Jacqs
Member
Hi I am new to this forum, guess I didn't think to join before I had a problem!
I have a 7yr old piebald mini cob, my pride and joy, my baby. Towards autumn last year she developed an edema on her belly, it went down after a few weeks so was put down to a kick or trauma like injury. It came up again a couple of months later at the same time another horse developed one at the yard. The vet examined that horse and it was put down to a bite as there were biting insects in the hedge. He examined my mare and came to the same conclusion. Again it did go down, then around xmas it came back and didn't go down, the vet came out in Jan and immediately ran blood tests, he said she looked like an old horse. She had lost a lot of weight and muscle from her topline. Her bloods revealed anemia, low albumin and another substance that I can't remember. She was taken in for ultrasound, gastroscope, glucose absorption tests to name but a few. The ultrasound revealed an area of thickening to the large intestine. The rest of the tests were ok. The 2 possible culprits are Inflammatory bowel disease and lymphosarcoma. She went on a strong course of steroids, heamotonic, topline in her feed as well as corn oil, linseed oil and upped to 3 feeds a day as well as unlimited haylage. She did not lose much more weight but given all of the extra food she has not put weight on. Bloods were repeated, she was no longer anaemic but there was not much change to her protein levels with albumin and the other one roughly the same as before. Her steroids were upped again but no change so I decided to take her off steroids and turn her away for a week in consultation with her vet. I took her 2 feeds aday with all her supplements and oils but minus the steroids. Again no weight gain despite being on grass and the extra calories through her feed. Tonight I checked her over when I fed her and found signs of the edema returning. This weekend I noticed the soles of her feet had become quite brittle and had cracks running down from the fogs in a v shape. I have put hoof care on them but am puzzled as my farrier said she has always had really healthy feet. I am devastated and panicking! Has anyone had any experience like this and what was the outcome and cause? My vet said in terms of treatment there is another steroid to try but if that doesn't work there are no other viable treatment options but that was before I noticed the edema returning. She was very lethargic this weekend, I bring her in at the weekend. I am hoping someone can say to me this can be cured and isn't as bad as it seems. She has been wormed and checked for worm burden/damage and all clear. Her scope showed no ulcers in the small intestine. Thanks for reading this x
I have a 7yr old piebald mini cob, my pride and joy, my baby. Towards autumn last year she developed an edema on her belly, it went down after a few weeks so was put down to a kick or trauma like injury. It came up again a couple of months later at the same time another horse developed one at the yard. The vet examined that horse and it was put down to a bite as there were biting insects in the hedge. He examined my mare and came to the same conclusion. Again it did go down, then around xmas it came back and didn't go down, the vet came out in Jan and immediately ran blood tests, he said she looked like an old horse. She had lost a lot of weight and muscle from her topline. Her bloods revealed anemia, low albumin and another substance that I can't remember. She was taken in for ultrasound, gastroscope, glucose absorption tests to name but a few. The ultrasound revealed an area of thickening to the large intestine. The rest of the tests were ok. The 2 possible culprits are Inflammatory bowel disease and lymphosarcoma. She went on a strong course of steroids, heamotonic, topline in her feed as well as corn oil, linseed oil and upped to 3 feeds a day as well as unlimited haylage. She did not lose much more weight but given all of the extra food she has not put weight on. Bloods were repeated, she was no longer anaemic but there was not much change to her protein levels with albumin and the other one roughly the same as before. Her steroids were upped again but no change so I decided to take her off steroids and turn her away for a week in consultation with her vet. I took her 2 feeds aday with all her supplements and oils but minus the steroids. Again no weight gain despite being on grass and the extra calories through her feed. Tonight I checked her over when I fed her and found signs of the edema returning. This weekend I noticed the soles of her feet had become quite brittle and had cracks running down from the fogs in a v shape. I have put hoof care on them but am puzzled as my farrier said she has always had really healthy feet. I am devastated and panicking! Has anyone had any experience like this and what was the outcome and cause? My vet said in terms of treatment there is another steroid to try but if that doesn't work there are no other viable treatment options but that was before I noticed the edema returning. She was very lethargic this weekend, I bring her in at the weekend. I am hoping someone can say to me this can be cured and isn't as bad as it seems. She has been wormed and checked for worm burden/damage and all clear. Her scope showed no ulcers in the small intestine. Thanks for reading this x
