Dementia in Horses..........

[Heidi1]

Have a problem with one of my horses, he is 19, ID X TB, the last three days he has been very stressed at coming in time, he seems to think he is on his own, he's not he has my three mares out with him. I am concerned that he is possibly suffering from mild dementia. Other small things have happened. Last night was the worst and it was rather upsetting to see him like this, he is a grumpy git, but last night he was really loving and even let some of the girls on the yard cuddle him, this is unheard of. Really don't want to call the vet, think I am scared of what they are going to say. He is aware of everything else, eating and drinking as he should and his stable is no different in the morning, so not sure if he is just not happy with his field, we are having problems with flies at the moment. Any help or advice would be great. Thankies..xx

 

[AmyMay]

Not ever heard of dementia in horses - but I suppose it's possible.

Not sure you have an option about calling the vet if you are seriously that concerned......

 

[Heidi1]

Neither have I, googled it but wasn't really much that could be said.

I know, think I'm going to see how he goes over the next few day, had had a good night again, has eaten everything as usual and drank as usual, really not sure about all this. I would feel a whole lot better if everything was different, but the fact that he is having a good night is making think it is something else.....

 

[SSM]

No help, except for a very big hug XXXXXXX

 

[Heidi1]

Thanks honey, just rang the yard and he is happy and munching his haylage and he has been grumpy to everyone that has been to see him, thats a good sign........also my girls are happy to be in as well..............bless think they understand........

 

[Blizzard]

The only time Ive heard of horses showing very strange behaviour, and much worse than your boys, is if there is a brain tumour present.

 

[Heidi1]

That did cross my mind too, but he is not showing this odd behaviour all the time, just when he is turned out......... going to see how he goes over the next few days, thanks though....

 

[AmyMay]

Just a thought - but he couldn't have had any access in the past (or in hay) to ragwort could he?? Or any other noxious thing???

 

[Heidi1]

Nothing that I can think of in the last few years, all four of mine are on the same haylage and in the same field................

 

[LauraBaxendale]

Has anything to do with his routine changed recently?? New field? change in feed? change in exercise routine? New people handling him? Any new horses on the yard?

You say it is around coming in time he gets stressed - how does he act? Has their been anything handling wise about this time that has changed? E.g. new person getting him in at times, order in which you bring them in etc etc

Has one of your mares, or another mare in the vicinity come into season maybe?

If you are concerned it is worth talking to your vet - it is possible there is an underlying clinical cause (horses are flight animals so may not always show pain/discomfort in a way we would expect). Also some vets do specialise in behaviour.

Good luck!

 

[AmyMay]

I'll tell you something that may or may not help.

I keep Amy at a friends farm - and bring in all the stabled horses pm. One mare in particular has become a bloomin nightmare to come in. Panicing - ripping off (Can't tell you how many times I've lost her). The answer?????

A bloody maggpie cage in the middle of the field that she walks through to come in!!!!!

I only spotted it after walking around the field again trying to catch her.

Could it be something as silly as something in the field that's out of place??

 

[Heidi1]

Mmmmmmmmmmm interesting, think I might take the dog for a nice long walk round the field tonight and have a look............ thanks for that, you never know....

 

[Heidi1]

Only thing that has changed is I have put him on to pasture mix instead of senior mix, but this was over a month ago....... Myself or the YO handle him, he is the first to come in with one of my mare, one of my mares has come into season but he is not interested, we do have a new horse ont he yard, she turned up last night, poss could of upset him more last night then normal, but it wasn't near him and it's normally oen of my girls that gets upset......going to see how he gets on the next few days, but thank you for all the advice.

 

[lucemoose]

re. the pasture mix, out of several horses on the yard whose feed was changed onto this, their reactions were described as "doolally"!! and "erratic"! ..

 

[LauraBaxendale]

Hm, is interesting. Is it just the last few days you have noticed changes in his behaviour? It could be the feed, but if behaviour started more than say a couple of weeks after feed change is unlikely. Also spring grass?

How does he act at coming in time (seeing as that is when you are saying he appears most stressed?)?

 

[Heidi1]

I've decided to take him off it and see what happens over the next couple of weeks..........

 

[AmyMay]

How was he last night/this morning??

 

[Heidi1]

He almost panics, as if he is going to be left out, he's a big lad (17.2) and just barges to the gate and which really isn't like him, normally perfect gentleman, then when we are walking down he is almost dragging you........ The other thing that has happened is he has been turned out with my girls, they go out two at a time and he will canter up the field with then but then about hour later he is pacing around as if he is out on his own and he seems confused, and the girls are not too far away from him. All this has happened over the last four days........

 

[Heidi1]

Last night he was his normal self, very grumpy which is a good sign, he had eaten everything, including a rather large haylage net, had drank as normal..... He's still happy (grumpy) this morning. They are going out a little later this morning so fingers crossed he is going to settle..........Thank you for asking.........

 

[AmyMay]

Nothing scary in the field then

which would have been nice.

 

[Heidi1]

No nothing at all, the usual two cows, which have been in there for months, looked in all the hedges too and found nothing, although did find my leather headcollar

. Just rang yard to see if he was ok and he is happily grazing with the girls

......... I'm finishing work early today, so intend to get him in before his normal time and just see what he is like.........

 

[AmyMay]

He's a lucky boy to have you.

Hope you get to the bottom of this soon.

 

[Heidi1]

Thank you, do love him to bits, feel better in myself today that he is settled.....

I hope I do too....

Thank you again....

 

[welshies]

Could the mares be in season? Can do v strange things to male!

 

[Moomin_and_Holly]

Hello there,

I work with people with dementia and if it's any consolation dementia doesn't just come on over a period of a few days, it's often very long process where very small minor changes appear over a long period of time so I would deduct that it is not dementia.

Hope this is of some help.

Holly x

 

[Heidi1]

Hello,

Thank you for that.... He has settled back down again, so just going to keep an eye on him.

 

[kirsti]

Hi Heidi,
we own a 17hh IDxT'bred, he is 30yrs old and this winter he has gone a bit 'weird'. i do believe that horses/animals can go a bit senile as they get older. our 3 horses all live out 24/7 but in seperate paddocks, all have access to either a stable or a field shelter at all times. we think his eyesight might be going a bit as he seems to panic at night if the dark bay mare disappears across her paddock but is perfectly ok if she stays nearby, we have to usually go and lead him to his feedbowl at night (they all get a late feed at 8pm), once he is in the yard he does tend to stay there of his own accord, this also encourages him to eat hay as i think he forgets to sometimes.
we are giving him a 20ml dose of 'Tranquil' in the mornings so that he stays calm when i ride my horse out. he does get that somewhat blank confused look sometimes but i really think his age has caught up with him. one day soon i guess we will have to make that horrible decision but whilst he is still eating like the preverbial horse and looking well then he will carry on.
regards
Kirsti

 

[henryhorn]

Actually I'd get his eyesight checked, when they age often that is the first thing to go and the symptoms sound very like that.