ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Really happy for you with that update, TPO
Any experience of low albumin in blood / conditioning feed recommendations / WWYD (no doubt will end up being long!)
- Thread starter TPO
- Start date
Kunoichi73
Well-Known Member
Great update, he's looking good! 
TPO
Well-Known Member
Another boring update for my record keeping.
I spoke with one of the treating vets yesterday, day 16 since his last visit.
I only had good things to report. Chip's temperament is back to normal and he appears to be putting on weight. I'm going a bit blind seeing him every day but the weight tape is moving.
The plan is to start tapering down his steroids from Monday. He's currently on day 24 (I think, I keep a diary at his stable) of half dose / 11 tablets. From Monday this goes down to 9, 7 the following Monday and then 5 if all goes well. He'll be back to hospital at this stage. Hopefully we'll get the OK to keep tapering down the steroids until he's off them.
The vet said Chip's wellbeing is a triangle. One point is how he is in himself, so tick because he's back to normal behaviour wise and is putting know weight.
The second point is his bloods which were normal 16 days ago. Although that is only a snapshot of that particular moment in time.
The final point is having a healthy picture on the scans. The last scans were improved but still not within normal parameters.
His next visit is booked for 1 September so fingers crossed for a healthy scan.
My amazing trimmer sees him every 4wks. She's noticed a big improvement between visits and, surprisingly, his feet haven't shown any signs of all that he's been through.
My trimmer has fitted him with some flexible boots for inhand walks. The track has loose stones and type 1 so I thought boots were a good idea because the last thing that we need is a stone bruise.
So everything crossed that he continues to improve, handles the tapering of the steroids well and the scans are healthy
not asking much 
I spoke with one of the treating vets yesterday, day 16 since his last visit.
I only had good things to report. Chip's temperament is back to normal and he appears to be putting on weight. I'm going a bit blind seeing him every day but the weight tape is moving.
The plan is to start tapering down his steroids from Monday. He's currently on day 24 (I think, I keep a diary at his stable) of half dose / 11 tablets. From Monday this goes down to 9, 7 the following Monday and then 5 if all goes well. He'll be back to hospital at this stage. Hopefully we'll get the OK to keep tapering down the steroids until he's off them.
The vet said Chip's wellbeing is a triangle. One point is how he is in himself, so tick because he's back to normal behaviour wise and is putting know weight.
The second point is his bloods which were normal 16 days ago. Although that is only a snapshot of that particular moment in time.
The final point is having a healthy picture on the scans. The last scans were improved but still not within normal parameters.
His next visit is booked for 1 September so fingers crossed for a healthy scan.
My amazing trimmer sees him every 4wks. She's noticed a big improvement between visits and, surprisingly, his feet haven't shown any signs of all that he's been through.
My trimmer has fitted him with some flexible boots for inhand walks. The track has loose stones and type 1 so I thought boots were a good idea because the last thing that we need is a stone bruise.
So everything crossed that he continues to improve, handles the tapering of the steroids well and the scans are healthy
not asking much TPO
Well-Known Member
DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
Oh Chip! He looks much better. Fingers crossed for continued improvement
Tiddlypom
Carries on creakily
Wow, he looks so much better!
He looks like a healthy horse now.
He looks like a healthy horse now.
Kunoichi73
Well-Known Member
So glad to hear he's improving. 
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
southerncomfort
Well-Known Member
He looks SO much better!
SEL
Well-Known Member
He looks like a different horse!! So happy for you.
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
Aww, he's such a cute little dude. Not many QHs around here. He is looking so much better.
View
Well-Known Member
Oh that face, and he is looking so much better. Fingers crossed that tapering off the steroids continues uneventfully.
palo1
Well-Known Member
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
He looks great! X
The Fuzzy Furry
🦄 🦄
Late to return to the thread, but wanted to say what a great improvement, hope the upwards curve continues through the drug reduction too x
Clodagh
Well-Known Member
I’m sure I’ve said it before but he is THE most beautiful horse.
TPO
Well-Known Member
TPO
Well-Known Member
Third time lucky/luckier!
Chip's now up to a "massive" 512kg from an original 467kg. Who says animals take after their owners?!
Duodenum is now 0.5cm! It was 1.1cm and then 0.56-0.76cm at the last visit. Only 1mm above normal and if he continues as is shouldn't need anymore scans.
The hospital vets didn't pull bloods since he appeared so healthy and has been bright. His last results were all good and he's looking even better now.
The fat face/swelling started reappearing just over a fortnight ago in line with steroids being tapered down. The hospital think that it is unrelated to his internal issues but are stumped as to what it is.
His face got scanned too but again, nothing jumped out. The swellings didn't present as fluid on the scans.
One vet thinks it masseter Myositis (
) but the other two don't. Although all five specialists that have seen him are stumped.
He had a detour to the dental specialist who was working from the hospital today. His mouth has healed well, no issues, so he had a thorough flush out while he was there.
He's randomly started getting really dark. I did think he was turning into the liver chestnut I've always wanted by way of thanks but apparently not. He's also gone really dark over his veins. I asked one of the vets and she didn't know either. She had been asked about this before and it is definitely an effect of the steroids. Who knew!
Chip's now up to a "massive" 512kg from an original 467kg. Who says animals take after their owners?!
Duodenum is now 0.5cm! It was 1.1cm and then 0.56-0.76cm at the last visit. Only 1mm above normal and if he continues as is shouldn't need anymore scans.
The hospital vets didn't pull bloods since he appeared so healthy and has been bright. His last results were all good and he's looking even better now.
The fat face/swelling started reappearing just over a fortnight ago in line with steroids being tapered down. The hospital think that it is unrelated to his internal issues but are stumped as to what it is.
His face got scanned too but again, nothing jumped out. The swellings didn't present as fluid on the scans.
One vet thinks it masseter Myositis (
) but the other two don't. Although all five specialists that have seen him are stumped.He had a detour to the dental specialist who was working from the hospital today. His mouth has healed well, no issues, so he had a thorough flush out while he was there.
He's randomly started getting really dark. I did think he was turning into the liver chestnut I've always wanted by way of thanks but apparently not. He's also gone really dark over his veins. I asked one of the vets and she didn't know either. She had been asked about this before and it is definitely an effect of the steroids. Who knew!
Last edited:
TPO
Well-Known Member
TPO
Well-Known Member
Photos were taken when we got home from hospital. My phone helpfully died on the way there.
I can't put photos in posts with texts without the forum going crazy so apologies for multiple posts.
He's so dark compared to last months photos.
I can't put photos in posts with texts without the forum going crazy so apologies for multiple posts.
He's so dark compared to last months photos.
Reacher
Well-Known Member
The dark coat / dark veins is weird but delighted he is doing well in all other respects and has put weight on x
Midlifecrisis
Well-Known Member
I’m still sending get well vibes…dark veins are odd but I’m reminded of older people whose veins stand out darkly against their skin. I still think chip is handsome….
TPO
Well-Known Member
Posting on a different thread about him today, and receiving more blood test results today, reminded me of this thread. It's been handy to refer back to because so much happened and the original vet kept such bad records (didn't record the dosage of drugs she advised and sent on whatsapp/in calls, didn't record gastric distress or scouring etc for starters). A fair bit has happened since last September and somehow it's now a year later. I'm not quite sure where the time has gone but thought I'd update this so I have everything recorded in one place.
He came off steroids in October last year, he was on 5 daily when he was last in hospital in September and weaned slowly off them. I got bloods retested at the start of December and his albumin was a very healthy 36g/L. Towards the middle of February I thought he looked like he was dropping off a little, but again we had the worst winter with non stop rain, flooded fields and non stop misery. I got him retested and his albumin had dropped to 26g/L. As he remained "clinically well" the hospital advised waiting 4wks and retesting to see if there was a downwards trend.
He went footy in February, he wasn't on steroids and no pulses/heat/reaction to hoof testers. He had retracted sole that the trimmer was keeping an eye on. I ended up using Hoof Armour and that did seem to help.
At the start of March he started to have the facial swellings again. They didn't involve the glands this time, just his face. He was still bright and eating well but he was losing weight on the weight tape and you could [very] easily feel his ribs. During winter he'd been on less food than he was on when dropping weight (feed was increased accordingly). His repeat bloods were booked for 4wks later on 22 March. Of course Chip took matters into his own hands and had a mild colic on 18 March needing an OOH call out. He had some loxicom and that worked wonder for him. As I'd been up all night waiting for him to settle and pass droppings I took the next day off work and decided to see if the vets could come out then to check him again and pull bloods. In a surprise to no one his albumin had dropped further to 25g/L so another hospital appointment was made.
He went into hospital 27/03 for another scan, the day before I exchanged on the sale of my house just to add to the fun (his vet hospital visits last year were when I was buying that house so he times it well!). His weight was down to 467kg and his body score was 3/9. I knew he had a mild arrhythmia but he "has a heart rate of 40 beats per minute with a regular rhythm and a grade 2 systolic murmur with a point of maximum intensity over the aortic valve."
The ultrasound showed that we were right back to square one
His duodenum was severely thickened again with the wall thickness back to ~1.1cm. The rest of his intestines were less severely affected, but affected none the less. His stomach was enlarged again up to intercostal space 14-15. This apparently wasn't significant because he hadn't been starved and had eaten breakfast and hay as normal. So back onto two weeks of high dose steroids before halving the dose.
At this point I'd been hiring a local(ish) 3.5t and thought I had nothing better to do than to keep on hiring it for hospital visits, I thought wrong! The owner was quite unreliable at the best of times and had since moved away but left the lorry for her dad to manage. I dropped it back off after washing it and tried to rebook to be informed she was taking the lorry down beside her. When I dropped it off her dad said that wasn't happening and I could book it for 4wks later. Being reliant on other (unreliable) people never sits well with me so like any sane person I bought a towing car and trailer. He was due back to hospital 23/04, I managed to find a trailer an hour away and the seller offered to deliver it for me so that was ticked off. I bought a car online [from Cinch, I bought from them before and it went smoothly both times] that was delivered 18/04 but I could only get it in to get a towbar fitted on Monday 22/04. Last minute dot com.
Finally at the hospital in his new transport and he'd lost 6kg, so down to 461kg. His albumin has increased back into the healthy range at 28.5g/L but his insides were still swollen. His duodenum was up to 9mm, but parts were as low as 6mm. The rest of his intestines were back to a healthier 3-4mm.
During May he wasn't, to my eye, putting on weight as expected for the amount of food being pumped into him. The plan has been to taper down his meds further a couple of weeks after the scan. I emailed the hospital with my concerns and they agreed to get him back in for another scan. So he was booked in for another scan on 23 May, handily the day before I exchanged/bought/moved into my new house - timing!
At his next appointment he'd put on 35kg in 4wks (my eyes need checked!) making him 496kg. His albumin was also up, this time to 35g/L. His duodenum was only slightly thickened at 5mm (4mm is healthy). There was suspicion of oedema and thickening of other sections of the intestinal wall but when it was scanned it was only 2-3mm - their scanner was too sharp and made things look worse than they were.
The ongoing plan was to do blood tests at regular intervals [by my vets] and taper the steroids based on those results.
June's results were 39g/L. By this point he'd been tapered down to 4 tablets a day and tapered down to 2, then alternate days before being off them completely at the end of July.
He came off steroids in October last year, he was on 5 daily when he was last in hospital in September and weaned slowly off them. I got bloods retested at the start of December and his albumin was a very healthy 36g/L. Towards the middle of February I thought he looked like he was dropping off a little, but again we had the worst winter with non stop rain, flooded fields and non stop misery. I got him retested and his albumin had dropped to 26g/L. As he remained "clinically well" the hospital advised waiting 4wks and retesting to see if there was a downwards trend.
He went footy in February, he wasn't on steroids and no pulses/heat/reaction to hoof testers. He had retracted sole that the trimmer was keeping an eye on. I ended up using Hoof Armour and that did seem to help.
At the start of March he started to have the facial swellings again. They didn't involve the glands this time, just his face. He was still bright and eating well but he was losing weight on the weight tape and you could [very] easily feel his ribs. During winter he'd been on less food than he was on when dropping weight (feed was increased accordingly). His repeat bloods were booked for 4wks later on 22 March. Of course Chip took matters into his own hands and had a mild colic on 18 March needing an OOH call out. He had some loxicom and that worked wonder for him. As I'd been up all night waiting for him to settle and pass droppings I took the next day off work and decided to see if the vets could come out then to check him again and pull bloods. In a surprise to no one his albumin had dropped further to 25g/L so another hospital appointment was made.
He went into hospital 27/03 for another scan, the day before I exchanged on the sale of my house just to add to the fun (his vet hospital visits last year were when I was buying that house so he times it well!). His weight was down to 467kg and his body score was 3/9. I knew he had a mild arrhythmia but he "has a heart rate of 40 beats per minute with a regular rhythm and a grade 2 systolic murmur with a point of maximum intensity over the aortic valve."
The ultrasound showed that we were right back to square one
His duodenum was severely thickened again with the wall thickness back to ~1.1cm. The rest of his intestines were less severely affected, but affected none the less. His stomach was enlarged again up to intercostal space 14-15. This apparently wasn't significant because he hadn't been starved and had eaten breakfast and hay as normal. So back onto two weeks of high dose steroids before halving the dose. At this point I'd been hiring a local(ish) 3.5t and thought I had nothing better to do than to keep on hiring it for hospital visits, I thought wrong! The owner was quite unreliable at the best of times and had since moved away but left the lorry for her dad to manage. I dropped it back off after washing it and tried to rebook to be informed she was taking the lorry down beside her. When I dropped it off her dad said that wasn't happening and I could book it for 4wks later. Being reliant on other (unreliable) people never sits well with me so like any sane person I bought a towing car and trailer. He was due back to hospital 23/04, I managed to find a trailer an hour away and the seller offered to deliver it for me so that was ticked off. I bought a car online [from Cinch, I bought from them before and it went smoothly both times] that was delivered 18/04 but I could only get it in to get a towbar fitted on Monday 22/04. Last minute dot com.
Finally at the hospital in his new transport and he'd lost 6kg, so down to 461kg. His albumin has increased back into the healthy range at 28.5g/L but his insides were still swollen. His duodenum was up to 9mm, but parts were as low as 6mm. The rest of his intestines were back to a healthier 3-4mm.
During May he wasn't, to my eye, putting on weight as expected for the amount of food being pumped into him. The plan has been to taper down his meds further a couple of weeks after the scan. I emailed the hospital with my concerns and they agreed to get him back in for another scan. So he was booked in for another scan on 23 May, handily the day before I exchanged/bought/moved into my new house - timing!
At his next appointment he'd put on 35kg in 4wks (my eyes need checked!) making him 496kg. His albumin was also up, this time to 35g/L. His duodenum was only slightly thickened at 5mm (4mm is healthy). There was suspicion of oedema and thickening of other sections of the intestinal wall but when it was scanned it was only 2-3mm - their scanner was too sharp and made things look worse than they were.
The ongoing plan was to do blood tests at regular intervals [by my vets] and taper the steroids based on those results.
June's results were 39g/L. By this point he'd been tapered down to 4 tablets a day and tapered down to 2, then alternate days before being off them completely at the end of July.
TPO
Well-Known Member
Bloods were pulled 5 August and the vet emailed me, CCing the hospital, to say that while Chip's levels were still healthy they were down to 30 which was a drop of 25% in 6wks and that was concerning. The lab results hadn't been attached so I replied asking for them, meanwhile the vet phoned me to discuss the same point. Cue a minor [major...) meltdown on my part that if he can't stay healthy a couple of weeks with no steroids was there any hope? The steroids had started to have an outwardly negative effect on him. By July he still hadn't fully shed out his winter coat. It started to shed over his shoulders and he looked really dark but on closer inspection that was skin. He lost all the hair and just had some weird peach fuzz thing happening. When he came fully off the steroids the same thing happened over his quarters. I'm happy to report it all grew back.
So yeah, a slight meltdown at the kitchen table while WFH commenced. Having declared multiple times that Chip is my last horse, that I'm finally taking onboard the massive hints that the universe has been sending me since 2008 and I'm going to get a healthier and cheaper hobby like hard drugs I did what all people in my position would do and enquired about a 2yr old ex racer...
Having left my enquiry in the hands of the seller when I asked for stood up square photos the email with the lab results was sent. His albumin was a very healthy 37g/L! The vet had mixed up his results and reported on his globulin. His albumin had dropped 2g/L over the 6wks but daily fluctuations are normal. The seller didn't get back to me, though did update the advert, with the info requested so I took that as a sign to leave the 2yr old since Chip wasn't quite ready to exit.
That brings us to this week. Blood was taken on Tuesday 17/09 and the results were sent to me, and the hospital, last night. I had to stop on the way home and had a quick scan of the email. The albumin was too high at 43 g/L (41 is the top of the healthy range) so I replied asking if I should now be worried about that upward swing. When I got home and read the report properly the lab results were for my mum's horse who also had his blood taken. I replied asking for Chip's and that I'd leave the vet to discuss mum's horse with her directly. For some reason it made me more anxious having had the wrong results (again) because I wasn't expecting any that quickly. I got a blank email this morning with Chip's results attached and his albumin is a 40g/L, so panic over.
The hospital have replied to say they are pleased with the results after a further 6wks off treatment and that we could start reducing the frequency of the checks as long as he is well in himself.
So another year of doing nothing beyond stressing and paying vet bills (& substantial feed bills!) but at least he is well now. The signs seem to appear February time so I'll keep a regular frequency through Dec - March to try and keep on top of it. He's already getting oily herbs, vit E, brewers yeast and yea sacc alongside his feed, salt and vit/min mix - more powders than feed! My new thought is to start him on Mycosorb just in case there is some sort of [untraceable] toxin build up that reaches it peak over winter.
He's still seeing the specialist dental vet twice a year and his next appointment is October. His worm counts have been fine and he's due FEC and salvia tape test at the end of this month. At his next blood test I'll get the antibody test for tetanus too. I spoke to the hospital after the August results because Chip hasn't been vaccinated since July 2022, when he had a bad reaction to Flu/tet vaccine. Hospital advised that tetanus can be effective for up to three years so he may still be covered. If not they don't tend to react to tetanus so to vaccinate for that if he remains healthy.
Due to my lack of facilities, suitable ground and lights to do anything about bringing Chip back into work at this time of year I'd usually hire arenas. Given he's unvaccinated (& knowing my luck) I didn't think that was sensible hence the discussion with the hospital. Anyway, flu is most likely to cause a reaction so the plan is to ensure Chip is healthy, test for tetanus antibodies then revisit if he stays well and is going off the property that he gets flu vaccine first. I think that we can probably discount doing anything for the remainder of this year.
Chip is fat, something I would normally be mortified about and trying to fix. My thoughts were I'd rather he got ill while he had a healthy weight on his side (ie drop from fat to "healthy" weight) rather than starting treatment from a low bodyweight again. Now that he's got healthy blood I'll start cutting back his feed.
So there's the gut spill that no one asked for but it helps me to have all the dates in one place because there's quite a lot to remember. Thank you for obliging me and well done if you actually make it to this point!
So yeah, a slight meltdown at the kitchen table while WFH commenced. Having declared multiple times that Chip is my last horse, that I'm finally taking onboard the massive hints that the universe has been sending me since 2008 and I'm going to get a healthier and cheaper hobby like hard drugs I did what all people in my position would do and enquired about a 2yr old ex racer...
Having left my enquiry in the hands of the seller when I asked for stood up square photos the email with the lab results was sent. His albumin was a very healthy 37g/L! The vet had mixed up his results and reported on his globulin. His albumin had dropped 2g/L over the 6wks but daily fluctuations are normal. The seller didn't get back to me, though did update the advert, with the info requested so I took that as a sign to leave the 2yr old since Chip wasn't quite ready to exit.
That brings us to this week. Blood was taken on Tuesday 17/09 and the results were sent to me, and the hospital, last night. I had to stop on the way home and had a quick scan of the email. The albumin was too high at 43 g/L (41 is the top of the healthy range) so I replied asking if I should now be worried about that upward swing. When I got home and read the report properly the lab results were for my mum's horse who also had his blood taken. I replied asking for Chip's and that I'd leave the vet to discuss mum's horse with her directly. For some reason it made me more anxious having had the wrong results (again) because I wasn't expecting any that quickly. I got a blank email this morning with Chip's results attached and his albumin is a 40g/L, so panic over.
The hospital have replied to say they are pleased with the results after a further 6wks off treatment and that we could start reducing the frequency of the checks as long as he is well in himself.
So another year of doing nothing beyond stressing and paying vet bills (& substantial feed bills!) but at least he is well now. The signs seem to appear February time so I'll keep a regular frequency through Dec - March to try and keep on top of it. He's already getting oily herbs, vit E, brewers yeast and yea sacc alongside his feed, salt and vit/min mix - more powders than feed! My new thought is to start him on Mycosorb just in case there is some sort of [untraceable] toxin build up that reaches it peak over winter.
He's still seeing the specialist dental vet twice a year and his next appointment is October. His worm counts have been fine and he's due FEC and salvia tape test at the end of this month. At his next blood test I'll get the antibody test for tetanus too. I spoke to the hospital after the August results because Chip hasn't been vaccinated since July 2022, when he had a bad reaction to Flu/tet vaccine. Hospital advised that tetanus can be effective for up to three years so he may still be covered. If not they don't tend to react to tetanus so to vaccinate for that if he remains healthy.
Due to my lack of facilities, suitable ground and lights to do anything about bringing Chip back into work at this time of year I'd usually hire arenas. Given he's unvaccinated (& knowing my luck) I didn't think that was sensible hence the discussion with the hospital. Anyway, flu is most likely to cause a reaction so the plan is to ensure Chip is healthy, test for tetanus antibodies then revisit if he stays well and is going off the property that he gets flu vaccine first. I think that we can probably discount doing anything for the remainder of this year.
Chip is fat, something I would normally be mortified about and trying to fix. My thoughts were I'd rather he got ill while he had a healthy weight on his side (ie drop from fat to "healthy" weight) rather than starting treatment from a low bodyweight again. Now that he's got healthy blood I'll start cutting back his feed.
So there's the gut spill that no one asked for but it helps me to have all the dates in one place because there's quite a lot to remember. Thank you for obliging me and well done if you actually make it to this point!
TPO
Well-Known Member
Chip (in the rain) 4 August. The most recent in focus photo I have
The Fuzzy Furry
🦄 🦄
What a damned roller coaster you've both been on TPO, many more downs than ups tho, a lot of circling in there too!
Will be keeping fingers crossed that Chip continues to stay well x
Will be keeping fingers crossed that Chip continues to stay well x
Reacher
Well-Known Member
Crikey TPO you have both been through the mill 
. So (sorry if I’ve missed it), is the cause still a mystery?
Glad Chip is better at the minute and hope he stays that way (and yes I’d rather he was carrying a bit spare weight rather than worrying about him being at an ‘ideal’ weight)
. So (sorry if I’ve missed it), is the cause still a mystery?Glad Chip is better at the minute and hope he stays that way (and yes I’d rather he was carrying a bit spare weight rather than worrying about him being at an ‘ideal’ weight)
ihatework
Well-Known Member
Oh gosh, I think I knew he had been poorly but I’m not quite sure how I missed this thread and had no idea of the rollercoaster you have been on in the last year. My bad.
But he looks great at the moment and long may it continue!
But he looks great at the moment and long may it continue!
Ambers Echo
Still wittering on
God he has put you through the mill! Glad he’s healthy now. What a nightmare for you. And the 2 year old?? Xx
SEL
Well-Known Member
Wow - that's a real rollercoaster
Relieved he's still with you and looking so well but how odd it appears seasonal.
Relieved he's still with you and looking so well but how odd it appears seasonal.