A-Fib advice

[EmzT]

I own a 16.2hh Irish Draught mare who has A-Fib. She had quinidine treatment last year which worked at the time but we have recently discovered through a routine examination that the heart has gone back again. The horse was showing none of the signs of exercise intolerance and depression that were very apparent the first time. We were told by two vets that it was safe to continue riding her as she would not collase and die on us. The worst that would happen is that she would slow down due to breathlessness.
However, a third vet has recently told us that he believes she could collapse and die even when just hacking out and that we should retire her immediately.
This is a much loved horse who loves hacking out and that is all we would plan on doing with her.
We were also told that there is no other problem with her heart.
We don't know what to do now

 

[teddyt]

How experienced were each of the vets? If you would like to carry on riding her then you could get the test results (did you have an ecg?) to an equine heart specialist who will be better qualified to help you than a general vet.

 

[Birker2020]

I have googled an excellent website and here is the link: http://www.provet.co.uk/equinecardiology/5a679c2.htm. Just cut and paste it out onto your internet address bar. It even tells you what to do if the quinidine is unsuccessful.

My mum has AF and she went on a course of beta blockers for it. Eventually the palpitations were so bad she went into hospital and had her 'heart stopped' and put back into rythym but she was warned that it could revert back. Sure enough within a week or so she lay in bed one night and felt it bump and knew it had gone back. An appointment with her consultant later that day confirmed what she had suspected. She hasn't had it done again as they reckon if it doesnt work the first time it won't be more sucessful the second time around. The reason I tell you about my Mum is that I am sure it is the same sort of thing for a horse too.

 

[dressagecrazy]

I have an IDxTB who's in long term A-fib Qinidine treatment failed. He is retired because of the heart problems. He was seen by Equine Cardio Mark Patterson, who also after diagnosis & treatment told me to retire him as he was at high risk of sudden death syndrome.

A return of A-fib could suggest there is an underlying problem with the heart. Could be an underlying cardiac disease.

I personally would not ride atm & would be getting the horse checked out by a Cardiologist as ime i found many general horse vets lacking in knowledge in this area. My mum has serious heart problems so i know how terrible she feels when her hearts not right. There's no way i would work a horse, knowing it was in A-fib, so i would side with your 3rd vets opinion on not riding. However i would be getting a proper informed opinion on my horse by an Equine Cardio.

Good luck

 

[EmzT]

Thanks for the advice. Yes we had an ECG done.
They were all very experienced equine vets from Northern Ireland. Mark Cubberly, Alfonso Martin and Robert Steele. The mare also has an almost permanant dripping from her nose especially in the mornings. Could this be related to the A-Fib or is it more likely to be an allergy?