He is walking like a foal :(

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scrapster

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Vets are dealing with him and I am waiting for blood test results, but wondered if anyone has experienced this before? It's a long one! Had horse 3 years, has KS, SI, hock issues. SI injected for 2nd time 8 weeks ago, hocks 2 weeks ago. He has mild copd but seems ok for the past few weeks. Got him in Wednesday evening, fed him, went to leave stable, he chucked his head up as if to rear, fell into side of stable, wobbled and then seemed as though his back legs were paralysed. I panic, call emergency vet who comes out and diagnosed colic (he had no symptoms I could see) so walk him, check on him, wait for poo, seems ok but still quiet, has a weird head nod and looks sedated. Yesterday morning, he was worse, vets again who say walk for 20 mins, nothing improves so out again, different vet, who says not colic, something neurological (as I thought last night). Bloods taken and told to wait. He was like bambi on ice could hardly walk, looks lamanatic but no heat or pulse in feet, heart rate normal, eating ok, temp normal, hasn't drank much though. He just looks like a drunk person. Got better during day, and started moving round field more, got him in, picked out feet and back to head tremors? Thoughts? thanks for reading xx
 
Sounds very much like a horse we had with a brain tumour a few years ago. The last 3 days were colic like symptoms and ataxia. Unfortunately brain tumours can't be diagnosed and will only be found by pm.

Sorry, not what your wanting to hear right now x
 
Sorry to read this [hugs], you need to be ready for bad news and be ready to pull the plug, it is your decision, and your vet should support you.
Try to think about good times before all this happened. Calm yourself with counting slow breaths. 1,2,3,4 in, and a long slow exhale.
 
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So so sorry for you but this does sound neurological as others have said, obviously only assumptions from info provided and we can hope that we are all wrong for your sake. I think however, you need to prepare yourself for bad news and I'm sorry for you. *hug*
 
Our dog started that way when she had tetanus - she also had muscle tremors and unbalanced walking.
Tetanus affects the neuro system so might be worth getting bloods checked for tetanus & get vet to give the anti-toxin?
Give her a good check over for any cuts etc.

Hope he improves :)
 
No experience I'm afraid but just wanted to say I'm sending healing vibes and hope it won't be the news you are expecting.
 
Thanks everyone. He drank overnight, I added Apple juice to a bucket of water. He seems brighter this morning, was getting annoyed I was taking too long to get his food ready, which he ate and he cantered round the field. He's still unsteady walking though, well not unsteady just looks as though he's walking on his toes and with his legs lifting high. In the field he found my hand and the polo and is grazing fine. Thank you, I just want to know what it is so we can deal with it and him not to have pain, even if that means it's painful for me xx
 
I am dealing with very similar ATM .
My horse has KS surgery in December everything was going very well .
Last friday we found him immobile in the field freezing (it was raining ) long story short , we took him into the local horsepital where they can't find what's causing the issues.it took four people and forty minutes to get him out the lorry it was awful.
On Wednesday we moved him to the Dick ( Edinburgh uni ) he had a bone scan yesterday his whole spine and neck was xrayed at our vets everywhere they could think of was ultra sounded .
I am waiting to hear what the bone scan finds ,it's horrible isn't it .
And the not knowing makes it so much worse .
As a friend said yesterday if he had broken his leg it would over now .
What medication are they giving your horse ?
 
It does sound more neurological but check his grazing - has he eaten plants he shouldn't have? My yard owners fell pony went like this 2 years ago after gorging on new bracken shoots - looked smashed drunk and wobbly - it took 4 of us to support her to get her across the farm into the stable. I'm sorry I can't remember what shot the vet gave her but after being confined to the stable for a couple weeks on hay and water only she made a full recovery. Fingers crossed for your boy.
 
I second checking the field for plants. I nearly lost one of mine to poisoning and it doesn't sound dissimilar. Staggering, periods of composure and then foal-like legs everywhere, strange elevated gait.

She pulled through though, so if it is poison related, the outcome may not be so dire.
 
Oh my goodness, how worrying, have absolutely nothing to add as you have had good advice.

Sending both you and Goldenstar a hug x
 
Check for any signs of trauma too - if there's no marks on him are there any skid marks in the field, damage to fencing, did anybody see him hooning around etc. If he's bashed himself in the wrong place in the wrong way that could also present as ataxia.

Thinking of you both OP and GS x
 
Thanks everyone. Blood tests show nothing! Red and white counts fine, liver function fine, he's not been poisoned, so it's 4 danelon a day and wait and see until the vet comes next Wednesday (unless he gets worse). I am thinking its a trapped nerve, possibly he's rolled and caught himself or banged himself? Or it could be the SI or KS. Will keep you posted. He's still a bit wobbly but more himself min his behaviour x
 
Sorry to hear this scrapster and Goldenstar.

You may have seen on my other posts that Jay, my horse, had rest last year, for a minor suspensory issue, and when resting became a wobbler. His spine looked OK, not perfect, but not bad for an 11 year old horse. I was set to PTS, as a wobbler is no good to anyone, but the vet said to try steroids, a high dose for 6 weeks. He was also to come back into work (lungeing), even though it was too early for his suspensory, to support his back. While off work, for want of a better way to think of it, he had sagged.

After 4 weeks there was not much change, and I almost called it, as it was windy, and even a strong wing had him staggering sideways.

By week 6 though he was much better and almost symptom free. He came back into ridden work and is going great guns.

I hope that can give you some hope, and If you are not happy with the diagnosis there is nothing wrong with asking for a referral to a major animal hospital. I would also change field to ensure it was nothing in there.
 
He was injected with steroids 10 weeks ago for SI issues, then 2 weeks ago for hock and KS, it's a risk but we have injected again with steroids (in neck) for this issue, but they haven't given me any to give him. Just 4 sachets of danelon a day x
 
I hope it goes well for you it's awful not knowing I hope I have an answer with mine now and I am just about to post a thread .
 
EKW said:
Sounds very much like a horse we had with a brain tumour a few years ago. The last 3 days were colic like symptoms and ataxia. Unfortunately brain tumours can't be diagnosed and will only be found by pm.

Sorry, not what your wanting to hear right now x
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I'm afraid this is what I'm thinking too. Pops had KS symptoms, SI issues and hock pain, which is why I retired him. When he went downhill, he went quickly . . . an afternoon coming in from the field where he appeared drunk. He rallied for a day. The next day he was very poorly again - vet diagnosed a virus and we treated accordingly. Next morning the same . . . next afternoon he had lost vital functions (couldn't chew, head tilt, severe ataxia), he died that evening.

I am NOT trying to scare you, but please, please, please hammer your vet . . . if he is insured and your vet is on the ball, you may find something else and save him . . . this time of year it could be so many things - including atypical myopathy, but you need to be on top of it. PM me if you like.

P
 
scrapster said:
Thanks everyone. Blood tests show nothing! Red and white counts fine, liver function fine, he's not been poisoned, so it's 4 danelon a day and wait and see until the vet comes next Wednesday (unless he gets worse). I am thinking its a trapped nerve, possibly he's rolled and caught himself or banged himself? Or it could be the SI or KS. Will keep you posted. He's still a bit wobbly but more himself min his behaviour x
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How is his tail? Is there any tone in it or is it floppy/lifeless?

P
 
Steroids suppress immune system so it could be that he has picked up something that has affected him much more than would normally.

Tetanus is a specific test - I'd be asking vet to test specifically for it. It's easy for an animal to pick up, and just because they are vaccined doesn't mean that they can't get it. Our dog has all her jabs but still picked it up from walking in a pond (we think)
 
only_me said:
Steroids suppress immune system so it could be that he has picked up something that has affected him much more than would normally.

Tetanus is a specific test - I'd be asking vet to test specifically for it. It's easy for an animal to pick up, and just because they are vaccined doesn't mean that they can't get it. Our dog has all her jabs but still picked it up from walking in a pond (we think)
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This. All day long.

P
 
So bloods all ok, white and red cells fine. They said no poisoning, liver is fine. They think it's a virus, to keep giving him the danelon and see what happens. I did have a little upset and said I want to see MY usual vet, who is on holiday this week and was told he wasn't available until the end of next week. I explained my displeasure and demanded I see him or the director. My friend is friends with the director and he's agreed him or the other vet will be out early next week (unless he needs a vet before). He's much better today, has been walking round and seems more like himself. But I know from what you say, this could be a false sign. Thanks everyone x
 
His tail is normal. He's got a real grip on it, as he didn't want me touching it to take his temperature. Normally he likes a bum scratch, show him a thermometer and that was it, I thought my fingers were going to be broken!
 
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