Gutteral pouch surgery--Completed, with a happy ending

DappleGrayMyWay · 08-21-2008, 10:07 AM

I thought that this would be something educational. I hope no one else has to go through this, but if anyone does, this is what it looks like as it's healing. I will post regular updates as she heals to show the progress.

Post-surgery day four, first day back home, August 19:
Before cleaning

After cleaning:

Post surgery day six, been home two and a half days, August 21:
With "swat" ointment to keep the bugs off:

Slightly different angle, same day:

The non-snotty nose!! But unfortunately you can see where the twitch rubbed her raw:

**gbarmranch** · 08-21-2008, 10:09 AM

She looks great.. and you have to do what you have to do to keep that clean and help her heal...

cameo05 · 08-21-2008, 10:10 AM

Whoa, didn't realize..... It looks good and clean though. How is she doing?

calicocalgirl · 08-21-2008, 10:11 AM

Went thru a similar thing with Willy as a baby. They thought it was guttural pouch but turned out to be an abscessed salivary gland that exploded on it's own, looking alot like this. He healed well within a few weeks of it opening up and it left just a tiny white mark on his neck.

Hideaway · 08-21-2008, 10:15 AM

I can't see the pics but just went through gutteral pouch mycosis in December. I felt terrible flushing it when it was so cold. Lilly's hole was fairly large and wanted to heal from the outside in. I hope it heals quickly and I'm glad she's feeling better!

DappleGrayMyWay · 08-21-2008, 10:20 AM

She is great. Had her last dose of Banamine this morning, and her shots of penicillin in the chest. She's eating well, and loves having all the grass she could possibly want to roam around on.

She has two small scars on her nose from the sutures where the catheters had to be held in place. I'll monitor how those fade over time. I imagine that she'll have a scar from this wound that might grow white hair, but we'll see how that plays out with time.

I don't think I'll post daily updates, since that won't show progress, but I will post in this thread at least weekly with photos.

kshnooks · 08-21-2008, 10:23 AM

glad to hear she is doing well!

version1955 · 08-21-2008, 10:24 AM

That is a large hole, wow, didn't realize either. I was going to say "Pepper sure is a trooper" but ya know... you both are. I hope if I'm ever faced with something like this that I'm up to the challenge. A person likes to think so, but... You are really and truly a horse(wo)man, no two ways about it

doxies13isenough · 08-21-2008, 10:25 AM

Wow how big is the hole. In a couple of the pictures it looks like you could fit your hand in it.

David · 08-21-2008, 10:27 AM

I've never seen this before...How big is that hole? It looks like you could put two fingers in it easy. I'm amazed they could cut out that much tissue in that area and not hit a main artery. This looks like the same place I've seen strangles bust out, is this illness related to strangles?

cameo05 · 08-21-2008, 10:35 AM

David I believe it was some of it they just found out.....

Hideaway · 08-21-2008, 10:36 AM

David, there are a lot of things that can happen in that pouch and it's very tricky as the main arteries run through the gutteral pouch. My filly Lilly had gpm which is different than Pepper but a fungus grows in the pouch and attacks the main arteries eating holes in them. My filly was bleeding out and they had to block the arteries affected with a baloon to stop the bleeding. Lillys hole was about 3 fingers and they do the whole surgery from that hole. It's a pain to heal and a lengthy process. Pepper may be a bit different but I do believe she had a strangles infection in there.

I wish I could see the photos.

DappleGrayMyWay · 08-21-2008, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

I've never seen this before...How big is that hole? It looks like you could put two fingers in it easy. I'm amazed they could cut out that much tissue in that area and not hit a main artery. This looks like the same place I've seen strangles bust out, is this illness related to strangles?

The wound is easily four inches long and when stretched out two and a half to three inches wide. It is also deep; I can put two fingers up inside there, and in fact have to, to clean it out completely (twice a day until it's healed).

Here is the thread that tells the whole, entire, very long, story:
The worst didn't happen--SHE IS HOME Photos Posted

The short version is yes, this is strangles...but it was all trapped inside her, this is not a burst abcess, it's a surgical incision to clean out over thirty chondroids from her left-side gutteral pouch. (which I have since heard is considered a record for the vet school, not sure if that's something to make note of or not.) Technically, it is streptococcus equi sbsp. equi .

DappleGrayMyWay · 08-21-2008, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hideaway

I wish I could see the photos.

Would you be able to see them by clicking on links instead?

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ecoming013.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ecoming025.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...gdaytwo001.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...gdaytwo015.jpg

Carri · 08-21-2008, 10:44 AM

I am glad she is doing so well!

sli92 · 08-21-2008, 10:46 AM

I am so happy this worked for you. A close friend of mine went through this about 1.5 years ago. 3 surgeries, multiple weeks spent at vet clinics through western canada, 1 emergency surgery(she was riding, just trotting, and it burst, blood started GOOSHING out of his nose, covering him, her, and the ground), and heartbreak. RIP Streblo
We both will be hoping and praying for you and your horse. Good luck.

Hideaway · 08-21-2008, 10:48 AM

I think it's something my work computer may block. I'll have to wait until I get home.

**seerfarm** · 08-21-2008, 10:48 AM

Her wound is looking good, your are doing a super job in helping her recovery!

redboy · 08-21-2008, 10:57 AM

Wow.., I'm really glad that went successfully for you and your horse. I'm sure you were very worried for her. RB

Raaslita · 08-21-2008, 12:01 PM

Wow those pictures are hard to look at only beacuse of the location of the incision..

you are doing a great job playing nurse for Pepper.. I am so glad that this worked out for you...And that Peper is heeling nicely..please keep us updated with pics every so often..

I hope your son is sharing in the experience of the treatment.. Its good for him to learn to care for a wound of this nature....

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08-21-2008, 10:07 AM
DappleGrayMyWay Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NC (Asheville) Posts: 856	Gutteral pouch surgery--Completed, with a happy ending I thought that this would be something educational. I hope no one else has to go through this, but if anyone does, this is what it looks like as it's healing. I will post regular updates as she heals to show the progress. Post-surgery day four, first day back home, August 19: Before cleaning After cleaning: Post surgery day six, been home two and a half days, August 21: With "swat" ointment to keep the bugs off: Slightly different angle, same day: The non-snotty nose!! But unfortunately you can see where the twitch rubbed her raw: __________________ My sanity is with my horse, and if you see them, please send them back to the barn. Tule Pepper Last edited by DappleGrayMyWay : 09-21-2008 at 03:36 PM. Reason: continued updates

08-21-2008, 10:09 AM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tennessee Posts: 29,218	She looks great.. and you have to do what you have to do to keep that clean and help her heal... __________________ Quality FoundationQuarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann Minds are like parachutes – they only function when open – Thomas Dewar

08-21-2008, 10:10 AM
cameo05 Bombproof Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 8,694	Whoa, didn't realize..... It looks good and clean though. How is she doing? __________________

08-21-2008, 10:11 AM
calicocalgirl Greenbroke Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Belleville, Pa Posts: 3,034	Went thru a similar thing with Willy as a baby. They thought it was guttural pouch but turned out to be an abscessed salivary gland that exploded on it's own, looking alot like this. He healed well within a few weeks of it opening up and it left just a tiny white mark on his neck.

08-21-2008, 10:15 AM
Hideaway Coming two Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: PA Posts: 1,935	I can't see the pics but just went through gutteral pouch mycosis in December. I felt terrible flushing it when it was so cold. Lilly's hole was fairly large and wanted to heal from the outside in. I hope it heals quickly and I'm glad she's feeling better! __________________ Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History

08-21-2008, 10:20 AM
DappleGrayMyWay Yearling Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NC (Asheville) Posts: 856	She is great. Had her last dose of Banamine this morning, and her shots of penicillin in the chest. She's eating well, and loves having all the grass she could possibly want to roam around on. She has two small scars on her nose from the sutures where the catheters had to be held in place. I'll monitor how those fade over time. I imagine that she'll have a scar from this wound that might grow white hair, but we'll see how that plays out with time. I don't think I'll post daily updates, since that won't show progress, but I will post in this thread at least weekly with photos. __________________ My sanity is with my horse, and if you see them, please send them back to the barn. Tule Pepper

08-21-2008, 10:23 AM
kshnooks Coming two Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: California Posts: 1,828	glad to hear she is doing well!

08-21-2008, 10:24 AM
version1955 Kid Safe Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: out Posts: 6,490	That is a large hole, wow, didn't realize either. I was going to say "Pepper sure is a trooper" but ya know... you both are. I hope if I'm ever faced with something like this that I'm up to the challenge. A person likes to think so, but... You are really and truly a horse(wo)man, no two ways about it __________________ If you can't master your emotions, how can you be the safe partner your horse needs you to be?

08-21-2008, 10:25 AM
doxies13isenough Yearling Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western KY Posts: 924	Wow how big is the hole. In a couple of the pictures it looks like you could fit your hand in it.

08-21-2008, 10:27 AM
David Long Yearling Join Date: May 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,066	I've never seen this before...How big is that hole? It looks like you could put two fingers in it easy. I'm amazed they could cut out that much tissue in that area and not hit a main artery. This looks like the same place I've seen strangles bust out, is this illness related to strangles? __________________ "If you see your stirrups slap together above the horn, you're probably bucked off". Dave Stamey.

08-21-2008, 10:35 AM
cameo05 Bombproof Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Georgia Posts: 8,694	David I believe it was some of it they just found out..... __________________

08-21-2008, 10:36 AM
Hideaway Coming two Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: PA Posts: 1,935	David, there are a lot of things that can happen in that pouch and it's very tricky as the main arteries run through the gutteral pouch. My filly Lilly had gpm which is different than Pepper but a fungus grows in the pouch and attacks the main arteries eating holes in them. My filly was bleeding out and they had to block the arteries affected with a baloon to stop the bleeding. Lillys hole was about 3 fingers and they do the whole surgery from that hole. It's a pain to heal and a lengthy process. Pepper may be a bit different but I do believe she had a strangles infection in there. I wish I could see the photos. __________________ Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History

08-21-2008, 10:44 AM
Carri Bombproof Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Alpharetta, Georgia Posts: 9,984	I am glad she is doing so well! __________________

08-21-2008, 10:46 AM
sli92 Yearling Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 596	I am so happy this worked for you. A close friend of mine went through this about 1.5 years ago. 3 surgeries, multiple weeks spent at vet clinics through western canada, 1 emergency surgery(she was riding, just trotting, and it burst, blood started GOOSHING out of his nose, covering him, her, and the ground), and heartbreak. RIP Streblo We both will be hoping and praying for you and your horse. Good luck. __________________ ~Sarah * PA Sebastion(Oh CanadaxCrystal Vision)

08-21-2008, 10:48 AM
Hideaway Coming two Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: PA Posts: 1,935	I think it's something my work computer may block. I'll have to wait until I get home. __________________ Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History

08-21-2008, 10:48 AM
seerfarm Super Moderator Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Portal, Ga Posts: 7,732	Her wound is looking good, your are doing a super job in helping her recovery! __________________ "To know the road ahead, ask those coming back".

08-21-2008, 10:57 AM
redboy Yearling Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eastern Shore of Maryland Posts: 900	Wow.., I'm really glad that went successfully for you and your horse. I'm sure you were very worried for her. RB

08-21-2008, 12:01 PM
Raaslita Weanling Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Moreno Valley, CA Posts: 349	Wow those pictures are hard to look at only beacuse of the location of the incision.. you are doing a great job playing nurse for Pepper.. I am so glad that this worked out for you...And that Peper is heeling nicely..please keep us updated with pics every so often.. I hope your son is sharing in the experience of the treatment.. Its good for him to learn to care for a wound of this nature.... __________________ Life with out a horse, is not having a life.. RIP Littlebit 1997-2008,life without you will never be the same