another mystery illness.... please not GS :(

Stupid fat fingers of mine, was going to say feed anything and everything normal feeding rules don't apply. Really hope both your horses and dogs get better soon.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Blood tests are useful, my horse had a recurring virus which made him really really ill and he didnt eat and lost loads of condition and initially GS was suspected but it turned out to be a virus. It recurred (each time less severely for some years and he is still prone to little turns - but he is now 20 and in good condition).

If it is a virus, agree with iron/vits min tonic like Haemavite (get it online or there are similar ones, I order a couple to see which one he will take to).
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virus or not, get the tonic into him, it will do him no harm at all and will boost him to deal with whatever it is that is going on in his system, helping to fight it and giving him strength. xx fingers crossed for you, I see you read my thread about Ebony, must have been difficult reading what with your worries at the moment but I hope it gave you some ideas, there was some really good advice on there from everyone xx
 
damn, just read the rest of the thread :( so sorry to hear this I was hoping the bloods would shed some light on it, definately go for tonic and probiotic, mix into a paste and syringe in if necesarry although haemavite is very syrupy and palletable, look at the diaries on the grass sickness website, there are as I said a number of case studies on there, of people who have managed to nurse their horses through, they give detailed ideas and strategies for getting food into your horse, this is key, food, lots of it, high calorie and protein if you can xx as I just posted, I have everything crossed for you and your horse xx
 
Thankyou everyone - your advice is invaluable. I am questioning everything I do, I just don't know what to do for the best. He is eating sugarbeet and drinking sugarbeet water which is good! Eating hay a bit too :) vet is coming again at 10 today hopefully to either confirm gs or at least confirm something else so then I will know what I'm dealing with. He had gone quite depressed in his box last night but interested as soon as something goes on which I guess is still hopeful. Awful awful time, really wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy :( queenbee yes I did read your thread. :( Poor ebony xxx
 
Its good that he is eating and drinking, just give him whatever he wants to keep something going through and as hydrated as possible.

Pleased the vets are now taking it seriously, its shame they were not more interested when you first contacted them, I hope he picks up and as he is only young he should have the strength to fight whatever the problem is.
 
Vets confirmed it is grass sickness. Instructions are to take it day by day, give him whatever he wants and most importantly to know when to say enough is enough. I am truly heartbroken but am so willing to fight. At the moment he is quite content in a little paddock so there he will stay for now. Thankyou for all your advice I am taking it all in but feel a bit numb right now. Fingers ever so tightly crossed for him. I know that when he stops being happy to see me it will be time to say goodbye. X
 
Really sorry to hear that, I have had dealings with this evil disease. Please visit the Facebook group they are very knowledgable and some going through the same as you. Good luck xx
 
Echo the fb page, you will get lots of help and advice..my friend set it up after losing her horse William, Mr Wills, to gs.

Sending loads of healing vibes and hugs.

Xxxx
 
Mr v xx lots of hugs and healing vibes for you and your boy xxxx what you need to do now is focus, get positive, take stock, read up on survival cases, believe you and your boy will make it through xxx it's gut wrenching and exhausting going through this and you know the possibilities. It's awful to think of but it really helped me to sit down and make a 'if the worst happens' plan, decide how you will handle it then file that away and forget about it, and focus only on the success stories to give you hope x get that tonic into your boy and keep pushing probiotic in, oil is good too, even if you have to syringe it in like a wormer, high calories and good for the gut, perhaps get something like a conditioning veteran pellet and soak in lots of oil and water and then use a syringe to syringe into the mouth. As you will know swallowing becomes difficult and appetite hard, so what little you can get into your boy must be high in calories, perhaps something like baileys outshine pellets in with the sugar beet, they are so small, maybe he won't notice them, contact the feed companies, baileys sent me a ton of high energy foods so that ebony could just pick what she wanted, don't care about chopping and changing feeds, that rule book is out the window now, there is a case study on the grass sickness website where a horse called Chester was eating mars bars, if your horse likes chocolate... Go for it!!! I can't stress enough how helpful it is to read success cases to keep you focused and motivated and hopeful, the one thing ebony ate at the end was mollichaff, they will also send you some bags out x it's a really good way of seeing what your boy will eat. Have a look at my list last week I started a thread about feed companies, there is a huge list of people to call, and everyone was brilliant, if it's something you can't face doing, pm me, im more than happy to contact some companies for you explain whats going on and give them your address if that's one thing that would help, just let me know x if there is anything you need pm me, I am keeping everything crossed for you! X
 
I cannot send PMs because I am on my phone my email is [Content removed] if you could email me I can send you my details and also keep in touch that way - the support I'm getting is worth its weight in gold! The feed company idea is fantastic I'd love to follow that up! Thanks again for all your words of support. Today I am feeling very determined!! Xx
 
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Bugger! Forgot to say in email, I will need a basic description, age breed, past issues if any, an overview of what's happened and how long, how long you've had him, height etc.
 
I can't message tfc as on my phone too! But sure someone on here is on an actual computer and will message fatty and ask him to remove your email, anyone?
 
Well, I think if he was going to die, he maybe would have by now? I thought acute GS is the 'almost instant' killer and yours is still here! Well, a day or so.

Echo what everyone else has said and it's painstaking admin of calories from here. I think you'll be overloaded with good advice, support and encouragement and I'd like to just add mine.

He's eating of his own accord still so that HAS to be good news. There is also someone on here whose horse had chronic GS and he's a picture of health now.

Good luck x
 
Hi Mr Velvet,

So sorry to hear your boy has EGS.

I only just noticed your thread, but when I read your first description of his symptoms my heart sank for you, as he had the exact symptoms that Gully had when he contracted chronic GS.

My boy is a survivor, the dark bay in my siggy - you can read my account of his disease on the EGS website here: http://www.grasssickness.org.uk/uploads/documents/Gulliver EGS account 08.pdf it should help you with what to expect and how to get through it all.

You have a chance so long as he keeps his swallow reflex. Take him out for walks to encourage gut motility, just nice and gentle, and feed whatever he will take. Pulp down high energy foods, racehorse cubes etc with hot water and vegetable oil (lots of calories and helps him to go to the loo) to make them easy to eat and palatable. Aloe vera juice and probiotics are good for the gut, pink powder is useful too.

If you can get hold of a drug called cisapride (http://www.1meds.com/Esorid.html), then that might help - it certainly seems to on a case to case basis - get your vet to read up on it and hopefully prescribe it so you can claim on your insurance. It helps to kick start the gut.

If you can't get enough feed in with him eating on his own, then you can consider syringing, so long as his swallow reflex is good....it is what saved Gully, but some people don't like to do it/don't recommend it, as they have worries about food entering the trachea - didn't happen in my experience.

Anyway, lots of hugs, good luck and pm me if you want any more info. xx
 
Brighteyes - yes acute and subacute grass sickness are both more or less instant killers. Mr V has chronic grass sickness. He has a chance and I'm gonna make sure we make it into the best chance. He is on day 11.
PP - I am just gettin through all the literature provided for me. I am loooking forward to reading your account. I think inspiring sucess stories will really help. Thankyou for sharing.
Xx
 
Were both doing okay atm!! Mr V is happy and still eating so for now we will fight. Vet has warned he may lose his swallow reflex and his appetite amongst other things so I have made a plan for if things worsen. For now I am thinking very positively and hoping things will get better now! This is day 12 of his disease and he hasn't really worsened in that time just remained stable which is fairly good for such a horrific disease. Fingers crossed we will become a success story!! :) xx
 
I have everything crossed for you. Having lost my wonderful boy to this horrible disease I really hope you can get mr v through it. If he is eating and drinking there is always hope :)
 
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