|
|
  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
   
Location: NE Texas | A knot on his head, right about where the nosebad of your halter would go across, kind of on the side, you would immediately think, abcessed tooth. What if the knot is hard, has never drained, and is not painful to the horse to palpate or pack bits? Have had my dentist look at this horse and he has perfect occlusion, and two vets, one of which x-rayed. One vet says trauma, the one that took films, but I could not see anything in the x-ray and not sure he could. Sent the films to a second vet for second opinion and he called them inconclusive. Second vet says infected tooth root, but there is no drain tract, the knot is hard and about the size of a golfball, and is not, nor has it been sensitive to palpate or have a bit in his mouth. No snotty nose, no runny eye, no draining anywhere.
Now correct me if i'm wrong, but if it were an abcessed tooth root, there would be draining and infection, and the horse would be in pain, correct? He's going to this 3rd vet this week and i'm frustrated in that this horse seems normal except for a big knot on this head. Maybe i've finally gotten the unicorn i've wanted all these years?!?!?!?! 
Edited by Herbie 2015-06-29 4:54 PM
| |
| | |
 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Yes, I would think abcessed tooth also but also agee that there would be other symptoms. I guess an abcess could be contained in a pocket and there will be no discomfort till it makes it way to the surface and bursts?? I sure would hate to aspirate it and cause other issues. Is the knot relatively new? | |
| | |
 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| Several years ago we had a mare develop a large lump on the bottom of her jaw area. It was hard, and did not appear to bother her. Took her to the local vet who thought it was a tooth issue. It's been long enough ago that I don't remember for sure, but I'm thinking we put her on some antibiotics. Decided to take her to a different vet that had worked on the track for years. Figured with all the horses he'd seen in his life he'd know what was going on. He xrayed and agreed that it appeared to be a tooth issue. But he couldn't determine which one exactly and was hesitant to do anything major. Since it wasn't bothering her we decided to leave it alone. It's probably been around 5 years ago, and since then the lump has cleared up, I'd guess it's been gone for at least 3 years. We also considered that it might have just been some kind of trauma and just needed time to heal. | |
| | |
Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | This has been here for about 5 or 6 months. I did start out as soft swelling and he did act lethargic. I ran him through a course of antibiotics and it didn't seem to change anything. He was turned out with another horse and thought she might have kicked him, which is what the original vet thought since there is no drainage, no pain, no nothing. This colts is just a 3 YO so I know his mouth is changing, but everything looks good inside his mouth and I too am hesitant to do anything dramatic when this doesn't seem to be bothering him. He's been ridden for the past 45 days and still no pain and no issue to speak of and has handled everything perfectly that we've thrown at him thus far. | |
| | |
 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | My daughter's old ranch gelding had an injury like that from fighting across the fence. Turned into a big hard knot...antibiotics for an assumed bone infection, no change. Months later it's gone now and has left a slight indention in his face. Never any pain or drainage, just a slight watery eye, which I'm sure was from the pressure. | |
| | |
Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | That's kind of what i'm thinking this may be, Rachel. I guess if it isn't bothering him, I shouldn't be too concerned with it. I would think that if it were an infection or an abcess that by now it would have burst and drained somewhere. | |
| |
| |
Folks on-line