Health Question

[pasorider]

I have a friend that has a Paso gelding who is 19yrs. old. About 2 yrs. ago, his sheath started swelling and had an awful odor. She called the Vet out and he also found ulcers in his mouth. The Vet told her it was a yeast infection and gave her some meds for rinse his mouth and sheath out with. It got better, but came back. She had another Vet (same clinic, just different Vet) who told her the same thing. It went away, but came back. She has since moved, and has a 3rd Vet that says it could be Herpes. Now, she has spent well over $500 in Vet bills, treated the horse just the way the Vets have told her with no results, It just keeps coming back. The 4th Vet now just says he has no idea. The sheath and ***** have an odor, and the mouth has several ulcers. Any suggestions as to what she should do?

[pnalley]

Go to the nearest teaching hospital. I our area that would be Auburn or UGA.

[Leather]

Agree with going to a University vet hospital.

Also, did they ever do a culture to determine it was in fact yeast?

If the horse does have a systemic yeast infection, I'd want to figure out what the underlying issue is. The immune system has to be compromised somehow to allow for a systemic yeast infection. I'd look into Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Resistance, Cushing's, etc. as possible underlying issues.

[pasorider]

They have not taken a culture. The horse eats fine, seems to feel fine, is not overweight and is ridden regularly. No hoof problems, nothing but the ulcers in the mouth and the sheath problem. I will tell her that she should try a University Vet, she lives in southern Ms.

[motorgypsy]

She could always taste his pee and see if it's sweet. (Actually many years ago this was actually done when diabetes was first discovered) Just joking of course but I wonder if a human blood sugar test would work or if there are dip strips to detect sugar. A pharmacist would know I would think. Was he on antibiotics for an extended period of time? I wonder why they haven't given him a systemic antifungal. Maybe too pricey. I know I'd get him on probiotics immediately and put him on a very low carb feed.

Mouth fungus doesn't usually produce ulcers. Thrush is usually whitish and very red and very painful. The two may not even be related. The ulcers in the mouth though could be viral as many are. I'd be quite worried about the sheath though.

I'd definitely get some cultures done. We've actually gotten a vet to give us the tubes with the swabs and taken the cultures ourselves and dropped them off and saved a ton of money but you have to know your vet pretty well for them to do this.

Good luck. A major vet facility is the best solution if she can afford it and you do save by transporting your horse to them.