Sores on Withers?

almostthere

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My friend has just got a new horse..arrived on Tuesday. ISH bought to event. When she tried him, there was a sore on his withers and he flinched if you tried to touch it but he was fine to ride. Seller said it was the result of a bite that had then got worse because of rugs. Had him 5 stage vetted - that vet said put him on some antibiotics, keep all rugs off other than lightweight and he would be fine. That was about 5 days ago. Her own vet came today to see another horse and checked him over. He said he thought it could be worse than that and mentioned fistulous (sic) withers and perhaps she ought to think about sending him back????
I wondered if others had had any experience of sores on withers (I don't) not healing and/or fistulous withers? She doesn't want to send him back - he is a really sweet horse and her vet is VERY cautious so just wondering if anyone had any experiences to pass on to help her make her decision..... for now he has dermagel and padded over wither area when rugs have to be put on....
 
the vet that vetted the horse should have refused the horse passing the vetting and said he would go back at the end of a course of antibiotics and resume the vetting, a horse with an infected area cannot pass a 5 stage vetting surely?

i would follow my own vets advice and send horse back if he is right and it is fistulous withers it can be a nightmare
 
if you google fistulous withers, you will see it is quite serious. I cannot understand how the horse passed the vetting in the first place, and I think the current vet should maybe take this up with the vetting vet ?
 
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