anyone ever had a horse with an infection in the tmj? What did you do to treat and what was the outcome?

Bump

   What was the initial cause of the TMJ infection? Was it injected prior? Was there a wound that started it? 

I'm curious as well as how the infection got started.. I know sometimes you can have a TMJ problem after getting teeth floated, but not a infection. 

They have absolutely no idea. The horse had a coil embolization done the beginning of April and hasn’t been right since. Isu kept telling me to be patient. My vet tried a month long course of abx because it was swollen. Finally got her to KSU this week and got a ct done. X rays were completely clear at my vet and at KSU but the ct showed that the joint is basically trashed. It had Broken open last week as well. They said this has never been documented after a coil embolization but most horses with guttural pouch mycosis don’t even make it to surgery. They cannot rule out that the pouch had a hole in it and the fungus or infection got out on its own or that it got out when isu flushed her pouch daily when she was there. 

How is she overall?  Because this sounds terrible. . . 

Wow!  So sorry!  Praying!!!

Wow sounds like an intense ordeal. It has to be related to the infection that lead to the coil embolization (generally fungal), or the procedure itself. Sounds like you have her in very capable hands. As with any infected joint, the main concerns are degenerative joint changes secondary to the septic process (basically arthritis likes to form after joints have been infected). While the TMJ is not necessarily needed for "soundness", it most definitely being a source of pain can lead to eating issues as well as increased sensitivity to a bit. I am a veterinarian and have not dealt with many TMJ infections, they are not common. The ones I have seen have been secondary to a wound. I usually treat with daily lavage, systemic antibiotics and intra-articular antibiotics. Please keep us posted on her progress! I hope she makes a full recovery for you. 

The joint was septic and does have changes. You don’t even have to know how to read a ct to see it. KSU wants to do oral abx for an extended period of time. My vet was going to call and discuss the game plan with him. He said intra-articular abx would not be helpful at this point since it had abscessed. He said culturing it would do no good either.  I asked about iv abx and he said that I wouldn’t be able to afford them (didn’t give a price). He also said that they could try to remove part of the bone to relieve pain but he had never done the surgery and would need practice first. I found an article published last year where they shaved down the diseased bone until they got to the good bone vs completely removing part of it. They also did iv abx, oral abx, and infra-articular. Right now she acts normal and doesn’t act in pain, although I don’t see how she isn’t as the cheek muscle on that side has completely atrophied. She’s still about 100lb less than pre surgery but looking much better than the beginning of May. It’s been such a long road. I’ve documented everything in a fb album because I knew something wasn’t right and felt like I needed to keep track of all the details. I do feel like isu really dropped the ball. They sent her home not eating normally and told me it was just her teeth.....she ate just fine before. 

Im so sorry!!!  I know how heartbreaking it is when you tell someone that your horse not right and they tell you yes they is!  Praying!!!

So what is the immediate plan of action, bless her heart 

Waiting for my vet to talk with KSU and get back to me on what I will be picking up. I’m assuming it’ll be an oral antibiotic. 

Keeping you and your girl in thoughts and prayers