Fistula of the withers. Open to suggestions.

[boondocks]

So this is a horse I raised as an orphan. Nurse mare foal. She is 13 and a Belgian/TB cross. As a 2 yo I gave her to my ranch owner friend. He rides an drives her. Ocasionally, not daily. She lives on 150 mol acres with all kinds of stuff.... tractors, dozers, sheds, metal roof carports, trailers, trees.... Lots.in November I was called to look at an injury on her withers. Definitely injury... Gouges on both sides of withers. I got some antibiotics (SMZ) from work an instructed the dose an said to call if it dont heal. Well, end of jan I got the call it was draining. They said it did dry and close, but abcessed and now draining from 2 tracts. I got gentomycin an more SMZ an went everyday to give iv. Not confident she was getting the oral abx I had him bring her to my house. After she had the 5 days of gent and 2 weeks of SMZ just a little less drainage... And the top drain tract was almost closed we took her over to the hospital for a real diagnosis. I was thinking it was a sequestrum on her shoulder blade. But not so lucky. It is infected bone at the tops of the spinus processes of the withers.  bummer. Even with my discount the sx is expensive an the prognosis questionable.  So... They did a culture an sensitivity and gentocin was the abx of choice... So she's back here at my house getting her long course of gentocin. The top drain tract is now closed, and I'm giving quality feed with probiotics and some diamond v yeast and a bit of kelp... A little alfalfa and all the bremuda hay she can eat... Has salt and minerals out.... Anyone have success healing these things before?? Her name is Bonnie and she was born the day the space shuttle Colombia broke apart re-entering the atmosphere... My Dad did most of the raising of this horse and she is the gentle giant that most draft horses are...

[dinee]

Bumping

[donna12345]

On of our colts had a nasty kick to knee. Treated by vet at our place,with daily care, meds washing etc. Toward end of treatment "time" ,he could not move. Vet came ,doped up, in trailer, to Cornell. X-ray says infection in knee bone. What to do ,does not look good except for $$$$. Sooo,we have them treat, with no assurance of out come. He was lucky,pure luck of draw. He'll never be a jumper,just a good boy with bloodlines. We were fortunate to put bill on animal health low credit card. Treated at hospital,with home follow up. Yours in is uour u ands. The main thing is,you do the best,with hope and prayer, if that is what you decide. The outcome ,as long as you know treatment was followed ,still can go either way. My hope for you is for positive. Nothing would be from your lack of concern.

[boondocks]

Thanks Donna! I am trying... It is a challenge, work is busy right now. And there's been a case there recently of a horse with 'poll evil'. Infection at the poll. A lovely older horse that spent 5-6 weeks there getting every type of tx we offer... Now she's at UF vet school getting something done we don't offer. The surgeon speculated their bill at 13-14k at this point an it's still infected.... So... Prayers accepted!

[milkmaid]

I know you said it looked like an injury, but.... They did rule out brucellosis on that culture/sensitivity, right?

[boondocks]

I will check an make sure!