Loosing faith

PurplePickle

PurplePickle

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Quick recap, horse came out the field with cuts and cellulitis in November. He was on anitbiotics in his feed for 3 weeks then he had x rays and scans, no tendon or bone problems found.

Hes a nightmare to travel, took 5 of us to get back home, shakes he hates it so much and the reason he went in was to find out what the problem was. Only issue was filling and infection but even that seemed a bit vague to me and my OH

4 weeks of Baytril and vet has now put him back on the weakter antibiotic, Noridone is it? Even though the baytril was working all beit slowley

Now vet is saying it might be an injury as its taking to long and wants him in hospital again for further scans and a possible stay for IV antibiotics

My insurance claim is getting higher and the bit i had on one side for emergencies has gone on his other trips there etc , insurance doesnt cover stabling.

They wont scan at home as its not good enough

hes having turnout but Im strugglnig to walk him in hand as its just too slippy with the ice at the minute.

It just doesnt feel right and that Im not being listened to, Ive had other vets from that practice out but they tend to back each other up.

Horse isnt lame any more its just an annoying bit of swelling that wont go.

What would you do or think?
 
Have you thought about a second opinion? for example you can self refer to Oakahm in Rutland as far as I am aware, we have had horses on our yard do this before insurance costs rise and they have got the answers they are looking for
 
My boy had a kick to the inside of his hock resulting in horendous swelling which turned out to be cellulitis (after xrays). As he's only two the strongest antibiotic he could be given oraly is norodine. He had three courses of that - 15 days, and was buted even though he wasn't lame. It is only in the last week that it is about 95% healed. He's been on two bute a day and I've put a hock boot on at night - firmly and I've also been hibi-scrubbing the affected area daily with warm hibi-scrub water for the last week and a half. also Gold Label witch hazel and arnica gell applied twice a day... since it occurred. all bar a week of box rest at first he has had at least a couple of hours turnout a day and in the last two weeks he has been turned out alone as he was playing so much I don't think it was helping!!

I hope this gives you some reasurance.

Do you have any pictures of it?
 
yes got one from last week, the scabbing has almost all gone with the flamazine application

We are now in our 8th week since it started

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actually looking at those images it has gone down since last week, Im going to take a photo today so ive got something to compare it with
 
I would be thinking more along the lines of a deep rooted infection. Is it a hard swelling or puffy? I guess they just want to see if the swelling is due to any pressure on the tendon etc? I find that most vets dont really bother doing anything until they have taken scans/xrays as otherwise it could be anything. Surprised as they didnt find anything on the first visit that they want to do it again?

I would check your insurance policy about hospital costs - most cover half. And you can speak to the practice about invoicing you later and paying by instalments - most will allow this as they understand that it is difficult to pay big bills immediately. Hope your boy improves.
 
WOW! yes I see your problem!

Have you tried cold hosing? I know impossible with the weather we've had recently, but in-between? if not, how about applying 'like ice' or similar - My boy's went down considerably after applying this for a few days - only had to stop as the like ice froze in the tub!!

And have you tried anything like hibbi-scrub solution on it? - the idea being to disinfect from the outside as well as in? - in may be co-incidence but my boys has really gone down since I began doing this....

Is he on bute? if not he should be!! it's the best anti-inflamitory out there for them... It's like us taking an ibruprofen!! and its relatively cheap...

have you polticed it at all? My vet insisted that I poultice the whole joint to begin with...

sorry to ramble on... just trying to think of everything I've tried...
 
Thanks all

So far Ive asked another vet to call me, I just want to go over the real need for him going back in as said specially after nothing but infection was found on the first scan. Although Im told that because of the swelling the scan may have missed something, but then I was told the scan at the vets would really be able to tell us what was going on.

I am using an ice pack but the thing thats made the biggest difference is the flamazine, hes having that applied twice daily. i will to cold hosing i think , he just doesnt like hosepipes

Hes on danilon, one a day at the minute.

I am cleaning the outside and its really come clean now, but again the flamazine seemed to be the main thing working.

Heres todays photos , a week on, its a bit difficult to tell as he had stable bandages on just beofre the other images because of it being -8 and him being furless lol

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My insurance doesnt cover anything to do with being hospitalised, my fault i should have checke d the policy but cant do much about that now. Its nto jsut that though, he travels so badly hes going to have to be sedated then its a struggle getting him up the ramp. He is the worst traveller Ive ever seen in 22 years of horses.
 
hmmmmmm....

Only you can decide what you want to do regarding re-scanning etc...

Bandaging will probably be helping... the only other thing I did which I forgot about was use a magnetic boot which seemed to help a little...

On wikipedia it says about applying a sweat wrap or poltice, which is basically what I did with my boys hock... have you thought about treating it a bit like mud fever? - some people wrap affected legs in clingfilm, I believe after applying things like Sudacrem to the affected areas...
 
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