spotty/ lumpy withers - hoping not fistular!

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flippa_t

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My young horse has small hairless lumps on his withers (in front of the saddle) which I had assumed had been caused by ill fitting rugs before I bought him or fly bites.

A couple of weeks ago the scabby top knocked off one and a small amount of thick yellowey white puss came out. This could then be squeezed out entirely leaving a small round area of clean flesh with a pin size hole in the middle (looked very much like a spot that had been squeezed). Once the puss had been removed from this one lump, the whole area regrew hair (including the other lumps too).

However the lumps have since reformed, although only 3 this time and they are more distinct than last time. This morning the scabby top knocked off one while I was riding and again the thick puss came out leaving the small disc like area with the hole in the middle.

These do not seem to bother my horse and he is quite happy for me to prod and squeeze them without showing any signs of discomfort.

Someone at the yard had said they were something to do with calcium deposits under the skin (which sounds a bit odd), I have also been told they are related to fly bites or simply juvenile spots.

I am hoping they are not fistular withers but looking for a bit of reassurance from the forum from anyone who may have experienced anything similar and any advice on treatment.

Thanks very much!
 
flippa_t said:
My young horse has small hairless lumps on his withers (in front of the saddle) which I had assumed had been caused by ill fitting rugs before I bought him or fly bites.

A couple of weeks ago the scabby top knocked off one and a small amount of thick yellowey white puss came out. This could then be squeezed out entirely leaving a small round area of clean flesh with a pin size hole in the middle (looked very much like a spot that had been squeezed). Once the puss had been removed from this one lump, the whole area regrew hair (including the other lumps too).

However the lumps have since reformed, although only 3 this time and they are more distinct than last time. This morning the scabby top knocked off one while I was riding and again the thick puss came out leaving the small disc like area with the hole in the middle.

These do not seem to bother my horse and he is quite happy for me to prod and squeeze them without showing any signs of discomfort.

Someone at the yard had said they were something to do with calcium deposits under the skin (which sounds a bit odd), I have also been told they are related to fly bites or simply juvenile spots.

I am hoping they are not fistular withers but looking for a bit of reassurance from the forum from anyone who may have experienced anything similar and any advice on treatment.

Thanks very much!
Click to expand...

After reading this link it doesn't sound like fistulous wither to me.

http://irish-horses.com/equine-diseases-fistulous-withers.html

Here is a picture - warning for sensitive souls this isn't pretty!!
http://irish-horses.com/equine-diseases-fistulous-withers.html

an extract taken from http://www.foxhunter.on.ca/backup/about_saddles.htm

"the most important consideration in fitting is that the withers and spine of the horse must not receive pressure from the saddle. Too wide a tree will allow the saddle to drop down onto the withers and cause the horse great pain. Too narrow a channel will cause the horse to tense his back from the pressure of the panel against the spine. Too narrow an arch at the front of the tree will grab the withers on the sides. (This situation is probably the most common fitting problem). If you buy a saddle with a narrow tree, it will be very hard to sell later and probably will not fit your next horse or any other horses that you may wish to ride. At Dr. Cronau's clinic, x-ray pictures taken of the horse's spine show calcium deposits on the spinal extensions in the wither area of horses that have been ridden with saddles that do not fit. These horses will never fully recover from the damage caused by ill-fitting saddles."
 
You hardly ever see it now but I did know a mare with fistulous withers and it was pretty dramatic! Lots of swelling and pain - you certainly couldn't have ridden her - and it ended up coming out the top but they also had to open a drainage hole further down, below her withers! :eek: It really doesn't sound like what your horse has!

As to what it could be, hard to tell. It is possible they are/were from irritation and just aren't draining properly because of the location. It's definitely an odd area for fly bits or "acne" though, so I'd be surprised if it's one of those. Presumably your current saddle and numnah fit him well. One thing I have found with wither rubs/sores is the skin tends to remain very sensitive and fragile, presumably due to the lack of covering in the area. Is there anything that touches the area regularly now, even if it seems inconsequential?
 
Phew that's a relief that you don't think it sounds like fistular withers as that sounds / looks pretty horrific. I can only find pictures of it when it's fully established so was panicking it may have been the beginning of it.

It's in front of his saddle so no contact from that. It is under his rug but he's hardly wearing one at the moment, and if he is then only light weight sheets.

Will keep an eye on them!
 
It could be an old irritation that isn't settling. Do you treat the sores at all when they're open?

Also, I'm sure you've checked but there's no chance your numnah is touching the area, is there? Or that it flattens down/shifts when you're riding?
 
I've been using a high wither numnah so its clear of the area. I've just been cleaning them - was putting aloe vera on them, now trying sudacream.
 
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