Horse with high temperature

[Sossigpoker]

My cob has been off colour since yesterday and hardly ate overnight. I took his temperature this afternoon and it was 41.5!!
Vet has been and given him meds to bring the temperature down and antibiotics as a precaution. He has now started eating thankfully.
Vet is coming back tomorrow but in the meantime I wonder if anyone has experienced this kind of thing? Vet suspects it's a virus and says his throat sounds sore. He was amazed that my boy was still standing and was reasonably alert with such a high temperature.
I've never known a horse have a virus so I'm quite worried.
There's no nasal discharge and he's up to date with vaccinations.

 

[doodle]

B

 

[Baroque]

I've nothing useful to contribute I'm afraid, but didn't want to read and run. I have everything crossed for you that he's doing much better in the morning. What a worry for you.

 

[Sossigpoker]

I've nothing useful to contribute I'm afraid, but didn't want to read and run. I have everything crossed for you that he's doing much better in the morning. What a worry for you.

Thank you I'm pretty worried but encouraged by the fact his temperature dropped by 0.5 degrees soon after the injections and he started eating and sweating.

 

[AdorableAlice]

Yes, several times. Presented with a lethargic uninterested horse off his food. Very elderly horse, treated with meds to lower temp, he did have a reaction to the treatment which alarmed me a lot, panting, trembling and sweating. I prepared myself for the goodbyes. He did settle and then had a substantial amount of antibiotics. Bloods taken again after 7 days showed raised inflammatory levels. More antibiotics and next bloods normal. This happened in January and today he is bright and happy again.

We suspect he has something going on internally which is causing the random episodes rather than a virus or infection picked up.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Yes, several times. Presented with a lethargic uninterested horse off his food. Very elderly horse, treated with meds to lower temp, he did have a reaction to the treatment which alarmed me a lot, panting, trembling and sweating. I prepared myself for the goodbyes. He did settle and then had a substantial amount of antibiotics. Bloods taken again after 7 days showed raised inflammatory levels. More antibiotics and next bloods normal. This happened in January and today he is bright and happy again.

We suspect he has something going on internally which is causing the random episodes rather than a virus or infection picked up.

What do you think he has going on internally? Like worms?

 

[AdorableAlice]

No, he has been wormed all his life. Possibly an abdominal abscess leaking and causing infection. There is no pattern at all but due to his age we won’t investigate as the investigation would likely be upsetting and stressful for him.

 

[Shilasdair]

Horses get infections all the time as we do - colds (bacterial) and viruses - and a high temperature helps the immune system to work.

One of my mares was poorly last week and has had 'bute and cough medicine to make her feel better.

Just make sure he drinks plenty, eats a little, and rests and he'll be fine.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Horses get infections all the time as we do - colds (bacterial) and viruses - and a high temperature helps the immune system to work.

One of my mares was poorly last week and has had 'bute and cough medicine to make her feel better.

Just make sure he drinks plenty, eats a little, and rests and he'll be fine.

Thanks I'm hoping it will pass with some more fever relief and antibiotics. No one else at the yard seems to be unwell and with covid no one has bee coming or going so I can't work out where or how he would have caught it.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

My younger mare went through virus high temps twice...both in the Feb/March time and she was 5 years and 6 years old. Vet said a young immune system getting used to the usual infections. Older mare not affected at all.

 

[irishdraft]

My horse who I've owned for 3 years has had a virus 2 years running . The first time I took him to vets who took bloods and said virus no Meds needed he would get over it which he did . Last year he had another his temp was at 40 but I decided to monitor him and took his temp about 4 times a day it went down very quickly but stayed in the high bracket of normal for a couple of days by which time I got him eating and he recovered . None of my other horses had any signs and both times he hadn't really been doing much so all a bit of a mystery . Fingers crossed for the end of this winter because that seems to be when he gets them . I'm sure your horse will be back to full health very soon ..

 

[Sossigpoker]

His temp was 39.2 at 9 am this morning and he's had some hay and water overnight but nowhere near usual amounts. He's brighter today though, not just standing at the back of the stable with his head down like yesterday. He's lost a lot of weight and is all tucked in behind.☹ vet is on his way to check him over.
Those of you who have had viruses- did the horse have a snotty nose ?
My little sossig doesn't have any discharge.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

They don't always have a snotty nose with a virus one of mine has just been a bit off in the past, when the bloods came back on one occasion he had a low white blood cell count which sometimes indicates an infection somewhere, he was put on a course of antibiotics and 're tested and bloods were normal.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

No snot just high temp, listless, not eating, standing at back of box uninterested.

 

[Sossigpoker]

No snot just high temp, listless, not eating, standing at back of box uninterested.

Mine is the same.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

My mare was given meds to reduce temp and within a couple of days was feeling perkier and a week later back to normal.

 

[doodle]

If vet is thinking virus why has horse been given antibiotics?

 

[oldie48]

Yes, some years ago our talented competition pony was so flat in the warm up, we pulled him and took him home. He started to run a temperature and was pretty unwell for a couple of days but quickly picked up. We had bloods done and he was on a course of antibiotics but no cough, mucus or anything really other than a temperature and lethargy. I think vets will give a course of antibiotics just in case there is a bacterial infection going on somewhere even if they suspect a virus.

 

[Sossigpoker]

If vet is thinking virus why has horse been given antibiotics?

Just in case and to ward off any secondary bacterial infection that he might be vulnerable to whilst he's unwell.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Yes, some years ago our talented competition pony was so flat in the warm up, we pulled him and took him home. He started to run a temperature and was pretty unwell for a couple of days but quickly picked up. We had bloods done and he was on a course of antibiotics but no cough, mucus or anything really other than a temperature and lethargy. I think vets will give a course of antibiotics just in case there is a bacterial infection going on somewhere even if they suspect a virus.

He has been just like that, very quiet, no appetite and a raging temperature. We are now out hand grazing and he definitely has an appetite for grass.
Vet was pleased that his heart rate was down although still above normal and has given the same meds as yesterday and taken a blood sample.

 

[Squeak]

Glad that he seems to be going the right direction, it's horrible when they're ill.

 

[racebuddy]

Dis the bloods come back ? Hope hes doing ok x

 

[Sossigpoker]

Dis the bloods come back ? Hope hes doing ok x

Not yet I'm afraid. He's much happier , temperature is down and he's eating well. I'm still hoping to get a phonecall from the vet with the results tonight.

 

[racebuddy]

Fingers crossed xxxx hope the bloods cone back ok xxx

 

[Sossigpoker]

The test results came in and indicate that he doesn't have a virus but has had an infection. No idea where the infection is or where it came from. I do wonder if it might have something to do with worming as he was wormed 2 weeks previous and with his background he most likely hasn't had much if any worm management. It's just my theory.
He seeks to be back to normal now , antibiotics finish tomorrow and then if the temperature stays normal after a few days he can start being ridden again.
So fingers crossed we're over it now.

Just got a £500 vet bill in the post- thank goodness for insurance!

 

[ycbm]

That's a relief! (Not the bill )

 

[AdorableAlice]

The test results came in and indicate that he doesn't have a virus but has had an infection. No idea where the infection is or where it came from. I do wonder if it might have something to do with worming as he was wormed 2 weeks previous and with his background he most likely hasn't had much if any worm management. It's just my theory.
He seeks to be back to normal now , antibiotics finish tomorrow and then if the temperature stays normal after a few days he can start being ridden again.
So fingers crossed we're over it now.

Just got a £500 vet bill in the post- thank goodness for insurance!

Watch the exclusions that might go on.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Watch the exclusions that might go on.

Well even if I don't claim it's in the medical records now so they could use it to deny a future claim.

 

[chocolategirl]

My cob has been off colour since yesterday and hardly ate overnight. I took his temperature this afternoon and it was 41.5!!
Vet has been and given him meds to bring the temperature down and antibiotics as a precaution. He has now started eating thankfully.
Vet is coming back tomorrow but in the meantime I wonder if anyone has experienced this kind of thing? Vet suspects it's a virus and says his throat sounds sore. He was amazed that my boy was still standing and was reasonably alert with such a high temperature.
I've never known a horse have a virus so I'm quite worried.
There's no nasal discharge and he's up to date with vaccinations.

Yes, last year one of ours had the exact same thing. 2 geldings who share a paddock but only one of them suddenly went off his food, which knowing this horse like I do, I was instantly alarmed, so vet was out within half an hour. Temp was up, Bute was given, not antibiotics, and that sorted him within hours. No explanation I’m afraid, but apparently it’s not uncommon ?

 

[MissTyc]

I've had this a few times, once was very dramatic like yours. Recovered really well. They excluded him for "worms" which was odd since there was no suggestion of worm involvement, but as it was early spring and he was a bit anemic, the underwriter decided it was "probably" encysted redworm. Vet just shrugged and said there are worse things to have excluded!! Took 6 weeks to be totally back to normal as confirmed by bloods. Behaviour was back to normal within 3 weeks.