Help with lymphangitis please

Troggy

Troggy

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Sorry this is long!

I am after some advice please!

Some on you may remember me posting back in June regarding an allergic reaction Toffee had, we never found out what caused it but it triggered a bad attack of lymphangitis (she was swollen all over her hind quarters/legs and was oozing serum all over and couldn't hold her balance). After a month off, she gradually got back to normal, started work and was fine bar a lump of scar tissue in her neck from the injection she had.

Then yesterday morning when I brought her in from the field (out at night, in during day), I noticed her hind legs where swollen, there was no heat, nothing else noticbly wrong, but she was also cold (unlike her). I rugged her, put stable wraps on and fed her as normal. I came home to check her at lunch time and she seemed ok in herself and her legs hadn't got worse.

When I came home in the evening she could barely walk as she was so stiff and her legs had flared up some more. I phoned the vet who said to give her 1 1/2 'butes and turn her out, to see if the gentle walking helps. I did that, and her walking did improve, but when I went and checked her an hour later, she had got down to roll, and couldn't get back up
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I called the vet (after I had helped her up) and she came straight over. She had the same jabs as before (antibiotics and steroids) and I kept her in.

The vet did say that once they have had it, it is more likely to reoccur and they are not entirely sure what can trigger it....so after all that my questions are:

1) Would stable wraps help? Or would bandages be better? I have Thermatex and Premier Equine wraps
2) As this flared up in the field, would boots be needed when turned out?
3) Is there anything management wise that would help?
4) Are there any supplements that would help?
4) She is 18, do these things get worse with age?

Just after peoples thoughts and experiences really, I am guessing this won't be the last time....

Thanks all
 
My horse had lymphangitis a couple of years ago, caused by a severe bout of mud fever. Among other things I fed a supplement by hilton herbs which claimed to help, although sorry cant remember what it was called - try their website. Not sure if it did help but he did recover well after I started feeding it. Would it be worth speaking to someone like a massage type person (horsey that is!) as this can help lymph circulation and drainage and so may help prevent things getting worse. gentle exercise is a must to keep ciculation moving. Is there an underlying reason for the problem that you have identified? A supplement to support the immune system would certainly be beneficial ie something rich in vitamin E/selenium/vit C. Sorry not to be more help - good luck!
 
Thank you, will have a look on HH to see if I can find it. I honestly don't know what could have caused it, before it was an allergy to something, this time, I can't think of anything, she is fine in herself and no cuts/scrapes etc. It's a mystery!
 
My mare has had two bouts of lymphangitis with me, and the (same) thickened leg shows she has had it before. I've had fantastic results with homeopathic Apis Mel tablets. (its fab for bites and stings too - we share a bottle!)She couldn't have antiinflammatories due to an existing medical condition, just penicillin to help with the infection, but the Apis Mel had her able to walk within 6 hours both times. And once you get them walking, they get better pretty quickly. The second time I couldn't work out how the bug got in, but eventually I found the tiniest scrape just above the coronet, which had barely broken the skin so don't assume it was a visible cut.
 
My 7yo TB mare is prone to this, always caused by an almost non visible cut, and has to have IV tetracycline each time or a course of equitrim powders (if it doesn't start of quite as agressively).

Magnet therapy is bound to help surely (as a preventative measure, not when in the middle of an attack) as it is supposed to increase circulation.

I watch my mare's back legs like a hawk for any tiny amount of swelling, and my vet says that with a less vigilant owner she would prob not still be alive, so it is manageable, just a pain in the b**.

Good luck.

FIona
 
Thank you both. I will be extra vigilent from now on. Poor horses, it looks so painfull. Hopefully can catch anybmore in time.
 
One of my horses has had this for 5 months, he has had so many antibiotics, sterriods, and bute , he was like a zombie.We think this started when he was out and got a split heal .We have now tried a faith healer who has now got him off all the drugs and he is better just a small amount of swelling but a fraction of what is was.
We use Dodson & Horrell Ltd, LYMPHANGITIS mix, and a mud fever mix.they have a help line 0870 442 3322..
My horse is not lame and has started walking out . I have him in but keep his stable door open all the time so he can wounder around the yard day & night
 
Oh Stateside I am so sorry. What a dreadful time you have had. My chap had a bout which affected one then both hind legs. No cuts or mud fever - no idea why except the field was wet. Thankfully anti bacterial powders did the trick. I now dry off and put cream on every day or two as a preventative measure - hopefully.
 
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