Dramatic weight loss in pony - any ideas?

Amos

Amos

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We have a pony that has suddenly lost a lot of muscle and weight in the last couple of months. He is 13 years old and an unridden "pet". He lives out 24/7 with access to a large stable at all times and gets horsehage twice a day as he always has. Vet came last week and took bloods - all clear. She is coming back to do a cushings test as he hasn't lost his winter coat. (Having said that half of mine haven't). He has had lami once many years ago. Eating well.

His weight loss seems to have stablised and we are now giving him some hard feed as well. On top of that he has for many years had chronic COPD which the vet says is caused by an allergy. As he never has to break into a trot it hasn't been a problem.

Does anyone have any ideas or information on quality of life if it is cushings? Any help appreciated :o
 
Chronic, untreated COP/RAO can be life threatening whether or not the horse has to break into a trot. Untreated, and I suppose you're talking about a severe pollen allergy (probably tree pollen), it can get so bad that the horse is unable to take in enough oxygen just to stand up. You'd know if it was that bad because you'd hear your pony coughing 24/7 from the next county. This can lead to chronic heart failure which in turn would cause loss of weight. Time his breaths per minute - at rest they should be about 8 - 12 breaths per minute. Last year, my severely pollen allergic horse was 45 per minute just standing in his stable and when he was boxed to the vets for an endoscopy they shot up to over 65 per minute - I stopped daring to count after that but he couldn't be sedated for the endoscopy as the vets thought he'd go blue and stop breathing altogether. Worth looking into. Other thoughts would include anaemia, worm damage, old ragwort poisoning, tumour in the intestines. Fingers crossed x
 
Thanks BOF. Firstly, this pony isn't mine so I can only make suggestions.


Initially when the weight loss started I thought it was probably due to the strain on his body because of this awful heaving breathing. My thoughts were that there was only so long that the heart could managed with the strain. The vet certainly didn't mention that but has put him on some Ventapulmin which I can't say has made any difference. He was born here so definately not ragwort. Interestingly though he did live for his first 10 years with a donkey and I wonder if it was caused by lungworm. Vet says he inherited it from his dam (who he lives with) - I'm afraid I don't go for this and I don't use this vet.

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens with the cushings test. All i know is that he is not going to do well as a patient. He has never had to stay in a shut stable and is only headcollar broken. I expect if it is cushing the outlook is bleak. :(
 
Oh god, poor lad. If his breathing is so bad and he has a pronounced heaves line then he probably has got some degree of heart failure. His owner could find him down in the field one morning, unable to get up and drowning in his own lung secretions. Or already dead,, poor lad.
 
He seems content and is eating well so I guess we'll have to wait and see what the tests reveal. I'm just pleased that this new development has got the owner getting some tests done - its been hard watching.

At least this way a decision can be made on his future.
 
The mystery thickens..... it's not cushings and nothing has come up in the bloods. Vet is off to speak to an expert :confused:

The good news is that his weight/muscle loss seems to have stablised.
 
First off are teeth okay? I persume they are if the vet has been out but you never know.

This may be a long shot but.

We had a pony who was turned out in a field infected with EAM (equine atypical myoglobinuria) we wouldn't have put him out there if we knew but basically he never put on muscle/ weight. We just put it down to his type but when we sold him we heard they never had a problem with his weight.

We spoke to the vet about it and he believes that the toxin that caused the EAM had affected him in a minor way (not enough to kill him) but enough to make a difference.

It might be worth finding out if the field has any history of EAM or grass sickness or mysterious deaths.
 
Thanks Kokopelli for your idea.

He is in the same two paddocks that he was born in. The land has been in the same family for 60 years who although have had a couple of their own horses previously to thses two, have never had any strange illnesses etc. So I'm thinking probably unlikely. Everybody else has died of "normal" reasons! :(
 
Shot in the dark... Grass Sickness?? - Sorry I just realised someone else suggested that, but I have heard of horses spending years and years on the same land then suddenly coming down with it? maybe worth asking the vet if its a possibility but I hope it isn't as the prognosis is pretty bleak.
 
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Amos said:
He seems content and is eating well so I guess we'll have to wait and see what the tests reveal. I'm just pleased that this new development has got the owner getting some tests done - its been hard watching.

At least this way a decision can be made on his future.
Click to expand...

Yes its VERY hard to stand back if the owner is not willing to do anything. I hate it when people ask your advice and you say well if it were mine I'd do so and so, what do they do ? ask every tom, dick and harry, not listen to ANYONE, either carry on or do opposite to what people have said !

I've washed my hands of a few and its very difficult

Is this pony wormed regularly ? I would say its probably either cushings or related to the poor lad's COPD
 
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Definately no cushings (negative test) and I think if it were grass sickness he would be very ill by now as this began in March time. He is definately weeing loads, creamy colour and stinks. Stable awash in the morning. Also very sensitive skin.

Owner is following vets advice but is now rightly worried about the vets bill as she is retired and we're at £300 already and no where near a diagnosis. Small fry I know, but this is a "surprise" pet who is already pretty unwell with his breathing and one has to be realistic about how far to go and when one draws the line. :(

I guess it all hangs on what suggestion the vet comes back with. He's only halter broken so definately wont be going off in the trailer for any tests.
 
It would be worth mentioning to the vet about lymphosarcoma, as certain types affect the skin, and it would account for a sudden weight loss. It would also not necessarily show up on a blood test.
 
Just an update for anyone who is interested.

The pony's breathing became worse this spring and his weight dropped dramatically. He was put on medication to help with breathing and started to put weight back on with some hard feed. Unfortunately he was found dead last week. I suspect a heart attack. To be honest it was not a surprise, there was no way his heart could carry on under such strain. He should have been pts a while ago - just my opinion. RIP H.
 
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