Cellulitus Advice?

_April_

_April_

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We have been treating our elderly 27 yo TB Mare for cellulitus for the past fortnight.

It was quite frankly horrific! Her leg literally swelled up overnight and she was hopping lame - could not put leg down, dripping with sweat, other 3 little legs could hardly hold her weight and she ended up collapsing. I honestly thought we were losing her whilst waiting for the vet to come.

She got painkillers (which gave instant relief) and antibiotics, vet visits everyday, tubbing 3 times a day and then on the 3rd day result - erruption of the abcess (disgusting).

Now on day 11 and she is a LOT better in some ways - only maybe 4/10 lame as opposed to full 10,happy in herself, we are walking her out in hand as often as possible.

but the leg - omg - the leg it is just open everywhere, raw and disgusting, really deep holes - it doesn't smell as bad anymore but it looks horrific. i guess the positive side is that around the holes there is now lots of healthy pink skin?

I'm basically just wondering - apart from poulticing, tubbing, antibiotics, her regular bute, walking in hand - is there anything else I can be doing?

Has anyone else dealt with this? Would just love some reassurance and am wondering how long it might be before there is a noticeable improvement

Vet says we have dealt with it fast enough to avoid further complications - fingers crossed - such as it spreading inwards to tendons or joints but it's hard to stay positive when it looks so awful.

thanks in advance! xx
 
I'd smother her leg in honey! Friend's colt ripped his leg apart on a gate, we used vetalintex and all sorts for a few days then vet suggested we change to honey (we didn't use Manuka although I gather this is the 'best' type). The difference was incredible, in a matter of a couple of days it was vastly improved and healed with much less scarring than we thought it would have.

I would also be wary of cleaning too much now for fear of damaging the new tissue. I have also heard good things about aloe vera but it isn't something I have tried.
 
amymay said:
Are you able to have her out???
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Is just so, so muddy that we didn't think it was worth the risk...

Vet hasn't said anything about turnout specifically but I could ask - perhaps she could go into the indoor school with Tara for a few hours a day.

thanks!
 
appylass said:
I'd smother her leg in honey! Friend's colt ripped his leg apart on a gate, we used vetalintex and all sorts for a few days then vet suggested we change to honey (we didn't use Manuka although I gather this is the 'best' type). The difference was incredible, in a matter of a couple of days it was vastly improved and healed with much less scarring than we thought it would have.

I would also be wary of cleaning too much now for fear of damaging the new tissue. I have also heard good things about aloe vera but it isn't something I have tried.
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Ty so much for the reply - I will have a google and look into it.

Her lower leg is looking pretty open and healthy but the upper part still looks a bit oozy and putrid so continuing to poultice there and just keep lower half dry and covered.
 
_April_ said:
Is just so, so muddy that we didn't think it was worth the risk...

Vet hasn't said anything about turnout specifically but I could ask - perhaps she could go into the indoor school with Tara for a few hours a day.

thanks!
Click to expand...

They need to move to help dispurse the swelling - but can understand your concerns about muddy fields. The indoor school with hay scattered around to encourage movement sounds like a good idea though. I'd definately run it past your vet.
 
Amymay ty so much that seems like such an obvious solution but I hadn't thought on it til you said!

We have been trudging about with her a couple of times a day but I think hay dotted about the indoor school is a great idea and am sure Tara will shepherd her about too :rolleyes: (they are frenemies - it's an odd relationship!)

Will ring vet later x
 
Definitely try turning her out, is there a small bit of the field that isn't muddy you could fence off and leave her out 24/7, have found this really is the best way of reducing the swelling.
 
Hey April :)

Sorry to hear about mare - the eruption sounds horrific.

I would 100% try manuka honey - it really is amazing. Slather the stuff on everyday and it will work wonders. The same thing happened to my friends horse, and it helped no end.

Also lots of walking - whether in hand, turn out, sandschool or a walker. Gets the blood flowing and the swelling down.

Good luck!
 
My lad had cellulitus in the summer, but nowhere near the extent of your horse's. We kept B enclosed in our crew yard - so he could walk around freely, avoid being in a dirty stable, and lay down on the straw in the corner if he chose to. The vet suggested that we walked him round in hand for short periods and cold hosed to reduce the swelling - he was also on eqipalozone and norodine granules which helped alot. Good luck and I hope your mare makes a speedy recovery.
 
Hello, I am a newbee!

I currently have an arab who has cellulitis in three of his legs. He cut himself on his one fetlock from his own hoof, it was a bit like a deep slice, so eventually the vet came for that and he was put on antibiotics and antiinflam etc and it started to heal and scab over.
Now the stupid part! Silly, silly me went and bought some equillibirum turnout chaps, (as this horse isn't really into being in), in my eyes these would keep the mud out so he could go out and protect his legs from such similar wounds.
:eek:OMG - he was out for five hours, brought him back in and they have rubbed raw three of his legs, we now have three legs that are really, really raw and sore, I was horrified and felt so, so bad - we live and learn.

Vet came out again, more antibiotics, antiinflam started off intravenously. Although he is in, he is walked out in hand and on the walker a lot through out the day. I have been given some MALSEB shampoo that I have to try and lather on and leave on for ten minutues, then pat dry and apply flamazine - this is to be done three times daily.

We are a week on and it is starting to look a little better but so, so slow so I am going to try some honey.

My question is really, in terms of application, do you just literally smother it on all over, and then do you wash it off next day and apply fresh layer or just leave it and keep applying more?
As he is in, I can visulise bits of poo and bedding just stuck to his legs!

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.!!:)
 
Emily B - if your question relates to the flamazine - then yes you apply librally.

Personally I wouldn't be washing the legs too often as you will compromise the skin (which is allready damaged, and experiencing more damage with the cellulitis).
 
Sorry, no I meant in terms of applying the honey - how do you go about it etc.

Yes I did think that about washing the legs, vets advice. :(
 
An old horse of mine had it in two legs a few years ago.......filling and about 1/10th bi-laterally lame, so not mega mega; at the time we had a very old fashioned vet, god rest his soul, who recommended wiping down the legs with surgical spirit twice a day; bandaging when in the stable and a light work regime. (Horse was hunting fit at the time so we knocked him back to an hours light-ish hacking.) He recovered within about five days max from memory. No medication of any description!

To say that I was sceptical was an understatement, but it worked and probably saved me a fair bit of money too!!!

However, as you have open wounds, do NOT apply surgical spirit under any circumstance.
 
Just wanted to bump this thread and give a little update :)

We are now almost a month in I think.

The leg is still open on either side but the skin there is now granulated and a nice healthy pink/red colour. Just keeping it clean and cold hosing it daily.

The hock as still quite swollen a week ago and I was injecting her daily with a penicillin - has helped as the hock was much better by the Friday and has improving over the weekend.
The bandage from lower leg is still coming off with lovely green ooze so the hock is def draining down well enough.

She's happy, content, not in pain and not lame anymore so fingers crossed the worst is over and we can concentrate on getting it healed. Vet has told us to apply Preparation H (haemmoroid cream) to the open areas once a day to help with proud flesh.

Exercising as much as possible (as much as an old 27 yo girl can take). She dropped a little bit of weight the first week but has since regained her appetite and is looking pretty good.

Best horse patient ever! She loves the fuss from everyone on the yard especially as she is feeling well now. Stands stock still for bandaging and didn't even need to catch her to inject her. Lovely old star that she is!


I have got some nasty pics on my phone which I'll have to get posted sometime. Hopefully with a before and after!
 
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I've a minor case of cellulitis myself so I can testify to how painful it is! :eek:

Glad to hear the OP horse is improving. It so often just comes down to nursing with these sorts of things.

Re keeping dressings dry and clean, obviously bandaging is the traditional way to go and best for weeping wound and/or protection of healing tissue, but I've also had good luck with the "tubigrip" stuff they use under casts etc. or even with socks with the toes cut out for lower legs, for turn out, dry wounds etc. You can roll up/down the tube, apply the honey or whatever and roll it back over to keep it clean, perhaps securing it with a wrap of microfibre tape. Most on line medical supply stores sell it.
 
Please think twice before applying honey. Some of it is reputed to have antiseptic properties, but having seen it put on a pony wound which led to the pony's death from massive infection I would personally be very wary of it. It may contain infectious agents and is very attractive to insects and other horses even through tubigrip. Perhaps a moist sterile dressing would be more appropriate.
 
Is their just one abscess at the hock or are they breaking out all over the legs? It just sounds to me more like your horse has ulcerative lymphangitis? Personally I would use flamazine cream or Manuka honey but your vet is in the best position to judge. Sounds like you're making progress - good luck.
 
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