Do you think my horse is suffering from dementia??

[Marigold4]

I have a mare who is 16 and non-ridden. She's always been excitable and flighty, but over the last couple of years, she has become more and more quirky. She is on bute for long-term navicular lameness which is better in the summer but worse in the wet conditions of winter. She only wants to go in one paddock out of our 4 paddocks. She makes a massive fuss about going anywhere else, even if the other paddocks are full of grass and the one she likes has none. She often stands looking in a particular direction, very alert, ears pricked, nostrils flared, just staring and staring, but there is nothing to see! She will do this for half an hour at a time. Sometimes she gallops around her paddock, round and round, until she is lathered with sweat but for no reason that I can see. Any thoughts on what's going on?

 

[southerncomfort]

If she's been on bute for a while, I wonder if it might be worth getting her liver tested.

Even minor liver problems can cause odd behaviour.

 

[Abacus]

No expert here on possible causes but do you think her are eyes ok? Perhaps she can't see as well as she did, and noises or different environments are stressful. Not sure it would explain the galloping around, unless she is scared of a noise she can't see.

 

[eggs]

I have had 2 older mares - both 20+ - and both of them would stand just staring into space when they got older. One had been on 1 bute every other day for a number of years but the other was not on bute. Whilst they could both have a canter around the field they didn't do the mad galloping you are describing.

It might be worth asking your vet but I am not sure if there is much they could recommend.

 

[Asha]

My old girl went a bit odd, but she was 24. She started to panic about things, and one day ran straight into the youngsters nearly knocking them out. Vet thinks she had something like a brain tumour. Without an MRI it was just guess work. But she deteriorated pretty quick, so we had to PTS. But she did have some other symptoms too. She developed a slight head wobble when resting, her eyes had a vacant /strange look.
I initially thought she was losing her sight, but the vet tested and she wasnt. So in your shoes id watch her very closely and see if there are any other symptoms, and then id have a vet check her sight

 

[Marigold4]

If she's been on bute for a while, I wonder if it might be worth getting her liver tested.

Even minor liver problems can cause odd behaviour.

Thanks for replying. She had a blood test in the summer and all was normal so not liver, but a good thought.

 

[Marigold4]

No expert here on possible causes but do you think her are eyes ok? Perhaps she can't see as well as she did, and noises or different environments are stressful. Not sure it would explain the galloping around, unless she is scared of a noise she can't see.

I haven't had her eyes checked. It's an idea. She has REALLY dark eyes so it's difficult to seem much without vet intervention. My other two have lighter eyes and I can see quite a lot. I'll ask next time the vet is out.

 

[Marigold4]

I have had 2 older mares - both 20+ - and both of them would stand just staring into space when they got older. One had been on 1 bute every other day for a number of years but the other was not on bute. Whilst they could both have a canter around the field they didn't do the mad galloping you are describing.

It might be worth asking your vet but I am not sure if there is much they could recommend.

The staring into space is quite odd. She's not just enjoying the view - she has ears pricked, nostrils flared, always looking in the same direction. The other two are not interested in looking in that direction.

 

[pootler]

Not a horse but our border terrier did this near the end of her life. Would sit in a corner of the room and stare at it. I later read and realised (not at the time) that this was a symptom of doggy dementia.

 

[Marigold4]

My old girl went a bit odd, but she was 24. She started to panic about things, and one day ran straight into the youngsters nearly knocking them out. Vet thinks she had something like a brain tumour. Without an MRI it was just guess work. But she deteriorated pretty quick, so we had to PTS. But she did have some other symptoms too. She developed a slight head wobble when resting, her eyes had a vacant /strange look.
I initially thought she was losing her sight, but the vet tested and she wasnt. So in your shoes id watch her very closely and see if there are any other symptoms, and then id have a vet check her sight

Thanks for your reply. I'll definitely ask the vet to look next time they are out.

 

[bluehorse]

Sounds a bit of a dumb question but are you sure there’s nothing to see or possibly smell? My old boy went like this for a whole summer, I was thinking he might have a brain tumour and was on the brink of calling the vet to take a look and discuss pts. He’d stand rigidly staring in the same direction for so long that he was making himself lame through stiffness. He had a touch of arthritis but wasn’t on Bute at that stage. It turned out there were pigs a few fields away, I just caught sight a a group of tiny piglets one day and realised straight away that was the cause, he was completely terrified of pigs. I think he could smell them as well. Fortunately they didn’t stay there much longer and as soon as they went he was back to normal. But it was a chance sighting by me, and I was so concerned about him that I was seriously considering his future.

 

[Marigold4]

My old girl went a bit odd, but she was 24. She started to panic about things, and one day ran straight into the youngsters nearly knocking them out. Vet thinks she had something like a brain tumour. Without an MRI it was just guess work. But she deteriorated pretty quick, so we had to PTS. But she did have some other symptoms too. She developed a slight head wobble when resting, her eyes had a vacant /strange look.
I initially thought she was losing her sight, but the vet tested and she wasnt. So in your shoes id watch her very closely and see if there are any other symptoms, and then id have a vet check her sight

Thanks for your reply. I'll definitely ask the vet to look next time they are out.

Not a horse but our border terrier did this near the end of her life. Would sit in a corner of the room and stare at it. I later read and realised (not at the time) that this was a symptom of doggy dementia.

That's interesting about the dog staring. I wonder if something similar is going on with her.

 

[Marigold4]

Sounds a bit of a dumb question but are you sure there’s nothing to see or possibly smell? My old boy went like this for a whole summer, I was thinking he might have a brain tumour and was on the brink of calling the vet to take a look and discuss pts. He’d stand rigidly staring in the same direction for so long that he was making himself lame through stiffness. He had a touch of arthritis but wasn’t on Bute at that stage. It turned out there were pigs a few fields away, I just caught sight a a group of tiny piglets one day and realised straight away that was the cause, he was completely terrified of pigs. I think he could smell them as well. Fortunately they didn’t stay there much longer and as soon as they went he was back to normal. But it was a chance sighting by me, and I was so concerned about him that I was seriously considering his future.

It could be something like but I have lived in this same place for 30 years and I don't think there's anything that way. Think there's just fields and woods. I'll maybe go out on my mountain bike and have a good look in that direction. There's a bridleway that goes that way so should be easy to check.

 

[spotty_pony2]

I’d personally get a cushings test. My old mare (with cushings) was a bit like this.

 

[poiuytrewq]

The staring into space is quite odd. She's not just enjoying the view - she has ears pricked, nostrils flared, always looking in the same direction. The other two are not interested in looking in that direction.

My horse does/did this. He will pace around or even trot back and fore stopping to stare at the same spot, exactly as you say staring at apprently nothing, as if the full on hunt is in view. Then sometimes get himself really wound up, again about nothing. Over the years Ive had several other horses with him and the others have never reacted or been able to see/hear what ever it is.
Ive wracked my brains and everyone elses trying to figure it out. He, when in work was also quite mad to ride at times. I even took him to different places, one of which he was better at but couldnt stay there sadly.

Very oddly and I almost dont want to write this but **touch wood** He had to do a stint on box rest recently and has been back out for about 3 weeks and is slightly odd in his own way but not doing the above that I've seen. I dont want to gat my hopes up because as you probably know its a stressful thing to deal with. A constantly unsettled horse.

 

[Red-1]

Sounds a bit of a dumb question but are you sure there’s nothing to see or possibly smell? My old boy went like this for a whole summer, I was thinking he might have a brain tumour and was on the brink of calling the vet to take a look and discuss pts. He’d stand rigidly staring in the same direction for so long that he was making himself lame through stiffness. He had a touch of arthritis but wasn’t on Bute at that stage. It turned out there were pigs a few fields away, I just caught sight a a group of tiny piglets one day and realised straight away that was the cause, he was completely terrified of pigs. I think he could smell them as well. Fortunately they didn’t stay there much longer and as soon as they went he was back to normal. But it was a chance sighting by me, and I was so concerned about him that I was seriously considering his future.

I had one suddenly start the transfixed staring, to the point he wasn't eating enough. Turned out a not-so-near neighbour had bought themselves some mares and a stallion! I couldn't hear anything. but he could!

 

[Marigold4]

I’d personally get a cushings test. My old mare (with cushings) was a bit like this.

A good thought. Is there a particular test I should get? I know I've read somewhere that sometimes it doesn't show up on a standard Cushings test and then you have to go on and do another type?

 

[Marigold4]

My horse does/did this. He will pace around or even trot back and fore stopping to stare at the same spot, exactly as you say staring at apprently nothing, as if the full on hunt is in view. Then sometimes get himself really wound up, again about nothing. Over the years Ive had several other horses with him and the others have never reacted or been able to see/hear what ever it is.
Ive wracked my brains and everyone elses trying to figure it out. He, when in work was also quite mad to ride at times. I even took him to different places, one of which he was better at but couldnt stay there sadly.

Very oddly and I almost dont want to write this but **touch wood** He had to do a stint on box rest recently and has been back out for about 3 weeks and is slightly odd in his own way but not doing the above that I've seen. I dont want to gat my hopes up because as you probably know its a stressful thing to deal with. A constantly unsettled horse.

Glad to hear that yours has stopped. It is odd, isn't it. I've changed my rented field to one at the back of my house. She used to be in one at the front and still stared in that same direction: north-east. She's got worse about it but it's still the same direction.

 

[Marigold4]

I had one suddenly start the transfixed staring, to the point he wasn't eating enough. Turned out a not-so-near neighbour had bought themselves some mares and a stallion! I couldn't hear anything. but he could!

It may be something like that. I'm going to think about whether there's a particular time of day that sets her off. That might be a clue. We have a small livery yard that's opened up in the village but it is in the other direction. She seems to be staring at the nearby stately home on the top of a hill. Maybe she thinks she should be living there in grand style or maybe she's a fan of Georgian architecture!

 

[CastlelackSportHorses]

I have a mare who is 16 and non-ridden. She's always been excitable and flighty, but over the last couple of years, she has become more and more quirky. She is on bute for long-term navicular lameness which is better in the summer but worse in the wet conditions of winter. She only wants to go in one paddock out of our 4 paddocks. She makes a massive fuss about going anywhere else, even if the other paddocks are full of grass and the one she likes has none. She often stands looking in a particular direction, very alert, ears pricked, nostrils flared, just staring and staring, but there is nothing to see! She will do this for half an hour at a time. Sometimes she gallops around her paddock, round and round, until she is lathered with sweat but for no reason that I can see. Any thoughts on what's going on?

My mare does this also. She will be 16 next year, still competing to a high level. Shes very quirky.
When she comes out of her winter paddock she pretends to see things in the ditch and I will have to reverse her to the stable as she needs to keep an eye on said scary thing.
In her summer fields she will randomly start galloping round and round and wind every other horse up for no reason at all.
She is quite blood though so I put it down to that and that she is the Head mare in the yard, and that she is just an utter Twat, but my Twat!

 

[spotty_pony2]

A good thought. Is there a particular test I should get? I know I've read somewhere that sometimes it doesn't show up on a standard Cushings test and then you have to go on and do another type?

Hmm I am sure on specific tests as I have only ever used the standard one but maybe have a chat with your Vet about it. The standard one will be a good starting point though.

 

[Marigold4]

My mare does this also. She will be 16 next year, still competing to a high level. Shes very quirky.
When she comes out of her winter paddock she pretends to see things in the ditch and I will have to reverse her to the stable as she needs to keep an eye on said scary thing.
In her summer fields she will randomly start galloping round and round and wind every other horse up for no reason at all.
She is quite blood though so I put it down to that and that she is the Head mare in the yard, and that she is just an utter Twat, but my Twat!

My mare is 60% tb and also head mare. When she stsrts galloping round she makes the other 2 go with her. It's really annoying!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Glad to hear that yours has stopped. It is odd, isn't it. I've changed my rented field to one at the back of my house. She used to be in one at the front and still stared in that same direction: north-east. She's got worse about it but it's still the same direction.

I’m really not letting myself believe he stopped (but I can hope!)
He’s done it the 5 years I’ve had him and I can’t quite believe a bit of box rest, although he really did have to man up a bit would change him this much
He was a bit different in that he would always do it but the direction would change.

She isn’t a head shaker is she? Mine is and if wondered if it were something related. He’s also got way better with that since the box rest, it stopped completely when he was in but I notice it again in the rain or wind which was always guaranteed to make it worse but now it’s the only time he shows any sign of head shaking

 

[Beausmate]

It could be something like but I have lived in this same place for 30 years and I don't think there's anything that way. Think there's just fields and woods. I'll maybe go out on my mountain bike and have a good look in that direction. There's a bridleway that goes that way so should be easy to check.

It could be. But does she always stare in the same direction?

 

[Beausmate]

It may be something like that. I'm going to think about whether there's a particular time of day that sets her off. That might be a clue. We have a small livery yard that's opened up in the village but it is in the other direction. She seems to be staring at the nearby stately home on the top of a hill. Maybe she thinks she should be living there in grand style or maybe she's a fan of Georgian architecture!

Posh house - peacocks? Two of mine stare at deer, then get all silly when the deer move off.

 

[Marigold4]

I’m really not letting myself believe he stopped (but I can hope!)
He’s done it the 5 years I’ve had him and I can’t quite believe a bit of box rest, although he really did have to man up a bit would change him this much
He was a bit different in that he would always do it but the direction would change.

She isn’t a head shaker is she? Mine is and if wondered if it were something related. He’s also got way better with that since the box rest, it stopped completely when he was in but I notice it again in the rain or wind which was always guaranteed to make it worse but now it’s the only time he shows any sign of head shaking

No, not a head shaker.

 

[Marigold4]

Posh house - peacocks? Two of mine stare at deer, then get all silly when the deer move off.

Good thought - I don't think there are peacocks. The house is about 3 miles away so I think too far away?

 

[Indieanna6]

My mare is exactly like this at the moment - it’s the same every year at this time and it’s due to the deer in the woods near the paddocks. Some mornings as I turn out she will sense and see them 4 fields away, long before I have noticed them.

 

[Beausmate]

Good thought - I don't think there are peacocks. The house is about 3 miles away so I think too far away?

They can hear stuff and smell stuff from a long way off. I read somewhere that a horse can smell water from up to a mile away. Don't know how true that is, but I wouldn't be surprised, given where they evolved.

 

[Cragrat]

Good thought - I don't think there are peacocks. The house is about 3 miles away so I think too far away?

3 miles isn't far for peacock noise - we can hear them from the other side of the valley.

I would 2nd the suggestion of a Cushings test. Mine had very few, mild physical symtoms, and also was very 'senile' in his behaviour. HIs ACTH levels were more than 4 times what they should have been for that time of year.