Bute/gabapentin skin reaction or self mutilation?

[BEJ]

Bear with me as I type from my phone….

Long story short, I rescued a starved, broken 14 y/o breeding stallion from a field with two dead horses a little over 3 weeks ago. Monday I had a (second) vet out to do a lameness and neuro exam. She put him on bute and gabapentin for pain. He had a dose of both Monday night and a second dose Tuesday morning. Tuesday afternoon I went to give him his gastroguard and noticed he was itching his elbows and chest between his front legs. Assuming it was just a fly/bug allergy I treated it according. Wednesday it looked better so treated the same. Well, today he is a bloody, itchy mess. He also has patches of hair missing on his sides. Not sure if it is him itching or just hair loss. The spots I’ve seen him itch with his mouth are obvious. I have not seen him scratch on any objects. Vet called, waiting on call back, and messaged my 1st choice vet who is out due to medical stuff. All we can come up with is allergy to either the bute or gaba, the combination of the two, or it could possibly be self mutilation due to the mental effects of the gaba. Have any of you experienced these type of reactions from bute or gabapentin?? I haven’t seen any behavior from him that looks like self mutilation, just normal horse itching with his mouth.

Ugh, poor guy! He’s such a sweet gentleman and I want to help him.

[carman_liz]

Hi and welcome back! I would post this in the horse care section, you would most likely get more advice on there then around the farm. Poor guy wonder if he has allergies though? Good luck and thank you for rescuing him!!

[Bonnie2]

Never seen this type of reaction to either bute or gabapentin. And in my youth people would give 2 grams of bute twice a day! It is possible it was just a bug bite type thing that he has worried into a self sustaining problem. If it is safe for him - definitely speak to your vet first - it sounds like he needs steroids. Personally, I have not found gabapentin helpful so I would take him off that. Maybe ace him - again, ask your vet - for a day to let the skin calm down. So good of you to help him! Best of luck!

[BEJ]

Oh gosh in my haste I just posted without clearly looking where I was

[BEJ]

Thank you for your response Bonnie2. I’m still waiting on the prescribing vet to get back to me but we did take him off the bute and gabapentin. I only had hydrocortisone cream so slapped that on and it is looking mildly improved this am:)

[jvanrens]

@BEJ

Oh gosh in my haste I just posted without clearly looking where I was

@Moderator_1 can move this to Horse Care for you.

Good luck with your horse, it’s possible he’s having an allergic reaction to whatever bedding you’re using. My mare flared an allergic reaction once (hives all over her body), we gave her a dose or two of dex and it went away and never re-occurred again.

[BEJ]

Vet thinks it’s an allergy to additive(s) in the bute. So far it’s better today, but he’s a raw scabby mess

Bedding is exactly the same and from the same batch he’s had these past few weeks BUT it absolutely could still be the bedding. My plan is to strip the stall and get different bedding for this evening.

He has the farrier again tonight for his 2nd trim, massage Sunday and chiro on Tuesday. I’m trying to give him every chance I can to be comfortable. He’s gaining a reasonable amount of weight and seems like an all around happy gentleman:)

[Moderator_1]

Moved to Horse Care. Best wishes to you and this poor fellow!

[ladipus]

I’ve given Gabapentin to several without any of those affects …it’s possible allergic reaction.