and what did the puss look like?
DrO
Member:
Mfinan

Posted on Friday, Nov 5, 2004 - 12:28 pm:

His highest temp was 100.5. The pus was sandy color, no real odor to it. I remember Ben moving a little funny up to two weeks before the swelling appeared. The same time he started to lose weight. It seemed as though he wanted to keep his head lower, like the frame an english pleasure quarter horse is in. No offense to the AQHA people.
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