An update and a valuable lesson (please read)

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Supanova

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This post is in competition riders but someone suggested i put it in here too as it is a useful lesson.

Further to my Heartbroken post ..

I took my mare to Leahurst this morning to get a second opinion and conclusive lymphoma diagnosis. Based on what my vet had said, there was no hope, as those of you who will have read my previous post will know.

By way of backround, my mare was presenting with lethargy and very low white blood cell count. On examination my vet had thought there was a mass on her spleen and other strange things going on in her abdomen(admitedly she said she wasn't an expert and their technology is not as good as at Leahurst). She had also felt a mass when doing a rectal exam. The peritonial fluid was cloudy when it should be clear but the tests on that came back inconclusive.

Anyway...Leahurst did an ultrasound scan and couldn't find any abnormalities. They also did a rectal exam and couldn't find a mass.

The professor at Leahurst now thinks that the rectal mass my vet felt was an illial (sp?) impaction caused by .....tapeworms. They are therefore running a test for this and having another look at her blood. The only anomoly to the tapeworm theory is the low white cell count so there is still an element of caution, but i really think that on balance the professor now thinks its unlikely she has got lymphoma.

Obviously my vet is very apologetic and can't believe she has got it so wrong.

I feel a bit of an idiot and keep wondering if i misunderstood my vet, but to be honest I didn't. She didn't give me any hope that it could possibly be anything else.

I nearly had her PTS without going to Leahurst. This is a very valuable lesson which I will never ever forget.

I can't stop smiling, but i keep telling myself i mustn't get over excited as there could still be some bad news. Its just so good that there is now some hope!
 
Oh what a lovely response!! Won't bother posting in here again. I am actually on worming programme where a lab supposedly tests for worms and tells me what I need to give her. I was doing what I thought was the absolute best. Obviously i was wrong. SHe also hasn't got a definitive diagnosis of tapeworm yet so keep our comments to yourself. I am damn sure my horse gets the absolute best treatment.
 
What a relief! I bet you're glad you got that second opinion!

as for:

nativeponies said:
blimey.....good that it isn't cancerous...but..when was she last done for tapeworm?
i'd be a little embarrassed along with my joy if she was mine...
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I know of MORE than one horse who has been on a regular worming programme who has been diagnosed with tapeworm so it is absolutely NOTHING to be embarrassed about :p

oh and tapeworm only show up in blood tests... not your regular worm count ;)

Out of a yard of 70 horses 4 came back with possitive worm count results after all being on exactly the same programme... your theory?
 
Great news Supanova. I was following your posts in CR and hoping things would turn out not to be so grim as your vet feared. I'll keep fingers crossed that the news continues to be positive.

And yes, when in doubt always best to get a second opinion. I keep learning that in life but sometimes forget to transfer it into the horsey part.
 
I'm sure the slight wasn't intended - your mare is pretty newish wasn't she? and tapeworm is out of the normal worming cycle.. Very pleased to hear your good news and will keep my fingers crossed. I know from reading your posts how utterly despondent you were so really hope it can be sorted .. and what a result this would be as well!

We sort of had something similiar in that one of our staffies suddenly had a poor coat, losing weight - and was on a vet run worming programme. Turned out to be lungworm which my vet had said wasn't prevalent in our area so much as we try, things don't always go to plan.

and don't forget to post YOUR POSITIVE RESULT!!!
 
My friend's horse almost died because of tapeworm scarring.
She'd had him for 5 years and on a good worming programme (horse is 14) and he suddenly went down with recurrent low grade colic before going for the full blown gut twist colic. Was rushed in for surgery and they found damage caused by tapeworm. She blamed herself, but was told that the damage was in the form of old scarring which had "flared" up for whatever reason. Nothing wrong with her worming programme.
Horse is doing very well 8 months later, on steroids to prevent the scarring flaring again and obviously that brings issues of its own but saved his life for sure.

I hope your horse can be fixed - we underestimate the gravity of worm damage ... and if they happen to be resistent to some chemicals then we might think they are on track with their worming when actually they aren't. Regular fecal counts + ELISA blood test for tapeworm is the only way to know for sure!

ALL FINGERS CROSSED & HEALING VIBES!
 
Supanova said:
Nativeponies - stop trying to cause a fight. I'm not getting into it. I don't need to defend myself or the way I care for my horse.
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look, lady..in no way, shape or form, did i question the care of your horses.

so back off.

if it escaped your notice, i did say i was pleased it wasn't cancerous..
not sure why i bothered TBH...You took umbrage..life goes on.
:D
 
CBFan said:
What a relief! I bet you're glad you got that second opinion!

as for:



I know of MORE than one horse who has been on a regular worming programme who has been diagnosed with tapeworm so it is absolutely NOTHING to be embarrassed about :p

oh and tapeworm only show up in blood tests... not your regular worm count ;)

Out of a yard of 70 horses 4 came back with possitive worm count results after all being on exactly the same programme... your theory?
Click to expand...

~applauds~

VERY well put....
 
MissTyc said:
My friend's horse almost died because of tapeworm scarring.
She'd had him for 5 years and on a good worming programme (horse is 14) and he suddenly went down with recurrent low grade colic before going for the full blown gut twist colic. Was rushed in for surgery and they found damage caused by tapeworm. She blamed herself, but was told that the damage was in the form of old scarring which had "flared" up for whatever reason. Nothing wrong with her worming programme.
Horse is doing very well 8 months later, on steroids to prevent the scarring flaring again and obviously that brings issues of its own but saved his life for sure.

I hope your horse can be fixed - we underestimate the gravity of worm damage ... and if they happen to be resistent to some chemicals then we might think they are on track with their worming when actually they aren't. Regular fecal counts + ELISA blood test for tapeworm is the only way to know for sure!

ALL FINGERS CROSSED & HEALING VIBES!
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THIS is what happened to my son's pony. Old scarring from previous life's bad worming. Unfortunately, we lost the little man as he was getting on a bit...

I HATE it when people assume the worst of you when they do NOT know the full facts.
 
May I apologise for suggesting you put this in NL.

I genuinely thought other HHO would appreciate the reminder to seek a second diagnosis at such a bleak time.
 
mtj said:
May I apologise for suggesting you put this in NL.

I genuinely thought other HHO would appreciate the reminder to seek a second diagnosis at such a bleak time.
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Don't worry mtj its not your fault.

nativeponies - if i have been touchy and taken your comments the wrong way and not how they were meant, i apologise. I have been to hell and back in the past few days and not had a lot of sleep.
 
DragonSlayer said:
I HATE it when people assume the worst of you when they do NOT know the full facts.
Click to expand...

To be fair, I don't think there was an assumption of the worst... Just a genuine question. I for one would like to know if the horse has been wormed for tapeworm, because if it has, that might mean the wormer was not effective and it would be useful to know such info.
But hey, it's much easier to just get offended.
 
martlin said:
To be fair, I don't think there was an assumption of the worst... Just a genuine question. I for one would like to know if the horse has been wormed for tapeworm, because if it has, that might mean the wormer was not effective and it would be useful to know such info.
But hey, it's much easier to just get offended.
Click to expand...

I think there was a little more to it than that.

Of course the OP has the right to get offended, I believe if she HAD been slacking in her worming, I seriously doubt she would have posted anything.
 
Sorry to see that some people are questioning your worming. I am just really glad for you that your horse is still around, and you get to spend lots more time with her. Forget the comments and go and give her a big hug xx
 
Slightly off topic but a yard I used to be on (and still have friends on) has had a hell of a year with worm problems.

They have a few horses with pin worm and were struggling to clear it but it made them think about doing worm counts.

One of the horses with pin worm was given a double dose of Equest Pramox (vet advice) and when worm counted a fortnight later his sample showed up tapeworm eggs :eek:

Now, this yard is reasonably good re worming - grass livery but on a very large acreage - so they weren't kept in after worming nor were the fields poo picked but they are shared with cattle and all horses wormed (Equest & Pramox) but not all at the same time....I've no doubt that on occasion, wormers were missed by some owners :rolleyes:and new horses weren't wormed or quarantined on arrival so definitely room for improvement but not dire either....and the worm counts that are back are a little high on redworm also.

Just a warning tale.

Supanova,

I hope your girl gets better asap.
 
I am very pleased for you and your good news. Fingers crossed. I think some people are too quick to make comments that sting without thinking about the effect it may have on the other person. And then call them touchy. I would not like what was said if I was in your shoes and had just gone through what you have been through. To be honest, it was not the response I was expecting to what sounds like a very traumatic time.

Wishing you all the very best.
 
Supernova glad your horse on the mend, but as most of us now know regular worming (13 weeks) makes the worms build up resistance to the wormers. That it why I have always wormed twice a year, spring and autumn, when they go out for the summer and when they come in for the winter and that way they haven't built up a resistance to the wormers I give them.:):):)
 
Wasn't stirring. Was trying to balance spiteful comments with supportive ones. "Give it a rest" and "Sigh" comments are not what I expected to read after reading that someone nearly had her horse put down and it turns out that it would have been a mistake. Smart arse remarks are not helpful or kind and I don't like them and will say so. And if anyone thinks that makes me a stirrer, then fine. I am a stirrer.
 
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