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Lanabanana
Platinum Member
 United Kingdom
2691 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Mar 2007 : 3:51:15 PM
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My friend has a pony mare who has become rather unwell in the last couple of days.
She has been stabled for just over a week as she appears to have mud fever (vet's diagnosis), her back leg is swollen to just above the hock, but not really scabby. She has been on anti-biotics.
Then on Tuesday she wouldn't eat her feed (very unusual) and only picked at her hay. She is not moving about just pivoting on her back feet and shuffling at the front. The vet took blood on Tuesday, and sent away to vet hospital for a detailed analysis.
Yesterday she had bumps all over her body and a large painful swelling under her belly, she went completely nuts when the vet touched it. Then last night she started shivering, the vet consulted other partners and came out and gave her a steroid injection.
My guess would be some sort of allergic reaction (no idea to what though).
Just going to phone friend for an update as they should have the test results by now.
Has anyone ever seen similar symptoms?
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Hampshire. |
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Libby Frost
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4711 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2007 : 4:17:51 PM
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| My Herbs hind legs blew up just like you described to just below the hock he had the most minute bit of mud fever on ONE leg so i washed it off on both legs with Hibiscrub and on my vets advice used zinc and castor oil on them once dry and before he goes out and no prob since!!most bizzare !!! Sounds like some sort of blood poisoning, how long were the blood tests going to be coming back?? |
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Sarahw
Gold Member
England
746 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2007 : 6:37:24 PM
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Just a thought - sounds like the original could have been mud fever possibly or a reaction to something (ground level) where the legs can be so much more sensitive this time of year - then the other bumps and sensitivity maybe an allergic reaction to the antibiotics.
Has she ever been on that type before? |
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gossy
Platinum Member
England
3639 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2007 : 6:40:38 PM
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| Have known this before! very similar symptoms that a friends mare was experiencing, apparently just before friend noticed the swelling, she had seen a bee buzzing around, vet advised that they can get stung on leg hence the swelling and have an allergic reaction, sometimes very severe. |
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Lanabanana
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2691 Posts |
Posted - 15 Mar 2007 : 7:38:14 PM
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Well, My friend obviously doesn't interrogate her vet the way I would!
Two vets came out today, they discussed the blood test results between themselves, my friend overheard that the mare's protein levels were ok and thinks that they said her white blood cell count was very high.
They think it is an infection that is causing the symptoms and have changed her anti-biotics from Trimediazine to Batrim (clear liquid), she has always had 'Trim' before so don't think she's allergic to that.
They tried to get some peritoneal fluid from her to check for peritonitis, but couldn't get any.
She has started to eat and drink, but it could be that the steroids giving her an appetite.
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Hampshire. |
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Zan
Platinum Member
Scotland
3213 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2007 : 09:25:31 AM
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| Has she had a virus recentlty? It sounds similar to a horse I knew who had Purpurea Haemorogica (sp), which usually follows on after apparent recovery from a virus. It is very rare though so hopefully not that---blood transfusions and steroids I recall were the treatment, but it's a while ago. |
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Michelle
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3197 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2007 : 10:00:56 AM
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I was going to suggest Purpura Haemorhaggica myself - having delt with a rather nasty case some years ago.
BUT with purpura you usually encounter severe lethargy and depression pretty much from the outset - my horse was in incredible pain but still wouldn't have had the fight in her to go nuts.
Saying that, swollen legs, especially hind legs are a classic symptom. Purpura is one of those things that you can't test for, so it's process of elimination after a series of blood tests and virus counts.... if the hind legs of the mare start to weep with puss then I would suggest it is definately purpura. She will need to be treated with antibiotics, painkillers, antiinflamatories, predniserone (sp? steriods) and a diuretic (furosimide) to take the swelling down.
In the case of my mare, the swelling didn't travel any further than the legs, but it is known to collect around the chest/under the rib cage and occasionally to the head as well.
I really hope she doesn't have this and it is a sting of somesort  |
IIsis Arabians
www.iisisarabians.com www.ali-abbas.co.uk
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katherineepea
Gold Member
England
883 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2007 : 12:08:14 PM
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phtosensitisation? although im not sure it gets this bad. we had cortisone injection, anti inflammatories, antibiotics and painkillers and lrd/sulphur to apply topically to the legs
you could mention it to the vet? its caused by eating st johns wort or buttercups etc |
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Lanabanana
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2691 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2007 : 1:15:30 PM
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Thanks for all your suggestions guys.
I hadn't thought of Purpura, although I really hope it isn't that, it sounds dreadful.
There doesn't appear to be any puss or weeping coming from her back legs, but she has been rather depressed for about four days, standing with her head hanging and not interested in anything.
She hasn't been out in the field for about ten days to two weeks now as the vet advised she should stay in when he diagnosed what appeared to him to be mud fever.
There aren't any scabs on her legs just swelling and heat. My friend wondered if it was Lymphangitis, but when one of mine had this some years ago both his back legs were massively swollen causing the skin to split and weep and the hair came off.
I won't be able to phone my friend for an update for a few hours as she works nights and will be asleep at the moment.
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Hampshire. |
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Grey Girl
Platinum Member
England
1554 Posts |
Posted - 16 Mar 2007 : 6:42:29 PM
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Sounds awful. I've got absolutely no suggestions but wish your friend and her horse the very best.
GreyGirl |
 Said the little eohippus, "I´m going to be a HORSE"  |
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Lanabanana
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2691 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2007 : 2:25:01 PM
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Thought I would update you about my friend's pony as many of you offered suggestions and good wishes
Thankfully she is now almost fully recovered. She was incredibly poorly for a few days including one day when she spent virtually the whole day with her eyes shut, even when she was touched she showed little or no response.
Her illness was apparently due to a bacterial infection from the mud fever which she was being treated for. If the weather stays reasonably dry she should be able to go out in the field by next week.
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Hampshire. |
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geegee
Platinum Member
England
3682 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2007 : 10:33:04 AM
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Only just seen this post....
Poor pony, she sounds like she has really been through it but so glad to hear that she is almost recovered.
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Zan
Platinum Member
Scotland
3213 Posts |
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redhead
New Member
16 Posts |
Posted - 03 Apr 2007 : 7:45:20 PM
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| glad to hear that the pony is on the mend. We had a similar thing a couple of years ago and it turned out to be st.john's wort poisoning. |
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natntaz
Platinum Member
England
2919 Posts |
Posted - 04 Apr 2007 : 3:25:58 PM
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| The same happened to my friends Pure bred. She always has such a slight coat and the slightest touch of mud fever makes her legs swell. She to one year ended up with some sort of infection. She had the shakes. Looked very depressed and fever like. The vet came out and gave her a coarse of antibiotics and nova something wash to clean them with. She seemed to lose a lot of her hair on all legs even though the mud fever was only minimal on one or two legs. Within a few days she had lost the fever but we were really worried about her at the time. She still odd times gets flair ups if she gets any sort of mud fever but luckily no where near as bad as then.We try lots of protection and turn out boots but it still sometime starts. |
   
Natalie Pix. Essex. Tariq ibn Radfan and Taroub |
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