HELP PLEASE *Sick Foal*

[BM Miniatures]

Hi all,

I am posting on behalf of a friend who's foal is unwell - the Vet is stumped, so i was hoping someone here may have some idea's that she can run by her vet.

Here is the story.

foal went slightly lame on front near and offside hind then went away 18th oct,
19th oct front offside swollen to above knee joint no mark on leg at all.
21st oct small pin hole with tiny bit of puss vet comes and opens leg a bit and bandaged with wet poltice each day for 4days-25th oct,
23rd oct front near side becomes puffy and is opend and drained, 25th oct offside hind becomes puffy and is drained.
26th oct lump comes up on ribcage approx. where a girth would go is drained and heals within 2days, dry poltice on 3 legs until 27th oct, 28th leave bandages off and clean wit iodine and water.
Nearside hind starts to get puffy around coronet band, 29th all 4 legs aren't great, however the worst leg she is using as her weight bearing grazing leg but is lame mainly on that one but all 4 slightly.

Foal has grown in height put on weight and has learnt to graze whilst being sick, suckles well eyes bright enough and intrested in everything
dob 30th sept, so is 4 weeks old now.

Pics attached!

 

[MiniNHF]

wow that is bizzare how its different places. My only experience is my QH came up lame and his rear leg puffed up 10xs the size of a normal leg from the hip all the way down to the hock and we couldnt find a nick, scrape or anything on him. The vet said it could be as tiny as a pin prick to get infected enough to cause this. I compared what he looked like to someone with elephantitis it was so swollen. It took two month on intesnse meds to get the swelling all the way down. Ive never seen anything like it.

 

[Riverrose28]

You didn't say, but, is the foal on antibiotics as well?

 

[MyMiniGal]

I have no input, but wanted to say, poor little thing. I will say a prayer that this foal recovers from all of this and is ok, really soon.

 

[Rhondaalaska]

Poor baby, I don't have any input for you , sorry.

I hope this baby gets better soon.

 

[Mona]

Any chance there could be any barbed wire partially buried that no one knows about that is sticking out enough that it is catching this foal's leg? Or maybe a nail on a low fence post or board? It wopuld have to be while she was backed up to something by the looks of things. Ask them if they have seen her backed up to anything butt scratching or anything and have them thoroughly check that area for anything that may cause an injury to the leg. That looks like some nasty infection going on. WOW!! Best of luck with that.

 

[Debby - LB]

poor baby! maybe her little legs were caught in that chain link fence I see in the photo or perhaps there is a dog puppy chasing and nipping! could her Dam or another horse be doing it? I would try to put them under camera. I wonder why the areas have not been shaved to be disinfected properly... what has the Vet said or done about it so far? If i think of anything I'll re-post. Good luck to you and your precious little one.

 

[Jean_B]

Could be a case of 'brat' strangles?? Had it run through the herd many years ago and had a foal that got it high on the inside of her back leg. Another one had it on the withers. A culture of the ooz should tell you what it is. By the way - all survived with NO antibiotics (antibiotics makes it last much longer)....and once they get it they are immune for at least 7 years. EDITED....the system changed the word to "brat" but my vet called it b@[email protected] should be able to figure it out.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Could this be naval ill (joint ill) ? Where the joints become infected and swell and drain. Happens in calves and that is my only experience and the reason for my opinion. Where all those pus explosions are is infection coming out from inside. Needs flushing and antibiotics and a few prayers. naval ill is horrible, hopefully not that, but thought I would mention.

Happens when cord gets dirty, isn't long enough and bacteria goes into the baby through the unbilical cord after birth. I have seen it in calves that were born when I wasn't there and they got their cord dirty before I could iodine it or the mother leaked milk and the colostrum is not high quality. Very rare for us, but it occasionally happens and that is what this looks like to me.

Just my opinion... I am not a vet. I am a dairy farmer.

 

[HGFarm]

That was my thoughts too... joint ill? It appears to need aggressive treatment a.s.a.p. if they are not already. And something to stop the proud flesh from forming...........

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I wondered the same thing as shorthorsemom. I have no experience with joint ill but that is the first thought I had too. I would for sure check for the bstrd strangles that Jean_B mentioned before treating tho. If it is strangles better to avoid the antibiotics you would probably want to use if it is joint ill.

 

[REO]

My first thought was joint ill, but I have no idea! Poor baby!

Please do keep us updated.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Joint ill- almost certainly. It is not just newborns who are at risk, a friend of mine had THREE warmblood foals come down with it at weaning- bizarre! The only up side is that an older foal has a better chance of fighting the infection.

 

[BM Miniatures]

HI all, I also mentioned joint ill to her but her vet rekons it is not that...

She has been on pencillin for 7 days and it didn't do anything... I just got a txt from her today saying that she seems to be walking on her legs better but now she has lumps coming up all along her ribcage on her near side!!??

 

[shorthorsemom]

Need a second vet opinion in my honest opinion. Lumps on side can be penicillin injection site swellings? This baby needs aggressive treatment soon. I would be very worried. If the infection is running out then more bad can be going in too. tetanus for instance. Hope it turns out ok.

PS, those photos are classic joint ill looking, I can't believe her vet is doesn't even consider that possibility.

Penicillin might not be strong enough treatment. We use naxal and banamine and give probiotics on our calves and have had great success in treating, however, those cases where the joints exploded and drained, the success rate got lower and those calves often did not make it in spite of treatment.

Now, if I have a umbilical cord I know got dirty, or it is a very short broken off cord, or I have any inkling that I have a calf that could be at risk, I treat with naxal at birth as preventative measure. If I see any swelling at a joint or lameness, I treat aggressively and have had decent outcomes on our babies.

I hope her vet is right and hope my guess is wrong for the foals sake

keep us posted.

 

[Becky]

My guess is joint ill. I had a foal last year that had swelling that went from joint to joint. Oral and injectable antibiotics were ineffective. He also had unusual swellings. Mostly on his head. I had him put down at 3 months of age.

Hope this foal has something treatable.

 

[Mona]

I thought joint ill first off too, but thought it mustn't be, because she is not feeling ill. OP said she is healthy and alert, perky etc. I thought with joint ill, they are septic and QUICKLY go downhill from infection/fever etc.? Shorthorsemom, I am doubting the bumps along her side are not caused by injection sites, as she said it is along the ribs?? That would not be an injection site.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Joint ill in an older foal does present differently, apparently. I have no personal experience of it- did not even know it could happen at this age, but I suppose it makes sense that an older foal would not be so affected?

 

[Riverrose28]

It looks like joint ill to me which is why I asked if the foal was on antibiotics. The foal should be on them for at least three weeks and may need something stronger the pennicllin. Also the vet should send some of the pus to the lab for analisis as it will show the bacteria and the best way to treat, usually it is strep.

 

Joint ill was my first guess. I would hope the vet would culture the obvious puss to find the correct drug to put this little one on, No use running through antibiotics that won't do anything to improve the condition, but fnding the correct cause of the infection needs to be done so this precious little one can get the proper medication. I really don't think the vet should "guess" -- I think it should be cultured for a definitive answer.