Any ones experiences with horses Recovery from sinus flush

[MacS]

Hi everyone,

Has anyone else’s horse had a sinus flush and tooth removal? Would really like to hear others stories, the good the bad the ugly.,.

I’m feel lost and deflated as his recovery is not what I was lead to believe.
Background story, I brought my lovely 6yr old Tb gelding in June last year. A few months later he presented with discharge from one nostril. Diagnosed with fracture tooth and secondary sinus infection.
In November he had the tooth extracted and sinus flush. I was told 8 weeks Rest and should return to light work.

Well 3 months on and he has hard lumps between his eyes on his forehead (where the sinus are) a slight swollen eye and watery. Also still small bits of discharge. I was told he may develop lumps during the healing process and should disappear within a year.

However he is now on 10 days of Doxycycline and metacam again. Not seeing a change, except the head tilting subsided.
I feel deflated, the cost is mounting (insurance does not cover teeth)
Is this a normal healing process. Will the lumps go? Feeling he may need another sinus flush.
Just wondering if anyone has experienced similar??

I keep being told it’s part of the process and maybe another flush would be needed. But I feel the advice changes all the time.
The vets are good and on it, I just feel they may not be letting on that I’m in that 2% of horses not coming right after sinus infections.
Thank you in advance for any replies.
Picture of lumps and eye attached

 

[ycbm]

Sorry you are struggling with this.

I have had a friend with one who ended with a permanent hole in her head just below her eye, if I remember right, which was flushed daily by the owner. The horse was perfectly happy.

I wonder if you and the horse might be economically and physicality better off going straight to that solution than repeatedly spending out on partial solutions? Perhaps worth discussing with your vet.
.

 

[tda]

Yes have experienced this and sorry did not end well, but mid 20's ex brood mare , it wasn't going too bad but then one day her breathing was not good so I made the call.

 

[Squeak]

I've known one that had it in their mid teens and they went back to full work and are still alive in their late 20's. It wasn't my horse so I wasn't directly involved in the rehab for it so unfortunately can't help with details but thought you might like to hear of one that had a good resolution

 

[LeneHorse]

There are couple of relevant old threads in veterinary page on here. If you do a search for sinus flush they should come up.

My horse had it done a few years ago under standing sedation at the vet clinic and recovered well. I had to flush her sinuses twice a day for a week when she came home from vets. That was probably the worst part.

ETA the infection was due to a cracked tooth and once it was removed and the sinus had been repeatedly flushed there was never any recurrence.

 

[beatrice]

Mine started with a sinus infection, flushed etc - on xray couldn't see any issues with teeth.

She came home and progressively got worse (vet back and forth throughout) and ended up developing a massive swelling so emergency referred to Rainbow where they CT'd and found an issue with one of her very back teeth that's difficult to see on xray. Removed, flushed etc started healing and then got worse again - CT'd again and there were tiny fragments of the infected tooth causing further issues. Once this was sorted she came home and appeared to recover really well and was back competing (low level unaff eventing).

As the weather changed she started with a muzzle twitch which turned out to be nerve damage so we took the decision to PTS. The twitch meant cold/windy weather was really uncomfortable for her.

If I was faced with the same again I would immediately CT as in Lil's case, i think if we had caught the tooth immediately she would have recovered.

 

[PeterNatt]

My mare aged 27 had a sinus flush under standing sedation at Rossdales Newmarket. She stayed with them for a week and then returned home and returned to ridden work. Luckily no complications.

 

[Red-1]

Yes, one I worked with. Hole drilled through his skull for an upper tooth. Looked awful to start with, I seem to recollect a tube in his head for a while, but then it healed up until you'd never have known, within the sort of time scale you are talking about.

A second horse I worked with had one a couple of years previous to when I knew him. Lower tooth, flushed through the lower jaw. The horse was seemingly happy and healthy, worked well, was nicely spritely and athletic, but his lower jaw never healed. It needed syringing into the hole daily from underneath. Small price to pay really, as he was a stunner, and seemed to enjoy life to no big detriment other than not particularly enjoying the daily fuss to his jaw. It was not like it hurt him though, as he was a drama queen for any painful happening such as a cut leg or whatever.

 

[MacS]

Sorry you are struggling with this.

I have had a friend with one who ended with a permanent hole in her head just below her eye, if I remember right, which was flushed daily by the owner. The horse was perfectly happy.

I wonder if you and the horse might be economically and physicality better off going straight to that solution than repeatedly spending out on partial solutions? Perhaps worth discussing with your vet.
.

Thank you, I was hoping to show him and do some competitions. However right now I would like him well.
Might be looking at another flush and drain in for awhile.

 

[MacS]

Yes, one I worked with. Hole drilled through his skull for an upper tooth. Looked awful to start with, I seem to recollect a tube in his head for a while, but then it healed up until you'd never have known, within the sort of time scale you are talking about.

A second horse I worked with had one a couple of years previous to when I knew him. Lower tooth, flushed through the lower jaw. The horse was seemingly happy and healthy, worked well, was nicely spritely and athletic, but his lower jaw never healed. It needed syringing into the hole daily from underneath. Small price to pay really, as he was a stunner, and seemed to enjoy life to no big detriment other than not particularly enjoying the daily fuss to his jaw. It was not like it hurt him though, as he was a drama queen for any painful happening such as a cut leg or whatever.

Oh really interesting.
He only had it flushed on the day, I wish he had a drain in To flush over a couple of days I think not all the infection has gone. He very happy in himself.

 

[MacS]

Yes have experienced this and sorry did not end well, but mid 20's ex brood mare , it wasn't going too bad but then one day her breathing was not good so I made the call.

Oh Sorry to hear. I also have a 28year old sports horse and it’s a worry for horses in later life to deal with health issues. Sometimes it kinder not to put them through too much.
I’m hopeful as he is only 6. This last 2 years nothing has gone to plan on veterinary advice with another horse. Not blaming Vets at all, Just feeling extremely unlucky.
I was in a mindset of 8weeks to heal and good to go. Not quite the story so far.

 

[MacS]

My mare aged 27 had a sinus flush under standing sedation at Rossdales Newmarket. She stayed with them for a week and then returned home and returned to ridden work. Luckily no complications.

I think this is the problem he was flushed on the day and stitched up. I’m feeling like he should have been flushed over 24/48hrs. Glad your mare came good.
That’s great to have a 27 year old still riddern. I have a 28year old and he still loves an outing.

 

[MacS]

Mine started with a sinus infection, flushed etc - on xray couldn't see any issues with teeth.

She came home and progressively got worse (vet back and forth throughout) and ended up developing a massive swelling so emergency referred to Rainbow where they CT'd and found an issue with one of her very back teeth that's difficult to see on xray. Removed, flushed etc started healing and then got worse again - CT'd again and there were tiny fragments of the infected tooth causing further issues. Once this was sorted she came home and appeared to recover really well and was back competing (low level unaff eventing).

As the weather changed she started with a muzzle twitch which turned out to be nerve damage so we took the decision to PTS. The twitch meant cold/windy weather was really uncomfortable for her.

If I was faced with the same again I would immediately CT as in Lil's case, i think if we had caught the tooth immediately she would have recovered.

Oh no sorry to hear about Lilly.
I feel this is something that’s played down and oh just flush it. But it’s far more complicated.
My trouble is my insurance doesn’t not cover dental. Barely any companies do now.
I’m already 3K into this. He developed a head tilt but this course of antibiotics has seem to stop this thankfully.
Thank you for sharing your story. It’s good to be prepared. He has a bottom molar that needs to be removed too at some point.

 

[MacS]

There are couple of relevant old threads in veterinary page on here. If you do a search for sinus flush they should come up.

My horse had it done a few years ago under standing sedation at the vet clinic and recovered well. I had to flush her sinuses twice a day for a week when she came home from vets. That was probably the worst part.

ETA the infection was due to a cracked tooth and once it was removed and the sinus had been repeatedly flushed there was never any recurrence.

Thank you I will have a look for them.
I think he should have been flushed more than once over a couple of days and we would have been better off. Maybe if this antibiotics do not work I will suggest this happens. Re do it and flush over a period of time.

 

[MacS]

I've known one that had it in their mid teens and they went back to full work and are still alive in their late 20's. It wasn't my horse so I wasn't directly involved in the rehab for it so unfortunately can't help with details but thought you might like to hear of one that had a good resolution

Thank you. yes positive outcomes are definitely good to hear!