Swollen throatlatch, what could it be?

[endlessclimb]

Well, as horses go, The Old Man did the thing.

Swelling along throatlatch, chin, and sheath 100% gone.

The vet maintains that it was tympany.

I asked the vet to pull blood, and to run a thyroid panel with it. I will have him tested for ACTH in a couple months to get a better # than if I did it now. That one is a fasting blood draw because she does a metabolic panel, so it can’t be done today regardless.

Damn you Niko.

Fun story: One year, he had some persistent skin issues that I had the vet look at. Vet examined, prescribed some sort of steroid cream, and pulled blood just in case. Results came back WAY high on red blood cell count. I suggested to the vet that while he may be very stoic and never put a foot wrong, he was nervous as a cat whenever she was around - he’s no dummy. She didn’t believe me. I asked her to pull blood another day, but to sneak in, with everything ready in hand. Lo and behold, red blood cell count totally normal. I paid $145 that day to confirm my horse was scared of the vet.

#theoldmanchronicles

[endlessclimb]

She also checked all of his teeth (the best boy let her do it all with a speculum, no sedation), and didn’t find anything of note. Temperature normal, heart sounded good.

Her suggestion for next time is benign neglect.

[Pico_Banana]

Take solace in the fact (yes, it’s a FACT) that if you hadn’t had the vet out, he’d still be swollen.

Horses.

[JB]

@endlessclimb

I will have him tested for ACTH in a couple months to get a better # than if I did it now.

You’ll still need to do the TRH test if you’re going to test then, if you want to see if he’s in the early stages. If he really has issues, and this just a minor symptom, then you will probably see an unreasonable number with the regular ACTH test.

I just wouldn’t bother with the ACTH test in April when levels are still at their lowest, on the chance he could test normal and still really have PPID.

[endlessclimb]

I think she runs an “everything” type test, not sure. I’ll ask her for more details. I’m not too versed in cushings/IR things.

[Fiesta01]

Interesting, I didn’t know that. When the test came back and I asked how bad that number was, my vet said that an Arabian he was treating had just come back at 400. However, my vet knew how much of a worrier I was about my horse, so maybe he was trying to make me feel better?

[Fiesta01]

[quote=“Pico_Banana, post:63, topic:769128”],
Horses.
[/quote]

Why is it that when horse people say “Horses”, it is never said like
“Yay, horses!”, it’s always said in an exasperated, disgusted tone?

[endlessclimb]

Swelling back full force today. Damn you Old Man.

[PaddockWood]

Help me understand why a vet wouldn’t pull ACTH in early Feb? Seems to me it would give you data worth knowing.

[endlessclimb]

Blood results are back. Nothing of huge note according to the vet. Vet has asked me to feed a senior feed to see if it will boost his protein (he’s on FatCat due to some minor weightloss that I caught super early - it is 24% protein so I am surprised that it was low). T4 isn’t back yet, she isn’t concerned about T3?

nikoblood.pdf (481.8 KB)

[KBC]

@Fiesta01

[quote=“Pico_Banana, post:63, topic:769128”],
Horses.

Why is it that when horse people say “Horses”, it is never said like
“Yay, horses!”, it’s always said in an exasperated, disgusted tone?
[/quote]

Because “yay horses” is a given, that’s why we are all addicts, just sympathizing with every way that they can exasperate us

[JB]

@endlessclimb

Vet has asked me to feed a senior feed to see if it will boost his protein (he’s on FatCat due to some minor weightloss that I caught super early - it is 24% protein so I am surprised that it was low).

Low protein/albumin is far more indicative of disease status than dietary status. Colitis is one possibility, kidney disease another. Essentially, proteins are leaking out of the body.

TBH I don’t know what T3 levels that low mean, especially if T4 wasn’t tested - ???

[IPEsq]

@JB

@endlessclimb

Vet has asked me to feed a senior feed to see if it will boost his protein (he’s on FatCat due to some minor weightloss that I caught super early - it is 24% protein so I am surprised that it was low).

Low protein/albumin is far more indicative of disease status than dietary status. Colitis is one possibility, kidney disease another. Essentially, proteins are leaking out of the body.

TBH I don’t know what T3 levels that low mean, especially if T4 wasn’t tested - ???

One of my vets will also use that measurement as a possible indicator of ulcers. I’ve never heard of it being corrected by feeding more protein.

Protein and Fat in Horse Diets Studied - Kentucky Equine Research

Plasma albumin and total protein levels were not affected by dietary protein or fat levels in this study.

[endlessclimb]

T4 results aren’t in, and my vet is leaving on vacation. She wanted to give me what she had so far.

None of the other results indicate kidney issues though right? He has been on previcox for 13 years tho.

[endlessclimb]

I could do a round of esomeprazole and see what it gives me.

I’m not sure any of this answers the swelling though. Maybe purdue is the right place to go.

[lenapesadie]

I think kidney disease is associated with swelling in humans. Purdue sounds good to my ears

[wildlifer]

My vet also tells me low albumin can be an indicator of colitis/ulcers/belly sand. I also vote for a 2nd opinion, in fact, that is what my own vet recommended to me when we had the weirdness that didn’t make sense (which would up being crazy rare & horrific infected abscesses). I do own, though, that my concerns are definitely coloured by my unusual experience!

[steelerino]

Sending you a PM.

[sascha]

Hope that shows up ok. It’s the only one I could find.

[IPEsq]

Sorry if I missed it but did you ever scope the guttural pouches or upper airway?