Swollen sheath and chest, dehydration and depression

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Swollen sheath and chest, dehydration and depression

Postby JP_Memphis » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:31 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#P#ed_cl#Hey all.. my vets are stumped so I'm hoping someone here has an idea! #ed_op#P#ed_cl#Went up to the barn a few weeks ago to find that my gelding had a swollen sheath. The prepuce and all around on the belly. Had the vet out, she gave him some antibiotics. The swelling was going down for a while, a bit at a time, and then it stayed the same for a while. I called the vet back out when it started to go up again. This time not so much the prepuce but more up and behind and towards the back. Also at that time his attitude changed, he was very lethargic and depressed. #ed_op#P#ed_cl#Had the vet out again. She gave him some more drugs, and gave me some penicilin (40cc for 5 days) and bute (1g twice a day for 2 days, then 1g for 3 days). She took blood (did a full workup), but it came back clean, except indicated he might be dehydrated. The swelling still didn't go down and he didn't start to perk up. Soo the vet came baack out. She did an ultrasound, and it showed that there was no gas in there, it was mostly tissue and some liquids. She tried to take a sample but nothing came out but a bit of blood. #ed_op#P#ed_cl#She gave him another shot of something (can't remember what) but she said it was better than bute for this situation, but it's also an immunosuppresant so I should take him off the bute, but keep on the penicilin. #ed_op#P#ed_cl#I was supposed to call today if it didn't get better, or earlier if there was a new symptom. I called yesterday because the left side of his chest was all swollen. Higher up it's hard, but as it goes lower it gets soft, and saggy, and if you grab it at the bottom it feels like theres a little ball in there that moves all around. Very weird. Also on his chest and in his girth area is a weird rashy thing. Just a few bare patches, which she thinks is unrelated. I told them about it, they told me to call back this morning if it didn't go away. I cold hosed it and walked him out and it's still there today. SOo hopefully someone will be coming out #ed_op#P#ed_cl#Other than that.. he's eating and peeing and pooping all normally. His temp is normal, so is his resp.. though it was a little quick today but it was fairly hot. He's still pretty lethargic and down, though he did nicker at me today.. but I did bring him carrots #ed_op#P#ed_cl#He did have alsike clover poisoning last year. Could this be related? The blood tests say no (liver enzymes all normal) but I'm still worried. Someone suggested it might be something relating to his heart. Any thoughts?? #ed_op#P#ed_cl#Thanks! #ed_op#P#ed_cl##ed_op#/P#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#
A horse of two breeds is a horse of two talents
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