Elderly horse no longer lying down

[Liz Wingrove]

My gorgeous 29 year old Irish Sports Horse is beginning to feel her age.

About 3 or 4 months ago she had some sort of incident in the field and came in very lame (she has severe arthritis in one knee). We never got to the bottom of it and X-rays showed nothing worse than the existing arthritis.

Since then, however, I don't think she ever rolls or lies down and I worry about the impact that this may have on her. Occasionally I see her start to go down and then get back up again. She seems otherwise happy. Has anyone else experienced this with their oldies?

 

[Hepsibah]

Yes. Sad to say, my OH's thirty-some-odd year old New Forest pony stopped lying down for a week or so at least. Eventually she laid down in the stable yard and couldn't get herself up again. We made the decision to PTS at that point.

 

[HashRouge]

Hi Liz, have you had the vet out to see her?

I got very concerned that my 29 year old Arab wasn't lying down earlier this year, although she was definitely still rolling. I had the vet out and she did a thorough examination, watched her move, manipulated all her limbs etc. Overall she was very pleased with her, and told me she wouldn't have any concerns if it weren't for my worry that she wasn't lying down. The clue that she wasn't lying down was that she kept dropping into REM sleep while standing, rocking backwards and then waking herself up (it looks like narcolepsy but isn't, according to vet). Anyway, the vet suggested increasing her from 1 to 1.5 danilon sachets per day and so far this seems to have helped. She's stopped the falling asleep/ rocking and my YO has also seen her lying down, though I haven't. It is very worrying with an older horse and I would certainly be consulting the vet straight after the bank holiday weekend, if you haven't already.

 

[TheMule]

I'm afraid this would be enough for me to call it a day.
You may be able to up the bute and keep her going a bit longer, but this is a basic thing that horse needs to be able to do in order to have a quality of life

 

[Red-1]

That was our final decider to PTS Charlie Horse. He was lame but when a grey horse is still clean every morning, there is a big issue. We tried 4 bute a day for 6 weeks, then PTS as there was no improvement in laying down or lameness.

 

[ester]

I'd be decision making too on the basis that I'd be worrying that when they do finally end up down, they aren't likely to manage to get up again.

 

[meleeka]

is the horse on any bute etc or a joint supplement? Either or both should allow her to lay down and sleep. My big mare never laid down when I got her but once she was on a joint supplement she did. A couple of years later is was necessary to give her a bute a day to keep her comfortable. Movement will also help enormously.

 

[View]

Oh it's hard isn't it? We love them, and it hurts that we have to let them go, but let them go with dignity we must -i t's the final act of kindness that we owe them.

If she were mine, and I knew she weren't lying down comfortably, I'd be making that call.

But she's not mine. So I urge you to ask your vet to review her and ask what your vet would do if it were his/her horse?

 

[Highmileagecob]

Agree with all the above posts, that this is the red card that says you are on borrowed time. If painkillers don't improve her quality of life and allow her to rest properly, then unfortunately things may not be looking good.

 

[AmyMay]

I see from previous posts that she was on Bute, but you stopped it and used Tumeric instead. Have you put her back on the Bute now?

 

[Bob notacob]

Oh it's hard isn't it? We love them, and it hurts that we have to let them go, but let them go with dignity we must -i t's the final act of kindness that we owe them.

If she were mine, and I knew she weren't lying down comfortably, I'd be making that call.

But she's not mine. So I urge you to ask your vet to review her and ask what your vet would do if it were his/her horse?

I went to press the like button but it hurt so much that i COULDNT DO IT . It is true that we owe them that last kindness of a pain free end. If there were a "i,m crying here too "button I could press that.

 

[Ratface]

If this was my horse, Liz Wingrove, I would make an early appointment with your equine veterinarian.
As others have said, not being able to rest lying down is a serious matter.
Best wishes to both you and your horse.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

My gorgeous 29 year old Irish Sports Horse is beginning to feel her age.

About 3 or 4 months ago she had some sort of incident in the field and came in very lame (she has severe arthritis in one knee). We never got to the bottom of it and X-rays showed nothing worse than the existing arthritis.

Since then, however, I don't think she ever rolls or lies down and I worry about the impact that this may have on her. Occasionally I see her start to go down and then get back up again. She seems otherwise happy. Has anyone else experienced this with their oldies?

^^^ This is EXACTLY what my Yard Sharer had with hers; her lovely ex-polo pony was standing in the field and was basically falling asleep, then waking herself up again quickly as she was obviously frightened of lying down. When she'd thought about it, she hadn't seen any mud on the mare or evidence of her having layed down for a few days prior.

She first noticed it on the Sunday morning; mare was PTS by Tuesday. She had the licensed knackerman as didn't want the mare to feel the sensation of "falling" without control which would have happened by lethal injection.

With my old boy, when I first noticed that he was having trouble both lying down AND getting up again; that was when I rang the vet and scheduled "the day".

Sorry but if a horse cannot lie down then it cannot rest itself, and that is a basic function equal to eating and drinking. It is likely to be distressed about this and probably in pain from having to stand and support itself on weak joints all the while. As gently as possible - but as honest & candid as I can be - I feel in these circumstances that the time is ripe for a decision to be made at the very earliest opportunity as soon as arrangements can be made, and that it shouldn't be delayed anymore. Period.

Sooh sorry. It isn't ever easy but if a horse isn't able to lie down then that would be the clincher for me.

 

[Birker2020]

My gorgeous 29 year old Irish Sports Horse is beginning to feel her age.

About 3 or 4 months ago she had some sort of incident in the field and came in very lame (she has severe arthritis in one knee). We never got to the bottom of it and X-rays showed nothing worse than the existing arthritis.

Since then, however, I don't think she ever rolls or lies down and I worry about the impact that this may have on her. Occasionally I see her start to go down and then get back up again. She seems otherwise happy. Has anyone else experienced this with their oldies?

Friend noticed her horse wasn't lying down in the stable so filmed him by setting up a simple camera.

When she watched the footage she saw him bend his knees but straighten up immediately again like he wanted to but couldn't.

She got the vet out and he was diagnosed with knee arthritis. He's had them medicated but he's not been ridden much now.

Had another friend years ago on another yard whose horse used to roll and then sit like a dog. They used to think he was just being him but the horse was having great difficulty rising.

Best get an MOT by the vet to make sure all is well.

I have to say I'd always call it a day if i found my horse having difficulty rising/lying down. I was concerned about Lari when he kept starting to paw then walking off a few times before going down back legs shaking. Managed to film it for the vet to show him but he wasn't concerned, felt it was more indecision than pain.

I used to keep a good eye reguarly on Baileys coat or rug/tail having shavings in it or her having mud on her in the winter.

Its a deal breaker for me.

 

[Birker2020]

I just wanted to say its very easy for people sat on the outside like myself to judge and i realise you must be in unbearable pain reading these comments with us saying consider pts as i was myself when it was suggested to me about Bailey.

But we don't know your horse like you do or like your vet does.

I knew it was my girls time when she had sudden on/off lameness that didn't go away, developed a slight swinging the foot out to the side and this cuminated in an xray showing devastating damage after a vet telling me to follow treatment for an abcess which it wasn't.

It may be worthwhile speaking to your vet for further advice, it may not be time yet.

Thinking of you x

 

[SantaVera]

My very elderly pony doesn't lie down but he's otherwise fine eating mooching about enjoying life,I certainly wouldn't put him to sleep yet.