Experiences - abcess in throat and trachotamony

[Leanne1980]

Last week my horse got rushed the vets due to severe breathing difficulties which resulted in an emergency trachomany to save her. It turns out that she has severe inflammation, abcess and puncture wound which as closed the windpipe restricting the breathing. She is on anti inflammatories and steriods. It literally came on over night and she has now been at the vets 9 days. Vet want her to keep the trach in for 4 weeks and continue treatment of meds. Does anyone have any experience of any thing similar and what was the outcome? The vets say it's not a common issue. It's really heart breaking seeing her like this.

 

[SEL]

That sounds awful? Was it an allergic reaction?

 

[Leanne1980]

The vets are still not sure as it's quite uncommon. They think something she has eaten has punctured the soft tissue or cartledge around her larnyx. Maybe wire or wood in the hay. We really don't know. It's hardbreaking to see her. Just hoping steriods and anti-inflammatories can help fight it.

 

[shergar]

My daughters mare started with a cough and although she had treatment from the vet the cough got worse , we asked another vet practise to come out and scope her they also gave medication but by the next morning the mare was unable to eat ,my daughter noticed what I would describe as a wave going up the side of the neck that was the pounding abscess ,the vet came straight away and had to perform the emergency tracheostomy in the stable as her airway was nearly gone a temporary tube was fitted ,we fitted a grill to the stable door and spent the night on watch .
Next day the vet came very early and fitted the proper tube which he said would need to be removed and cleaned twice a day ,so we agreed to take her in to the hospital .
Poor horse starving hungry breathing through a hole in her neck got wound up on route ,as she walked in to the hospital the abscess burst .
She spent 11 days in the hospital and came home with the tube out ,she had the wound cleaned 2 or 3 times a day the hole closed in about 2 weeks .This all happened in July 2015 the mare was 20 years old ,still doing o k.
I have always shaken out the hay prior to filling nets so how she got an abscess in her airway is still a mystery .
Fingers crossed for your mare ,let us know how you get on .

 

[Leanne1980]

Hi thanks for your reply. You probably can appreciate my concern. We are desperately hoping the abscess bursts. Vets are rescoping tomorrow. Will get an update and let you know xx

 

[shergar]

Hi Leanne I can appreciate how you feel awful situation for you to be in ,I was just asking my daughter about the medication ,we both said the same thing if you give anti-inflammatories to a horse with an abscess it will stop the abscess from bursting ,as far as I know it is the inflammation that causes the abscess to ripen and burst ,some one on here will correct me if I am wrong .Which hospital is your horse in if you don't mind me asking .
Hoping for good news for you tomorrow I will be thinking of you .

 

[Leanne1980]

Hi she is an Rainbow Equine in Malton. I assume they are giving anti inflam. But it could have changed. I will check tomorrow. How long did it take you horse to respond from start to burst point? X

 

[racebuddy]

Messaged you on Facebook xx

 

[antigone]

When my boy got strangles his airway closed and he went to Rainbow for an emergency tracheostomy. When I saw it I was horrified - it was such a shock. Anyway he came home with the temporary tube in. He had to live out with no bedding in the shelter which suited him fine. With the help of my OH we removed the tube, cleaned it and replaced it each day. It can be done once you get over the shock.

The vets used to come about once a month to re-cut the hole for the tube as it starts to close up and it gets hard to get the tube in and out. His abscesses refused to burst. Eventually we got to the point where we had to decide between permanent (irreversible) tracheostomy or PTS. I PTS because he was still infectious (and likely to be a carrier), his companion (who was the source of the strangles) developed pneumonia and was very poorly and my boy could not live alone. Without the complication of strangles I would have had the permanent tracheostomy done and got another companion.

She is in the right place. I found both the hospital and ambulatory vets very supportive. It is a horrible situation and I really hope this works out well for you. Everything crossed.

 

[Leanne1980]

Hi there thanks for your response. We have ruled strangles out but I assume it is a similar response and treatment path. Can I ask how long your preserved before making the decision to PTS? Unfortunately my mare is having to stay at the vets because she's is already on box rest for another issue. Just hope she improves and can fight the infection. X

 

[antigone]

Hi there thanks for your response. We have ruled strangles out but I assume it is a similar response and treatment path. Can I ask how long your preserved before making the decision to PTS? Unfortunately my mare is having to stay at the vets because she's is already on box rest for another issue. Just hope she improves and can fight the infection. X

Goodness, you do have a lot on your plate. My boy came out of hospital in the first week of October and was PTS on the 5th January. The state of his poor little friend forced my hand. I couldn't let her suffer any longer so they both had to go. I could have had another month or so without the permanent trachy as I remember it so that would be getting on for four months.

FWIW he was ok really with the tube in - not his true sparkling self but really quite ok. This is why I would have had the permanent one done if it hadn't been strangles or if he wasn't at high risk of being a carrier afterwards or if he could have lived alone.


Wishing you all the best with this. Good luck (there must be som somewhere)

 

[Leanne1980]

Thanks for your response. The problem I have with the permanent trach is that we are resting from hock surgery on the left and a ligament strain on the right hock. To put her through more box rest and end up with a horse I cannot ride unfortunately is not an option. She's only 7 will invest everything I can into her for the moment but I do need to be realistic xx

 

[shergar]

Hi she is an Rainbow Equine in Malton. I assume they are giving anti inflam. But it could have changed. I will check tomorrow. How long did it take you horse to respond from start to burst point? X

To answer your question there was 5 horses all started with a cough at the end of February slowly over time each horse recovered except ours ,the cough seemed to be getting worse not better new medication from the vet made no difference ,the horse slowly ate food and hay ,we have a very good equine dentist that came twice as we thought it must be the teeth he assured us that it was not .
By now we were probably in June and the horse was changed to a mash diet and soaked hay she ate every thing she was given , although some food was coming back like choke .
So at this point it was decided to change vet and get her scoped ,we were told the horse had in fact been born with a soft palate and that she had partial paralysis on the right side of the larynx ,it was the next day the horse had the tracheotomy as her airway was almost gone .

We can only assume that as the abscess grew larger that the cough got worse and almost closed the air way.
My daughter said it was because the horse got upset on route to the vets and was blowing so hard that the abscess burst .
I only asked which hospital your horse is in as we are very close to one in Cheshire .
Sorry your horse is still unwell we can only put our trust in the vets and hope for a speedy recovery .
Fingers still crossed for your horse x

 

[antigone]

Thanks for your response. The problem I have with the permanent trach is that we are resting from hock surgery on the left and a ligament strain on the right hock. To put her through more box rest and end up with a horse I cannot ride unfortunately is not an option. She's only 7 will invest everything I can into her for the moment but I do need to be realistic xx

I really feel for you and your poor girl. It is a horrible situation. Maybe the temporary trachy will at least give both of you a bit of time - for her to recover and for you to think. I had a lot of helpful responses on here which really helped me decide. Initially I wasn't being very realistic - I kept thinking the abscesses would burst and everything would be fine but as time went on this became less and less likely. At least I gave it my best shot. See if you can have a frank conversation with the vets. Trouble is they don't have a crystal ball any more than we do. Sending lots of hugs.