Swollen throatlatch

[daretodream]

Hey,

was mucking out Flash's stable today and had already put some haylage in with him so he was eating away at that, when id finished i took advantage of him standing still and stood bonding with him lol
when petting his neck i noticed that his throatlatch was quite swollen.
he doesnt seem to be in any pain with it but it kinda scared me TBH, hes goin to vets on sat to get his stitches outa his leg, so il ask about it then, but mean time does anyone have any idea what this could be?

has anyone had any experiance of this before?

thanks in advance x

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Not sure what you mean dtd. Throatlatch is the piece of the bridle that goes around under the horse's jaw. How is it swollen???

 

[daretodream]

No, the area on a horses body where its neck joins its head is called the throatlatch

is the bridle part not called the throatlash?

 

[Birker2020]

Shes right but I've gotta say I've never heard that before! On Wikipedia online - throatlatch: The point at which the windpipe meets the head at the underside of the jaw.

 

[kellyeaton]

dont want to worry you but is he fine in all other ways coz i would be thinking strangles with so many out breaks around!

 

[CVSHotShot]

Thats the first thing I thought of too!

Not good considering there are two other horses at the yard

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Thanks dtd - I've never heard the angle of the jaw called the throatlatch before! I was taught that the part of the bridle is the throatlatch or, more commonly nowadays, the throatlash. Anyway, if your lad is really badly swollen in that area, I too would be thinking strangles, although I'd expect other symptoms too. What has he got stitches in his leg for hun? Any possibility that he could have had a low grade systemic infection from that and his lymph glands are up a little? Fingers crossed it's nothing major and he makes a good recovery x

 

[daretodream]

Thanks for the replies, he cut his leg on tin, about an inch from the hoof, hes had anti-boitics and a tetnus (sp) for when he cut his leg, would there be any chance of him still getting an infection?

excuse my ignorance but can a horse contract strangles even if it hasnt been in contact with any other horses (apart from the other 2 thats at the yard but they havent had contact with other horses either)

 

[kellyeaton]

yes he can if they are carrys or he his a carry. has there been any out breaks near where you are?

 

[daretodream]

nope, not that i know of, the closest place that horses are kept near us is about a mile down the road and theres no strangles there!

god im in a panic now, tomorrow cant come fast enough til i get him up to the vets!

 

[ihatework]

Don't panic, most likely explanation is that his glands are swollen, either as a result of the infection or possibly something hes eaten.
If he gets any nasal discharge, has a temperature or is lethargic then you would be best to call your vet.

 

[daretodream]

il update u all 2 morro when we come back from vets *fingers crossed*