Cellulitis?

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abbieandfiona

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My mare has a sore back mainly around her withers, cant find a cause to it. She has had two lots of cellulitis in this area in the past once this summer, and around this time last year as well. Was just wondering whats the chance of her having it again in this area. Cant mess around too much with her as she kicks and bites when you touch it. Have spoken to vet however new vet practice who never saw condition on her before and at time didn't think to say to him at time around about it. Have given her some danilon so i may be able to have a better look at her when its kicked in.
 
Have you checked the fit of her rugs? One of my girls used to get this, but I discovered her Mark Todd heavyweight was doing it. I changed to a PE rug, and the problem has stopped.

Its not that the MT sat on her withers, but it must have been pressing further back. The PE rugs sits that little higer still up her neck, so the pressure is gone. To look at the MT on her you wouldn't have said it didn't fit.
 
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do you have any black thorn trees areound your field i have numerous horses go down with cellulitis on one yard i rented and the puncture wounds are so small we could not find them till the vet noticed the black thorn.
Many days with a chainsaw
 
I see a lot of cellulitis and it is generally restricted to limbs tbh. Technically speaking it is just inflammation of the fatty layer (cellulite) that we all love!!! under the skin, so if there is another inciting cause - e.g. rain scald/severe live etc and the skin is broken then cellulitis could occur anyway in that region.

Doesn't sound like that though.
Generally, I wouldn't attribute true cellulitis to the back region IME anyway.

I have however seen a number of horses this year, that have been out in fields when the ground has been very hard and rolled - creating severe back esp withers bruising and swelling. One horse eve freactured the withers and was immensely sore.

Cellulitis tends to form in "pitting oedema" plaques or areas - which means firm swelling but if you push firmly into it there are indents left where your fingers went - hence the "pitting"....

I would go ahead with Danilon or bute IMO and then get the vet to recheck in a couple of day to re-ex once less painful. Oh and dotn' forget to fee from door/up high to minimise stress of the back in reaching to the floor for food and water...may reduce pain as well.

HTH Imogen
 
Thanks had vet out today for her as wither area was full of heat, past two times was def cellulitis no doubt about that. This time its def infected and vet thinks some form of trauma to that area in past and chance of boney change. So one antibiotics and danilon for next 10 days and go from there. Maybe x-ray area to see what has happened in past as this all started a yr ago now and 3rd time, so hopefully caught early and will not turn into cellulitis again.
 
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