Ok so my 4yo qh gelding has blister all over his chin, nose, and lips. He's hardly eating and has been dropping weight. Nothing has changed that I can think of that would cause it... But he has been started under saddle recently (about a month ago) they showed up over night and I have NO IDEA what they are! Someone please help! I just had a baby so right now cant afford a big vet bill. I had my vet tech friend come out and look at it. She was baffled by it also and said she would ask her boss who is also my vet. They are open soars and are dry, cracked, flakey, and bleeding. It's not a sun burn and I put Vaseline on it today but had to wrestle with him (he's a BIG 16hh halter horse) but they hurt so bad he kept throwing his head. He is hypp nh but I dont know if that makes a difference? My tech friend said she didn't think so because it isnt a muscle problem. Any clues??????? I have pics of his face but dont know how to load them.....
Blisters on lips, chin, nose? Not a sunburn HELP
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could it be something that he ate? If it's only around his muzzle area; I'd say theres a very good chance that it is. Does he have any sort of of access to pesticides, poisons, etc? This could be something sprayed on the grass that he grazes on, even. I'd check his hay and grain too, for blister beetles or other bugs. Those can cause some nasty sores.
To load a picture, I first load them onto tinypic or photobucket, then click the next to last button (the one of a mountain scene in a little yellow square) - paste the URL into that, and it puts it into your message.
To load a picture, I first load them onto tinypic or photobucket, then click the next to last button (the one of a mountain scene in a little yellow square) - paste the URL into that, and it puts it into your message.
He hasn't eaten anything weird. He's been in the same pasture forever. No pesticides, poison, etc... Same feed and hay for the last month or so. So I have no idea! I'm super worried and I haven't heard from the vet yet. I'm going to see if I can haul him in to get him seen earlier. But I feel so bad. He is always in my face for kisses and he hasn't at all today. They just sprang up over night. He's also acting different. Not so loving, more stand offish. I know he feels horrible but I am at a loss!
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Its either fungus, a reaction to a toxin, or thistles, small fine briars in his hay,
Toxin could be something sprayed on grass like lime or fertilizer, or weedkiller, could also be poison Ivy or oak, look along the edges of your field or fence line see if any is growing.
warm soap and water with some listerine in the water will wash off the toxins and kill the fungus, Look for a fugicidal cream instead of straight vaseiline, Same type of cream u would use for athletes foot, but u can probably find a larger cheaper fungicide cream at a tack store.
Toxin could be something sprayed on grass like lime or fertilizer, or weedkiller, could also be poison Ivy or oak, look along the edges of your field or fence line see if any is growing.
warm soap and water with some listerine in the water will wash off the toxins and kill the fungus, Look for a fugicidal cream instead of straight vaseiline, Same type of cream u would use for athletes foot, but u can probably find a larger cheaper fungicide cream at a tack store.
listerine like mouthwash? We dont have any stickers, thistles, and or spraying in our field it's all flat grass pasture. . I tried to wash his face today but he wouldn't let me touch him. It was a fight just getting the vaseline on. I dont want to stress him out anymore so I'm going to leave him alone tonight.
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There is an Equine Herpes Virus going around, I don't know the symptoms, have just heard about it, but Herpes is blisters.... Like shingles in a human.... could it be this? If so, it's a virus, for humans, there is an anti-virus to take for it. I don't know about horses though.
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yep listerine mouthwash, spray it on with an old well cleaned spray bottle, will clear it up if it is a fungus, works on rain rot also. Thistles look like flat lettuce leaves, they have tiny hair like thorns, and like I said could be poison ivy or oak growing up.
SPray it off with listerine, then let it dry then rub some vaseline like you are doing. if you cant get anything else. If you can get to a tack store look for an anti fungal cream,
Oh it could also be virus related, if so it is contagious, through shared water troughs of feed bukets. If viral the same thing will work and it will clear up on its own.
SPray it off with listerine, then let it dry then rub some vaseline like you are doing. if you cant get anything else. If you can get to a tack store look for an anti fungal cream,
Oh it could also be virus related, if so it is contagious, through shared water troughs of feed bukets. If viral the same thing will work and it will clear up on its own.
Ok ill try the Listerine tonight. i think i have some fungal cream in my medicine cabinet. i'll try that too. i hope it works. hes NOT acting like himself at all! hes usually whinnying and nickering for my attention. now hes pointing his butt at me and stomping. ive never seen him like this. im super worried
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I have heard sudocreme works.. never tried it - worth a try though right! Oh, and alo-vera... it could be photo sensitivity- doesnt really look like it but possibly. Does he have ANY buttercups in his field?? ANY at all - even a small amount? He may be extra reactive to buttercups- they can cause photo senstitvity if thats it. Oh and, do you have any St Johns Wort in his field- looks a bit like ragwort...
Best wishes
Best wishes
nope i rode my mare around this afternoon and there is nothing. no stickers, thistles, buttercups, dandylions, etc. just grass hay field (cut 2months ago) so we keep it really clean but dont spray we pull weeds (did it after cutting)
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I would be concerned that it is this: USDA - APHIS - Animal Health Surveillance & Monitoring - Vesicular Stomatitis Surveillance
The USDA website does not seem to indicate that there have been outbreaks in Washington, but I would still be call a vet and have it properly diagnosed. There can be other things as well that cause mouth ulceration in horses, but diagnosing it requires a vet!
The USDA website does not seem to indicate that there have been outbreaks in Washington, but I would still be call a vet and have it properly diagnosed. There can be other things as well that cause mouth ulceration in horses, but diagnosing it requires a vet!
OMG I just remembered I wormed him the other day. I used Bimectin the day before I noticed it. Do you think that could be it? I gave my mare and filly the same also and they haven't shown any signs. Any clue? I dont have a way of separating him from the other horses without having a huge fiasco. Since he had never been turned out or with other horses until I got him now he loves it! I hope its something simple like allergies not APHIS
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APHIS is the acronym for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services; not a disease. The disease is vesicular stomatitis, or VS. The internet is a lousy way to get a medical diagnosis; if it is that, or anything else, you need a vet. Especially if it is VS, as it can pose a risk to other horses and livestock in your area.
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Blister beetles have a toxin that causes these types of blisters on the mouth and the intestines. It is usually found in alfalfa and can be fatal. Has the horse been seen by a vet yet?
http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2006/Fall/EquineCT.htm
http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2006/Fall/EquineCT.htm
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If it's not any better today, then I think you just need to haul him up to the vet. If it is a reaction, it could of spread internally, also. If it's blister beetles- it can kill him, and if it's a virus, like everyone has said- it can spread to the other horses.
when i went out this morning his right side was cleared up to just a scab and some tiny bumps. his left tide is also clearing up beautifully. hes hypp nh and cant have alfalfa so no beetles. my vet stopped by on his way to the clinic this morning and said it doesnt look like Vesicular Stomatitis. he took a few swabs to test but he thinks its from the wormer because someone else's horse broke out awhile back after taking bimectin but they didnt put 2 and 2 together. im never using that brand again!
Ok so it seems he's getting worse? Any suggestions? He doesn't want me to touch him because when I do I clean his face up and I can tell it is hurting him. I'm getting bute this week for him because its obviously really painful since he's usually all over me! I called my vet and gave him a heads up. He said give it a few days it will get worse before it gets better but to give him a call friday if it doesn't change. It's spread but is starting to look ok. The scabs and goop is coming of and he's a little pink and raw underneath but it looks better once the gross gunk comes off. I've been putting vaseline and burn/blister spray on him. Any suggestions?
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