Horse standing all 4 feet on 1 spot, trembling & sweating

[apn8keh]

I've penned him in a corner of the field with just hay & a bit of alpha a & gave him his sedative. The poor bugger dragged me down to the pen for the feedbucket, but he paid the price when the adrenalin had worn off & was almost trying to sit on his bum.

The last bit of hard feed (couple scoops pasture mix) he had was the day before yesterday as I tried to mix the bute in it, and at the time we were waiting for the blood tests to reveal what was wrong. The vet prescribed the sedalin to try to treat for laminitis although she is not convinced this is the case. I'm worried that if it is, it is more likely to have been caused by him favouring one of his hindlegs over the very arthritic one rather than too much grass/frosts (we haven't had any recently). Even if he pulls through this time he is likely to have a relapse in future as he has been retired since 4 years old as the bony changes in his hock were so severe.

I will keep him confined and on painkillers over the weekend & the vet will see him Monday. I would like to get a second opinion as she seems to think it could be a neurological disorder & he needs a few weeks to sort himself out. I feel bad that we haven't alleviated his suffering yet. I know x-rays or nerve blocks are probably the only way to find out exactly what is going on, but he could not travel in this state.

Incidentally, whilst he was lying down today I was able to clean out his feet (he cannot stand on 3 legs while you do it) and I was tapping the toe, sole and wall with the hoof pick, he wasn't bothered in the slightest (he had had his Finadyne). Wouldn't that have been painful to a laminitic?

 

[MagicMelon]

I would possibly get another vet? Even from the same practice if you dont want to upset your usual one. No offence to your usual vet, its just good to get a different opinion as another vet may have different ideas of what it could be. We've had 2 vets out for horses in the past, and also the farrier too so they could all discuss it. The farrier is very good for hoof / feet problems so he should be able to tell you if its laminitis.

You can get nerve blocks and some x-rays at your home? Although I guess it depends what you want to take x-rays of.

Tapping off the hoof doesnt have to be painful for a lami. I tapped my girls feed when she had it and didnt react which I thought she would.

Really good luck with this, sounds very odd. But please do get a second opinion as soon as possible.

 

[Llwyncwn]

Just wondering about nerve blocks ... arn't they steroids? If this is the case I would be very concerned about injecting steroids into a horse who had suspected laminitis. Hope Im wrong.

 

[Happy Horse]

Nerve blocks are local anaesthetic not steroids so shouldn't be a problem. I think I'd be asking for a referral to a specialist equine vet by now.

 

[Llwyncwn]

Ahhh, thanks for correcting me. I too would be taking action now.

 

[JACQSZOO]

Any news?

 

[laurag]

Hi, Have just been reading your posts and just thought i'd tell you bout my horse which may or may not be relevant but could be prob?????

He had had chronic hind limb lameness due to susp injuries and various other probs but had got over these then last year about this time of year he started to look really uncomfortable and lame behind and needed bute, never needed before. He too stood with his back feet tucked under him, had v.good vet whi had known him through his probs. She said from her experience he looked as if he had severe pain in his sacro iliac area, he lay down an awful lot, was Very bad when first asked to walk but could loosen up a little. I was going to have him scanned but he was in so much pain and had such a history of probs I had him PTS which was heartbreaking. Vet said she had horse similar and had it post mortemed which revealed spurs of arthritis in sacro iliac joint which was causing severe pain. This could have been secondary to chronic back leg problems. This may be way off beam for your horse but just thought worth mentioning. It's gorrid to see them so uncomfortanble. My horses pain came on quite quickly not gradually over period of time and pain killers didn't seem to help him. HE had no trembling though, only when he stood up after being lying down, which I think was due to stiffness and pain. At the end he struggled to get up. He was only 6.
I really hope you get to the bottom of this prob and can help your boy.
x

 

[henryhorn]

I came back to see what your horse may have been diagnosed with but he doesn't really sound much different.
There is going to be a limit to how long you can keep him dosed up on sedalin and painkillers and had he been mine I would have perhaps asked for a second opinion by now.
I am always loathe to criticise a vet and yours does seem to have gone down the investigative path, but to leave you with a doped horse on painkillers until Monday really isn't good enough.
Are you sure he hasn't put something in his back out? If he is passing droppings and eating normally with no temperature ride to indicate infection the shaking and shivering just sound pain related, and I would see if you have a McTimoney practitioner locally. It won't harm for them to look at him and may give you a better idea of where he hurts..
I'm not getting at you at all, but I'm getting worrying signals re your vet.... surely if the horse is in this much discomfort they wouldn't just abandon you until Monday?

 

[spaniel]

I must say I do agree with HenryHorn on this one. I really couldnt wait until monday and would be asking for either your practice to attend today or letting them know (if they dont do weekends for some reason) that the horse is still very poorly and that I was calling in someone else on an emergency call out.

 

[apn8keh]

Update re Shankley.

He was penned in a small corner of field last night with some hay. Had clearly had a few rolls/lie downs through the night & had eaten everything up by this am. However, we had torrential rain last night & the pen was really muddy so I wasn't happy to leave him like this.

Having spent the whole night thinking it really probably was time to think about getting him dsetroyed I sought the opinion of a second vet (from a practice that specialises in horses). After a long discussion she said it was unlikely his hocks had deteriorated so badly that he would show such an abrubt change in behaviour & she also was not convinced about laminitis. However, she said to stable him, control his feed and give him a chance to pick up over the weekend. She also suggested that the 1 syringe a day of Finadyne was maybe not enough & I should try to increase the dose until I find the point at which his pain is eased.

So he has been in since lunchtime on a very deep bed of shavings. He has been down, but he was very nervous about doing it. He had enough Finadyne for 650kg & I will give him enough for 700kg tomorrow.

I'm quite intrigued by your post Laurag, as he has always had uneven hindquarters, which back lady said proably occured as a foal, by a hind leg slipping out from underneath him. His action has always been a bit crooked & I can't help thinking that it may have contributed to the early onset of arthritis in his hocks. I suppose the only way of finding out is post mortem? I will definately discuss this idea with the vet on Monday.

 

[spaniel]

Fingers crossed the opportunity to lie down under a goodly amount of painkiller will see him improve tomorrow.

 

[Pidge]

Have fingers and everything else crossed for you xxx

 

[apn8keh]

I think I am going to have him PTS today. He has lay down in the stable, but when I saw him go down last night he was groaning so much. He was on his knees for ages and the backend just wouldn't go & he banged into the back wall when he finally went. Wasn't even down for a minute & got back up. He was steaming with sweat all day yesterday, but I put a thin rug on last night so he didn't get a chill. It broke my heart this morning when I took it off it was absolutley soaked right through. He has been sweating profusely for 1 week now & that probably goes someway to explaining how much pain he is in. I think he is worse in as he isn't so confident about laying down & that is why he is sweating so much, because he hasn't been able to rest. Also, I think having a good roll was soothing for him.

I am absolutely convinced about it being is sacroiliac. His hindquarters are very different shapes & he was having a bit of trouble getting down to roll in the summer, but I put it down to his hocks. Sacroiliac problem would explain why it is afffecting both hind legs & with his history of arthritis and unevenesss it is much more plausible than laminitis.

I need to speak to a few people. They have been so kind to lend me a stable, I feel tight saying do you mind if I have him PTS in your garden. Maybe he would like to go back out and have a last roll. He is so well loved by everyone who lives in the village that walks their dog that it will be impossible to get any privacy.

 

[dozzie]

A brave decision. Ive watched this post but couldnt help.
Find a lovely spot and make the most of the last cuddles, I really feel for you, youve done your best. Sometimes you just know when theyve had enough.

Thinking of you.XXX

 

[Murphs_Mum]

Only just found this post. I can't help everything I would have guessed at has already been discussed. I think this has gone on long enough and if you aren't able to get him into an equine hospital I think you are making the right decision to end his suffering.

 

[Pidge]

I'm really sorry to hear that he's like this. It's a very difficult decision to make but I'm sure it's the right one. Like others have said it takes a brave person to take this decision to end their horses suffering. Thinking of you xxxx

 

[Thistle]

I really feel for you, think you are making the right decision though, (((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))

 

[Happy Horse]

It sounds like the kindest decision after reading what you have posted. I hope it is ok for you.

 

[spaniel]

So sorry to hear this but I think its the best thing now.

 

[laurag]

I really feel for you and reading your posts brings it all back for me. My boy was obviously more comfortable down but really struggled to get up and it caused him to shake on all legs with the pain. They do sound suspiciously similar. The vet did say she could ultrasound his sacro iliac area through his rectum under sedation to confirm things but I just couldn't stand the thought of putting him through it. He went v. peacefully in the end and I like to think he's charging around somewhere better now like a young horse should and not suffering. I think the damp cold weather made it worse but it isn't an area which can be very well treated. I'm sure you will make the right decision. But it's so hard. Take care.

 

[_jetset_]

I think you have made the right decision having read this post over the past few days. But knowing it is the right one certainly does not makes things any easier does it?

I would take him to where he is happiest, let him have one last role and a lovely mouthful of grass. I am sure he will thank you for that. Then you can have cuddles and see him rolling in the field where he has been happy.

Rebecca x

 

[LauraBR]

I have also been following your posts. So very sad but it sounds as though the brave decision you have made is the right one.

RIP

 

[paulo]

Been following your posts.

Had tears in my eyes when reading it and big lump in my throat, thinking of you. Hope you are o.k , big hugs XXX

 

[guisbrogal]

What a lousy predicament to be in

I too feel you have made the right decision for him but I am sure that is of little comfort really.
Huge hugs to you

 

[apn8keh]

Just thought I should close off this post. I decided to let Shankley out onto the tiny paddock in front of his stable to have a roll. He came out snorting and whinnying & had a good few mouthfuls of grass. However, his shaking was horrendous & he took himself back into the stable within 5 minutes. He was drenched in sweat & breathing like he'd done the grand national. I ran to the phone & called the mobile no. for vet on call, only to be told that the shift had ended & I needed to call again to get another number! Without a pen I tried to knock on a door to borrow one & noone answered. I checked Shanks again & his breathing had eased & he was taking a lay down & looked quite peaceful. Now call me cruel but I decided that he wasn't meant to go on Sunday otherwise the right vet would have answered & it would have happened.

I spent Sunday taking him so happy hoof & carrots, and scratching his itchy bottom! Also, I started to look into the idea that he had Equine Motor Neurone Disease (which vet had initially suggested, but I'd dismissed thinking more likely his arthritis). He had every single symptom, muscle wastage in face of ravenous appetite, sweating, muscle fasciculations, excessive fatigue, standing all 4 feet on the same spot, constantly swapping weight from hindlimb to limb, lying down more than usual, respiratory distress. Only problem is that its only been confirmed in a handful of cases & usually affects horses stabled 24/7 & on diets deficient on vitamin E. He couldn't have been deficient as levels are high in grass & he had lived out 24/7 for his whole life. Anyhow, the disease is progressive, some show improvement, none have ever returned to work & all were dead within 3 years.

Realising that there really was no hope I called vets 1st thing Monday morning & requested the same vet to attend & contacted insurance to say that he was going to be destroyed on the grounds that he could barely stand let alone walk. Different vet arrived & said that even though he was happy to destroy on grounds of unnecessary suffering the insurers would not sanction his destruction because he was still eating & his leg wasn't hanging off. To get a diagnosis for the insurance his spinal cord would have to be removed and the neurons examined. This would cost more than the £1000 value he was insured for. Unfortunately, noone in the UK is researching this disease otherwise I would have offered his carcass to help with research. So he will go under the radar as undiagnosed.

I suggested the vet might like to see how bad he was outside to see if it might sway insurers & we actually videoed footage of him taking his last mouthfuls of grass as he staggered about, virtually sitting on his bottom and shaking uncontrolably. He had grown so weak over the last day that he actually went down horrifically on his nose as he tied to take a couple of steps. He seemed strangely at peace, lay flat out & stretched his legs out and sighed. He sat up and continued to graze, whilst the vet trimmed the hair from his neck. He was gently sniffing the vet to see what he was doing & lay back down to let him insert the needle. I'll never forget how peaceful he was as he said "hang on a minute I just want a couple more mouthfuls of grass". He sat up had a good few mouthfuls as the anasthetic was connected to the needle & he was gone in under a minute. No resistance, no muscle spasms, just a couple of deep breaths with his 2 mums gently stroking his neck & telling him what a good boy he was.

 

[Patches]

RIP Shankley.

Brought tears to my eyes.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

RIP Shankley. Glad he's not suffering anymore, although unfortunately that means that you are left to grieve.

Bethxx

 

[Tia]

What a lovely post. I know it is incredibly sad but what feeling and kindness you have shown your boy. Keep him close in your heart and never let your lovely memories fade.

Sleep well Shankley. x

 

[dozzie]

You couldnt have done anymore and bless him you know made the right decision. We've all been praying for him and you in our own way.
So, so sad for you.

 

[AmyMay]

Ah, bless you. How terribly sad. You really do have my condolences.

And just to add, what your vet said about the insurers is rubbish!! If the vet says the horse needs to be destroyed - end of!