horse health

Cellulitis occurs when a subcutaneous bacterial infection gets out of hand.

BY CYNTHIA McFARLAND

You walk out to catch your horse and bring him in for morning feed, but he’s not at the gate. He’s standing a ways off, but as soon as he starts to move, it’s obvious something is very wrong.

He’s significantly lame, reluctant to even put weight on his left hind leg, which is so swollen it’s almost double the normal size. What’s going on?

He’s had some hard workouts this week. Could this just be “stocking up?”

Cell phone in hand, you call your veterinarian and then slowly lead your hobbling horse into the barn.

By the time the vet has come and gone, you have a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Cellulitis.

WHAT IS IT?

A bacterial infection within the connective tissue beneath the skin, cellulitis is a serious and painful condition that must be addressed promptly so it doesn’t progress and cause complications.

Also referred to as septic cellulitis, the infection often occurs in one limb—frequently a hind leg—although it can develop anywhere on the body.

“Cellulitis is a soft tissue infection that is often due to a puncture wound. It can happen anywhere in the body, but most of the time, it’s in a leg,” says Sam Crosby, DVM, whose equine veterinary practice is based in Arcadia, Okla. “It can also be introduced by a systemic infection, such as an infection of the bloodstream.”