Two of the horses at the place that I board, died Thursday night.”…

Two of the horses at the place that I board, died Thursday night. One of them was 26, the other 4. The were in two separate pastures. However, their pastures are right next to each other. The 26 year old, Snowy, had a bloody nose, sweating, moaning, and a heart rate of 120 beats per minute. The 4 year old, Winston, was shaking, moaning, sweating and had a seizure. We had to put both of them down. The vet that was there could not conclude what was wrong with these horses. So I am asking for your help. Please get back to me as soon as possible. Thank You.

Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:

Hi Alicia,
With the symptoms that you describe, it is difficult to simply diagnose an exact cause. Many possible causes could be involved, and there is the possibility that this was a coincidence and the problems were not related. It is suspicious though, that both died the same night and showed fairly similar symptoms. I would be very diligent in watching the horses in the same area very closely for any unusual symptoms so that you may be able to recognize and try to prevent any more deaths if it is possibly a poisonous plant exposure or other toxin exposure that other horses in the area may be exposed to. I wish I could be of more help and lets hope it was just a coincidence that the two horses died at the same time, one of old age and one of possible colic. I hope this helps and good luck.

 

“..the vet has diagnosed her with an extreme case of Lymphangitis..”…

Thanks, the vet has diagosed her with a severe case of Lymphangitis. Do you know anything about this disease or have any suggestions as to treatment. Thanks again for any information.

Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:

Hi Telisa,
Lymphangitis is an infection of the lymphatic drainiage system of the leg. A severe infectious or toxic agent has been introduced into the soft tissues of the leg and the body is attempting to fight off the infecton through the lymphatic system. Good luck on the treatment.

 

“This is a very nice mare with 26 halter points and is carrying a baby out of a four time world champion, so this disease (Lymphangitis) has been very devastating to us. “…

Do you have any suggestions on treatment? This would be greatly appreciated. We have been treating her for 3 months and she isn’t a whole lot better and is due to foal in February. Any particular drugs we might try? We are getting a little desperate. We are thinking about taking her to Lexington to see what they suggest. This is a very nice mare with 26 halter points and is carrying a baby out of a four time world champion, so this disease has been very devastating to us. Thanks again.

Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:

Hi Again Telisa,
Of course, a specific antibiotic treatment is the most important. Culture of any area of drainage and then a sensitivity will give you the information of the most appropriate and effective antibiotic treatment. Anti-inflamatories such as Bute or Banamine are also important for control of the pain and inflammation. Locally, a soaking of the leg in warm epsom salts water would be very helpful. Packing of the leg in a poultice would also be helpful. There are poultices that can be found in most tack shops that would help draw the infection out of the leg. Regular walking would be helpful to keep the circulation going in the leg and keep the excess edema (swelling) down. Hydrotherapy with a hose would also be helpful for the circulation. I hope this helps and good luck.

 

“..She lost 250 pounds, is skin and bones and still in foal though, due in February. She will not walk on leg, will not put heal down, leg has been x-rayed but no breaks etc. “…

I own a 10 year old QH mare, in foal. I found her lying in the field one morning unable to get up. Finally got her up and into the barn. The vet came out, thought she had an abscess, she would not put her foot down and it seemed like her hip or leg was hurt to me. I soaked the foot- no abscess. Three days later the mare’s hind leg from ankle all the way up to the hip was swollen three times normal size. She had a loss of appetite and small bumps or sores appeared over most of her body. No drainage though.The vet was not real sure what this could be. Possibly “Lymphangitis” but he was not real familiar with it. We have given all types of meds/bute etc…to heal her but nothing seems to help. She lost 250 pounds, is skin and bones and still in foal though due in February. She will not walk on leg, will not put heal down, leg has been x-rayed but no breaks etc. Any suggestions as to what this may be?

Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:

Hi Telisa,
This sounds like a real challenge. With the history of possible abscess and then the severe swelling, even though x rays were done, I wonder about a deep penetration of the foot by an radiolucent (something like a sharp wooden stob) that might be up in the foot and yet can’t be seen at the bottom of the foot (up in the sulcus of the frog). Another possibility would be a very toxic insect or snake bite that left only very small holes that can’t be detected, on the lower part of the leg. The hives and severe swelling goes along with this scenario. One last possibility would be a fracture or dislocation in the upper part of the leg (the large bones that can’t be easily x-rayed). I am sure your Vet has thought about all of this and tried to eliminate exact possibility. The venomous bite is the most probable and usually can’t easily be proven. Sometimes about 2 weeks after something like this, an area somewhere in the lower leg will actually slough out and leave a large draining wound. I hope this is helpful and good luck.

 

“Will the DMSO have an adverse affect on the foal, such as making it sick?”…

I have a lactating mare who has become lame in the right front. My vet suggested a mixture of DMSO and Nitrofurazone with a wrap. My question is: Will the DMSO have an adverse affect on the foal, such as making it sick?

Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:

Ray:

No, the DMSO should not affect the foal (as long as he is over a few weeks old). It may make him smell funny for a few days, though.

 

” diagnosed her with renal failure and congestive heart failure. She is getting thinner and thinner and eats poorly. “…

 

Our horse is a 30 year old quarterhorse mare who has been loosing weight over the last 4-5 months. We have taken her to a veterinarian in our area who has diagnosed her with renal failure and congestive heart failure. She is getting thinner and thinner and eats poorly. We have tried all types of food from Equine Senior, Strategy, sweet feed and different types of hay. She just picks at it. Within the last couple of days she has started coughing. At first I thought it was from blowing dust but it seems like she does it more after walking. Do you think it is part of the symptoms of renal failure and congestive heart disease. She does not appear to have a runny nose. I don’t really want to stress her by another trip to the veterinarian if I can help it and our vet is currently out of town. I hate to just watch her waste away. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. She has been a member of this family for many years and we just hate to see her like this. Thanks, Barbara

 

Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:

Barbara:

I’m sorry for your mare’s condition. 30 is definitely geriatric, and needs extra care and attention. Unfortunately, congestive heart failure and renal failure are two really bad diseases, and both together are even worse. They are both ultimately fatal in the long run. They will both cause weight loss and muscle wasting, which explains her poor body condition and weakness. The heart failure will usually cause a cough, over time. Once she stops eating, it is a short time (few days to a week) before she will be too weak and will become more debilitated, making it harder for her body to compensate. I am sorry to paint such a grim picture.

 

You have given your mare such a good life for so many years, and I know you want the best for her. I agree, one of the hardest things is to watch animals when they are very sick. At her age, treating these conditions would likely be fruitless. I believe she will tell you when it is time. Perhaps you could ask another veterinarian to be “on call” (to come to your house?) in case you need them, should she need to be put down while your veterinarian is out of town. I am sure that any veterinarian would be able to do this for you, as long as you are within range of them (not sure where you live).

 

 

“Well, about 4 months ago he started to foam at the mouth excessively in the morning, “…

 

My horse is having a problem that even the vet can’t figure out but I am really worried about it, plus it keeps me from being able to take him out with other riders. My horse has always gotten wet mouth when we worked him and put the bit in his mouth. Well, about 4 months ago he started to foam at the mouth excessively in the morning, we didn’t think much about it because we saw the same thing when we worked him. So we just watched him. Well it didn’t get better, in fact it got worse, it got to be were he was doing it all the time. So I took him to the vet. The vet floated his teeth (which they weren’t bad, they had been done exactly a year and a few months before) and said that we should watch him and if it didn’t stop in 2 weeks to bring him back. It didn’t stop so I took him back and the vet scoped him to see if he had a thorn or splinter stuck in his mouth, tongue or throat. He did not. So the vet dewormed him in case it was a parasite, He said though that he thought it could be auto-immune because the horse couldn’t be foaming constantly and have nothing wrong with him, so he took some blood and put him on steroids while we waited for the test results. He said that if the steroids worked it would mean that he did have autoimmune. I was of course heartbroken. Well, he called me back the next day with test results, he said that his test should have been at a 120 but it came back at 400 indicating an infection somewhere. We put him on antibiotics and kept him on the steroids. Thankfully the steroids did not get rid of the problem so that meant not autoimmune but the antibiotics didn’t work either. In fact, instead of it being foam it is now an excessive slime, it just drools out of his mouth. He also sounds like he might be grinding his teeth now; I don’t know if this is a separate problem since he has had his teeth floated. I spent $700 at the vet so far and was wondering before I go back to spend more if you can give me any ideas. Have you heard or seen this before? I love this horse dearly; he was given to me as a gift from a very dear friend. My dream was to always have my own horse and she blessed me with him. I have had him almost 4 years; he was about 2 and half when she gave him to me. He is the sweetest loving horse you could ever meet (hard to believe he was a wild mustang at one time). I don’t want to lose him; I would love to figure out whatever is going on with him. Any help you could give me would be surely appreciated. Thank you so much for your time.  Holandia: Tucson, AZ

Dr Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:

Holandia:

Your description tells me that your veterinarian has done a thorough work-up.  If your horse only does this excessive drooling while wearing the bit, and he otherwise works fine in the bit and accepts it, then it is likely only a cosmetic issue.  However, if he drools like that all the time, whether in the bridle or not, you should have him further examined.  In that case, instead of seeking a second opinion from another veterinarian, you should consult with a medicine specialist.

 

“Two months ago, my 17 year old Saddle bred mare had to have surgery to remove a broken and rotted upper molar (#4?)”…

 

It was removed via a bone flap in her face.  She had a drain that we flushed daily for two weeks.  She has been on antibiotics since that time, starting with two courses of Bacterium, followed by En? And now on Gentomycin shots (20cc for 10 days).  The surgical wound has closed well but is still draining from the original drain hole and one other small opening. She is draining a lot of pus from this as well as her nostril on that side (right).  Scope showed a sinus infection and culture showed e-coli and staph.  I clean her face daily with betadine, morning and night and keep a fly mask on her.  She is offered Safe Choice feed twice daily, all the hay she can eat and pasture. I have also started her on CRS Gold Probiotic. She is not interested in her feed.  The discharge is foul smelling.  We have spent over $3000 on this already and my husband is balking at more.  I have owned 12 horses in my life, but none come close to this one. What would you guess her prognosis to be?  Is there anything else I can do?

 

Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:

 

Barbara:

 

Sinus infections can be difficult to clear up, but usually with the right antibiotics and persistent care, they can be gotten rid of.  Perhaps it might be time for a (another?) culture of the draining pus, as sometimes bacteria can be resistant to certain antibiotics. If this is the case, changing the drug can alleviate the problem. The sinuses can also be difficult to drain because of their anatomy, as you have learned. They are quite large in older horses, and therefore can harbor more fluid. You may have to go back to a drain and flushing.

Hang in there, because you can hopefully whip this and get your girl back! I know it sometimes seems that horses are money pits with no bottoms, but you’ve come so far, it would be a shame to quit now!