# One sided thick smelly nasal discharge



## caramel (4 December 2011)

Hi all!

Handy has got really thick yellow discharge coming from his nose, it is really smelly (Right side). He's currently on box rest recovering from an abscess (which has pretty much healed). 
He's not really eating much hay, yet is drinking fine, and eating his feeds (which are rather wet!)
He's also been lying down more than he normally does  and he has had a cough. Today when he was rolling he bumped his head on the stable wall 
What could be causing it? Have to ring vet tomorrow for update anyway, but a little concerned at what it could be. His teeth were done in august, next due in feb and is done every 6 months, up to date on vaccs etc. 

I'm thinking it is tooth related.. could it be his sinuses?
Not sure whether to continue with boxrest or turn out?

Opinions welcome


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## littlemisslauren (4 December 2011)

I would get the vet out.
Horse at work had this over summer. It turned out to be a sinus infection. We had her on a long course of AB's that didn't do much at all. 
It was so persistant that the vet had to drill a hole in her head and we had to flush her sinus twice daily with a water and iodine mix.

Unfortunately the mare was PTS, she was in her 20s and had a busy life and had unfortunately started to 'break down', recurrent lameness, loss of condition and then this infection that did not shift after 3 weeks of flushing.

I'm sure the prognosis will be far better for your neddy  I will never forget the smell of the discharge


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## Orangehorse (4 December 2011)

Vet.  A light clear discharge isn't much to worry about, but if thick/yellow and/or smelling is infection, from somewhere.


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## caramel (4 December 2011)

thank you. Will speak to vet tomorrow morning. I know he's always had a dirty nose, but this is not normal. It's quite a strong smell.
I'll keep him in tomorrow, and hope the vet can come out soon.


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## millimoo (4 December 2011)

Yep get your vet out tomorrow... I know of a horse with this. He had cracked the root of his tooth, and the infection spread to his sinuses. He had to have his face drilled, and surgery from the outside below his eye to sort out the tooth. I'm sure it's treatable, but you need to get it underway as your horse has a unchecked infection.
Goodluck for a speedy recovery, and let us know how you get on.


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## millimoo (4 December 2011)

Your horse is probably feeling pretty poorly and sore too if I'm honest... Your vet must see your horse tomorrow


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## caramel (4 December 2011)

I am actually feeling pretty scared having read all your comments  will ring as soon as they open tomorrow and see what they say  will push for a vet to come tomorrow.


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## Zuzzie (4 December 2011)

Yup, most likely cause is a sinus infection caused by a rotten tooth.  My horse had this and went into the vet to have his tooth removed standing under sedation.  Unfortunately, the sinus infection would not clear up despite antibiotics - they even grew a culture to try to identify the bacteria so that they could hit it with the correct antibiotic but nothing worked.  I was advised they would probably have to drill a hole in the bone under the eye socket and clean the sinus out.  I decided not to do that and turned him away for a month out to grass and, fortunately, because he had his head down eating most of the time the sinus drained and the infection cleared up.  
Hope you get this resolved quickly and easily - good luck.


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## caramel (4 December 2011)

I've started feeding him on the floor, and he's taken a real dislike to his haynets  He's been on boxrest for last week due to abscess in right fore hoof  Not really been out in field at all over past few weeks


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## caramel (4 December 2011)

another thing.. he's been licking the stable walls like crazy today... bought him a salt lick which he went mad for...


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## millimoo (4 December 2011)

Sorry Caramel if my post worried you... I only know because I've seen a horse with it. I probably would react differently if I hadn't seen it before.
Youve only got tonight and the vet will be with you tomorrow so you can get the anti bs started etc. And don't hesitate to investigate the tooth scenario if the infection persists (one sided tends infection tends to indicate a tooth).
Main thing is it's treatable. Let us know how you get in


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## caramel (5 December 2011)

Vet's been, and diagnosed a sinus infection. His lymph nodes were up one side, and he has no obvious tooth fractures etc. He's on antibiotics and bute for 4 days. Will see what happens when course of antibiotics have finished, and take it from there. He's to go out and spend as much time outside as possible, so he's out all day tomorrow, am sure he'll have a great time!


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## Doncella (5 December 2011)

Hope he gets well soon, keep us posted.


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## caramel (5 December 2011)

thank you, will do x


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## Black_Horse_White (5 December 2011)

My horse had very similar last year whilst he was on box rest, he had antibiotics and it cleared up after 5 days.


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## brucea (6 December 2011)

If you want to try something unconventional - a tablespoon of neem leaf (from Cotswold herbs) twice a day. May well clear it up completely. It did wiht the last pony I used it on.


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## caramel (6 December 2011)

ooh not heard of that before... will have a look!


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## BimHowland (10 February 2013)

Hello. I have just signed up as I found all these posts very useful. Thank you. I have a little Shetland who is nearly 31 and three days ago the very smelly yellow discharge started pouring from one nostril.The vet came and gave him an antibiotic injection and he is on a course of antibiotics for a week( or maybe longer). Three days in the discharge is still pouring out and for the first time EVER in all his nearly 31 years, he hasn't eaten all his food..though up until now, he has had no problem with his appetite!He is also quite weak and he struggled with his haynet aswell so it's all on the ground now.A couple of people with horses said it might be Strangles' but having read this and from what the vet said, I believe it is a sinus infection.Thank you all again.There is no way I could subject him to any drilling in the head. He is too old for that trauma.He seems to be going a bit downhill and his tiny old body must be trying so hard to fight this infection...but I am praying the little fellow will pull through.


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## shergar (10 February 2013)

We had a horse will one side nasal discharge the vet came  she took a swab which was sent straight to lab we had a call same day to confirm strangles horse was quiet lay down quite    a  lot she had no under the jaw abscess then two more horse s got it they had antibiotics and took twice as long to recover   but they had different vet I think it best to take swab and keep horse away from any others  till you know for sure    I hope your horse gets better soon


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## BimHowland (10 February 2013)

Thank you so much for message. Unfortunately I wasn't there when the vet came but we will ask her to come out again tomorrow. A swab wasn't taken and I don't think his temperature was either. He isn't sround other horses so there is no fear of spreading the infection. Hopefully the anitbiotics will kick in soon and he will start feeling a bit better. Luckily he is still eating and still standing up ..and is still a bit chatty when he hears the sound of food being prepared for him! But he isn't his normal self poor chap.Thank you again and fingers crossed!


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## Pinkvboots (11 February 2013)

Discharge from one nostril can also be an infection in the gutteral pouch, my horse had a really bad infection in his and he had to have condroids hard lumps of pus removed one by one over a period of 3 weeks, it can be fatal so always get a vet, they gave me two lots of antibiotics to start with but it kept coming back, so he had to be scoped to see what was going on it was awfull seeing all that in his face.


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## BimHowland (11 February 2013)

Thank you for your message and the information. I spoke to the vet today for the first time as I was not around when she came on Friday and she explained what she had seen and how she thought it was an infection in his sinus's.But I will bear your words in mind in case it turns out to be something different.  He is nearly 31 and inspite of antibiotics,she said it might not clear up due to his age and he is very weak (and very little) and I might have to make the choice we all dread. But luckily for now he is still eating ... with the new addition of freshly squeezed carrot and apple juice to his horse 'mush' which also contains his antibiotic and painkillers (...so heavily disguised!).The vet is going to come back and see him in a few days so we'll go from there. Thank you again and I'm sorry your horse to go through that.  It's awful to see them go through these things.


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