Equine Hepatitis

C

Connie05

New User
Joined
3 January 2011
Messages
6
Visit site
Hi,
Has anyone had any experience managing equine hepatitis? My pony has recently been diagnosed and I am very interested to hear of others experiences and any success had in managing the condition and what they found worked?
Many thanks,
Connie05
 
Yes, our Honey who is now 21 had it about 3 years ago, she made a good recovery, however we have it back! We had sucess with antibiotics, hepatacyl and homeopatic remedies from Ainsworths. She basically dropped to the floor whilst out on a hack on the road, fortunatley neither one of us was hurt and our vet was quick to start the diagnosis including blood tests and a scan - very interesting to see the liver and the bile ducts. We opted to not have a biopsy due to age and cost. Low protein diet of Spillers happy hoof and micronised flaked maize keeps her looking very well!

We have a re-occurance of the eratic behaviour which made us get the vet back, that she had before and she's been on antibiotics for about 3 weeks now, however she's got worse and now is showing some jaundice. Last week we restarted the homeopathic treatment and we've seen a change for the better, we are hopeful but she might be in foal and having lost 2 of our bunch last year (one 45 and the other 18), the most important thing is her quality of life. Blood test this week to see what the blood profile is doing and whether we are winning or not.

Not sure where you are in the country but the guys at the RVC were involved the last time she was ill and were fantastic. We arent sure what caused it then - not ragwort obviously,and we aren't sure now.

I'm not sure of your diagnosis, but there seems to have been a high occurance of liver problems this year (i've heard of quite a few), there have been lots of postings on here and providing its not ragwort related there is hope as our vet puts it "if you have to damage one of your organs, let it be the liver as its the only one in the body that re-generates"

My advice is Low protein diet, follow the vet advice and use whatever other means that might help your horse - ours is homeopathic.
 
Hi Iconique - thanks for getting back to me - it's really encouraging that you have had such success with a good recovery for your girl.

Our lad has been through quite a bit during the last year and referral to Newmarket finally led to diagnosis following re-run of biopsies, peritoneal taps, blood testing etc.

We've been advised a low protein diet of High fibre cubes, un-molassed sugar beet, flaked maize, salt and a mineral supplement. Cause isn't conclusive though is likely to be due to bacterial migration via the bile ducts to the liver. Anti-biotics successfully stop symptoms of scouring, diarrhoea, lethargy, gut senstitivty and swelling, however he only manages about a month on his own before a re-lapse starts with a gradual decline into these symptoms.

We're introducing the new diet at the moment, but he has just started to decline again. We have been working with a holistic vet using homepathic remedies but so far it has been a bit hit and miss. Which one's did you find worked well for you girl as I'm keen to find a way of supporting him pro-actively to try and prevent the relapses happening so frequently.

Thanks for your suggestions!
 
So sorry to hear this worrying news, no doubt Box_of_Frogs will come on later and post. Have you contacted (his Holiness) Prof Derek Knottenbelt at Liverpool Uni? He is more than happy to answer e-mails from us mortals within hours and is the ultimate expert in livers, amongst other things.

I do hope you get your boy sorted.
 
We've used Ainsworths for years and Marie in their pharmacy department is particulary helpful. Currently we are using Carduus Marianus 30c and Berberis Vulgaris 30c and I think that this is what we started with last time.

We also have a friend who is a bit contriversial (sp?) who is a healer - Ray Smith, I'm hoping that he can come and visit - we got to wits end and are almost there again. Even though the RVC were helpful they couldn't explain her sudden improvement. It was after Ray had been to vist. So hoping he can work his magic again.

Quite frankly I don't care what works (within reason and cost!) so am going back over old ground to see what worked last time.

Where are you using in Newmarket?? Is it Rossdales? Their team is fantastic up there although my experience is mainly surgical, or is is AHT?

Diet wise, we've gone back to the Spillers happy hoof and the Maize (best quality I can get) with equivite vitamins - worked to keep our 45 year old going until earlier this year. Won't touch the sugar beet and the hi fibre cubes were too high in protein for what we wanted.

Where did your bloods come out??

Its really frustrating as at least if we could tell what it was we could prevent it or fix it!!!!
 
Hi Llwycwn - I haven't contacted Prof Derek Knottenbelt, though we have received fantastic advice and support so far from our regular vet and the team at the vets he was referred to, so have been very forunate. Thank you for the recommendation!
 
we contacted him re our 4yr old teddy! he said he was in liver failure however in last 7wks has put on 6inches which is roughly 80kg
he is on sugar beat, a low protein mix n chaff! last week on vets advice we have started hyim on a handful of mirco barley.

he is having a scan on thurs but after weight gain we have put the biopsy on hold. we decided this earlier this evening after seening how much weigh he has gained!!!
he has no other systoms and the vet is unsure as to the cause. his liver bile is 13 and ggt 198
we thought last week he was having fits however we have now put this down to anxiety.
keep us informed as im finding this a loney place and issue to deal with. box of frogs is great and really helpful bless her
keep us informed with the future
hope all goes well.

id also like to know what herbal stuff you iconique use?
we got our boy on milk thistle and started this a week ago
Yuletide_Gal pls can you pm me details also??
Helen
 
Last edited:
Hi Iconique - he went to Rossdales - they were fantastic and so thorough! It was a relief to get a diagnosis after a year of trying to find out what was wrong, although not an easy one...

Have a couple more questions to PM - our boys' bloods were always a little perplexing - GGT and bile acids were raised but not remarkably out of range, slightly lowered white blood cell count too, but nothing to suggest an emergency and everything else including liver function was fine - even though diarrhoea was awful and he was quite down in himself over the worst couple of days. Appetite remained though and amazingly he didn't dehydrate or lose weight!
 
Connie05 said:
Hi Iconique - he went to Rossdales - they were fantastic and so thorough! It was a relief to get a diagnosis after a year of trying to find out what was wrong, although not an easy one...

Have a couple more questions to PM - our boys' bloods were always a little perplexing - GGT and bile acids were raised but not remarkably out of range, slightly lowered white blood cell count too, but nothing to suggest an emergency and everything else including liver function was fine - even though diarrhoea was awful and he was quite down in himself over the worst couple of days. Appetite remained though and amazingly he didn't dehydrate or lose weight!
Click to expand...

could it be liver fluke??? has the horse be grazed near cattle/sheep as our vet said it has same signs and affects blood cells where other liver probs dont tend too. im prob barking up the wrong tree but thought its worth an ask. it can be treated easily with a short course of drugs. white blood cells kinda also hint at an infection somewhere???(unsure) :confused:
 
Derek Knottenbelt knotty@liverpool.ac.uk

he is the email for "god" so if you want to contact him it may help.

best to have a copy of your horses bloods as he does request these. maybe ask the vet to email/fax them to you so he can have a proper look. i also sent pics of my horse so he could see the shape and condtion he is in
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top