Casey76
Well-Known Member
My youngster has just had another positive increased LFT, although he is completely asymptomatic, and now the vet is on about ultrasound plus liver biopsy to see what's going on.
Anyones horse had a liver biopsy?
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Montyforever
Well-Known Member
My mare had an ultrasound (not specifically for liver but picked up that it was enlarged as well as a couple of organs but forgotten which ones!) wasn't particularly helpful in diagnosis. Blood tests pin pointed the liver, then was a case of blood tests to see if levels fell. Vet recommended a biopsy if levels didn't fall but luckily they did!
So i would probably opt to go straight to the biopsy personally
So i would probably opt to go straight to the biopsy personally
Switchthehorse
Well-Known Member
Mine has had several biopsies, once in horsepital and once at the yard, both under local anaesthetic.
My mare had severe hepatitis for over 2 years, she lost 2/3s of her liver, and went into liver failure at one point. I am no medical expert just a horse lover but after 2 years of trying to nurse her back to health i am really happy to give any input that you feel might help or answer any q's from an owners point of view... but as I say i have no veterinary qualifications!
After 2 years her bloods were so bad that they withdrew treatment (she had had everything under the sun thrown at her), and we were preparing to give her a dignified last couple of months turned away before PTS. As last chance i googled every specialist i could find and emailed them all her blood test results over the 2 years with a full history offering ££££ if they had any ideas. One replied and for free simply said 'move yards'.. I did. Long story short a year later we are competing BS and BD and contemplating BE and she is better and fitter than ever. Still only 1/3 of a liver but its started to regenerate slowly, her bloods were improving within 4 weeks and have been 'normal' for over a year now... and no treatment at all!! so good to have her back from the dead!!
My mare had severe hepatitis for over 2 years, she lost 2/3s of her liver, and went into liver failure at one point. I am no medical expert just a horse lover but after 2 years of trying to nurse her back to health i am really happy to give any input that you feel might help or answer any q's from an owners point of view... but as I say i have no veterinary qualifications!
After 2 years her bloods were so bad that they withdrew treatment (she had had everything under the sun thrown at her), and we were preparing to give her a dignified last couple of months turned away before PTS. As last chance i googled every specialist i could find and emailed them all her blood test results over the 2 years with a full history offering ££££ if they had any ideas. One replied and for free simply said 'move yards'.. I did. Long story short a year later we are competing BS and BD and contemplating BE and she is better and fitter than ever. Still only 1/3 of a liver but its started to regenerate slowly, her bloods were improving within 4 weeks and have been 'normal' for over a year now... and no treatment at all!!
so good to have her back from the dead!!foxy1
Well-Known Member
The only thing that solved my youngsters liver problems after many months was moving to different land. Wish I'd done it sooner but liver problems have so many possible causes, in the end I moved one horse just to see if any difference and when his enzymes dropped I moved the others. No problems since. Biopsy was inconclusive so didn't gain anything from it.
little_critter
Well-Known Member
Mine had a liver biopsy a couple of years ago. Tim Brazil did it in her stable. She was sedated and had local anaesthetic injected in the area of the biopsy. A small nic was made in the skin and a long thin 'grabber' was used to take a couple of liver samples. She didn't bleed much at all and the nic healed quickly and easily (there was supposed to be a staple to close the wound but the stapler was broken, it healed well anyway.)
I seem to remember it was ok to work her fairly quickly afterwards just avoid sweating up too much.
The biopsy showed the damage wasn't permanent and that it wasn't due to ragwort. She went on a course of steroids and her enzyme levels came down.
I seem to remember it was ok to work her fairly quickly afterwards just avoid sweating up too much.
The biopsy showed the damage wasn't permanent and that it wasn't due to ragwort. She went on a course of steroids and her enzyme levels came down.
nuttychestnut
Well-Known Member
I'm in the same boat, been treating my horse for the last year. Levels have peaked again, same time I noticed the symptoms last year. I do wonder if there is something growing in the field that he is allergic too. However I do wonder if his issues are due to him eating a lot of Marie's tail.
Regarding biopsys it's a very quick process and they are back in work within a week or two and no box rest. Good luck!
Regarding biopsys it's a very quick process and they are back in work within a week or two and no box rest. Good luck!
Leg_end
Well-Known Member
I think this has a huge impact. My MiLs horse had liver issues, as did another horse, and the biopsy didn't show anything particularly conclusive - the horses were wormed and put on steroids. I moved my boy and had bloods taken as he'd dropped some condition and I was concerned as that's how it started with the other horses and his liver enzymes were raised. Six weeks after moving they were fine. The only thing that changed was environment. Definitely worth considering if biopsy is inconclusive.
Casey76
Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone
It's so bizzare, as I'm not sure how it could be environmental as most of the other horses on the yard are lean, mean, fighting fit, competition animals.
anyway, we are going to drench with Fasinex and retest in a month. In the meantime, I've got him on a loading dose of milk thistle (which I would normally do in Autumn and Spring anyway), and also nettle and echinacea.
If there is no improvement, or not enough improvement after a month we'll do the liver biopsy - though the vet said it would need an overnight stay in the clinic (so between now and them I'm going to have to practice trailer loading...!)
Dammit... completely forgot to mention if it could possibly be mycotoxins. Will send the vet an email.
ETA: Should mention, this is the youngster in question... doesn't exactly look sick does he?
It's so bizzare, as I'm not sure how it could be environmental as most of the other horses on the yard are lean, mean, fighting fit, competition animals.
anyway, we are going to drench with Fasinex and retest in a month. In the meantime, I've got him on a loading dose of milk thistle (which I would normally do in Autumn and Spring anyway), and also nettle and echinacea.
If there is no improvement, or not enough improvement after a month we'll do the liver biopsy - though the vet said it would need an overnight stay in the clinic (so between now and them I'm going to have to practice trailer loading...!)
Dammit... completely forgot to mention if it could possibly be mycotoxins. Will send the vet an email.
ETA: Should mention, this is the youngster in question... doesn't exactly look sick does he?