help needed for poorly foal, vets baffled!

[QUICKFIRE]

Posting for a friend, she found her foal collapsed in field Sat, face and neck swolllen, managed to get her up after a steriod injection and into stable, this morning foal is flat out in stable and reported to be unconsous (sp) has a tempreture, and not looking good, vet has been called again, but due to snow is taking a while, owner is now walking the 10 mile to get to the stables, any idea ANYONE!! what was it that happend to some ponys down in cornwall similar to grass sickness???? I cant remember???
The only thing they can think of at the moment that she may have eaten somthing poisioness, this is as much as I now at the moment as only in contact by phone,
can anyone suggest anything????

 

[ladyt25]

No suggestions I'm afraid but it does sound like some kind of poisoning or grass sickness as you mentioned. Hope the foal pulls through.

 

[Maesfen]

Try putting this in Breeding too, more experienced with foals to help in there.

FWIW I would suggest she tries to keep foal warm but in something breathable so a Thermatex or similar would be great; stable bandages, if she can apply them properly might help too but don't attempt that unless you're good at bandaging or if she thinks the foal might panic with them.
Can she look in the mouth to see if there are any obstructions, if not, see if she can get foal to drink tepid water or at least moisten the lips for it.
Has it had tetanus jabs, how old is it, is it weaned and so on.
Please ask her to be realistic as to the outcome regarding if treatment is possible or even viable and if the slightest doubt of a full recovery to a useful life then be responsible and put down.

 

[jhoward]

link for horse deaths in cornwall..

http://sportonhorses.com/index.php?...hy-in-cornwall&catid=53:other-news&Itemid=123

 

[QUICKFIRE]

if its unconcious..with a baffling illness that the vets dont know what it is, why isnt it being PTS?

There has always got to be one :-(......I asked for help!!!! not stupid coments, what do you sugest the owner do club it to death??? the vet CANT get there, although trying very hard. And Im sure if nothing can be done the foal will be pts as soon as possible. Go pick an argument in an empty room......



thank you all for the sensible comments, and will update as and when.

 

[paulineh]

Nativetyponies

To Quote you yourself "if its unconcious..with a baffling illness that the vets dont know what it is, why isnt it being PTS?" Maybe if you read the post by QuickFire you will have see that the vet is on the way.

I find your post very rude and off putting, help and advice was asked for not the above.

If you really care about our lovely creatures then what you have in your signature makes me wonder.

According to others you are an expert on the unhandled ponies, well your methods are far from caring.

OHHH and a festive time to you.

 

[lexiedhb]

If you really care about our lovely creatures then what you have in your signature makes me wonder.

.

Oh please, of course you can be an animal lover and eat meat- grow a sense of humour!

OP- hope the vet makes it out soon, it does sound like some form of poisoning, I would just be trying to make foaly as comfortable as possible and attempting to get it to take luke warm water, dehydration in one so young can be devastating.

Hope it is a happy ending.

 

[paulineh]

Quickfire

If your friend gets to her foal before anything else happens my observations would be to check its gums to see if they are still pink or if they are a blueish color (A sign of toxic shock)

Keep it warm and free from any danger around it.

My thoughts are with your friend at this dreadful time.

 

[paulineh]

Oh please, of course you can be an animal lover and eat meat- grow a sense of humour!


Ohh I do have a sense of humor and I do eat meat, so there is no need to say I don't

It was just the COLD reply that Nativetyponies posted. I wonder how she would feel if it was one of hers and the vet could not get there would she just go out and shot the foal.

 

[lexiedhb]

Oh please, of course you can be an animal lover and eat meat- grow a sense of humour!


Ohh I do have a sense of humor and I do eat meat, so there is no need to say I don't

It was just the COLD reply that Nativetyponies posted. I wonder how she would feel if it was one of hers and the vet could not get there would she just go out and shot the foal.

I imagine YES if she was any good with a gun, and she thought it was the best course of action... as would I. Sadly i am not any good with a gun, so would be forced to wait for the vet.

 

[Cadfael&Coffee]

OP I don't know tbh, I wouldn't like to hazard guesses but it definitely needs liquid if possible.

For the sake of the poor little foalie I really hope the vet gets there in time to help, I know how quick you have to be when a foal is ill.

Best of luck for your friend, what an awful time of year (weatherwise) for such a thing to happen

 

[Maesfen]

no,of course not, idiot...its illegal...i would ask the Farmer up the road to do it for me..

Cold?..get a grip on reality..i HATE seeing suffering..thats why it should be ended, swifly, humanely..and certainly without dragging out procedures to make myself feel better about the situation

Very right too, agree with every word.

 

[Chloe-V]

Oh for goodness sake people. She has a really sick foal and has asked for help, surely that is what we should concentrate on and not people's egos.

So sorry to hear about the foal, it sounds like some form of poisoning to me too - you must keep little one as warm as possible, I agree totally with Maesfen and her advice.
Really does need the vet to rehydrate etc asap.

Do please let us know what happens.

 

[BBH]

Try putting this in Breeding too, more experienced with foals to help in there.

FWIW I would suggest she tries to keep foal warm but in something breathable so a Thermatex or similar would be great; stable bandages, if she can apply them properly might help too but don't attempt that unless you're good at bandaging or if she thinks the foal might panic with them.
Can she look in the mouth to see if there are any obstructions, if not, see if she can get foal to drink tepid water or at least moisten the lips for it.
Has it had tetanus jabs, how old is it, is it weaned and so on.
Please ask her to be realistic as to the outcome regarding if treatment is possible or even viable and if the slightest doubt of a full recovery to a useful life then be responsible and put down.

Hooray for someone with a sensible response and more importantly helping the OP with some suggestions.

 

[finkle]

Yes do please let us know the outcome...very worrying for all involved. Hope the vet gets there as soon as....

 

[lhotse]

Hemoragica pepora (sp) causes swelling to the face, and all over, but most apparent on the pace. We had a youngster with it. It's an immune response to an infection and is very serious.

 

[yethersgill]

Not come across this one, but as other (helpfull) people have suggested keep foal warm, fluids very important. Will keep fingerscrossed, but doesn't sound too good.

OP have copied and posted in Breeding. xxx

 

[QUICKFIRE]

Thank you for all the helpfull replys, I managed to drive off Dartmoor to pick my friend up to take her to her stables (foot of snow downhill all the way) by the time we got there vet had been and had given the yearling some more anti Bs and steroids, and had managed to get her up, she barged somone out of the way to get to the water bucket, so is drinking well and eating for England, the swelling round the face has gone down a bit, but the throte and neck is still quite swollen, hocks and fetlocks are swollen too,
so for now has a reprive!

This forum is such a wealth of knowlege its such a shame that some of it's members has to reduce it to a slanging match at every given opportunity, it's no wonder that people are scared to post, leave and never come back, No body knows everything about horses, we learn all the time, those that cannot be bothered to learn, or are so bigheaded that they think they know everything are Ignorant!
ok thats my rant over, again thank you for the helpfull replys, and I will post an update but for now fingers X
Oh and seasons greetings to all horse lovers xx

 

[Maesfen]

Thanks for letting us know and it's good to hear she seems on the mend; hope it continues.

A Happy Christmas to you too, you were certainly a friend today, she must be very grateful for getting her there.

 

[Dancing Queen]

OP - glad the foal is up and on the mend.
fingers crossed some bloods will highlight any problems.

 

[Cazza525]

Thank goodness the poor little mite is on the mend.....fingers crossed.

I must admit the behaviour of certain ppl on this forum leaves a lot to be desired at times....hopefully they'll be banned again soon for their pointless posts.

 

[attheponies]

So pleased to read that the foal is up and drinking, all good signs. Just as well your friend didn't rush in and act on certain advice posted on this thread isn't it!

Hoping for a very happy Christmas for your friend and her foal.

 

[tristar]

so glad to hear foal is improved, i've seen allergies that, cause reactions like this in humans and my own horses, very dramatic symptoms, not a lot to say if foal is up and drinking and eating, watch the droppings and keep it warm.
will be very interested to hear update, our thoughts are with you struggling through that snow and having the stress of dealing with what is surely a most emotional and draining situation.

 

[Fairynuff]

paulineh..ireally dont give a shyte what you think TBH...

you have to be one of the most condesecending ***** on this forum..

as for me being caring..re-read my first sentence.

wotchit NP, she'll shop you to the FC if you dont talk nice to her! I am talking from experience. She has the same condescending tone/manner on another form too!

 

[Fairynuff]

forgot to say, glad the foal is getting better!

 

[paulineh]

For those who believe that someone is behaving badly why do they not just name them.

 

[FairyLights]

So very pleased the foal seems to be getting better. I find it unbelievable that some posters are bickering and posting unhelpful downright offensive suggestions and running a personal row on this thread.
The thread is about asking for help for a poor ill foal.

 

[Spyda]

....she barged somone out of the way to get to the water bucket, so is drinking well and eating for England, the swelling round the face has gone down a bit, but the throte and neck is still quite swollen, hocks and fetlocks are swollen too, so for now has a reprive!

Really glad to hear there's some improvement and that she's up and eating and drinking. That's a very good sign. Fingers cross the rest of her swelling starts to reduce over the next few days. But like I say, if she's up and keen to eat and drink, hopefully she's turning that corner to the road to recovery.

Keep us posted on how she continues.

 

[YorksG]

It does help if people post accurate information when they are requesting help. A FOAL down in this weather, is a gonner, a YEARLING stands a chance. Perhaps the responses would have been different if the OP had made the age of the animal clear at the beginning.

 

[jhoward]

foal or yearling, depends what is wrong with it as to weather it is a gonna!, jeasus, cant people stop nit picking! and as for NP... why the hell should she be banned? for having an for honest opinion? ffs get real people!