Fungal Infection- Experiences?

[ktj1891]

Hey everyone,

Some of you may have following my previous post regarding tooth root infections.
Well my boy had a series of investigations due to secondary sinusitis. The decision was made to operate and to remove a diseased tooth and flush his sinuses.

All had been decided and my boy was dropped off at horspital day before operation. On the day of his operation I get a call from vet to tell me that they had found a big fungal infection in his sinuses that has eaten away at his sinus wall (apparently a fungal infection in sinuses is very rare and they had never seen it before). So in the end no teeth were removed and his sinuses was flushed for 10 days.

My boy came home 30th September and since then all had been well little to no discharge from his nostril. Last week we took him for a follow up scope to see how his sinuses had recovered. My worst nightmare the fungal infection had come back!!! Not anywhere near the extent as to what was there before but still. Vet was disappointed with this but did point out the rest of his sinuses were very good and healthy. So fungal matter was removed and flushed again and he needs to go back in 21 Dec for another follow up scope.

Vet cannot really offer a reason as to why he has gotten it in the first place let alone again. I am at my wits end nearing the end of my insurance claim and limit. I really don't know what to do if it comes back again, my insurance wont cover another operation I don't think and if it didn't work the first time how will it work the second time.

Just looking for some advice or experience if anyone else has every dealt with a similiar situation?

 

[dianchi]

Very sorry to see this no first hand experience with my own im afraid.

I do know that deep seated infections (bacterial or fungal) are tough to remove once they set in.

Was a little confused by your post, are you saying they operated or did this via scoping?

Have you done a complete clean down of his box at home so that you have a "clean" (its horses so as clean as you can) environment at home?

 

[ktj1891]

Hi sorry,

I am not the best with grammar aha. Yes he initially went in to remove a tooth and flush his sinuses. Before operated they decided to check his teeth again and believed they were in good health so before starting to pull teeth out decided to look into his sinuses first.

Upon putting the scope up his nose the found a whopping fungal infection in his sinus that had actually eaten away a big hole in his sinus wall hence his nose was draining so well! They then made an incision in his head and flushed the sinus for 10 days - this completely cleared his sinus wall.

The vets believed this to have been down to potential spores or something in the air flow at my yard, I then made the decision to move yards and have him out during day with turnout (my old yard did not have this). Therefore, the stable, air flow, hay, bedding etc is all completely different to his previous management when he initially got the fungal infection - hence vet is now stumped and is saying very small change they may have missed a microsopic about of fungal matter which mean't in then re-started to grow.

Vet said if it comes back again upon scoping 21st Dec they may need to re open the incision and flush again (only just healed) poor boy! So I am not sure if I want him to go through this again or if the insurance amount I have left will cover it!

So frustrating and disappointing, just don't know what to do if it comes back again!

 

[ktj1891]

For reference, this is the fungal matter that was intially found!

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Sounds almost like guttoral Pouch mycosis - we thought the old mare had this when she started her nosebleeds (wasn't, was something else). When the vet was explaining about how the fungus gets hold and the treatment, it was involving daily flushing and a tube up Rosies nose for the duration to get the flush where needed. I was told it would be a minimum of 2 weeks of daily flushing, and would really depend on the horse. She would've also had injected antibiotics daily as well. I was lucky in that had we have had to go down this route, the vets were only up the road so she was able to be done at the livery I was on if needed.

ETA: got distracted while typing so sort of cross posted!

 

[ktj1891]

Sounds almost like guttoral Pouch mycosis - we thought the old mare had this when she started her nosebleeds (wasn't, was something else). When the vet was explaining about how the fungus gets hold and the treatment, it was involving daily flushing and a tube up Rosies nose for the duration to get the flush where needed. I was told it would be a minimum of 2 weeks of daily flushing, and would really depend on the horse. She would've also had injected antibiotics daily as well. I was lucky in that had we have had to go down this route, the vets were only up the road so she was able to be done at the livery I was on if needed.

ETA: got distracted while typing so sort of cross posted!

Did she come right in the end?
My boys guttural pouches were checked and all fine. I asked vet about antibiotics and apparently they don't touch fungus. The liquid that they use to flush the sinuses has an anti-fungal property to it.