Oh GOD! The vet has just scared me SHITLESS!

[SaggyCeratops]

Alfie has been off colour for a month or two. Nothing specific, just lost his colty mojo a little, and just not looking tip top. My horsey friend, said he has definitely had a growth spurt, and is probably just using his stores for that. He was weaned just before, and he's not on much besides grass, so he's just had a little hard feed now and again.
We collected Skye, his new mate on 16 march, as I've not got anywhere to isolate, and she came from a good yard, and looks fabulous, we just let her in with the others. stupid I know, but didn't have a lot of choice

Anyway. Tonight, I was talking to him, and discovered a lump under his jaw. It is on the inside of his under jaw, about where his molars are, and on investigation, I discovered it was an abscess that has burst. Which would explain why he's been a bit glum recently.
I trimmed the hair away, flushed with dettol solution, applied wound powder and iodine, and called the vet for advice.
His first words? "any chance it might be strangle?"

He thinks it's highly unlikely, none of the crew have left the field, or had contact with other horses, Skye looks great and has been here for nearly two months, no nasal discharge, and the abscess is under the jaw, and strangles abscesses are down the outside from ear to neck.
This doesn't stop me worrying! I've got 5 ponies at mine, friend has 10 on her yard, and I look after 2 others!
An outbreak could be CATASTROPHIC! Please hold my hand and tell me it will all be ok!!

[SaggyCeratops]

Strangles even!

[cedmonds]

They have high temperatures with stangles. I know it is doing the rounds here. Maybe changes clothes etc between yards

[SaggyCeratops]

Fuck. If its here, and it gets in amongst all 17 of them, Im screwed! I have a thermometer, Ill take his temp in the morning. Pray for me!

[ToxicMoxie]

We had an outbreak, like your place, we had 14 horses on the property. Only 3 came down with it. Mine, of course, who had more pus than I thought possible, and two other younger horses. The rest were fine. If it is strangles (and I hope it isn't!) get some kind of panels to separate them and cross your fingers!

Good luck! I hope it's not strangles!

[cedmonds]

If he has an infection/abcess his temp might be a bit raised. A horse in the yard had it suspected and he was very ill head down low not intrested in eating anything even when he was put in a lush feild(starved welsh). I think vets can be very good a scaremongering(sp)
www.equine-world.co.uk/horses_care/strangles.htm
www.horsecarecourses.com/horse-care/2011/11/strangles-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention-of-streptococcus-equi-infection.html

[SaggyCeratops]

He actually seems slightly happier today. I just figured that he was maybe feeling nose out of joint because Skye is a bit bigger and feistier than him, or, now its appeared, that he'd been brewing the absess for ages, and now it had drained he was feeling better. My poor baby.

[TheQueenOfDiamonds]

My first pony was funny for a week or so, And we discovered a big abscess under his jaw - A bloke on the yard told me he'd probably got strangles! I was only 14 and i cried and cried until my vet got up there. Turned out he'd been munching on a bush and got a big twig stuck in there and it had got infected!

Can't remember what the vet did but i know he had anti biotics for a bit and was fine! Hopefully you have a silly pony too!

[Alameda]

strangles is doing the round in our (yours and mine) area - it was a few weeks ago, a few th

[Alameda]

I didn't hit send! A few things were cancelled. Obviously am hoping and keeping everything crossed it is NOT that.

[Mirage]

Any news?

[Alameda]

heard from saggy a little while ago, she sounds pretty sure it is an abscess of the non-strep variety

so, phew! still sending little Alfie all sorts of love and best wishes

[Mirage]

Great news! I hope the poor little chap is feeling better soon.

[SaggyCeratops]

Hi all, I've been hiding at work today, after checking him out this morning. I was speaking to Skye's old owner today, and she was horrified that they could be ill, and said she had NEVER been in contact with anything horrible. According to google, they have to have had it to carry it, so if it were here, it would just be shitty luck! I've just got back from flushing his carbuncle with TCP and iodine, and on the way, I was absolutely terrified at what I might find. When I pulled up in the car, he gave a big neigh and cantered over! I've never been so relieved in my life! His abscess hasn't got bigger and looks a lot cleaner, and he hasn't got any nasal discharge, or swellings. Im fairly certain that I'm worrying over nothing, my friend reckons that if I flapped any more, I'd take off!
I'm still being careful though, I'm steering clear of other horses for a few days. The thought of spreading anything awful to any of my other equine friends is gut wrenching! We had the stallion coming this week. That won't be happening right now!

[Alameda]

poor you, horrible scare - keep us posted anyway, hope he is well soon!

[SaggyCeratops]

Well, he's got what looks like a huge zit under there, about the size of a jack marble. It's slightly squishier today, and has a horrible texture, a bit like a golf ball! there's a small hole in the top, which I have managed to squeeze a drop or two of pus from, and it's raw roundabout where I pulled the lid off when removing the horribleness initially! He still has no ther symptoms, so I think he's ok, but I won't be happy until the nasty thing is going away! I'm still dettolling, and spraying with iodine, but I'm now wondering whether to try and get some mag sulphate to stick, to draw out the gunk.

[SaggyCeratops]

It's just my luck, the vet has half price call out day every other wednesday, and it was last week or next week!

[Alameda]

that's so typical, ye olde browne horse went lame in time for extended bank holiday but hopefully nothing serious (but flashback to his bone infection a year or two back when we thought he was a goner)

glad alfie doesn't have any other alarming symptoms, are you feeling less panicky now?

[SaggyCeratops]

Kinda! The terror of what might happen is still lurking!

[Alameda]

[Pixel]

I'm looking

[Alameda]

ahhh group hug it is then, I clasp you to my bosom too (sorry that it is about 75% gel padding these days)

[Pixel]

Well that's very kind (don't worry, I have enough bosom for two unfortunately), but I was actually thinking "Oi, stop that soppy stuff, this isn't Netmums" rather than .
It's the jubilee, we need stiff upper lips!

[Mirage]

Ugh,that sounds nasty,poor Alfie.He must be a very good boy to let you do all that.
Agree that horses choose the most inconvenient time to be ill.Dpony chose a Bank Holiday weekend,which also happened to be during a visit from MIL,and DD1's birthday to have colic.

[SaggyCeratops]

Thanks guys. You're all lovely! whereas my actual here and now horsey friend is being VERY offhand about the whole thing! he's a very good boy. The most he does is a gentle rear when it stings a bit, then he let's me do it all over again!

[Pixel]

Saggy glad he is ok and he does sound a very good boy. Sorry, should have said that yesterday but I'd had rather a lot of wine .