How long for anti-b to work - also ? re arthritis?

[Sophiesmum]

Sorry if this is long and vague - any advice appreciated. Our mare had some general swelling in her fetlock, but still appeared sound, we took her to the vet beginning January and after x-rays and scans there was some evidence of arthritic changes around the fetlock joint and some damage to the ligaments. She initially had bute, could be turned out for the morning, in the rest of the time (thats her normal winter routine) with an exercise bandage on when out, and a stable bandage when standing in, and a month off, and then back to the vet to be checked. She is coming 20 this year and was hunting fit, hunting on average every 7 - 10 days a week. A week before she was due to the vet for re-scanning when I took oiff her exercise bandage she was oozing around the fetlock joint - serum type fluid, raging hot and very soft swelling. She is prone to mud-fever (even when not very muddy) and it looked a classic case of 'her' mudfever. We had to take the other horse to the vets the next day (don't ask, having about the last 12 years worth of bad luck in the last 2 months - ruptured tendon and colic) and picked up some penicillin injections for her while we were there. However, these didn't really work, and lumps appeared on her neck., We took her to the vet and he said the lumps were a reaction to the needle (although we do inject her as/when necassary). So he gave her a jab of noridine, a jab of bute, and a 10 day course of noridine. She weighs about 570kg and the box says one sachet per 500 kg and she has 2 sachets a day. And we have introduced 20 minutes walking exercise a day. The leg was looking good (today is day 7) but I noticed last night there is heat in it again and this morning it is swollen around the fetlock and just going up the cannon bone.

I just wondered whether after this dose for 7 days we should be getting this? Or what would the external signs of arthritis be. We have had the mare 18 years and she does suffer windgall-y type swellings which usually subside with work.

I have put her out for a few hours and will intend to do 20 minute walking after lunch with her. My vet is lovely & I would normally ring him but he is on holiday this week.

Any help or advice gratefully received.

 

[UCD2007]

If there is heat I would guess that this is not due to arthritis. Some infections can last weeks or even months depending on what the exact root of the infection is. In my experience antibiotics are generally prescribed for 10-14 days and if the entire dose is not taken the infection can start back up again. I would say call the vet and have him take another look at her.

 

[emma_lg]

Hi..sorry you seem to be having such problems at the moment.
It could be lymphangitis...following on from mud fever.
I say that cos my mare just had it...she had two scabs of mud fever on hind foot (just above coronary band area)...we cleaned, dried, protected area etc. 48 hours later whole leg started swelling up, within 40 mins she couldnt stand on it and it just swelled all up her leg. Emergency vet on a sunday for basically mud fever!!!
She had strong antibiotics, steroids, pain killer, two bute a day and box rest due to being so lame inititally but after couple of days we could walk her about, leg bandaged up to stifle in the end!
Now my mare is a very sensitive type, even the vet was amazed at how sensitive she reacted but she did. It may be worth thinking about this. Luckily we acted very quickly and she was well week later but it was touch and go.
We took bandaging off and used usual leg bandaging but when we stoppeddoing this at night, she did swell up again abit and vet said this was to be expected tho after bandaging and swelling...
...just mentioning this as a possible for your info...hope you fix horsey and is ok...

 

[Fransurrey]

The problem you have is that the joints have a very poor blood supply, so if the infection is away from the skin, anti-biotics need to given local to the site.

It sounds like the reaction was to the adjuvant in the injection. Adjuvants are mixed with vaccines/intravenous drugs to stabilise the drug and improve its efficiency. Different pharmaceutical companies sometimes use different combinations and it may be worth trying a different brand in the future?

Antibiotics should start to work in 24 hours. I wouldn't have thought they would suddenly stop working after 7 days. It's more likely that the new heat isn't due to bacterial infection, but simply an inflammatory response to the injury/trauma (in your case suspected mudfever).

 

[Sophiesmum]

Thanks everyone - after a morning out in the field it looks pretty much OK - I'm sure it wasn't my imagination playing tricks on me - and I hadn't been drinking!

Very interesting replies though - I've probably learnt something today!

 

[Sophiesmum]

Big again this morning! I guess it is a circulation thing - only 3 more sachets of anti-b's to go though, so hope nothing else is festering in there! I think maybe I am being a bit paranoid - I have had a sneaking suspicion all along that there maybe a foreign body (blackthorn or the like) in there, but the vet has looked so hard on the scan, and there is no obvious point of entry either..............