Can I cry pls?

[Queenbee]

Just need a bit of a sniff and a whinge please... Ebony is still poorly, she's been almost 2 weeks on gastroguard with no change, well actually she looks more ropey, I'm on my phone so can't post today's pics but If anyone is on my Facebook they can post a link to there for me?! They say a picture adds weight, doesn't it just, she is shocking in the flesh and I'm really loosing hope. The surpression test was inconclusive, showing high cortisol in the evening and lower in the morning after dext injection. But still very high, we are still waiting on the ACTH results, and the other day she started to refuse her fast fibre... Of which I have 3 bags! I now have 5 different feeds on the go, it took me an hour to find a feed combination tht she would eat. She can't go out in the rain, she'd get cold, she's in winter woolies because she's to skinny, she still welcomes me with a whinny but I haven't seen any real energy for a few days now and she has definitely dropped off in weight.
I rang the grass sickness people today, despite the fact that their offices are supposed to be open, all I got was an answer machine, so I emailed them. She isn't sweating and has loads of gut sounds, she shows some level of constipation (small pony size pellets of poo) but hasn't blocked up or anything. So I can't see it's gs but I'm desperately clutching at straws. I've never heard of such rapid weight loss in a cushings horse but apparently cortisol is raised in gs cases, but then any stress could cause cortisol to raise I suppose. If its not cushings, the next thing is probably steroids for a month. I'm getting so desperate... And I'm pretty sure I watching her end game, I don't think we're going to find what it is and I don't think it's fixable. Am also ordering some egusin in case it's hind guys ulcers but things are pretty dire.

So, does anyone know of gs cases that haven't sweated buckets and lost gut movement, and doe an I shamelessly ask for some hho vibes and ((((hugs)))) for me and ebony please.

 

[elliefiz]

Sorry to hear there hasn't been an improvement. :-( no advice as have no experience of ulcers but sending good healing vibes and hope there's a marked improvement ASAP.

 

[flirtygerty]

Aaagh pet, I've been following your posts.
I wish I lived closer, I would come and give you the biggest hug ever.
You cry all you want, I think you have held up amazingly
All things crossable are now crossed.
will be thinking of you
XXXXXX

 

[tallyho!]

oh my poor queenbee. I am just sorry I have no experience to give you hope. Only a big fat hug and a soft shoulder to cry on. Xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[HaffiesRock]

Massive hugs and well wishes from me xxxx

 

[Dolcé]

QB, I am so sorry your mare is still so ill. Is it worth contacting these http://crossgatesfarm.co.uk/, I suppose it is quite expensive to have the testing done but it may be money well spent if it comes up with a remedy. I have always heard good things about them but I am sure there are others who have actually used them that can offer a real 'testimonial'. I really hope you manage to find out what is wrong and how to deal with it.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I knew a horse with chronic grass sickness & she still passed droppings a bit. She sweated but not loads just like she'd been for a ride & it was intermittent not all the time. The horse recovered but the owners had to hand feed it & had to keep changing the food. I'm sorry your horse is so ill. I hope you find out what's wrong. It sounds like a desperate situation. Fingers crossed she recovers.

 

[JFTDWS]

Nothing constructive here either, I'm afraid, but I am so sorry to read this xx

 

[meesha]

So so sorry that Ebony is so poorly, sending vibes and keeping everything crossed for her.

 

[rhino]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...41846446.27994.100000011520987&type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...41846446.27994.100000011520987&type=1&theater
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...41846446.27994.100000011520987&type=1&theater

Oh hun

Is she insured? Have your vets suggested having her referred to a horspital? I don't know what else to suggest...

 

[Kat]

Saw the facebook pictures

Vibes and thoughts and hugs...... You must be beside yourself with worry.

 

[happyhacking:)]

tell me bout it hun. im in a very similar place to you right now

my mare has been poorly for 5 months now and in the past 2 has lost a considerable amount of weight despite being fed as much food as she can eat. have tried everything. some days she eats some days she doesn't. at the mo she is at Rossdales having weight loss examinations and im worried sick about her. Have spent much of the past week in tears. im at the end of my rope with her i dont know what to do or how to help her.

Hope you start to get some improvement soon. Best of luck

 

[Queenbee]

Thank u x. Ellie the thing is we just don't KNOW what it is, we thought it could be stomach ulcers at one point, which is why she went on the gastroguard, at one point we thought it could be worms even though she'd had a bleeding good dose of equest pramox, so he had pancur for 5 days, she's had bute, antibiotics, cushings test... Liver function, in depth blood tests, I'm a fixer, I can always fix something's and solve a problem, if I don't know something I research the answer, eliminate the possibilities and find the cause and fix it.... But I just can't seem to do it!! I mean it's so flucking bad to see buckets and buckets of food go into your horse and her waste away in front of your eyes and just not being able to fix it or stop it... I'm so angry! And I keep asking myself the question when will I stop? I know I may save her yet but I also know that if I can't I will spend my life coming up with 'what ifs' and I don't want to be someone who keeps their horse alive for themselves, never having gone through this before, never having had to make the decision before, I'm becoming acutely aware of how hard it is to know when. My vet and I haven't even said its that time yet, but I can't bear the thought that I may become one of those owners that keeps their horse going for themselves and I can't bear the idea that I may give up on her too soon... I feel very helpless and very lost

 

[Trinity Fox]

My heart goes out to you and I really hope you find an answer,I am really sending positive and healing wishes and hope your horse starts to get better soon.

 

[Goldenstar]

I am so sorry to hear this just hang in there nursing her offer lots of different things eat have you tried young gorse shoots thats a traditional thing to try.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I know its one of those things where everyone's opinion differs, but I would not give up until age does. If your mare is still calling to you happily like she always has done in the morning and her pain is controlled, I'd keep feeding her and looking for the answer. If the light in her eyes goes out or she's in pain a lot and permanently miserable, then maybe its time to let her go. I'm so sorry you're having to think about this.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Damn phone! That should say don't give up until she does, not age does.

 

[Queenbee]

Horspital isn't an issue, she's not insured but it isn't the money, I mean she's costing me a fortune and I'm having to stable Ben too to keep her company etc so it's not cheap but I can cover that and keep going for quite a while yet, but she couldn't go away, I know she wouldn't be able to deal, that's why Ben hasnt gone as planned to be backed, she would just lose the will to go on and also stress as she'd be on her own stabled an in field, I'd lose that little bit of fight she had going for her 2 months ago, I was riding a show fit (and I mean fit not fat! Lol) horse, and had purchased all new showing stuff, she was riding the best she ever had... She was looking so good she was even made cover girl for my friends equine massage therapy Facebook pg! Now she wouldn't look out of place in a Brooke advert! I'm going to ring the gs people again... If I've moved my mare onto a paddock that's possibly killed her I will never forgive myself

 

[ihatework]

It all sounds incredibly stressful, you have my complete sympathy.

I would get a gastroscope done ASAP rather than trialling drugs, try and definite rule out

Have you pumped strong painkillers in? Would be interesting to see if pain is stopping her eating?

I'm sure bloods would have shown some irregularity but is there any testing available to rule out tumours?

Is it time to have her hospitalised do you think?

 

[GoodysMummy]

huge hugs and healing vibes heading your way!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm so sorry to hear that there is no real improvement and can't really offer any experience of a similar condition. But I do wonder if your vet has considered an auto-immune condition.
I know a person whose family was told to prepare for the worst as medics were convinced she must have cancer but in fact was eventually found to have an auto-immune disease, which was successfully treated with steroids.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

You don't have any way of knowing in advance if a field has grass sickness in it, so its not your fault.

 

[Sparkly Snowdrop]

Have you tried the FB GS group, there are some really knowledgable people on there?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/219636401382141/

 

[Queenbee]

Yeah, it's just hard seeing her lose her sparkle in her eyes, if it does come to the unthinkable I have my plan so I don't have to think about it now!
Gorse!!! That's a good idea, I forgot its a natural antidepressant! And we have bags of nettles too, on the plus side I've found some really nice haylage she loooves, she's almost eating two cakes a night!!!!

 

[Crazydancer]

Oh no! I've been following progress and sorry to hear she hasn't improved. Big fat hugs. With fingers crossed. xxx

 

[Littlelegs]

Sorry no advice or help but really hoping you find a cause soon that's treatable xxx

 

[amandap]

I'm so sorry, it's the worst thing when you have no idea what is going on.
All I can suggest is a second opinion.

Sending lots of healing vibes and strength. x

ps. I take it her temp is normal. Blood worms? Liver fluke?
Just brainstorming...

 

[Queenbee]

Thank you guys, snowdrop thats great thank you! I know if it's gs I have no way of knowing re field, it won't mean I won't hate myself though ps yes we have thought of that which is why we have been talking about possible next steps of 3 days dext, followed by prednisolone for a month.
I hate work, we debated a scope but decided that gastroguard would be the best course of action because if she had stomach ulcers we would see an improvement, and hind gut can't be scoped anyway. She was on bute in the first week with no
Major difference although to be honest I gave her a dose tonight because she has been tucked up for days... Could just be how she looks now without her muscle, but thought id see how she feels tomorrow after a night on bute! With regards to Horspital she won't survive there... I can absolutely say that her best bet is to stay where she is with Ben, this isn't arrogance, she'd break her heart and she's never been great to stable, she is only relaxed when he is with her

 

[pookie]

Oh god, I'm so sorry Queenbee I, too, have been following Ebony's story and have been keeping everything crossed she'd pick up or you'd get a diagnosis. All is not lost yet...I'm a big believer in people knowing when they should make the unthinkable decision and it's usually evident in how they write. I really don't get that impression from your OP - you sound down and frustrated and a bit lost (totally understandably), but not as if you deep down know the time has come.

We're in a similar though not as drastic situation with one of our cats who started losing weight rapidly about 9 months ago. She looks like something from a welfare appeal but we've managed to find no diagnosis so far. Like you I'm a fixer (not helped by being a scientist)...there's an answer, it's just a matter of time and using the right diagnostic techniques. You'll get there ((hugs))

 

[be positive]

I am sorry she is not improving, its such a worry when they will not eat and are almost fading away in front of you.
Try to get her interested in anything you can think of, gorse is a great idea, nettles, willow is a natural asprin, hawthorn, cleavers, if you can take her for a walk and see what she likes to pick at, they seem to know what is good, then you could get more for her to eat when inside.
Contact some feed companies, most will send out samples you could try, at this stage it really does not matter too much if it is chopping around, just eating is what is required.
I nursed one poor boy, which we sadly lost, I made a mix of eggs and honey which he took, it got quality protein into him at a time he was eating nothing except grass which in mid winter was not ideal there was not much around so he came on my lawn each day.
The cushings test should be back soon , my pony did drop weight as fast as your girl but was diagnosed quickly, she will take a while to pick up and prascend can put them off their food for a while.

Vibes coming your way.