Swollen Head!!!! Looks like a hippo!!!!

J

jaynec

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Any ideas please? My 20 year old hannovarian lives out in the summer. When I got him in for a feed this mornng, his head was swollen. His eyes were all puffy and I would say his face was about 1cm swollen all round. He has lumps on his body and generally looks very uncomfortable. He is eating, drinking and breathing normally. He has had no change of feed or paddock. My other horse, under the same management is fine.
Panic or not?

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As bb, I'd definitely call the vet. Could be an allergic response to something but it's more likely that it's damage caused by flies. I had my vets out last week because Sunny had swollen, puffy eyes (well, swollen puffy EYE, singular lol) and they told me that they were getting hundreds of callouts over "flies 'n eyes". Whether it's flies or an allergic response or even if he's poked himself in the eye in the field, your ned will probably benefit from Maxilon eye drops which are antibiotics and anti-inflams all in one. If you do get prescribed drops for the eyes be very, very, very careful how you put it in. One jerk from your ned at the wrong time and you could stab him in the cornea with the end of the tube so plan it carefully and watch how the vets do it.
 
Thanks. It's really odd, as his eyes are not really watering. He was fine last night and so it came up overnight. He is grazing normally and drinking. The lumps on his neck have receeded slightly since 7.00am. I've had him since a foal (20 years ago!!!) and am keeping a very close eye on him. Could it be a snake bite? There's quite a bit of long grass around??
He seems ok in himself??????
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Call the vet as soon as possible. We had a welshie who swelled up with lumps all over him and he eventually had to be sedated to slow his heart down. He was in a bad way for quite a few hours and the vet said that we may never know what caused the reaction. He recovered by the next morning and lived a long and very happy life.
 
Call the vet as soon as possible.

My little man had an allergic reaction like this a few years ago, to the point I couldn't get a headcollar on him. Vet out immediately and he was given steroids.

I asked the vet if I'd done the right thing in calling her out. It was a Sunday morning and he isn't good with vets, and she said that I definitly had. She thought it was probably a bite or sting. He was a little quiet in himself, probably really uncomfortable. His only visable signs was the swelling. His eyes etc were fine.

Don't wait, an allergic reaction like that is serious. Call the vet.
 
Some good news!!
The swelling has gone down by about 95%. He is just fine in himself now, eating, drinking and grazing normally. The vet thinks he either ate something different, or was bitten by something.... I am trying really hard not to think about snakes, as I have a serious aversion to them!! Thanks for the posts!
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This happened to our elderly TB last summer, his legs were also swollen. However he seemed fine in himself, was eating and drinking normally and was not dehydrated so we just kept our eye on him but within a couple of days he was 'deflated'!

Will be an allergy, possibly nettles. He had it again mildly this year and my other pony got some large swelling son his necks. Ooh, actually I seem to remember we actually thought the old one may have laid on an ant's nest last year - that can also cause this sort of reaction.

I think generally if they are fine in themselves and don't seem distressed then just keep your eye on them but leave them be. We actually applied some cold flannel to ours' face - he seemed to like that! Overall though he really didn't seemed bothered at all.
 
You need to be very careful with allergic swelling around the head/face as it can rapidly affect their throat and cut off their breathing. Then it's too late the call the vet. I would always get one out pronto if their face is affected.

JackieJATaylor
 
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