Slightly worried about Nelson.... Stangles??

[Sexy Sietske]

Last night he came in galloped up the field when I shouted him and pranced into his stable and tucked into his hay, went in to put his rug on and he nudged me (like he does) and I noticed he was rather swollen around his jaw and on his cheeks. Had a prod and a poke and it wasn't at all uncomfortable for him, he was his bright perky self and eating like he hasn't seen hay for weeks!! My first thought was strangles but he is breathing fine, eating very well, drinking everything normal so didnt worry too much.

This morning, still swollen but not as much but still eating and still himself, kicked the door when I went into the feed room and chased Sietske and Olivia around the field when he was turned out, very typical of Nelson. If he is still swollen when I go up later I will phone the vet but should I be worried??

He is fine in himself but just this swelling around his jaw There are new horses in the next field too but they all appear healthy.

 

[FayeObs]

Is the Grass short in the field he's in? If it is sometimes their jaw swells as they're trying to eat short grass? as theyre having to get their teeth right to the ground instead of just pulling off some long grass?

 

[Sexy Sietske]

The grass is short but always has been, they have been eating short grass all year round... we dont have luxuries like long grass in our fields

He has had puffy grass glands before but this looked like he had been kicked but equally both sides

 

[penniewitch]

When we had strangles in the summer, the horses went off their food almost instantly, they refused hay/haylege, and had trouble swallowing, they would eat grass in the field though. The first sign with most of them was a snotty nose, but a few went of hay first and then got snotty nose. Out of ten horses, 5 were back to normal within a few days, 3 took about a week and had absesses lanced, before they were back to normal, and two developed complications and were 3 to 4 weeks getting back to normal. We had the yard closed for about 4 months, all had clear swobs in the end.

 

[Sexy Sietske]

Clear nostrils too... which is why im confused as to what it is

 

[bess1]

It sounds like what my friends horse gets all the time. It's caused by something in the grass, not sure why it happens but it's quite common. The glands swell up and usually go down once off the grass. Spring and Autumn are the main times it occurs but can happen all though the year.

 

[ellasma]

Could he be eating any of the bushes? Sometimes they can cause glands to swell. I really don't think he has strangles - it's so severe, even in the early stages that you'd know about it. A horse at our yard went down with it a few years ago and by the end of day one he was so ill he was leaning against his stable wall for support.

 

[crazystevie]

Is he losing any teeth? I had the dentist to bundy, and he mentioned that. Murphy occasionally gets a little swollen from time to time under his glands if he's a tad under the weather, or even when the seasons change. Has he had any jabs recently?

How are the old ponies anyway?

 

[han_x]

My mare Hollie always gets swollen glands, usually a reaction, she is very tender in that area, but doesnt cause her any problems whatsoever, and they usually take a few days to go down, her near side usually swells more.