Possible spider bites!!? My poor boy

[TED2010]

So, yesterday brought Ted in at about 4pm to find he had some horrendous lumps on his off side flank, a few on nearside flank and under his belly, three of the lumps on his flank were weeping and raw and it was covering quite a large area, very swollen, with some enormous lumps and quite a lot of smaller 'bubbling' lumps. Didn't feel overly hot or seem very tender to touch bu lumps are very hard to touch. Both hind legs also seemed puffy but not particularly warm. Temperature was normal and he seemed ok in himself. Thought he had been badly bitten by some horrible bug but had not seen anything quite like this from fly bites.

Rang the vet and explained, emailed some pictures, she advised cold hosing to help sooth, bandaging when stabled to keep leg swelling down and keeping an eye on it for 24 hrs. Got him in this morning before I went to work, cold hosed the bites and his legs for nearly an hour, near fore leg also swollen now. Stable bandaged and kept him in until I got back from work this afternoon, took him out at just after 2pm and three of his legs were swollen and hard, near fore worst and had become weepy at the heal ( off fore normal). Walked him in hand for half an hour ( swelling didn't go down at all) rang vet again as alarmed at his swollen legs. She came out and I think was at as much of a loss as me. She didn't think it looked or felt like fly bites and the only thing she had seen that looked like this was spider bites?!!

Anybody got any other ideas or had a horse react like this to something else. Im wondering if i should get a second opinion? He isn't lame but does seem fairly lethargic. He has had an antibiotic jab and equipalizone jab and I have some steroid cream for the raw bits and he will be on equipalizone for a few days. The vet has recommended keeping him moving, turnout and light exercise and re-assessing next Monday (unless it gets worse).

I've never seen anything like this before, really quite worrying! Sorry for long explanation, would post some pictures of his flank except I still haven't figured out how to do it!

Your thoughts would be appreciated, thank you

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I honestly, honestly wouldn't even consider spider bites. Spiders only bite when harmed and half a ton of horse landing on a spider would certainly harm it but probably past the point where it could retaliate. Hold in mind that common things are the most common. I'd guess a nasty reaction to fly bites. At my yard, horse flies have suddenly appeared in droves and have been driving the horses nuts. I suspect the recent cold spell held their development back until this sudden bombardment. Another suggestion would be hives from a plant either eaten or rubbed against or even, on the legs, an adder bite. This is adder season. But again, common things are the most common and I'd still say fly bites. Treat the existing soreness as you would any other soreness and invest in a good quality fly rug + repellent spray. Hopefully, all will be fine again in about 3 days.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

The weather is playing a huge part in odd reactionary responses to plants & pollens too. Need to look at overall picture.
Has your vet taken bloods & run them through?
Temp normal?
Resps fine?
Vet ruled out lymphangitis which has onset since horse brought in & stood overnight? (can happen & be unrelated to the hives horse had to start with)
Best advice is to keep horse moving, cold hose swollen hives areas & now legs.
If the horses condition continues to not improve or stay static in next 24hrs then get bloods & also urine testing done asap. Also culture of the weeping sore.


Hope your horse improves

 

[TED2010]

Thanks for your responses. I did think spider bites were highly unlikly but that is what the vet says it looks most like to her!? She said it was not typical of fly bites or allergy because the lumps were so hard and there is no heat. My initial thoughts were of course bad reaction to fly bites but these really dont look like any reaction to fly bites i have seen before (not saying it still couldn't be). Just to clarify, Ted had been out all night (so not stood in), i had changed his rug in the morning from a light water-proof to sweetitch hoody and fly sprayed his belly legs and head before i went off to work and left him out, he had been checked several times during the day and wasnt seen to be distressed in any way, i got home at about 3pm and went to get him in which is when i discovered it. We are near the river so i am always extra cautionary about flys as we get bad midges as well. I have had Ted for nearly two years and have never known him to react badly to anything in that time. The bizarre thing is why only three legs are filled? Is that really likely to happen if it is a reaction to pollen/ buttercups or something. Temperature and heart rate were normal, no bloods taken, jab of bute and anti-biotic given and bute in feed for a few days advised. I would of thought he should have had an antihistamine jab or something as well!?

 

[pamchom]

Sorry I have only just picked up your post. Our boy had bites that caused swelling and he went a bit off colour. The vet said there are some African mozzes that have been causing several horses to come up in nasty looking bite marks. Ours had an antibiotic injection and then anti-bacterial powder in his feeds for 5 days with bute to help and a hydrocortisone cream. He is now much better, we always use fly spray and he does still get bitten but these other bites were horrendous. Hope your boy is better!

 

[threeponies]

My friend's horse had what looked like a hoof-shaped swelling on her side a couple of weeks ago, so we thought she'd been kicked. About an hour after the discovery of the 'kick' the lump had moved down her side and her whole undercarriage was swollen. Vet came out and said she had either been bitten by a spider or stung by a wasp, apparently there are a few nasty spiders in Britain (would be nice to know what they look like!) Mare had bute for a week and swelling has gone.