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Discussion on Thick, green, "creamy" snot, but no fever....
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Member:
Gingin
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Posted on Friday, Jul 14, 2006 - 8:27 pm:
Dear Dr. O,
we recently had Strangles at our barn and our pony initially developed a fever, was lethargic and sick and had really gross, thick snot (major YUCK!!!! ) coming out of both nostrils. He was treated with ABs and has since been fine, happy eating and being his usual obnoxious self....EXCEPT that every 3 days or so, he shows icky creamy thick snot in one nostril...he is usually then brought in and kept in a stall for observation. After a day or so of "room service" the snot disappears. He has not had a fever since his initial symptoms, has his temperature checked frequently, eats well, has no swelling on any of his lymph nodes, does not seem to have a sore throat, etc...can strangles cause such a prolonged course without any fever but with intermittent snot and would the pony still be contagious??? Or what could this be???
Thanks for your input!
Christine
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 - 7:26 am:
When you say recently Christine exactly how long is that?
DrO
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Member:
Gingin
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 - 8:38 am:
Hi Dr. O,
well...recently means - the first horse with symptoms was about 2 1/2 months ago, the pony got sick over a month and a half ago and the last horse with anything resembling a fever was about 4 weeks ago. Only horses 6 years and younger were affected, the pony is about 5.
Does this help?
Thanks again!
Christine
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Jul 15, 2006 - 1:54 pm:
Hmmm if I had to guess the Strangles infection caused a lesion in the sinus that has become chronic and periodically flares. An ulcer, granuloma, something like this. As to whether it is still strangles should not be hard to discover, get a good culture of the snot. If it occurs again and this seems reasonable to your vet, culture it then start a 30 day course of TMP/SMZ tablets. If the culture comes back Strangles switch to penicillin if another organism switch to an antibiotic to which it is sensitive. If it persists after this you may have to get further diagnostics to localize (sinus or guttural pouch) and consider other therapy.
DrO
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Member:
Gingin
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Posted on Sunday, Jul 16, 2006 - 8:16 am:
Thanks Dr.O,
this would make a lot of sense! The pony was really sick when he had strangles with his nasal discharge probably one of the worst of all the affected horses, so ending up with a lesion(s) is a possibility - the fact that his snotty nose now is ALWAYS on the left side would also support this, I guess...one thing I am still wondering, though, is why the snot goes away once he is brought in and is in the stall, but comes back periodically when he is out...could heat have something to do with this, or allergies, that set this off?
He will go on ABs again soon.
Thanks again for your advice!!!
Christine
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