Can some one help a friend please

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chestnutcob

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My firends horse was down in the stable when the vet came doing his rolling and heavy breathing. Then we got him up checked heart and internal, all clear...... then he promptly fell to sleep and and fell over banging his head up the stable wall. What more proof than that do you need to prove that there is something wrong. Gave him some (don`t know if I will spell this right) Aptrapeen. Which more or less instantly calmed his breathing down. Suggested Steroids, which I don`t want to give because of the risk of Laminitus as he is border line cushion`s oooooh who would have a old horse! Now on 5 scoops of ventipulmin a day and still no wiser what is causing the pain!
Blood tests taken all come back negative but horse is still falling ? What can it be any idea's ?
 
Did you say that your horse was just falling asleep? If so - I used to know someone who's horse was diagnosed with narcolepsy(think that's how it's spelt!). This is basically falling asleep at any time - which could mean that they fall over! It could happen at any time - in the stable, field or even while being ridden - which could be dangerous.

I cannot quite remember how this was diagnosed - I think that they set up a camera in the stable over a period of 24 hours to watch what was happening. I think that the horse only did it in the field and stable and was able to continue to be ridden etc.

Might be worth investigating this?!!
 
Is this horse able to lie down and rest adequately? My old girl has arthritis and is reluctant to lie down when she is turned out in the summer as she has to lie completely flat as soon as she goes down. As a result she suffers from sleep deprivation and has been to fall down when she goes too deeply asleep. I have photos of her fast asleep with her nose resting on the ground like a fifth leg. This is a condition which is very common in elderly/arthritic horses and ponies but in this country alot of people panic and say the horse has narcolepsy. Have a look on Youtube and you will see plenty of footage of affected horses. I'd make sure the horse has really thick high banks in his stable so that at least if he takes a nose dive he will have a slightly softer landing.
 
chestnutcob said:
My firends horse was down in the stable when the vet came doing his rolling and heavy breathing. Then we got him up checked heart and internal, all clear...... then he promptly fell to sleep and and fell over banging his head up the stable wall. What more proof than that do you need to prove that there is something wrong. Gave him some (don`t know if I will spell this right) Aptrapeen. Which more or less instantly calmed his breathing down. Suggested Steroids, which I don`t want to give because of the risk of Laminitus as he is border line cushion`s oooooh who would have a old horse! Now on 5 scoops of ventipulmin a day and still no wiser what is causing the pain!
Blood tests taken all come back negative but horse is still falling ? What can it be any idea's ?
Click to expand...

I think it is atropine that you are thinking of and I think atropine is for use with heart conditions - bradycardia or tachycardia which would maybe be why the vet was listening to heart sounds but I'm not a vet and I'm only guessing. I know atropine is also used for eye problems. What exactly did the vet diagnose? Sureley he/she must have suspected something? Falling asleep and banging his head doesn't sound right. I thought narcolepsy made them drop to the floor gradually not like a lead weight but I might be wrong.
 
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Atropine is a powerful vasodilator - herbal equivalent eyebright -it can be used to assist in cases where breathing is dificult - e.g. in Asthma attacks or COPD.

Sounds like the horse may have ben exhausted from simply finding it hard to breathe.

I've been there...myself, and had Atropine. Powerful stuff.
 
brucea said:
Atropine is a powerful vasodilator - herbal equivalent eyebright -it can be used to assist in cases where breathing is dificult - e.g. in Asthma attacks or COPD.

Sounds like the horse may have ben exhausted from simply finding it hard to breathe.

I've been there...myself, and had Atropine. Powerful stuff.
Click to expand...

Off wikipedia-

Physiological effects and uses (of Atropine)

Atropine increases firing of the sinoatrial node (SA) and conduction through the atrioventricular node (AV) of the heart, opposes the actions of the vagus nerve, blocks acetylcholine receptor sites, and decreases bronchial secretions.
In general, atropine lowers the parasympathetic activity of all muscles and glands regulated by the parasympathetic nervous system. This occurs because atropine is a competitive antagonist of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (acetylcholine being the main neurotransmitter used by the parasympathetic nervous system). Therefore, it may cause swallowing difficulties and reduced secretions.
 
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