Bumps under chin....advice on treatment.

So Im going to give a thorough background so that maybe someone will have input on what could be plaguing my boy.

In October I took Ransom to a local show, it was not the first show he had been to, or the first time he had been to this venue for a show. About two weeks after the show, a bump formed under his chin, and I washed it with Betadine and put ointment on it thinking that he had just scraped it. No skin was broken, but there was a large and hard lump.

A couple days later, I was scratching him under his chin, one of his favorite things. I noticed that there was a crust, and drainage soming from the bump. My first thought was strangles, or the beginning of it, and I called the vet first thing in the morning.

The vet said to bring him in right away, I took the rest of the day off work, and took him to the vet.

At this point Ransom had no other symptoms, not loss of appetite, no lethargy, no fever, no coughing or trouble breathing. He was also turned out with 2 other horses, they did not contract anything then or anything to to this day.

The vet examined him and quickly concluded that Ransom had a ruptured lymphnode, and he told me that I needed to put him on a round of penicillin and keep him quarantined, however there were NO other symptoms. I tried to get Ransom accept a shot of penicillin but he didnt, so I called the vet back and he told me to come and pick up a bottle of SMV Tabs and start him on a round of them.

Ransom took the SMV's for 10 days, and he seemed to really get better, the bump closed back up, (but never really dissapeared) and he seemed to be okay.

About a week-two weeks ago he had the bump erupt again, it was smaller then the first time, and once we got him all cleaned up I saw that it was actually like 3 little bumps, looked like pimples. It wasnt as bad or as big as the first time, I immediately called the vet and he said that there was no need to do SMV's again, just to put the Thermazene (RX ointment) that he had given me and if he didnt get better in a week that to call him back.

My concerns:

Could there be a splinter up in there that could be causing an infection (but mind you there are no infections or any other symptoms of infection) that needs to be lanced in order to stop the cycle. What about a tooth abscess? Usually I have heard of human abscesses blowing out through the gumline, but it may be different in horses, but then that would make me think if he has an abscess he would have trouble eating because it would hurt.

Or maybe this is just a lymphnode that keeps rupturing, without being full out strangles. I don't think that it is anything contagious, as he is with 2 other horses and neither of them have had anything similar, nor have they been vaccinated for strangles so they have no immunity.

Has anyone had any kind of similar experience, or know of anything that this might be.

As of today, 1-28-2011, he was healing nicely. But the bumps are bursting one right after the other.

Should I be concerned?

Any advice would be gladly welcomed and if I need to elaborate on anything, I would be glad to do so. Sorry about the long post.

Hi, you must be goping crazy, poor you (hugs) we had something similar on our yard a really healthy beautiful horse had a lump on his jawline errupt, panic and quarentine followed, and a lot of tests,just from what happened to us I would ask :- has your vet ruled out strangels from drawing blood? He could be a carrier and not be symptomatic?? That's the first thing you need to check, if yes then you know it's not I would poultice it up and see if you can draw out anything, I know it's a hard position but on the horse on out yard it brought out a splinter that had been imbedded for ages?? If not ask about lancing them, then finish with a course of anibiotics to clear indection completely, if any doubt about the strangels the horses you graze with could consider a jab, but I can't remember the rules about having it done, it depends on contact and timescale etc etc but it might put their minds at rest,

Hope this is some help, good luck xx

My vet has not drawn blood to rule out if he was a carrier. I didnt even think of that, nor did he suggest it. So thanks for that idea, maybe I will get the vet to do that if I need to take him back in. The horses that he's with, he's eaten after them, drank everything, they have not come up with one symptom.

Im really not sure what it can be, although the first bump that burst a few days ago, is really healing nice. I have put icthamol on it to draw out infection/discharge out, and I have had hot compresses on it as well.

I just don't know if this is something that I should be concerned about, or just relax and let it run its course.

Whenever I see strangles I always see big blowouts on the sides of necks, this is not that at all, it is literally a few bigger pimples under his chin inn an area about the size of a half dollar. The first round of this the bump itself was about the size of a halfdollar by itself.

Thanks for the ideas, I will most definitely as my vet if we should test him as a carrier for strangles.

It could possibly be an infected tooth, but not possitive that is what is going on with your horse. The part about having pimple like eruptions doesn't sound like what I've seen in a horse with a tooth or teeth abcess. The tooth abcess will burst to the underside of the jaw or near the chin and a gooey, gunky mess will ooze out of it. It didn't affect the horse I saw with the tooth abcess to be not bothered with it to were he couldn't or wouldn't eat.

Your welcome but if he is healthy bright eyed and no runny nose then try not to worry too much, hopefully the cream will draw anything out that needs to come and it will clear up, the strangels test may just ease your mind, I know it always terrifies me
Good luck hope it works out let us know xx

So I called the vet this morning, he said that he is going to come out tomorrow morning, and take a look. The ruptured bumps seem to be healing nicely, but he still doesnt like me even touching around that area, maybe it is sore?

Anyways, I will keep you posted, the vet is coming to check to see if it something that my be lodged in there, or an abscess.

So the vet was out yesterday, and he thinks that whatever might be under there came out with the bursting of the few bumps that were under there. He said that there were no hard spots to make him think that there was anything left under the skin. We did draw blood to rule out if he was a carrier of strangles, and when that comes back, and before show season this year we decided that he should be vaccinated against it. (he hasnt been before, he just gets his 4 way, west nile, and rabies)

Hopefully all is well and this will be the end of all of this stuff, not that it was anything that was "too" serious. It just makes me nervous, I have no kids so he has taken the place of children, and I worry like a mom every time something isnt just quite right.

Thanks everyone!