are these symptoms linked

[coffeeandabagel]

Hi
My 18 yr old part TB has been amassing more and more symptoms - how do I know whats linked to what. The vet just looks a bit dazed when I try and tell her everything!
he lost weight about 5 months ago and we are struggling to get it back on in spite of three feeds a day inc senior conditining mix, adlib haylage, grazing, Top Spec balancer, beet and chaff.
intermittant lameness - has had a corn and a bruised sole - farrier now put on raised bar shoes but Im not sure its always the foot. It seems to wear off if we continue the hack.

Last week had filled front legs, 2 days after road work, and was lame in the school
Has got slowly more grumpy about being touched in the area neck to rump,
Is a hot horse - v warm under the same rugs as the others in his block / field.

He wasnt working regularly before I got him so we have built up to this and now when he is sound he is doing a lot of hacking and a little XC, SJ, dressage all very willing - never that high or that fast but he is enjoying it.

Seen the vet who is giving him Bute, farrier very regulalry and chiropracter coming on Friday. Depending on what she says will maybe call saddler back but its a new saddle.

he is scaring me with his ears back and attermpts to bite me.
Help - he was a lovely horse.

 

[Tnavas]

Sounds very much like he is uncomfortable but you are doing all the right things especially getting the chiropractor in.

One of mine had a neck problem and was terrible to keep weight on as he was so much in pain.

Once fixed he was a different horse.

Swollen legs could be either too much protein in his diet or he has an abscess in both front feet.

For his feet I'd be inclined to have leather pads put on under normal shoes, pack between sole and pad with cotton wool & stockholm tar.

One other thing to consider is to bomb drench him, worm him with a broad spectrum wormer weekly for three weeks, same horse as mentioned earlier spent a couple of weeks at a friends place and started losing weight which I couldn't get back on. Vet suggested the bomb drench and it worked, he must have picked up a heavy burden of parasites in the couple of weeks he was away.

MAke sure he is well protected from the weather so that he doesn't lose weight trying to keep warm.

 

[coffeeandabagel]

Hi- thanks for ideas

Whats bomb drenching...thats new to me??

Interesting about protein in food - maybe too much since \i am trying to feed him up Could be causing bad temper. Will call feed helpline.

 

[Laura1812]

all sounds a bit odd.... if he were mine i think my gut instinct would be to blood test him to check all organs are working as they should and also to rule out cushings...

good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

The symptoms you describe are all classic Cushings. Not every horse gets all of the Cushings symptoms: minor hair shedding problems, very sweaty, smelly sweat, intermittent lameness, weight loss, breathing problems, skin infections that won't clear up, mite infestations that won't clear up, confusion, drinking much more than normal, peeing for Britain, loss of appetite, loss of top line and saggy belly. And thats not all of them! Many people would recognise the long curly coat of a Cushings pony but not all horses get this. Go onto talkaboutcushings.co.uk and you can register your horse for free and get a £15 voucher to print off and hand to your vet for £15 off the ACTH lab test (it costs about £25)