Allergic reaction/steroid injection/laminitis

[rolsterlady]

Hi everyone

So, a week or so ago I noticed a fly bite just in front of my mare's udder area. Didn't think much of it, so just applied aloe vera to it for a day or two, hoping it would disappear. Sunday evening, I noticed it had started swelling a little and was a bit sticky and crusty. Again, I didn't think much of it.. but decided to wash the udder/belly/hind legs with diluted Hibiscrub to clean and freshen things up.

Monday morning however, things had drastically developed and there was a huge fluid filled swelling (probably 30cm x 30cm) in front of the udder, and a lot of her skin had started to peel off on her belly, udder and legs, leaving big open wounds which were oozing orange pus. She also had pea sized soft swellings appearing everywhere in the area, and crusty pea-sized lumps appearing on her front legs too.

Obviously, we called the vet out, who said it was an extreme allergic reaction, possibly to Hibiscrub. He prescribed a double dose of antibiotics (Noradine) and pain relief (Danilon), 5 day course.

Tuesday, things didn't look much different but hadn't got any worse.

Then, Wednesday (yesterday), I got to the yard to find that one of her hind legs was so swollen it was three times the size of the other one, and the swelling under her belly had also doubled in size. Vet came out and took bloods to test for protein/albumin and white blood cell/lymphocyte levels. She also administered a steroid injection, but first warned me that this can induce laminitis. She was insistent that the need for the steroids outweighed the risks, so we went ahead with this.

She is looking a lot better today, the swellings have reduced and the wounds are starting to dry up. Blood results came back.. Protein levels are fine but WBC/lymph count was fairly low, which I believe could be due to the current infection or could have been an underlying problem before which made the infection worsen rapidly.

Just looking for opinions/knowledge/experience relating to any of this really.. Has anyone experienced anything similar with regards to the allergic reaction? Or has anyone had a horse with steroid induced laminitis? How quickly does this usually happen? Vet said usually quite quickly but could it happen 3 months down the line?

Mare is 12 and is a warmblood (She has very sensitive skin anyway but has never had problems like this).

Thanks for anything in advance Will try to post photos later.

 

[WelshD]

Not much help but my pony has sweet itch, we have resorted to steroids twice and havebeen told about the higher risk of lamimitis - we were told to monitor the pony very closely for 48 hours and keep a good eye on him for up to a week

 

[noblesteed]

Yeah mine had very mild lami - only detected when shod 4 weeks later - after steroid injections. He is prone though.
Vet advised at the time to feed as if he has lami is box rest for a week. soaked hay, no hard feed etc. After a week back on restricted grazing. Monitor pulses and whip off the grass as soon as any problems arise.
Another friend nearly lost her connie x tb from a steroid injection as she carried on haylage and hard feed - horses pedal bone was only saved by a shavings bed. Never been right since mind. So doesn't do any harm to be careful!

 

[JLD]

Hi, yes mine had infected fly bite and got lymphangitis as a result, had steroid and antibiotic injection and came down with severe laminitis 2 days later but is being investigated for EMS and vet thinks was probably a response to the metabolic stress of the infection and increased blood flow with the lymphangitis rather than the steroids. Hope all ok with yours. Mine made a good quick recovery from the severe stage but is still obviously got something grumbling on but my vet insists he needs to be out muzzled or on restricted grazing with soaked hay rather than off grass and he is on metformin.