www.nfed.co.uk

Can anyone help? Has anyone had the same problem? My beautiful mare 3 weeks ago had a swelling on her back with a raised vein running from her shoulder to her wither along her back and down into the swelling on her back. Next day there is a scab so I assume she has been bitten (she has sensitive skin), bute, ice back and piriton and swelling down, Five days later 4 more bites same swellings but with less veins. 3 days later two more. All in the same area about a foot square on her back. I have covered everything in fly spray, changed rugs, bedding changed, cleaned out stable and given ivermectin. Spoken to vet several times still no closer to solving issue. Now just waiting to get a live scab to send to lab. Can anyone give me hope or an idea as to what this is. I have been around horses over 25 years both professional and now for leisure and have never come across anything like it.

I've never seen it myself, but I believe the larva of the warble fly migrate out of the horse's back. More often found in cattle and deer, but can affect horses.

Are you sure it's not rain scald? They can get that if they sweat under the rug.

Its been mild recently, could be something living under the rug. Could be quite a few things-any possibility its a reaction to what you are cleaning your rug with?

I did see a very odd form of lice in the winter in sweden-but that was in the snow-a white lice on a friends horses-something that was common out there

Warble fly was supposedly eradicated in this country in around 1990 after they had a big campaign to get farmers to blitz it. If there was a thought that this was warble then your vet should be taking it very seriously as it's a notifiable disease - I seem to think that it was something that affected animlas in the summer months though so fingers crossed it won't be anything as awful. I know of someone whose horse was bitten by a fly and then had an allergic reaction where he started breaking out in sores all over his body - he was successfully treated with steroids.

It must be very worrying - I hope you manage to get an answer soon.

Warble flys used to emerge in early summer. (Very satisfying to pop out) were eradicated as the value of the cow hide was reduced if warble damaged!!

Many thanks all for all your ideas. Sadly none seem to fit. Type of wound not simular to warble. Have seen rain scald and can rule that out. Rugs have been changed as has every thing else in stable. This only happens in stable at night. Ivermectin dose given on Tuesday night again, may be having some effect but to early to get my hopes up. Again thank you for all your kind words keep the ideas coming in.

This is a bit random but if it's just in the stable at night I wonder if there's something in the stable - are they wood stables that some kind of bug could be hidden in? When I used to have hens they once got red mite and the mites would live in the cracks of wood in the hut and just come out at night to feed on the hens. With the hens it was easy to cure - we just creosoted the inside of the hut and the perches, you could see the mites coming out and dying.

Is there anything in the stable that she could be rubbing herself on?

They are brick stables and have cleared out and disinfected. Gave ivermectin Tuesday night, thought it might be making difference however new swelling this morning although a lot smaller than previous. Hopefully will get live scab to be examined on Monday. It is really werid they are all within one area on her back. She getting really grumpy- bless her.

Vampire bats?

Could she be having an allergic reaction to something?
I use silver lining herbs to great effect. You email Johnny and send him a photograph of both the problem and the whole horse. He dowses the photographs and get backs to you with what he believes the issues could be. All of that part is free. If you agree that he might be able to help he will then make up a herbal mix for your specific horse - that part you pay for!
I know that it all sounds very touchy feely, but my 17.2hh Warmblood suffered terribly with allergies and was always coughing and was covered in urticaria on a regular basis. I had been down every other avenue, vets had blood tested him, scoped him - all sorts, other therapists had done their best too, but the herbs have helped him hugely. I notice if I run out that within a week he starts to cough again and he gets a few bumps. Johnny was also the only person who came back to me and asked - "has your vet ever suggested that this horse could be mildly diabetic" - he hadn't, and yes he is, so once all sugar/molassed feeds were removed from his diet his uritcaria just disappeared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.silverliningherbs.co.uk/
Might be worth an email even if it doesn't take you anywhere - - - -

My pony had similar, she had small lumps which I assumed where bites and with a few days of hibbi scrub went, but infact came back later they sometimes scabbed over and puss came out, I could squeeze and push as much as I liked and she never reacted, I got the vet to have a look and they said it was blocked sweat glands which cause her no problem what so ever and can't be seen they are generally on the top of her back in the saddle area and now I just leave them to sort themselves out and in time others appear but they do dissapear.

Thought I would give you the latest theory from the vet. I had a lesson booked yesterday, and had no new lump/bites/? for 9 days so thought was sorted with the ivermectin given. So very excited, took her rug off and there it was, another lump with a vein going into it. Vet came out and took lots of samples. Came back to me and latest theroy is Cutaneous (skin) Habronema, which is an ususual presentation in the UK. So treating with ivermection at 10 day intervals and anti-biotics. I will keep you updated. I do appreciate all the help.

So what's that in layman's terms then - a parasitic infection? How would she have got it?

Yes you are correct, vet suspects fly bite back in summer but it all seems very light on hard facts. I am just hoping hitting it with everything is going to work.. On fourth day with out bump and fingers crossed.

Fingers tightly crossed for you. Flippin' flies!