Equine hepatitis

[ChelseaGostomska]

Hiya,

My boy has just been diagnosed with hepatitis Via a liver biopsy, not from ragwort but something he may have ate.
He has been prescribed a course of steroids and the vet has also said he can have a bit more protein.

Has anyone had any experience with this? Not many people on my yard have even heard about equine hepatitis and I myself am a bit in the dark

Any feedback and experiences welcomes!

 

[LadySam]

More protein puzzles me. Dietary changes with liver disease usually include less protein and fat to lighten the load on the liver.

Do you know why the vet is so certain it’s because of something he’s eaten? The type I’m familiar with is cholangiohepatitis, which also required antibiotics. The rest of it was a bit ‘wait and see’. Weekly bloods to keep an eye on serum counts, which dictate what happens next with drug treatment.

 

[AnShanDan]

I've had one with cholangiohepatitis too. Presented as very poorly, high temp, ataxic etc. late night dash to vet hospital needed.
Responded quickly to antibiotics but as ladysam says then had bloods done regularly over weeks/months until normal, and long term antibiotics.
She's fine now, 6 years on.
Cause unknown, it was in January, horse was turned out as normal etc. and just got ill one day.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Some basic info in this article.