Septicemia

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Cassy

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My mare has an abcess which has not improved over a week and now she can't walk and one shoulder and one hindleg are very swollen. The vet treated her today with anitbiotics for septicemia. Has anyone experience of this illness. My mare is in foal and has a foal at foot. The vet did explain that she may loose the foal but that is a risk I have to take.
 
It's blood poisoning and can be very serious. Almost certainly an uncommon result of the abscess where the bacteria have spread beyond the abscess site and have escaped into the blood stream. Antibiotics are essential in this case and I wouldn't have thought it's the antibiotics that may harm the foetus rather than the septicaemia itself. Not sure how much can cross the placenta. How far advanced is her pregnancy? You might get more info if you post this in Breeding as well.
 
My mare collapsed in the field with endotoxemia (excuse the spelling) and peritonitis. She nearly died and the hospital were convinced she would be put down during the night.
She was 6 weeks pregnant at the time which i had to ignore to try and save my mare. The vets pumped her with everything they had but said she would almost definatly loose the foal. " weeks later and she was on her way home still with another heartbeat inside. The hospital said she would abort at some point but 10 months later out popped a beautiful filly foal.
Mares are tough and fingers crossed your mare will be too. Lots of TLC. Keep a very close eye on your mare as the septicemia can turn nasty very very quickly so don't leave anything to chance. She is already on antibiotics so there is not much more you can do, you are already doing it all.

Fingers crossed for you, let us know how you get on x
 
Thanks.
There is no improvement today. She is still not moving much in her stable except for swivling round. Gave her 2 bute and 1 and a half sachets of antibiotic powder this morning and 3 of us struggled to dress her hoof which is still oozing pus! (She is a heavy percheron mare and when she leans or pulls her hoof away it is a tremendous struggle to hand on) She is not interested in hay but will eat chaff and sugar beet. The foal at foot is 4 and a half months old and the one she is carrying is 3 months.
 
I did send you a message last night, hope you got it. I would be asking your vet if IV antibiotics would be better in this case than oral, they can give stronger ones by IV. Does she have an elevated temperature?
 
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I did send you a message last night, hope you got it. I would be asking your vet if IV antibiotics would be better in this case than oral, they can give stronger ones by IV. Does she have an elevated temperature?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto the IV. You've got to treat this aggresively or you could loose the horse within days.
 
My vet finally referred us to a veterinary practice in Newmarket when her condition worsened, parts of her started to swell up (2 legs not on the abcessed side and her chest). We managed to travel her and the foal last night with the help of an injection of bute. She was examined straight away, inititially the vet thought she had laminitis and her foot was about to come away at the coronet band but on x-ray the diagnosis was a rare bacterial infection which causes gas to form in the body (hence the swellings). I feel relieved that at last she is somewhere where she is receiving the best care. The prognosis for recovery is poor and I am preparing myself for losing her. My problem for today is the vet wants me to bring the foal home and I am not sure how best to tackle this without stressing either of them.
 
Im so sorry to hear this. Sending you the best vibes possible. The vets at Newmarket will help you with the best way to get the foal home stress free.
Put an add on the breesing forum too as they also have lots of great advise.
Keep us informed and fingers crossed xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Why not pop this question regarding the foal in breeding? You may get (will get) some really good sugestions.

Do you have a companion that the foal can be stabled with??
 
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