Any experience of low albumin in blood / conditioning feed recommendations / WWYD (no doubt will end up being long!)

[TPO]

I keep checking in for updates so pleased to see him out and obviously relieved the swellings gave finally gone down - is that due to the steroids?

Aww, thanks

I'm guessing so but honestly no idea. My head was still the consistency of mushy peas so I didn't think to ask the groom (who brought him back in and who's been dealing with him) how his head had been. I was too worried about his insides.

I've already written myself notes with questions to ask tomorrow

 

[Ambers Echo]

That sounds more promising. Hope they are finding answers and solutions. I’m not surprised you can’t think straight . Writing questions down is a good idea xx

 

[DabDab]

That sounds much better, fantastic news that there is solid poo and that he seems more comfortable
Keeping everything crossed x

 

[TPO]

That's me had my Sunday visiting hour. He's still as bright, face/head/glands still normal, eating well and he even managed a wee roll then a snooze.

Im trying not to get my hopes up too much and forget that steroids are a hell of a drug and work [short term] magic.

Another ultrasound this afternoon, if no emergencies come in, and then hopefully they can start reintroducing forage

He's been eating well all through the night and finishing his buckets for 24hrs now.

I can't get my head around how awful and ill he was to then get [slightly] better, even pre drugs, to have something serious and/or terminal. Like surely they don't pick up like this?

I thought he was going to die, he totally gave up at one point. Before he went into hospital he had picked up loads mentally and quite a bit physically. Just hoping there's been some crossed wires somewhere

 

[TPO]

 

[Tiddlypom]

Ah bless him, he does look pretty chilled today.

As an aside, I'm impressed that the horsepital has paddocks with such good grazing for their patients to tempt them to eat. Just what the vet ordered.

Really hope that its onwards and upwards for you both now.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It certainly looks more promising. I wouldn't be surprised if his symptoms got so bad because of the over-prescription of bute. Fingers crossed that he will continue to make progress and get back to normal

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Wow TPO, he is certainly giving the appearance of a horse on the mend, everything still crossed he continues to improve xx

 

[Ambers Echo]

He looks a lot better. Really hoping he’s turned a corner and it’s better news from here xxx

 

[Tiddlypom]

He really does look good. Do the vets have a view on his dental issues and whether or how much they might have been affecting him?

 

[TPO]

He really does look good. Do the vets have a view on his dental issues and whether or how much they might have been affecting him?

The vet school were going to double check his mouth but he's been all signed off by vet dental specialist.

I think that happened Friday but I forgot to ask because I was freaking out about cancer and his ileum

Eta I think the dental stuff is a bit of a red herring. Yes, it is a serious issue on its own and when it was first found it seemed the obvious answer for the weight loss and disinterest in food. But it's not related to the swollen face and glands. So I think there has been something else underlying and possibly the high dose nsaid made it much worse.

I don't know if steroids are enough to overcome something terminal to have him pick up short term or if <hopefully> it's not as serious as initially thought.

I need to stop googling!!

 

[SEL]

He's looking loads better! Keeping everything crossed now that he's on the mend

 

[TPO]

It certainly looks more promising. I wouldn't be surprised if his symptoms got so bad because of the over-prescription of bute. Fingers crossed that he will continue to make progress and get back to normal

I think that has to play a part. However he had dropped weight before that, that's what made me start doing an MOT for him.

He didn't scour until my (now ex) vet put him on bute. Dental vet had given danolin for a few days, low dose, and he didn't scour on it. He did however have a swollen head and glands (but not lymph nodes).

I'll add it to my list to ask if nsaid toxicosis can cause inflammation of the ileum and all the ulceration and abnormality that they found.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Oh, he's got such a lovely face. He looks rather content (as content as one can be while they're ill).

 

[w1bbler]

Anymore updates?

 

[TPO]

Anymore updates?

They didn't call until after 1 today. It's always an enjoyable wait...

He was good through the night and "is completely ravenous." It's hard to say if that's solely the steroids and how much is him feeling better. I'm guessing that a lot of it is down to the steroids because he's never been a greedy horse even when he arrived with me as a malnourished 2-year-old.

His stomach was rescanned, and it was a normal size. The thickening of the ileum wall has slightly improved, too, but they didn't quantify it. It's supposed to be <4mm, and he was well over 1 cm at the first scan on Friday.

They've tried calling the lab several times, but there's no reply. She didn't seem to think we'd get the results until Wednesday now.

They are going to starve him overnight again and rescan in the morning. If his stomach has completely emptied, he's allowed to come home in the afternoon

If the biopsy results come in and are as bad as expected, "we will have a very different conversation." If they aren't the worst possible results AND he remains bright, no more colics, keeps eating, etc, then we have a month to try. He's been on IV steroids because they didn't think he'd absorb the oral (cheaper!) ones. He's getting switched to oral for coming home.

If he makes it a month without colics, going downhill and he's put on weight, then he's to get rescanned. They will make a new plan for his future if its a positive scan and back to that other conversation if not.

I'm so glad he's coming home. I'm still absolutely terrified and worried sick about these biopsy results, but they're just going to be what they're going to be

Thanks for asking after him

 

[Clodagh]

He is a beautiful horse.

 

[TPO]

He is a beautiful horse.

I concur, although I may be slightly biased.

He's such a sweet soul. My 2yr old niece "rides" him, and he is so gentle with her. She was terrified of horses for ages and now she kisses him and won't get off

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Lovely to see him looking so content in the paddock there. They are a such a positive part of the horspital.
Keeping my fingers crossed for continuing improvement!

 

[DabDab]

So so glad the updates are tentatively positive at this point, has made my Monday x

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

So so glad the updates are tentatively positive at this point, has made my Monday x

What she said, TPO Xx

 

[Ambers Echo]

So so glad the updates are tentatively positive at this point, has made my Monday x

And me xx

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

They didn't call until after 1 today. It's always an enjoyable wait...

He was good through the night and "is completely ravenous." It's hard to say if that's solely the steroids and how much is him feeling better. I'm guessing that a lot of it is down to the steroids because he's never been a greedy horse even when he arrived with me as a malnourished 2-year-old.

His stomach was rescanned, and it was a normal size. The thickening of the ileum wall has slightly improved, too, but they didn't quantify it. It's supposed to be <4mm, and he was well over 1 cm at the first scan on Friday.

They've tried calling the lab several times, but there's no reply. She didn't seem to think we'd get the results until Wednesday now.

They are going to starve him overnight again and rescan in the morning. If his stomach has completely emptied, he's allowed to come home in the afternoon

If the biopsy results come in and are as bad as expected, "we will have a very different conversation." If they aren't the worst possible results AND he remains bright, no more colics, keeps eating, etc, then we have a month to try. He's been on IV steroids because they didn't think he'd absorb the oral (cheaper!) ones. He's getting switched to oral for coming home.

If he makes it a month without colics, going downhill and he's put on weight, then he's to get rescanned. They will make a new plan for his future if its a positive scan and back to that other conversation if not.

I'm so glad he's coming home. I'm still absolutely terrified and worried sick about these biopsy results, but they're just going to be what they're going to be

Thanks for asking after him

My little welsh a, after the really bad last colic prior to the diagnoses, I have managed to keep the dreaded *C* word at bay, I had cctv installed as \I was always on *C* watch. Thankfully dietary change we have kept it a3way.


He is a beautiful boy - what is it about horses lying down makes you go awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww how cute.

 

[SEL]

Sounding more positive - greedy is good!

 

[Pinkvboots]

His looking so much better I'm really glad for you and keeping fingers crossed for good results on Wednesday x

 

[Floofball]

Got everything crossed for the results - but even if it’s just the steroids, it’s lovely to see him looking content, you must be so excited to get him home - he’s very handsome

 

[Reacher]

Glad he is feeling better in himself. Hoping for encouraging results from the biopsies x

 

[southerncomfort]

Keeping everything crossed here for non-sinister biopsy results. X

 

[TPO]

He's home

In even better news, it's not cancer*!!

Home with a month of strong steroids so if he keeps eating, doesn't get lami or colic, makes it to a 4wk scan and that shows improvement along with improved bloods this might just be "manageable"

*they did say that anything lurking could be deeper in his intestines where they can't reach to take tissue samples. If he doesn't improve in 4wks that could indicate that there is "something". But we're going to ignore that part and stuff him full of feed and grass for four weeks

Thank you for all the well wishes and messages for Chip ❤

 

[TPO]