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Location: Oklahoma | I have a new horse and have had him 4 weeks now. About 2 weeks ago he had a slight runny nose in 1 nostril and a very light, occasional cough. Now this horse has been in the pasture with another one who is just getting over what we believe is strangles (yes, she had been to the vet for it). So to hopefully prevent him from getting strangles I had been disinfecting water buckets, water troughs, not using the same halter on him etc. I then thought possibly we should start giving him penicillin to try to head off him getting strangles from the other horse. We started giving 10 cc a day and were going to give it for 10 days. After 4 days of it, he developed very fine hives covering most of his body. I stopped giving him the penicillin, even though I hate to stop it before the course was finished. The next day the hives were much larger, but not covering all of his body. The third day all 4 legs were swollen and with some small areas of swelling in his throat. No fever, never stopped eating or drinking. I got a shot of Dex from the vet and some packets of dex/diuretic powder to give him. They helped, but did not bring the swelling totally down. Now we have gone about a week with leg swelling, nothing else except for a spot of swelling on his throat that is not a strangles abscess. I have been to the vet again, gotten more dex-diuretic powder. Also hydro-ing the legs every day with cold water. If they are not totally down tomorrow, he will go to the vet. The vet thinks maybe allergic reaction or some type of bug. Has anyone every had anything like this? |
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 You get what you give
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Location: Texas | I'd be concerned your horse has strangles and has what they call Purpura, which is an immune hypersensitivity reaction that can be caused from strangles.
I would be curious what your horse's guttural pouches looked like under endoscopy...
Strangles doesn't always present as the big swelling under the throat. A lot of times, it presents just like you described- snotty nose and cough. And then people think its just a resp bug so they give penicillin, which, in the case of strangles, you don't want to give antibiotics because it can slow the maturation of the abscesses and you really want the abscess to just mature and pop and be over with.
Did your veterinarian mention purpura as a possibility?
Edited by casualdust07 2018-07-19 4:23 PM
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| casualdust07 - 2018-07-19 4:20 PM
I'd be concerned your horse has strangles and has what they call Purpura, which is an immune hypersensitivity reaction that can be caused from strangles.
I would be curious what your horse's guttural pouches looked like under endoscopy...
Strangles doesn't always present as the big swelling under the throat. A lot of times, it presents just like you described- snotty nose and cough. And then people think its just a resp bug so they give penicillin, which, in the case of strangles, you don't want to give antibiotics because it can slow the maturation of the abscesses and you really want the abscess to just mature and pop and be over with.
Did your veterinarian mention purpura as a possibility?
And an ETA- IDK why the penicillin bottle says to dose that way, but in a full sized horse 10 ml is not enough. We routinely treat 1000 lb horses with 30 ml penicillin. Again, this is just a forum, listen to your vet's advice and dosages on medications.
I have had this happen to one of my horses. I might get flamed for this but it started after he received his strangles shot. It was a nightmare. vet had him on 20 cc a day of penc. then he had a procaine reaction to pennc. His chest and front legs swelled so bad and abcess out through his chest and the top part of his legs. Purpura is definitely something I will never forget.. I still haven't given the strangles vaccine since them. |
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You get what you give
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Location: Texas | whoapony07 - 2018-07-19 4:29 PM
casualdust07 - 2018-07-19 4:20 PM
I'd be concerned your horse has strangles and has what they call Purpura, which is an immune hypersensitivity reaction that can be caused from strangles.
I would be curious what your horse's guttural pouches looked like under endoscopy...
Strangles doesn't always present as the big swelling under the throat. A lot of times, it presents just like you described- snotty nose and cough. And then people think its just a resp bug so they give penicillin, which, in the case of strangles, you don't want to give antibiotics because it can slow the maturation of the abscesses and you really want the abscess to just mature and pop and be over with.
Did your veterinarian mention purpura as a possibility?
And an ETA- IDK why the penicillin bottle says to dose that way, but in a full sized horse 10 ml is not enough. We routinely treat 1000 lb horses with 30 ml penicillin. Again, this is just a forum, listen to your vet's advice and dosages on medications.
I have had this happen to one of my horses. I might get flamed for this but it started after he received his strangles shot. It was a nightmare. vet had him on 20 cc a day of penc. then he had a procaine reaction to pennc. His chest and front legs swelled so bad and abcess out through his chest and the top part of his legs. Purpura is definitely something I will never forget.. I still haven't given the strangles vaccine since them.
sounds like a double whammy of bad luck in your case!
How long ago did this happen? I think the vaccine has changed over the years, and I do still know that if your horse gets vaccine-strain strangles infections if your vet submits all the paperwork/bills the drug company covers some part of the costs (IDK if its just the cost for the diagnostic test or more, would have to look into it.. fortunately I haven't had to submit it personally yet. ) |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
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Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Oh man strangles is a horrible thing to have on your place. Your horse can be contagious for up to six weeks or more, this is some scary stuff, I would be worried like the others said that it could be Purpura hemorrhgic sounds like it. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
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Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Keep talking to your vet about this, I would really be worried about bastard strangles where the horse can have different places that it will abscess, like on legs belly neck chest.. |
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Expert
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Location: Oklahoma |
You guys are so knowledgeable and spot on. We went ahead and ran him to the vet this afternoon, where he will be staying 4-5 days. It is purpura hemorrhagicum, indeed. I had strangles in one horse when it came back from the trainer's and even though I tried to constantly disinfect everything, this new horse got it in the purpuric form. He is such a nice horse I just hope we can get him over this horrible stuff. I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Thanks again for all the information and encouragement. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
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Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | shaunar - 2018-07-19 6:03 PM You guys are so knowledgeable and spot on. We went ahead and ran him to the vet this afternoon, where he will be staying 4-5 days. It is purpura hemorrhagicum, indeed. I had strangles in one horse when it came back from the trainer's and even though I tried to constantly disinfect everything, this new horse got it in the purpuric form. He is such a nice horse I just hope we can get him over this horrible stuff. I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Thanks again for all the information and encouragement.
Sending your horse getting well wishes, strangles is a nasty thing for a horse to get, hugs  cause this is such a stressfull thing..
And we do have a Vet here with us and thats Casual Dust she just became a full blown Vet I think at the end of last year.  |
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You get what you give
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Location: Texas | Southtxponygirl - 2018-07-19 6:18 PM
shaunar - 2018-07-19 6:03 PM You guys are so knowledgeable and spot on. We went ahead and ran him to the vet this afternoon, where he will be staying 4-5 days. It is purpura hemorrhagicum, indeed. I had strangles in one horse when it came back from the trainer's and even though I tried to constantly disinfect everything, this new horse got it in the purpuric form. He is such a nice horse I just hope we can get him over this horrible stuff. I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Thanks again for all the information and encouragement.
Sending your horse getting well wishes, strangles is a nasty thing for a horse to get, hugs cause this is such a stressfull thing..
And we do have a Vet here with us and thats Casual Dust she just became a full blown Vet I think at the end of last year.
Yep May 2017! |
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A Somebody to Everybody
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Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | casualdust07 - 2018-07-19 10:01 PM Southtxponygirl - 2018-07-19 6:18 PM shaunar - 2018-07-19 6:03 PM You guys are so knowledgeable and spot on. We went ahead and ran him to the vet this afternoon, where he will be staying 4-5 days. It is purpura hemorrhagicum, indeed. I had strangles in one horse when it came back from the trainer's and even though I tried to constantly disinfect everything, this new horse got it in the purpuric form. He is such a nice horse I just hope we can get him over this horrible stuff. I wouldn't wish it on anybody. Thanks again for all the information and encouragement. Sending your horse getting well wishes, strangles is a nasty thing for a horse to get, hugs cause this is such a stressfull thing..
And we do have a Vet here with us and thats Casual Dust she just became a full blown Vet I think at the end of last year. Yep May 2017!
Man its already been a whole year!! Wow how time flys  |
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| This was years ago when the vaccine was relatively pretty new. I still haven't given it since then. It took so long to get him over it, but we finally did just a long drawn out affair. And I don't give pennc. anymore either if I have one that needs it I will usually ask for something else. I think the procaine reaction scared the crap out me more than the other. |
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You get what you give
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Location: Texas | whoapony07 - 2018-07-20 6:45 AM
This was years ago when the vaccine was relatively pretty new. I still haven't given it since then. It took so long to get him over it, but we finally did just a long drawn out affair. And I don't give pennc. anymore either if I have one that needs it I will usually ask for something else. I think the procaine reaction scared the crap out me more than the other.
Yeah I had it happen to me not long after graduating and it was scary. Meds that people give all the time can be so freaking crazy.
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You get what you give
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Location: Texas | I saw an infarctive purpura hemorrhagica last year some time... it was very scary, horse did not make it. Basically threw clots everywhere in all its muscles and behind its eyes. |
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Expert
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Location: Oklahoma | casualdust07 - 2018-07-20 3:24 PM I saw an infarctive purpura hemorrhagica last year some time... it was very scary, horse did not make it. Basically threw clots everywhere in all its muscles and behind its eyes.
That is so horrible. My vet did tell me clots and a stroke are possible. Yesterday though he only had one leg with slight swelling and the other three were normal, no fever and brighter affect. If he continues the same, he will get to come home Monday. I also should say this is the first time I have used Dr. Collett and I am very, very happy with him. Thank you, too, casualdust07, for your insight. I think you will go far in your veterinary career! |
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You get what you give
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Location: Texas | shaunar - 2018-07-21 9:28 PM
casualdust07 - 2018-07-20 3:24 PM I saw an infarctive purpura hemorrhagica last year some time... it was very scary, horse did not make it. Basically threw clots everywhere in all its muscles and behind its eyes.
That is so horrible. My vet did tell me clots and a stroke are possible. Yesterday though he only had one leg with slight swelling and the other three were normal, no fever and brighter affect. If he continues the same, he will get to come home Monday. I also should say this is the first time I have used Dr. Collett and I am very, very happy with him. Thank you, too, casualdust07, for your insight. I think you will go far in your veterinary career!
You're welcome!! Glad your horse is staying stable! |
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