What else could it be? Sinusitis?

ktj1891

ktj1891

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My horse has had discharge coming from one of his nostrils for about 6/7 weeks now. After a month I got the vet out who said sinusitis and have him 10 day course antibiotics - didn't help. Followed by different stronger antibiotics on a 5 day course. It appears to have improved slightly and the colour of discharge isn't as greeny/ yellowy but its still there. Any ideas this vets bill is going up and up and nothing's improving?
 
I would get him scoped and/or have his sinusis x-rayed. If they scope him, they should take a swab of the discharge and then culture it as it may be anti-biotic resistant, then your vet can prescribe the correct anti-biotic and hopefully it will all clear up.

There is a possibility that it is an allergy, but again, a scope and swab would clarify this for you. x
 
After going through various treatments with Dodger in the last few weeks i would definately recommened your getting a swab taken. You can throw numerous amounts of antibiotics (and money ) at it but you wont actually know what your dealing with.

I can find out what ive just paid for x-rays and scope if your interested when i get home?
 
Is the snot coming from his nose smelly? If so, he might have an infected tooth problem. My horse had this and finished up having to have the tooth removed. He was still left with a smelly, snotty discharge which no amount of antibiotics would clear even though the vet took a sample to identify what bugs were involved so that he could hit it with the correct antibiotic. This went on for some time and in the end the vet said he would probably have to cut a piece of bone out from underneath his eye, opening up the sinus, and go in and clear out the infection manually. I really didn't want to go down this route - it just so happened that I was going away for a couple of weeks and decided to turn him out 24/7 - best thing I could have done as he had his head down on the grass which drained the gunk out completely so there was no need for this nasty operation. Maybe you should ask your vet if this could be a possibility.
 
Only symptoms he had originally was discharge from one nostril it was fairly thick greeny yellow and a fair bit of it. He came off his second stronger antibiotic Tuesday was a shorter 5 day course and the discharge now seems clearer and less of it but nonetheless still there. Gunna ring vet tomorrow see what they suggest just dreading the bill. Paying out so much for him ATM and its just depressing!
 
They are due this month vet asked about this when he first came out he's not off his feed at all so he said its less likely that it would be related to a tooth abscess.
 
Unilateral nasal discharge is usually indicative of an infected tooth with the infection going into the sinuses. Antibiotics will only dampen it down for a very short period of time. If you haven't had x-rays of the teeth done, then get it done - I'm actually surprised (and slightly shocked) that your vet hasn't recommended it.
 
He has literally no secondary symptoms to sinusitis therefore we have just treated it as straight forward infection. He asked lots of questions about him like eating, coughing and changes in attitude, was there blood on discharge and he mentioned that sinusitis could be secondary to teeth issues, tumours, cysts etc.
 
ktj1891 said:
He has literally no secondary symptoms to sinusitis therefore we have just treated it as straight forward infection. He asked lots of questions about him like eating, coughing and changes in attitude, was there blood on discharge and he mentioned that sinusitis could be secondary to teeth issues, tumours, cysts etc.
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My vet said the same - it cost £6500 to sort out when they finally - after a month of farting about found that it was a tooth - it had got so bad my horse ended up having an operation under general anaesthetic and numerous other procedures and a 3 month stay in hospital. Mine also didn't have any other symptoms.
 
Really that makes me worried! I'm gunna ring the vet tomorrow and see what he says may be a case of swabbing and scope.
 
Can't find the bill for X-rays but the scope cost £138.90 inc vat was well worth it in my case and they can check in the guttural pouches. Although for sinuses I believe they have to either X-ray or ct scan
 
Dottyfordylan said:
Can't find the bill for X-rays but the scope cost £138.90 inc vat was well worth it in my case and they can check in the guttural pouches. Although for sinuses I believe they have to either X-ray or ct scan
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Boo all this money - I swear my horse wants to drain me of all my pennies. Will ring vet tomorrow and see what is suggested!
 
Tell me about it! I've just spent 1300 on his operation (but well worth it!) do you know what bedding they use the vet hospital......recycled old money, its no wonder! Good luck with the vet.
 
ktj1891 said:
Really that makes me worried! I'm gunna ring the vet tomorrow and see what he says may be a case of swabbing and scope.
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Your best bet is to go for x-rays first. That will show up any problems with the jaw or sinus tract generally.
 
When Pinto had a unilateral foul smelling discharge from his nose, the vet had a curshory look for a fractured tooth, couldn't find anything and so we treated for 1 month with doxycycline for a sinus infection.

Fortunately it cleared up and never returned; however if it hadn't cleared up the vet rocommended an x-ray to check for infected tooth root.

My vet does do a lot of "rule out" treatment as he knows most horses around here aren't insured.
 
If he was mine I would get a xray done of his head. That will show if its teeth or sinus related. So then you will know exactly what you guys are dealing with.

My friend had a horse who had tooth root abscess and he never once fell ill with it or stopped eating. The only symptom he had was a tiny swelling in his face.

My horse had snot out one nostril and in the end was put down to allergies. But she had a xray done and also had a few scopes. one done before exercise and one after so that they could see if anything was coming out her lungs etc. Nothing showed on either and we had her notes sent to the vet hospital with all her papers for them to have a look at. They couldnt find anything so we put it down to allergies and it did settle down but does comes back ever so often but now its only thick white snot that she has and only comes for a couple days when she come in contact with something that flares it up.
 
Just to update everyone, my guy is having xrays this Friday - so hopefully will find out what is going on!
 
ktj1891 said:
Just to update everyone, my guy is having xrays this Friday - so hopefully will find out what is going on!
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Are they planning to do an endoscope too? I really hope they can find the answer on the x rays for you. If not I urge you to push for referral to hospital to get a scan done. :)
 
Irishdan said:
Are they planning to do an endoscope too? I really hope they can find the answer on the x rays for you. If not I urge you to push for referral to hospital to get a scan done. :)
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What would a scope show that an x-ray doesnt?
 
ktj1891 said:
What would a scope show that an x-ray doesnt?
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They NEED to check the guttural pouches for infection and for soft tissue type obstructions that wont show up on x rays. I would have thought they would be doing this as a matter of course at this stage! Please ask Vet about it :)
 
Not read all the replies, but please get his guttural pouches scoped! My TB gelding had a persistent snotty nose (creamy colour sometimes tinged green). It didn't smell and he was well in himself and he was on a course of antibiotics which didn't shift it. I found him one morning in march bleeding out catastrophically, and cut a long story short he was a very lucky horse as had bilateral guttural pouch mycosis, had surgery and is making a very good recovery. Had I not turned out when I did that morning, he would have bled to death, so not wishing to scare you but I would be getting it scoped pronto!
 
No because its a fungal growth - they x-rayed my boy after he'd bled and apparently all it showed was an area that looked to be full of blood where his pouches were filled from what had bled out from his carotid artery, not that there was a huge fungal plaque in there, they only saw that through the endoscope. There was a significant risk when scoping him after he'd already bled that they might dislodge the clot and he'd bleed out again, I suspect if an x ray was a conclusive diagnosis they would have used that first and foremost as its non invasive. Hopefully your horse does not have this as its incredibly rare but in your position I'd rather make sure!
 
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