Need info on Cellulitis?

[Kathy M]

My two yr. old gelding; Dante; may have cellulitis in both hind legs but nobody I talk to can seem to tell me exactly what it is. Had the "Vet" out yesterday. She is fairly new with the Vet I usually use-there are three of them in the practice-she is the newest one. Anyway she admits right up front she is not good with horses, her speciality is cows. Anyway he was running a temp of a 103.1 and both hind legs swollen and hot. He was also lathergic (spl) and off his feed. He also has rain rot really bad (have been treating him for three weeks for this). Anyway he was given a shot of banamine, put on penecillin shots three times a day and bute twice a day. I am heading to the stables in about half an hour to check up on him. Thank god the woman I board with knows how to give shots! But I need to recheck his temp to make sure it is coming down. But if anybody out there has an explanation of Cellulitis, I sure would appreciate it. Thanks in advance! Kathy

[Abejita]

usually it is caused by an infected wound..usually a puncture wound and not bilateral (both legs) That is what I always considered cellulitis to be but I guess it is the generic term for the swelling..Did they draw blood to do a CBC?? Is the rain rot also affecting his legs? Does he have dew poisoning aka scratches.. on his legs, mainly in the heel/pastern area? if he does that could cause the swelling..(if he does ,wash with iodine soap,rinse well and keep area dry, or if possible coat with something like desitin or biozide gel and wrap to help loosen up the scabs..)

[NikiGA]

Okay, I have never seen this related to horses, but I can give you a brief medical synopsis. Cellulitis literally means inflammation of the cells. It starts as a superficial infection of the skin, but can spread to the underlying tissues if left untreated. One of the ladies who works for my stepmom has it in one of her legs. Usually affects the legs or face in humans.

[CarolU]

It's not listed in my Merck Veterinary Manual, so I have no idea how you'd treat it.

It is listed in my regular medical dictionary as an inflammation of celluar tissue, especially found in loose connective tissue. It can produce a gas in the tissues produced by the causitive bacteria (usually clostridium perfringens). It can become gangrenous if the tissue dies.

I went back to Merck after reading that and read the treatments for inflammation. That recommends antiinflamatories, but they are secondary to treating the cause.

I then looked up clostridium perfringens, which causes a similar condition called "Black Leg" in cattle and sheep. It doesn't say horses get it...but I swear someone on here lost a horse to Black leg last year (was it Sarah Rose??). Black disease is similar (the organism in the gut and liver) and horses do get it.

I certainly hope this is not what he has. I was playing 'connect a dot' because I couldn't find cellulitis itself listed. Let us hope this led in the wrong direction. If this is what it is, it very serious.

:-(

[melgray]

My gelding was diagnosed with cellulitis/lymphangitis following a chemical burn (bad reaction to a pultice) on a hindleg. He was DEAD lame, lethargic and utterly miserable. The vet put him on a regimen of bute and antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim or as my vet reffered to them SMZs), which helped immensely. If it is truly cellulitis, the vet should be prescribing something to kill off the infection.

[Abejita]

The penicillin should kill it..
The first farm I worked for was owned by a vet and that is where I learned to call those swellings cellulitis..and they usually were involving a puncture..but even a mild scrape can do it..My mother had it in her hand a few years ago after sticking herself with a rose thorn in the garden..Now anyone who gardens knows how often you get stuck or pricked..and never think anything about it..but this time her finger..then her hand.. blew up..(she is stubborn.. I told her to get herself to the Dr that she had cellulitis..She was shocked that I was right) She wasnt supposed to do a lot of things for awhile..dishes being one of them..hehehe Its been at least 2 years and Dad is still doing dishes..She said ..I cook ..you can clean..This time..every THORN had its Rose...no dish duty!!

[Jasfino]

Horse Owners Veterninary Handbook states that cellulitis is an infection of the deep layer of the skin. Most cases are caused by puncture wounds, scratches, or lacerations. Signs are pain and tenderness to pressure, warmth, firmness of the skin(not soft as normal)and change of color. If the infection spreads you might feel tender cords which are swollen lymphatic channels. Regional lymph nodes may enlarge when this happens it becomes ulcerative lymphangitis and malignant edema. Oral or injectable antibiotics are used for treatment.

[pasofantasy]

This is serious if it's the same as the human disease! My husband has had it a couple times. He was just in the hospital with it a couple months ago. After all this time, he still can't be on his feet much.

Both times, that he had it, he had to have antibiotic IVs in the hospital. I wish, that penicillin would have been adequate! Our share of his antibiotics after he left the hospital is more then our share of his hospital bill for 6 days.

The first time, we could symtoms on the leg were obvious right away. This last time, he thought, that he had the flu at first. He had a high fever and just felt wiped out at the beginning. Due to the fever being so high, I got a doctor's appointment for him. In trying to cool him down, I got his covers pulled off the leg to see it bright red from his instep onto his thigh. Recognizing what it was, I took him to ER.

This time, they think, that he got it, from getting his feet wet while riding. He had encountered a very wet area a couple days before he got sick. We were told, that that it can enter little cracks between the toes. I think a friend got it while playing football. He must have skinned his elbow. I don't know how another family member got it. Neither of these two were hospitalized though. The one had problems for a long time, too.

[Kathy M]

I wanted to thank everybody who replied to me and give you an update on Dante. We have been on the phone everyday with the Vets. Dante has gotten worse. Now all four legs and his sheath are swollen and the legs are oozing pus. Beth, the girl I board with, called me last night and told me that Dr. Popps and Dr. Mike (can't pronounce his last name let alone spell it) both were doing research all day long and had been in touch with Cornell University, and they were upping his penicillin and putting him on another antibiotic as well; genocide-genocil or something like that. As well as keeping him on the bute. They said we should see an improvement by Wed. night. He is getting six shots a day. Three in the morning and three at night. Anyway if I understand this right, penicillin treats gram positive bacteria and the other antibiotic treats gram negative bacteria. If he is not better or showing signs of improvement, they will come out Thursday and draw blood and run some tests. I've got my fingers crossed that this new medicine works. He can barely walk he hurts so bad. Thanks again. I will keep you posted.

[Lynn]

(If it is the same as the human kind) Kathy try to get your vet to get him on an atibiotic iv. The shots are not enough the antibiotics need to be constant. My mother almost died from this. she was in the hospitol for almost a month. Like Pasofantasy said it is very serious. Waiting till thursday could mean life or death. I know it is only a day.

[motorgypsy]

Scrub any and all wounds. When Kyle got this same type of infeciton he was told to soak in a very dilute clorox solution and scrub and scrub hard with a disinfectant hand soap although any soap will work(a capful to 2 gallons or so). He did it for about 20 minutes twice a day. There was a noticeable improvement in 24 hours. Kyle also got IV anitbiotics. You can also ask for a culture because it may be penecillin resistant like Sultan's sinus infection. Oh - he also got Augmentin antibiotic pills. One more thing - give your boy probios (any feed store should have the granules and the paste) a couple of times a day because the antibiotics are terrible on the digestive system.

[pasofantasy]

To say, that I'm concerned, is putting it mildly! Don't you have a clinic to take him to or a veterinary school nearby? I know, that the human disease can be life threatening, so I didn't even wait to take my husband to the doctor later in the same day. I knew he needed treatment at a hospital.

Although, my husband wasn't in the hospital a really long time, he had to have daily bloodwork done after his release. Both times, he had to keep his feet elevated. Doesn't that put a horse at a disadvantage?

[Lynn]

Kathy how is Dante doing?

[CarolU]

Bump.

how is dante?

[Kathy M]

Just wanted to let you all know the Vet was back out today. Called and told him that his legs smelled bad. Dante is having a reaction to his infection. Don't get that one but anyway he is still on his two antibiotics, his bute and now a steriod too. I also have to scrub his legs down with betadine solution once a day and then blow dry them and then put furazone ointment on and wrap them. He is such a good boy. He doesn't like having his back legs touched at all as they hurt so bad but after the first inital reaction of pulling them away, he stands pretty still and lets you do what you have to do. He never even flinched when I turned the blow dryer on them. Shed plenty of tears though yesterday and earlier this morning thinking that I might have to put him down if he got any worse. Funds are limited on how much I can do for him right now-and a husband who would rather see him dead then alive. Things are never easy are they. I feel for everybody who is having any type of problem right now. My heart goes out to you all.

[motorgypsy]

Scrub scrub scrub. It's the best thing you can do for him. We're pulling for him to rapidly improve!!!! GET WELL BOY - YA HEAR!!!!!!

[Kathy M]

Dante is finally doing better. All the swelling is gone from the front legs and his sheath. There is still some swelling in the back legs but not a lot. The awful smell is gone and the dead skin is beginning to peel off- although that is not a pretty sight. It takes me two hours every night to unwrap the legs, hose them down, scrub them up-ten minutes to let the solution on- rerinse in cold water and then rinse with warm water. Then towel dry them and then blow dry them, apply the furazone ointment and rewrap. I just learned how to wrap so I am not fast at it but Beth says I'm doing a good job and the legs are still wrapped the next day. I am working nine hour days-up at three a.m.-off work at 2:30 p.m. but it is three until I get to the farm and almost three thirty until I get everything around and organized and ready to start. So it is five thirty until I get done and head for home. So another half-hour before I get home. I am dead tired. Now I have four days off work thank goodness!! And I am going shopping with a friend on Sat.. Beth said she would take care of Dante for me. I am looking forward to the break from work, husband and all the stress. But that is why I'm not on the puter every night. Just too tired and go to bed shortly after I get home. Thanks everyone for your help and concern and prayers. I will post more updates when I can. Kathy

[CarolU]

Kathy, thank you for the update. I'm so GLAD he is improving. What a horrible trail to go through - for both of you.

He and YOU are in our prayers, that you get through this. This too shall pass. I went through a similar ordeal saving Tina from tetnus. It's such a scare, the unknowing, then a whole lot of work, and then a relief. One day you will even forget about it...I hope for you, for that day.

Take care of yourself. You'll do him no good if you get sick. Try to enjoy tomorrow.

(((((((((((((((((BIG HUG))))))))))))))))))) for you

[Kathy M]

Thanks for all your support Carol. I do intend to enjoy tomorrow starting with sleeping in for a few hours. We go out to eat for Thanksgiving so no cooking for me!!!!!!! Also told the hubby he has to go help with Dante tomorrow so that I won't have to be trying to do every thing myself. Maybe it will only take an hour and a half instead of two! :lol:

[Jasfino]

I am so happy to hear he is doing better. :D

[Kathy M]

Sorry it has taken so long to give you an update on Dante. We had a set back on Monday and had to have the Vet back out. They took blood for bloodwork and put him back on penicillin and a different steroid. We are still washing the legs with betadine surgical scrub and then putting Furazone ointment and wraps on the hind legs. The left front is better and the right front isstill getting washed and a different ointment put on it but not wrapped. But he is very depressed-any ideas on how to cheer him up?

[motorgypsy]

A girlfriend or at least a friend he can touch noses with???? Brilliant was on the other side of some roundpen panels from his mom and our mini mare when he was recuperating from his fractured pelvis and he was perfectly content to annoy her through the bars. We also got him a ball and some other toys. Our guys LOVE our mini mare. Radio or TV???? OUrs also like the radio on sometimes. Lots of brushing and scratching and rubbing helped our guy also.