cortisone injections

abbieandfiona

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My mare self harmed herself yet again yest, spoke to vet today and showed him pictures of how she has hurt herself again. As pictures should show -
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He said he thinks a nasty rub mark, she has now done the same on the other side as well. Nothing in field to itch on, im very careful as she has sweet-itch as does my other mare. So have moved her today onto another section inside field with lots of grass so at least if she is eating shes not hurting herself.

The vet suggested cortisone injections. Im guessing they are a steriod based injection, last time she had steriod injection into her hocks she ended up with lami. Also she has had liver issues, after a year her liver is now back to normal. So do i risk it and get her injected? Any other ideas to stop her hurting herself?
 
Hi,

I see your valid concerns here.

I would totally back you vet up and say the most likely cause of these marks are rubs, especially as he has sweet-itch.

However, I'm not sure reaching for the steroids in this case is the only or best option....:confused: espcially as you mentioned he has had a history of laminitis already subsequent to steroid medication in the hocks. :o

It is easy to give a short-acting dexamethasone jab to break the "itch-scratch" cycle if that's what you think the problem might be, but it is only a quick fix in any case.

You could try antihistamines - some are pretty successful, and also the cavalesse cream we have found is great too. If you can still get hold of the good old benzyl benzoate that may help, but by far and away the best thing I've found of these sweet-itch cases is the Boett rugs....

If you feel sweet-itch isn't the underlying problem then may treat symptomatically for now and consider biopsies or allergen testing to get the the cause. That's best done prior to treatment anyway.

Hope that helps.
Imogen
 
She has a boett, but came off few weeks ago as stopped itching. This may sound weird but she has never had a winter coat before she gets clipped end of sept time when vet out to do vacc's as she needs 2 lots of sedation to be able to clip. This year is first year in well over 3 years that she has a winter coat growing as she is living out, turned away for winter.

Just wondering if that could be cause? Using fuciderm gel on it as suggested by vet at moment.
 
Certainly could be contributing - I had a similiar situation happen with another patient recently as his coat was shedding and it was in a very similar area - hhas never had sweet-itch though.


Fuciderm's not a and start and I'd possible wash with something like seleen - which is a selenium sulphide shampoo...good for the greasy scaly dermatitis that is often associated. Seemed to work for Doughnut!! :)
 
Ok may give that a try, first of all need more sedaline or something to do that, can just about get cream on her without being kicked yest had to give her whole tube of sedaline i had just to try to clean it up a bit and touch it.
 
Ok may give that a try, first of all need more sedaline or something to do that, can just about get cream on her without being kicked yest had to give her whole tube of sedaline i had just to try to clean it up a bit and touch it.

:( Sounds painful for her - maybe put her onto 'Bute too in the short term?
Sedalin or even domosedan gel for a really good wash and then ACP tabs or sedalin to manage from then on?

Good luck
 
She is on bute long term anyway at the moment, will see what vet says when out to do my other mares mite injection. She was meant to be off bute for second opinion on her legs but cant see her coping being off for this week.
 
Just wanted to add a "take care" hun - if the horse has had laminitis before, putting her onto good grass to take her mind off her itchiness may not be a good idea.

She has a muzzle on, and not on it at night time im hoping my 3 others eat most of it down. Thats the thing she may react same way from steriods again.

Getting a script for some priton to help for next few days so i can actually get them from work without saying there for me for once!
 
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