I’m purposefully keeping things vague to protect the innocent: There’s a 10 yr purpose bred sporthorse at my barn that seems just about perfect for me: 16h, dressage foundation, shown Nov eventing/schooling Training, jumper low adults, brave and beautiful - anyone can ride. Solid show record. About 2 years ago this horse had cellulitis, recovered and resumed training/showing. I heard the horse may be up for sale soon. The cellulitis ankle is larger, but apparently sound and continues to train and show in area 8. Would this be a deal breaker for you? I guess it depends on how risk-averse you are… along with what the price tag is. If you personally would take the leap based on the pros and cons, what discount or price point would it take to make you comfortable enough to “take the leap”?
What day to day care is required?
Some chronic cellulitis horses need nightly wrapping. Is that what you’re looking at?
Or is one leg just chronically a little fatter, but stable without wrapping?
Does he relapse with any regularity?
There isn’t any daily care/wrapping, one leg is just fatter around the ankle, moreso in the summer humidity from what I can tell. I don’t know of any pattern…
That would be an absolute deal breaker for me, but I have a long sad sob story about a horse that I owned that is too detailed to post in its entirety. Weather it was cellulitis or lymphangitis, the vet never really determined. but skip to the end, horse had another injury requiring months of stall rest, and the lymphangitis flared right back. Ended up having to put the horse down at 8 years old. Don’t buy trouble, it’ll try to find you anyways.
We have two horses here that may be relevant to the topic.
One came with a flare up of cellulitis that he was on iv antibiotics and his skin was breaking down down from the pressure. It took about three months to get him back to normal. Since then ( winter of 2014) we had one puffy leg last winter when he got cut on same leg but otherwise nothing. He was sound with the puff and it lasted two days tops.
The other arrived with diagnosed cellulitis. Regular flare ups in mud. A huge time consuming and expensive protocol gets put in place when he flares up. We xrayed the most affected Pastern in the spring and the degenation is dreadful. I will not be putting him through another flare up protocol.
So with two horses that appear similar completely different advice gleaned from each 
If you can afford him, buy him. You could buy a perfect horse with no record of cellulitis and it can break its leg the next day. You said he is perfect. Enjoy every second with him.
Tough call but after seeing… 4?5? horses having to be put down due to complications of cellulitis and a few that are managed with the condition. Flare ups can be minor or severe costing lots of time, money, and emotional energy if they are bad.
Personally, I would pass but that’s only because I’ve seen later stages of this. I’m not saying it always goes badly, but the horses I knew were EXTREMELY well taken care of and all the stops were pulled for treatment and trying to identify triggers with no avail. I couldn’t imagine having to deal with this with my own horse.
Define “had cellulitis”. Vet involved? What was the cause? How quickly was it resolved?
Hmm. I think personally I would want as much info as possible about the episode: how long did it last, did they identify the trigger, etc. If the trigger was identified (and is easily avoidable), and the horse has been sound and working consistently in the last 2 years since the episode, I would be inclined to move cautiously forward - or at least not let it be a dealbreaker.
I haven’t dealt with cellulitis in a personal horse, but I’ve known two folks who have. One was a brief episode, likely from an allergic reaction (not 100% sure of cause, but horse had gone roaming through the woods on an unsupervised romp so perhaps a plant it hadn’t encountered before). Horse recovered very quickly and has been sound with no recurrences for the past 4 years. The second one came up after an injury, and after many many months of flare ups, the horse was euthanized.
So I would definitely take a pause and carefully consider - but it wouldn’t automatically be a dealbreaker.
One of my horses contracted a single case of cellulitis 4 years ago, vet was quickly called, antibiotics given and has never had an issue since. On the other hand, I’ve known horses that are repeat offenders and each time it gets harder and harder to manage.
A single incident of cellulitis 2 years ago with no flare up since would be of absolutely zero concern for me. I admit, I’m extra vigilant now that any cut is promptly treated and vet is on stand by for antibiotics if necessary but it certainly would not prevent me from purchasing an otherwise ideal horse.
Since you know the horse and have an idea of the history and care, it would be more tempting than if you heard this re another unknown horse. you can always ask to speak to the vet who treated the horse. And it may give you a little price leverage. If there was any indication of chronic I would say skip. But if the horse has been fine for the two years different story.
I’ve had two experiences, same horse. Older TB one day swollen hoof to elbow, front leg. Meds, lots of cold hosing and walking for a week and he was back to normal work within a couple weeks. Did get some skin splitting/oozing but not bad. No other issues for around 5 years, when all of a sudden same thing (he was 24 or so at the time). This time it would not heal - open skin, worry about joint capsule infection, etc. However this horse also had heart issues, and had been showing other signs of decline. I believe the poor heart/circulatory function was why he wasn’t healing. He was put down after 3 weeks.
I think you’re right to be concerned but I think this is where you do a very thorough vetting and really talking this out with the vet in front of you - the details of the incident, this vet’s experience with whether those kinds of details tend to be long term chronic issues or not. You can also consider if there’s extra management for this horse and if you’re prepared to take those steps if so. Some horses are worth it.
I’m not experienced in vetting this kind of issue but I wonder if an ultrasound is in order on the larger ankle, especially if you’re planning to event this horse or do big jumps.
My guess is this would be an expensive vetting so if you have the option to discuss it with your vet before you have them out for a full workup, I’d do that, even expecting to pay them some amount to talk over the phone first.
Two years with no relapse is a good sign to me that the horse will be good for a while and manageable, though not necessarily forever. 6 months I’d be a lot more skeptical.
There is a significant possibility that over his lifetime another issue could occur, and so that has to be part of your calculations - but there’s some of that with any horse. I might expect to see these issues recur when he gets older, which is when circulation efficiency in the lymphatic system gets impaired.
For the right answers, the right price, and the right This Horse Will Be Great For Me, I’d do it. If after you do the workup the price feels like too big a gamble, or if you have any doubts about his ability to take you to the next step in your goals, or your ability to change your goals to meet his needs, then pass.
The fact that it has been two years with no relapse is a good sign, but the fact that there is still swelling in that ankle means it was a bad case that probably lasted a while.
I had a case of sudden onset cellulitis in my 6 year old that required about $10k worth of treatment (thank you Great American). Normal leg on Friday night, literal tree trunk and non-weight bearing Saturday morning. We fought it on and off for a year and then it flared back bigtime so I had to let him go. I would never touch a chronic cellulitis/lymphangitis horse. Ever.
I own a chronic lymphangitis/cellulitis horse who causes me no end of stress and worry. It certainly isn’t a problem I personally would knowingly buy, even if this horse has not had a flare-up to your knowledge. Just not a recipe for peace of mind.
This. Knowing the horse and observing what management, if any, it has required is a huge advantage. I suspect that a single cellulitis episode 2 years ago isn’t something that most sellers would disclose so if you go shopping elsewhere you may very well buy a horse with the same history unknowingly (well, hopefully you or your vet would notice a swollen fetlock but a horse could easily have the history without any outward signs).
I would do a thorough vetting and ask for records, but if it really was just one isolated incident and the horse vets well, I’d buy it. Hard to say what “discount,” if any, I’d expect without knowing what the asking price is though.
Thank you everyone for relating your experiences (good and bad). Seems like this situation can be similar to: cribbing, colic, bowed tendons, etc…IOW, bad cases can be really severe and chronic, while others are one-offs or mildly inconvenient. I have learned that the horse had an “infected cut” with 1st owner as a 5 yr old from a fence accident. I bet this was cellulitis. A few years later this horse had a bout with current owner, though no obvious accident happened. Standard antibiotic regime was administered at home, no IVs or longterm aftercare. Now the horse is 10. This is a mare with very desirable temperament, training and breeding. Lots to think about and I have time. Thanks again!!
I’d pass.
Having had experience with cellulitis before, I would pass. But if you really like this mare…an extensive vetting with a vet you know and trust to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly. Good luck OP.
I wouldn’t do it, but that’s because cellulitis/lymphangitis is so much of a hassle to care for and treat if it does become recurrent. I had one who was chronic and had to be wrapped constantly, wraps changed daily, it was a huge hassle. Nice horse, but I always wondered how much she was suffering, too. Never lame but that can’t be comfortable.
Anyway, with so many nice horses out there - I wouldn’t do it. Any time there was a cut or scrape, I’d be stressed.
At the very least it will be a situation that will require careful management. Avoiding scrapes and cuts on the hind legs (I assume it’s a hind leg), which means boots in turnout, and avoiding fungal infections and skin crud, so turnout should be DRY. Depending on your area, it might make finding the right turnout or board a little more tricky. And obviously, you’d have to keep a close watch on those legs and make sure they are clean and dry most of the time.
If the bouts do start to recur more frequently, it would mean time off, and even more time cleaning, bandaging, wrapping, etc.
I’ve seen horses that get a fat leg from cellulitis and go on to function perfectly fine, allegedly, but that is not my experience. My OTTB had it later in life and it is eventually what killed him. He did not have any signs of it earlier in life though.
