Ridecamp: [RC] Dryland Distemper

Has anyone heard of a horse having problems years later from Dryland 
Distemper in the sheath.  My horse has scar tissue and a very enlarged sheath 
on the side where he had the abscess about five years ago.  A couple times it 
has swelled up and made him very lame.  It went down on its own.  He has had 
inconsistent problems over the years especially going down steep hills.  He 
often acts like an uncomfortable horse.  Sometimes he is very reluctant to 
move.  Sometimes when he is well warmed up he moves beautifully.  He has 
finished Tevis and done lots of rides including a lot of the XP 2001 and most 
of the time he is fine.  He had a couple of bizarre episodes at XP when he 
went down on his front end like he was going to lay down and then just stayed 
that way with his hind end  all the way up in the air.  He did it over and 
over again until the vet gave him IV banamine and then he was fine.  It 
happened on two occasions.  After the XP I took him for a complete work up at 
Davis.  They found nothing.  Several other vets have been unable to come up 
with anything.  They all say that it cannot be related to the Dryland 
distemper.  We finally put him on a six week course of antibiotics, SMZ and 
Rifampin just in case there was residual infection.  It has not seemed to 
help.  He actually seems to be getting worse.  I think maybe there was damage 
to the lymphatics.  Is there anything that might help if the lymphatic system 
is the problem?  Any input would be appreciated.  Thanks.

Debby Lyon

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