Cellulitus... worried!

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Mouse166

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Long time lerker - first time poster :)

So had the emergency vet out last night as got down the yard and horses leg swollen up and hopping lame!
History is that she has mudfever on that leg, been treating it, finally under control and then this happens :rolleyes:

Vet advised oral bute and antibiotics twice a day for 5 days, plus 20 mins cold hosing and lunging in trot to get it moving and she's now turned out in the field during the day.(she was on box rest for a few days to keep out of the wet for the mud ever)

Vet worried me by saying if it gets worse she may have to go in so they can treat - :eek:

Does anyone else have experience with this? how long did it take to clear up? I'm also thinking maybe she is best kept out to keep it moving rather than coming in at night? Any advise greatly received please!

Thanks for taking the time to read
 
Coming in at night might be to give the legs a chance to dry so mud fever doesn't worsen. I've no experience of cellulitis though, sorry. I'm guessing the vets might want intravenous antibiotics for a while if they want her to come into the clinic.
 
one of mine had a bout last year after a kick injury. she was feeling very sorry for a few days but soon improved. the swelling took a couple of weeks to fully settle.
 
I don't want to worry you but I lost a big ID to cellilitis. There was no obvious injury but her leg swelled up, we cold-hosed daily, injected anti-bs daily and turned her out in a small paddock, so that she could keep moving but not too much. We didn't have mud stvthe time, it was July. My only advice is to make sure that your horse is getting a big enough dose of anti-bs, as we think that is possibly what went wrong for us. Or, of course, we could have just been very unlucky.
 
As peralsasinger stated make sure you are getting the right antibiotics and dosage, my previous horse had to have batyril not the normal anti b's and 2 lots to get it under control.
On a side note I have cellulitis in my finger and I'm on a 3rd lot of anti b's to get rid of it, it can be a ****** to get rid of.
It sounds like you caught it quickly enough. Good luck
 
Totally agree, not all vets get this condition under control quick enough, Baytril is the drug that knocks it back fast, expensive but worth it.
 
splash30 said:
As peralsasinger stated make sure you are getting the right antibiotics and dosage, my previous horse had to have batyril not the normal anti b's and 2 lots to get it under control.
On a side note I have cellulitis in my finger and I'm on a 3rd lot of anti b's to get rid of it, it can be a ****** to get rid of.
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agreed - I have had it in my face, twice, and it took a long course of 2 kinds of abs. grim. I totally understand why the horses feel so miserable, it was absolutely horrid.
 
Thanks everyone, she seems much better today, not lame and the leg has gone down loads, just a but puffy around the pastern, I'm keeping her out as id rather she moved about than staying in the stable - I'm lucky that the field is very well drained and not muddy so keeps her legs clear of mud and they don't get too wet.

I have managed to get the antib's down her every day since Tuesday (first day) - except this morning when the stupid syringe slipped out of my hand, so she probably got around half of the dose!

I can't remember the name of it now, its a sticky yellow liquid and she has 50m twice a day plus a bute in it for 5 days.

Such a pain with hosing too as obviously its the same leg as the mudfever so its getting soaked and dried twice a day - vicious circle!!
 
maybe ask if you could ice the leg instead of cold hosing? Glad to hear she's on the mend.
Baytril is a sticky liquid so it's probably what you've got.
 
Mouse166 said:
Long time lerker - first time poster :)

So had the emergency vet out last night as got down the yard and horses leg swollen up and hopping lame!
History is that she has mudfever on that leg, been treating it, finally under control and then this happens :rolleyes:

Vet advised oral bute and antibiotics twice a day for 5 days, plus 20 mins cold hosing and lunging in trot to get it moving and she's now turned out in the field during the day.(she was on box rest for a few days to keep out of the wet for the mud ever)

Vet worried me by saying if it gets worse she may have to go in so they can treat - :eek:

Does anyone else have experience with this? how long did it take to clear up? I'm also thinking maybe she is best kept out to keep it moving rather than coming in at night? Any advise greatly received please!

Thanks for taking the time to read
Click to expand...

My mare had this, and I had to keep her legs clean and use keratex powder to protect them from the damp and mud, it took a while but it cleared up and never returned
 
You need to act super quick.

Steroid cream asap.

Barrier of sudocreme. I always exercise in hand or under saddle in walk and if ok (not in your case maybe) in trot very very lightly to get the joint moving and move the excess fluid.

Horrid condition.
 
My mare had cellulitis, non weight bearing, taken straight to the vets and spent 5 days there, she was x rays and scanned and diagnosed with cellulitis, 5 days iv antibiotics, twice daily spa treatments and eventually home with a pressure boot and on box rest for a few weeks on oral antibiotics, it was expensive but she made a full recovery
 
Zero00000 said:
My mare had cellulitis, non weight bearing, taken straight to the vets and spent 5 days there, she was x rays and scanned and diagnosed with cellulitis, 5 days iv antibiotics, twice daily spa treatments and eventually home with a pressure boot and on box rest for a few weeks on oral antibiotics, it was expensive but she made a full recovery
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Oh gosh that sounds terrible, Glad she is okay. My mare seems so much better now, leg's gone down loads and no longer lame when trotting (on the lunge to get it moving) antibiotics finish Saturday, vet said Monday will be tell tail day as will be 24 hours after antib's have stopped, but advised to carry on bute for a few days after.
 
Just thought I'd post a quick update, antibiotic's finished Sat morning, she's had just bute over the weekend, seems fine now no lameness and temp back to normal. Leg is still slightly swollen but vet said this can take around a month to completely go down and to keep her in plenty of exercise to keep it moving. Mud fever seems under control too and hoping it will start clearing soon!
 
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