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  Discussion on Polyps
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New Member:
Reality

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 29, 2005 - 10:34 pm:

We have a 12 yo QH, whom 10 days ago started having a "creamy" unilateral nasal discharge. 2 days later it turned to a pale yellow with streaks of blood. Called vet who prescribed the "sulfa" antibiotic (sorry I can't recall the name) and a shot of Banamine, but did not come see the horse. Later in the day his blood streaks turned into a nose bleed.
No fever, did not act as if he felt bad, no foul odors.

About 5 days after the start of the antibiotics the discharge went away, however he still had a small nose bleed on occasion. And even though he still ate and drank, didn't act as if he felt well.

Yesterday evening I noticed that the lymphnodes under his jaw were enlarged. He has been vaccinated for strangles. But, I know it is not a 100%. So today vet comes out to see horse. Scopes him and finds 2 polyps. Both were slightly irritated and one had a small amount of old blood at it's base.

The guteral pouch was "normal".

So now for my questions. Could the polyps caused the snotty looking discharge? Or could it be that this horse has more then one thing going on?

I am very unfamiliar with polyps on horses. Is there anything besides surgery that could be done?

Let me add that I am the BM and not the owner of this horse.

Thanks, Nancy
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 30, 2005 - 10:21 am:

Welcome Nancy,
The polyps could be either secondary to an inflammatory event like a upper respiratory infection or primary like a tumor and it would take a biopsy to find out. With the idea they might be secondary you could consider extending out the antibiotic for several weeks then rechecking but this should be discussed with the vet who has actually seen the lesions. I am most worried about the horse not feeling well as there seems to be no cause other than my conjectured URT infection. Did (does?) the horse have a fever?
DrO
New Member:
Reality

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 30, 2005 - 6:02 pm:

No, Dr O. The horse has or had no fever.

I have been thinking more about this and there are a couple of things that I have left out of his story.

This horse has been at our barn about a year. The entire time he has been with us, we notice him breathing as if there is a narrowing in his pipe. It is not heard when the horse is idle, but at a walk, without much exertion, it can be heard. I have asked the owner of the horse about this before and he stated that he has done this ever since he has owned him and that it has not worsened.

Next, 5 days before his nasal discharge began, he was tube wormed. I am now wondering if the tube irritated or damaged the polyp and maybe an infection set in.

Yesterday our vet drew a CBC and his white cells are slightly elevated, but he has been on antibiotics for a week so they might have been even more elevated.

Our vet said about the same thing you, when I spoke with him today. We have one more week of antibiotics and if he still has any drainage we are going to look into this further. If he continues to improve we will start another round of antibiotics.


Thank you so much!!!! and if you can think of anything else, please let me know it, I love learning as much as possible, so next time something crazy happens, I will have a better idea of what is going on.

Nancy
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Dec 1, 2005 - 8:27 am:

The plan makes sense to me. I would note that tube worming is totally unnecessary with our modern day pastes as long as you use them correctly, for more see the article Care for Horses ยป Deworming & Parasite Control.
DrO
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