Help please, worried about horse :(

Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted Chestnuts

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Im really worried about my friends horse. Hes an ex- racing TB 15.2hh was a flat racer.

Hes normally bouncing and has a spark about him but over the last week hes been getting gradually more and more lethargic and di-interested in everything. Hes also lost ALOT of weight rather quickly, I mean he looks horrendous apart from having a tummy :o

Hes been getting the below three times a day

cup of topspec balancer (well twice a day for this Am and PM)
scoop of mollichaff extra
1/2 scoop of racehorse cubes (hi fat/fibre ones)
scoop of sugarbeet
4 measures of linseed

as well as 3 massive (eowyn sized) haynets every day and there is always a little left in the bottoms of them.

He was wormed about 2 weeks ago and nothing came out, hes been on the same grazing for 8 years with only really him and my guys when visiting (who are wormed on a programme) or her dads horse and all are wormed also on a programme.

I found him today standing in the mudduest part of the field with his muzzle resting on the ground looking dejected, ears out to the side and glassy eyed. Normally when you open the gate to let him in he gallops by you but today he just didnt even seem to want to get himself out of the mud and hadnt had his normal major rolling session, his rugs were dry :confused:

Hes pooping and eating and when I changed his rugs I couldnt see any painlines, felt all his legs, tummy etc and no response/heat/swelling. Very worried as its just not him at all :(

Any ideas??
 
Black Beastie said:
Im really worried about my friends horse. Hes an ex- racing TB 15.2hh was a flat racer.

Hes normally bouncing and has a spark about him but over the last week hes been getting gradually more and more lethargic and di-interested in everything. Hes also lost ALOT of weight rather quickly, I mean he looks horrendous apart from having a tummy :o

Hes been getting the below three times a day

cup of topspec balancer (well twice a day for this Am and PM)
scoop of mollichaff extra
1/2 scoop of racehorse cubes (hi fat/fibre ones)
scoop of sugarbeet
4 measures of linseed

as well as 3 massive (eowyn sized) haynets every day and there is always a little left in the bottoms of them.

He was wormed about 2 weeks ago and nothing came out, hes been on the same grazing for 8 years with only really him and my guys when visiting (who are wormed on a programme) or her dads horse and all are wormed also on a programme.

I found him today standing in the mudduest part of the field with his muzzle resting on the ground looking dejected, ears out to the side and glassy eyed. Normally when you open the gate to let him in he gallops by you but today he just didnt even seem to want to get himself out of the mud and hadnt had his normal major rolling session, his rugs were dry :confused:

Hes pooping and eating and when I changed his rugs I couldnt see any painlines, felt all his legs, tummy etc and no response/heat/swelling. Very worried as its just not him at all :(

Any ideas??
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I'd be very concerned about any 'prey' animal displaying those signs. Prey animals are fairly stoic. I'd say vet without a doubt.

Hope it's nothing and he perks up soon
Trina x
 
Vet- quick march! It could be anything really, vet may take bloods to look for virus due to eating well but losing weight /looking very sorry for himself. Tell friend to call vet ASAP !
 
I don't think anyone on here will say anything else other than "Call the Vet". Good luck, I hope it turns out to be something minor. Do let us know how you get on.
 
I'm glad the vet has been called. Try not to worry. It could be something as simple as tapeworm depite being on a regular worming programme - They can be stubborn beggars to get rid of!

Keep us posted!
 
Hi sorry was at stables seeing to my guys now :)

He was to be kept stabled warm and dry and get a haynet and nothing else until results came back on his bloods.

As far as I know we are still waiting on them, vet didnt take temp as far as I know but they say they wont do anything until the bloods are back so they know what they are dealing with.

Vet mentioned anything from virus to tumours - so basically they dont know :o

As soon as I know the bloods I will update. Thanks for all the vibes hes not any worse or better than he was yesterday, gums and eyelids etc were all pale but not too pale according to vet whilst I remember :)
 
Well kinda good news about friends horse :cool:.

Vet gave him a shot of anti -inflammatory after taking his bloods today and when S went to the yard he was practically back to normal.

Vet gave his bloods back and said apart from him being mildly aneamic his liver and WBC's were fine so vet is going with virus for the time being and hes to get a weeks worth of anti-inflams and if better then great and if not into the vet hosp for more tests. :o

So fingers crossed its only a virus :)
 
My little broodie was very very similar to this about 2-3 months ago. She was still nursing a huge 5 and a half month old foal and was initially listless and quiet, over the course of the day she was rabidly hungry but really listless and had a real fedup expression on her face.
She had bloods taken, an anti-inflam jab and painkilling jab that night, and then a repeat of these the next morning when the vet came back with bloods. It was decided that there was some viral complaint, and my vet felt that had she been left until the next morning her lungs would have been compromised as she was slightly shallow with her breathing. We immediately weaned the foal, and had Seren on 6 days of antibiotics and bute, she was back to normal within 2 days, and has (touch wood) remained fine ever since.
We think the combination of the cold weather we suddenly had, and the foal litterally leaching off her caused her immune system to become compromised.
IMHO it is never too soon to call a vet if a normally 'bright' horse becomes dull and listless, Im glad your friends horse seems better today :)
 
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