Help - turnout means swollen cheeks

[Hets83]

Wonder if anyone can help. My horse was in for a quite a time with the bad weather. I turned him out in fields he had been in before and he came in with very swollen cheeks. No temperature etc and vet was consulted to rule out strangles etc. He was given antibiotics and anti inflamatories and kept in for a couple of days and then turned out again and up the cheeks came again. Then given a course of norodine and a week in before being turned out in a different field. Today he has come in with swollen cheeks again. HELP, does anyone have experience of this. Vet is slightly at a loss and suggesting steroids. Very happy in himself and swelling is very fluidy, no discharge from eyes or nose.

Any ideas welcomed!

 

[Moomin1]

Wow, I'm quite surprised your vet has prescribed all that!! My mare comes in every Spring with hamster cheeks, always has done. They are very common and nothing to worry about. So long as there are no other symptoms and your horse isn't showing any signs of discomfort/illness I wouldn't worry.

From what I have gathered over the years, it is down to excess saliva production, usually when a horse is turned out and scoffing their face on spring grass or after a long period off grass....

 

[Goldenstar]

Happens to fatty all the time consulted vet she said he just gets spectacular grass glands and ignore it we have ( for five years ) he's fine.

 

[claribella]

You could try turmeric. Its a natural antihist, anti inflam. If you are on fb you could join the 'turmeric users group'. Doug is a vet and recommends it to his clients. Worth a try. Its worked wonders for my mare not for the same thing though but it might be something to try.

 

[merlinsquest]

Just grass glands coming up & nothing to worry about, absolutely amazed that your vet has prescribed all that! Talk about licence to print money!!

 

[JennBags]

Just grass glands coming up & nothing to worry about, absolutely amazed that your vet has prescribed all that! Talk about licence to print money!!

^^^^This!!!

 

[Tiffany]

Sounds like grass glands which happen to a lot of horses including my mare. Wonder why your vet didn't think it could be that, is there strangles in your area?

 

[Pinkvboots]

Mine always has them they go down once his been in for a few hours they are nothing to worry about, cant believe a vet gave you drugs and told you to keep him in.

 

[Hets83]

Thank you for advice. Problem - not grass glands, got to the yard last night and swelling was far worse and vet feels too far forward to be grass glands and I would agree. The swelling near throat was worrying as any more swelling would have affected his breathing. So strange, it literally is set off by something in the field, so we are now looking at the allergy route. Apparently there is a blood test they do to establish what the horse is allergic too, has anyone been through this?

 

[Moomin1]

Thank you for advice. Problem - not grass glands, got to the yard last night and swelling was far worse and vet feels too far forward to be grass glands and I would agree. The swelling near throat was worrying as any more swelling would have affected his breathing. So strange, it literally is set off by something in the field, so we are now looking at the allergy route. Apparently there is a blood test they do to establish what the horse is allergic too, has anyone been through this?

Where exactly is the swelling? My mare's entire cheek and part of her neck has swollen with them before.

 

[Hets83]

Swelling is from eye right back across cheek and then another load of swelling under throat where bottom of throatlash would be and about 3 inchs down his windpipe.
Dont like questionnoing vet, but she is adamant it is not grass glands. I have had 2 vets from the same practice see it and both said not grass glands but an allergic reaction.

 

[twiggy2]

have you tried an antihistamine?

 

[Hets83]

Vet has left me some antihistamines, how would you use them? At moment vet says has said leave him in and not even hand graze. Never used antihistamines before.

 

[JennBags]

Vet has left me some antihistamines, how would you use them? At moment vet says has said leave him in and not even hand graze. Never used antihistamines before.

Did the vet not leave instructions on how to use them?

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

Had quite a few with various sizes of grass glands at one point think it was because they had been moved to a new field that had short but lush grass and they had been stuffing their faces don't remember doing anything apart from keeping an eye but them I was in deepest darkest rural Spain

 

[JVB]

Swelling is from eye right back across cheek and then another load of swelling under throat where bottom of throatlash would be and about 3 inchs down his windpipe.
Dont like questionnoing vet, but she is adamant it is not grass glands. I have had 2 vets from the same practice see it and both said not grass glands but an allergic reaction.

My boy swells up in those areas too, it's been happening on the sunny days when I presume the grass has been growing, does sounds like grass glands with yours too

 

[putasocinit]

the only other swelling like this i have seen which is not grass glands is an overload of vits & mins, like going crazy with a vitamine lick and getting more than they should in one go.