Steroid Injections - Good/Bad?

[heatherxbella]

I had to call the vet out today as my horse had rather a swollen face, her eyes, nose and chest were swollen but the most swelling upon her body was on her 'womanly bits'. I immediately thought it was an allergic reaction to something but had never seen anything like this. Turns out the vet thought it was a bite to her 'womanly bits' that had triggered off the reaction as there was a small lump (like when we get bitten) and a very swollen area around it - painful I know! The vet had to give her a steroid injection to reduce the swelling and I was told it can cause side affects such as laminitis and behavioural problems. Being that she has never ever had laminitis in her life (touch wood!) I was hoping this wouldn't really trigger it off in her. Has anyone else had problems with the steroid injections and would you say they were good or bad??

Thanks x

 

[Snowysadude]

My old cob got bitten by an adder out on a hack and completley swelled up (we found the puncture marks just above the coronet band and a few dogs had been bitten and killed by adders in the same woods - which i didnt know at the time of hacking!). I had the steroid injection then oral steroids for weeks and *touch wood* no ill effects from it. If anything he got less bargey and more well mannered. He didnt get Laminitis and it saved his life

 

[unbalanced]

My pony had the steroid injections for arthritis. She has a history of laminitis so it was a concern but the vet recommended that we did it anyway. So we did and everything was fine. We just kept her in for a few days on soaked hay (had to box rest anyway for two days after joint injections) and had no problems at all.
My friend's pony also had the injections for arthritis - same, he is really laminitic and has the metabolism disorder and/or cushings so he is super prone even when he is skinny and carefully fed. Again, in for a few days on soaked hay and nothing else and he was fine - the benefits massively outweighed the risks for us.