Ebony... At wits end :(

Queenbee

Queenbee

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She's going downhill again, eating her tea but leaving half and I'm only giving her a scoop, two weeks ago she was eating 6 scoops a day :( she had started to pick up again but she's going backward, losing the little weight she had gained and I have no idea how the hell I'm going to get it back on her if she won't eat, she is still
eating hay and grass but her body just isn't processing the goodness :( vets coming out tomorrow. Perhaps it wasnt worms after all. :( pointless post really just needed a whine. I really hope whatever is causing this they find out soon because she can't go on losing weight like this. She has always been such a vibrant lively healthy girl, it breaks my heart to see her like this and be helpless. I mentioned ulcers today, vet asked if she was more grumpy, I said she hasn't the energy to be grumpy. Someone mentioned some stuff that I can get in the supermarket (begins with R) that you can feed, it should make a difference within 48hrs of its ulcers, anyone know what it is? I'm running out of options, vets mention tumours, ulcers I can deal with, aggressive fast growing tumours I couldn't :( ulcers would make sense, she's always had a rumbly tummy, sloppy poo until a yr ago and was for many yrs an absolute stress head. Anyway, things don't look as good as I thought they did... :( :(
 
Argh no QB - that's really sad. Did you get to the bottom of the bloods that were taken, can't remember if you got the results yet?

Do you mean Ranitidine? Footlights posted something about that earlier today re tummy/ulcer thing. I've no idea what it is but just wondered if that was connected !
 
Yeah that's it, I thought I might as well try it and see, will chat with vets tomorrow about options. Bloods were tested for all basics at surgery lab and nothing glaring, just showed her body was a bit compromised, then sent to large lab but hoping it was worms they asked them to hold them in case further investigation needed, when she started to pick up and eat hard feed again we thought we were in the clear, they are ringing lab am to give go ahead for further tests.
 
Oh no! I am so sorry, queenbee. I hope she is all right. I remember thinking it really odd when she had the big 'pregnant' belly. Sending healing vibes.
 
Oh no :(

I wonder if she has some discomfort somewhere if she is off bute now? Feeling better would make her appetite improve.

I'd also be asking for liver tests if they haven't already done them, sorry I can't remember if they had.:o
 
Hi, just got in, going to grab a quick bite to eat then will reply to your posts, you are all being so supportive and helpful, thank you x
 
Hi all, wagtail that is really useful thank you, yes the vets are pretty sure that it's malabsorption syndrome, but the root cause is anyone's guess at the moment, amymay: preliminary bloods showed nothing to indicate liver problems and she wasnt jaundice at all but they may want to run further tests now, I just don't know :(
She is back on her oral bute paste but on it and off it she just doesn't seem to have any appetite, she is picky and disinterested in hard feed and whilst she's eating hay and grass the weight is just slowly going again. For a mare who was lucky to get a handful of chaff a day in the summer every year, this is just so wrong :( someone pm'd me about stomach cancer and I did write a reply but then deleted it by mistake! I jut wanted to say thank you for your pm, cancer is something they are suspecting... I hope to god they are wrong, but I'm feeling less hopeful as time goes by, any improvement I take with thanks, but each time she improves it's a little bit and then she loses ground again, it's 1step forward, two steps back :( hopefully the vets will be able to nail the cause and fingers crossed it will be treatable... I would sell my soul for this mare.
 
Queenbee, have just messaged a friend whose horse (I've just remembered)was very ill a few years who. I think it might have been similar to Ebony. Will let you know as soon as they respond.
 
QB I feel for you so much having been there so often when you feel so hopeless. It is like the worlds cruelest puzzle trying to work out what is wrong and whether you can put it right, but please forgive yourself if you don't always get it right, I think the fact you are trying so hard is amazing and that really is all you can do. Good luck to you both.
 
I really hope it isn't cancer:( Even so, as hard as it is you have to wait and let the vets do their job, it may be something relatively easy to put right so try not to worry too much. xx
 
Thank you amymay and. Canteron and, well everyone. I just can't stand the thought that I can't fix this, that I can't click my fingers for her, it's horrible being so helpless, I know I'm doing all I can but it's not enough. I got my youngster Ben, because I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if I lost her and didn't have another horse in my life already I wouldnt be able to get another one, it was always my plan to back him, bring him on and then some day in the distant future when he was old enough to compete safely she could have an easier life, a semi retirement of fun hacks. He's not even backed yet, and I can't stop thinking, this wasnt the plan, she wasn't supposed to even have a blip for years to come, she's so young, 18 is no age for me to be facing losing her, I know this sounds very melodramatic, but it's really how I feel, this feels so wrong, not how I planned it. I have Cavello boots, new showing jackets, new broadband, show saddle, rugby Pelham, Jeffries bridle, stirrups, gloves, stirrup leathers, hoof varnish, needles and thread, I spent £20 on a show cane... A blooming whip!!!! I bought all the things I wished I could afford and everything she more than deserved this year, we were going to brave the Shows and even with me on her back she had a bloody good chance at winning!!! She was looking fabulous less than 2 months ago, all these things I've dreamed of buying for her, sat on shelves, and I'm scared she will never get to wear them, i dont care about the cost, its the sentiment. Sat here blubbing like an idiot!!! :( :(
 
I have nothing constructive to add except to say its awful when they are ill and you don't know why however bad it is it's easier when you know what you are dealing with , I hope the vet can help try to keep your chin up.
 
It sounds similar to my friends mare who had peritonitis, caused by a worm burden that had moved into her colon. has the vets mentioned that? x
 
Hi touchstone, that's why I want to talk about ulcers with the vet, he didn't really seem to think it was, but didn't dismiss it either, it just wasn't something that he really had on his list of possibles. His main 3 were worms, tumour, virus, the first two being far
More possible because of the acute nature of her condition and the rapid muscle wastage. I'm no vet, I don't even have a clue as to whether it could be ulcers... I've never even seen a horse with them, I just know I'll be asking him tomorrow morning! Unfortunately with all things if it is something bad like cancer or she just keeps deteriorating these things do happen, and I will do the very very best for her. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't had her these past four years especially :( my vets are being great though, there are about five of them putting their heads together, but until bloods come back a lot of it is supposition! I should have pushed for bloods to be done on monday but when she started eating her hard feed then we were all sure that it must have been worms and she had turned a corner :(
 
Hi, yes this was the first possible diagnosis, she had been wormed with equest two weeks before but they still suspected worms, so she went on a five day course of pancur, antibiotics and bute, but still no really significant change that the vet would have expected if it were worms :(
 
I have looked at all your other hreads and they do so sound like the wee hirse that had peritonitis...she went downhill rapidly. she also had picked up a virus which didnt helo her fight the peritonitis.

I see that shes been wormed but the point i was trying to mame was had the vets considered that she could have peritonitis?

Whatever it is i hope you get an answer soon....its horrible when theyr ill
 
Any other symptons? Is she weeing and pooing? Hate to mention it but has your vet considered it may be grass sickness?
 
Queenbee, I have no useful advice to give, but just want to add my supportive thoughts to everyone else's. I followed your "is she pregnant" story a few months ago and have a soft spot for Ebony as a result.

I hope you and your vet get to the bottom of this and she starts to pick up soon. I really feel for both you and your lovely mare.
 
Nothing helpful to add but sorry to hear she is so poorly again .... hope you get some answers and a positive way forward soon
 
Hi here are the symptoms, a list of her history and a couple of recent oddities that are probably unrelated but you never know...
History:
A streaky made for many years, separation anxiety calmer in the last couple of years, poo like cow pats, always a lot of gut noise, grass allergy in summer (glands swollen and bloated) purchased as a 7 yr old, was in previous home for 6 1/2 yrs, absolutely no grazing there, 30 other horses had a diet of hay, oats beet and bran when ridden, not sure if they wormed probably not as they should have been. About 8/9 yrs ago she had a chest infection and 2 courses of antibiotics, nothing nasty found in her discharge, after that a slight cough to clear lungs when working and on occasion in field, also 2 incidents of low grade pneumonia, sputolosin prescribed, she was in good spirits but was having trouble shifting what was stuck at the back of her lungs. Bloated up again last summer but it stayed a big longer than usual. Since getting ben (2yrs ago) she has become more steady, better in her box and to catch, last 2 winters no problems with pneumonia and the last yr her stools have been normal.

Current symptoms:
Rapid weight loss, loss of appetite, heart murmur due to malnutrition, raised temperature, slightly pale, heart rate about 58 beats per min - vet expected it to be around 80 but speculated it was probably fast for her, normal stool, drinking a bit more than normal but eating more hay... I certainly wouldn't say she is drinking to excess, muscle wastage, listless, actually lying down in her stable, eating but still losing weight, more energy am but shattered pm, dragging back feet, she does this downhill but it's like she just doesnt have the energy, condition lost in coat, loss of 1/2 her mane, haven't seen her rubbing but could be Ben grooming her to excess although havent seen this either. Preliminary bloods did not indicate any problems with kidney or liver there was one liver prbut the next set will be further in depth. Yes peritonitis was assumed, that's why she was on bute and antibiotics, I'm hoping they have something for me tomorrow :(
 
Hi, posted mid edit! Should read there was one liver protein that was slightly low (I think it was low/may have been high but I'd have to check) but it was only marginal and still within the accepted bracket
 
Thank you Fiona/skyebald, I know we all say it, but she really is one in a million, my absolute soul mate x x pidgeon, I did think that today actually although I'd need to look up on it, it's been ages since I really looked at the condition I'll have a look, I suppose if it wasn't worms triggered by the rain then it could be gs that can be triggered by wet weather can't it?
 
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