Equine Cystitis

measles

measles

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 March 2005
Messages
7,918
Location
Avonmill, Up a bit but not at the top
Visit site
Friend has an 20yo horse who has had colic-like symptoms - restless, flank watching, irregular appetite, irregular bowel movements - for the last 3 days. Vet has been out 4 times but doesn't have any idea what is wrong.

He's been straining to pass water and getting aroused regularly, something that he never normally does. On the day that the symptoms first appeared he developed a lump on his spine behind the saddle and in front of the hip.

We wonder if this might be a form of equine cystitis as reading up on it colic-like symptoms can be shown with that condition. Has anyone had experience of dealing with equine cystitis? What symptoms did the horse have, how was it diagnosed and what treatment was given?

Vet is suggesting horse is PTS and classing it as colic but we are not convinced and want to give him every chance.
 
Can your friend get another Vet to give a second opinion, I know it will cost alot, but I would hope that it would be worth it
frown.gif


My TB had problems at the weekend passing urine, but I think this was a chill to the kidneys, but did not get the other symptons that your friend's horse had
confused.gif
 
She is getting the senior partner to come out first thing tomorrow as she needs to discuss her concerns. No one in the world looks after her horses as well and she'll certainly not do anything hasty. That said, the horse is in pain and the issue needs to be resolved asap.
 
Surely if it's cystitis a simple urine test would show this up?? Might be an idea to try and get a sample if they haven't already done this. No idea about it in Horses but with people it's a simple dip test and it shows up within a minute. I would imagine it would be the same with a Horse. If it doesn't clear itself within a few days then it needs antibiotics which clears it quickly. And yes, it does make you feel pretty bad if it's a nasty bout of it.
Hope it all goes OK.
 
Yes, lots of experience of this. Not good for me though sadly. It is important that the cause of the cystitis is found - could be stones in the bladder, could be cancer. Dont want to be alarmist but my girl developed a horrible supperating cystitis and it turned out to be cancer. Took the vets a year to diagnose it.
All I can say is cystitis is unusual and the cause should be found. If they need to do an endoscope - make sure they take biopsies from different parts of the bladder.
All my best wishes for a happy ending to this one.
 
BTW, one other thing - my girls cystitis showed as colic to start with. Her bladder was huge and full and she was straining and in pain when trying to wee for 6 weeks. Check to see if there is blood in the urine and feel free to PM me if you would like to chat over more.
 
was gonna reply to this earlier janette but didnt think was my place to. and wasnt sure of all the details. glad you have now! measles, janetterose is the one to ask on this subject!
 
Its a straightforward job to both palpate and to scan the bladder internally via the rectum so hopefully the second opinion vet will do this as well as urine and bloods.
 
Thank you everyone on behalf of my friend - who I've been encouraging to join the forum!

The vet came out and couldn't suggest what might be wrong. My friend then suggested a urine infection and the vet agreed she might well be right. He took a urine sample (yesterday, Wednesday morning) but the results won't be available until next week.

In the meantime the horse is having penicillin injections and appears much more confortable with an improved appetite, bowel movements and does not show such pronounced colic symptoms.

I'll keep you posted on the results of the test but so far he is looking more comfortable which is the main thing!

Thanks again
smile.gif
 
One of my horses (20 years young) that has been showing similar signs, straining, kicking stomach, loss of appetite (Eaglestone and I were chatting last week trying to compare cases). My horse has been straining to pee since he moved home (first week in December - a 5 hr journey) he became ill on route.

The vet came and took bloods, did an internal examination - nothing abnormal, bladder was empty. Bloods came back with a mild infection but not specific. Anti B's given. Horse seamed better after a few days rest, but still occasionally straining. I think it might be linked to this cold weather as it has come back ever so slightly last week.

The vet has been out since to take more bloods but he was in field when vet arrived (early!) He took one look at her and refused to be caught. She had been in surgery and I should have remembered he must be sensitive to the smell as he point blank refused to be caught. He's normally pretty good.

Anyway I've been keeping an eye on him, and really hope it doesn't reoccur. Please keep us updated on your friend’s horse; I would be very interested to hear.

Fingers crossed for them all. xx
 
Hi,

Ok many thanks to Measles for asking all of you about cystitis in equines, (thanks measles!) I got the results back from the vets for his (Sausage) urine test and it showed no other than high acidity which again points to cystitis! He is 100% recovered now and back in field with his chums, the penicillin injections I had to give him daily did the trick, the thing that pointed me in the direction of cystitis was the fact that every time they gave him a painkiller, no matter how strong it didn't touch the pain and he only seemed coliky when he moved, ie heart rate up, breathing up and flank watching, as long as he didn't move he was pain free! I tell you he had me worried, he's 20 and old with it being a rescue I took in some 9 years ago and he's had a good 9 years but I'm not ready to lose him yet and thankfully he's not ready to leave us yet!
Again manythanks for everyones input it has been interesting and made me even more determind to do battle with my vet as in I was right they where wrong!

teabagtoyota and Sausage!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top