Osteomyelitis - Help!!!!!!!

[mmmorgans]

2 1/2 weeks ago I went down to feed horses early in the morning and found one of our geldings with his head stuck between a gate and the gate post. I have not idea how he got caught - he shouldn't have been able to even get his head through the narrow space. Anyway - he did it and once his head was through - he was jammed. When I found him his tongue was hanging out and his lips were just hanging. I somehow got the gate open and got him out - he was staggering. I called the vet and she came out - he was in bad shape. She put him on banamine for pain and dexamethasone to try to stop the swelling - his head looked like a giant football. The vet warned me that the soft tissue damage was extensive and that he could end up with abscesses.

A week later - the first abscess appeared on the side of his neck just behind the head. Once it surfaced the horse appeared better. He had lost weight during the week as it was painful to chew and swallow. He was put on antibiotics and the abscess was getting better and starting to heal. Then another abscess surfaced under his chin. He by now had lost considerable weight. We kept him on the antibiotics for 8 days rather than 5 days.

This morning I took him into the vet as he is having trouble swallowing. He eats grass or hay and chews it but then it falls out of his mouth. He does the same with pellets, oats, sweet feed - anything. I had made warm mashes with alfalfa cubes - he tries to eat some but gives up and goes back to the grass or hay.

He looks awful - he is so thin. He is bright and alert but obviously not getting enough nutrition. The vet took xrays and he has osteomyelitis in a bone just behind his skull. The prognosis is poor as apparently it is very difficult to treat infections in bones. He is on Excenel (antibiotis) and Gentocin - plus the vet wants me to put him on Bute. I am terrified of the Bute as it is so dangerous in minis - but I don't know what else to do.

If anyone has had any experience with this type of injury and resulting infection in the bone - and treated it successfully - please post your advice. This gelding is beautiful and so sweet - I don't want to give up on him yet - I want to try anything to help him get through this.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Roxy's Run]

Gosh, I'm so sorry about your little guy. Isn't it amazing how these little ones can find the smallest area and get themselves into such trouble. I'm sorry I cannot answer your question, but I can offer my thoughts and prayers that your little one gets better real soon!

Linda

Roxy's Run Miniatures/Renditions

 

[Reble]

If he is drinking give him Electroylites, even if you need to syringe into him 3 or 4 times a day.

Try to get a vitamin paste or subtitude feed in a syringe, he will need his strength to heal.

Maybe someone has some other ideals.

So sorry :new_shocked: Thinking of you.

Found this Info for you.

This is indeed a difficult problem. The main issue is infection within the bone, known as osteomyelitis. Once this is established, the blood supply to such areas becomes diminished and the body finds it very difficult to fight off any infection. Antibiotics may not work at all in such situations.

In order to improve the healing mechanism, you need to strengthen your horse's immune sytem using plants such as echinacea. Also, the use of comfrey will help to improve the way the bone heals.

The root can be used internally as a poultice. A good alternative to the sue of comfrey is the plant cissus quadrangularis.

Echinacea is a plant best used over a short, two week period, giving small doses regularly throughout the day. For long term treatment I would use an Ayurvedic formula that does not contain echinacea. Circulatory stimulants such as prickly ash bark may also help a great deal by improving circulation to the affected area. Homoeopathic treatments can also help in such situations, but are best given with the direct advice of an experienced practitioner.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Is he able to swallow liquids? Last year my mare was not able to eat and I ended up making soups for her. My mixture was timothy pellets, rice bran and warm water - super soaked and literally soup. I held it for her in a shallow pan while she drank and for quite a while, it was the only way to feed her (4-5 times a day).

Regarding the bute, I know many people have different opinions on it ... BUT ... I was hesitant to put my horse on bute, and I wish I had done it sooner. When I finally did, it was the only drug that was able to relieve her pain. I gave her 225 mg. per day - they make bute for dogs in 100 mg. tabs, so I gave her 2 1/4 tabs each day, dissolved in water and I syringed it into her mouth with a 3 cc syringe. A lot of what you are hearing with bute is overdosage - people who have given their minis 1+ grams per day. My mini (who weighed approx 250 lbs) was given the correct dosage for her weight, along with Zantac (to prevent ulcers). She was on this long-term and I never had a problem. Again, that is my experience.

Best wishes,

Liz R.

 

[chevycouple]

Try giving him the paste Cellarator Turbo. www.cellarator.com If you go to the website it will give you all the details of good stuff in it. good luck.

 

[^T-bird89^]

i'm so sorry to hear. i hope he gets better! good luck with him hun

 

[Marty]

I had a pony that was kicked in the head by a big horse and had swelling on his brain and was convulsing. Bute is what saved him and gave us another 10+ happy years with him.

I know you should not be giving bute to a mini and I would never consider it under other circumstances, but if this were my horse, under these very severe circumstances, I absolutely would as a last ditch effort to try and save my horse's life. It works quickly, is an inflamatory that he desperately needs to get the swelling down to allow him to drink and eat and is the ultimate pain reliever. I would follow the dosages per your vet carefully. Just my humble opinion. I wish you the best in your efforts.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I agre about the Bute- I have used it for many years without any problems- I am NOT saying it is OK to use in Minis- we know it is not, BUT I do think it is your best option in this case. I also would not give Gastroguard with the Bute as it will inhibit it's action and this is one case where you need the full on approach.

Read the instructions for yourself- weigh the gelding so you have hos weight right, and give the Gastroguard once you have finished with the course of Bute- also probiotics.

Even though we are told to trust Vets etc, this is one case where I would second guess them on the dosage- as far as dosing anything I nod, smile and work it out for myself when they are gone!!

Sorry, Vets, if I had one who knew anything about Minis I would possibly be more trusting

:

So, weigh the horses, weigh the Bute, and Yes, I would use it.

 

[stormy]

Just a heads up, with him unable to eat keep a watch out for hyperlipemia, had a mare last year with a head injury similar to yours, could pick up food but not chew properly or swallow, she went hyperlipemic. Fortunately my vet had taken blood just in case we needed diagnostics. Was so full of fats could not run it, otherwise I would not have known until it was too late to save her.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Good call, Stormy- also watch for founder- they can do this from delayed shock

 

[Bess Kelly]

I wish you the very, very best results with your boy! I know it is extremely frustrating and a great concern. You will do what is right, I just feel this!

Now, tell me -- WHERE ELSE but this forum, would you get all the other hints of things to watch out for???????

: These hints are what often save your sanity and help the recovery of our beloved little guys

: While a vet is medically trained, they are so busy that they can't possibly remind you of all the issues that will/could come as a result of this ONE issue.

 

[HGFarm]

You can also use plain aspirin (the real thing) instead of Bute as it helps with pain and inflamation. My vet had me use that.

A friend of ours Mini stallion had his jaw broken, but I am not sure what she had him on as far as antibiotics. My next door neighbors had a filly get her head stuck like that and she ended up with nerve damage- could not blink, move her ears and half her face drooped. They didnt know if she would recover from that at all. Another vet came out and did some accupuncture and other things.... a year later she is normal with no after effects but the healing was very slow.

I understand that with infection in the bone, it is extremely hard to get rid of and very serious. I will see if I can contact my friend to find out what she did with her stallion

 

[mmmorgans]

Thanks for all of the support and suggestions - I really appreciate it. It is so hard to know what is the right thing - but so many of you have experienced something similar and offer some very good advice.

This is a scary thing that I am dealing with - and I am just praying for a successful outcome for this little guy.

 

[CharmedMinis]

Ask your vet about using Chloramphenicol for the antibiotic part. It's supposed to be the best thing for bone infections. It was the last thing we tried on my filly Karo who had a bone infection in her jaw, we had tried everything else with no success. She was on the Chloramphenicol for 3 months, she was better after 2. She has been fine since. Of course with this drug you have to watch yourself when using it as it can be fatal to humans.

Good Luck, will send positive thoughts your way!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Oh GREAT- the horse gets better but the owner dies!!

Seriously folks we should ALL be wearing rubber gloves when giving ANY sort of medication- ESPECIALLY if "we" are pregnant !!

:

 

[CharmedMinis]

Chloramphenicol can cause Aplastic Anemia in people. So it doesn't cause instant death if you get it on you, you just might get sick later on. I believe the ratio is 1 person out of every 10,000 is sensitive to the drug. They still give this drug to people in extreme cases where nothing else works. It comes in a paste so it's easy to give to a horse without getting it on yourself, I just wore gloves every time I handled the stuff. But it is still nerve wracking.

:

 

[mmmorgans]

Just thought I should post a note to say that my gelding is doing quite well. He has actually put on some weight - will run, kick and buck when he is let out in the morning. He is bright and alert and seems to be getting better.

In speaking with my vet, she feels that the real test will come after he is off all meds. He finishes his course of meds next week and then I guess we will see what happens.

If he has a relapse, I will insist upon the chloramphenicol as someone suggested.

Please keep him in your thoughts for a full recovery - he is such a sweetheart and I absolutely adore him.

Thanks again to all of you - this forum is great and the people that frequent it often are the best!!!!!!!!!

 

[eagles ring farm]

wonderful news on the improvement pray he keeps moving in the right direction

Lori