horses that keep collapsing

[mop]

I own ten horses of various ages 4 to 31.Six weeks ago two of them started to collapse i have owned them from foals and they have always lived together and in the same placeThe vet was called and i have had cushings aneamea herpes heavy metal and electrolyte tests and two liver function tests at 3 week intervals but all are clear I have done nothing but try to find out what this is for weeks and the nearest thing i can find and shadows what they are doing is a video on equisearch for sleep depravation but i can t figure out why The vet has given them a course of steroids then antibiotics ventipullman and bute i have also tried calners at night.they live together but i have recently split them up but they can still see each other They are falling over when nodding off but do stop themselves sometimes or if i catch them and shout.Botulism has been ruled out and all other horses are well They have no temperature and heart are good i have even had my tap water tested Has anyone come across this before?thanks

 

[curio]

could it be some sort of a mineral deficiency similar to cows who lack magnesium (i think)

 

[mop]

could it be some sort of a mineral deficiency similar to cows who lack magnesium (i think)

hi the vets have already checked that as a friend who had cattle suggested this but thanks for your trouble in replying i am getting desperate!

 

[TGM]

Has it only happened since they were split?

 

[HeresHoping]

I am so sorry to hear this. Have they tested for heavy metal poisoning? I am getting bells ringing for this, possibly lead or copper. I'm looking things up right now but am having difficulty getting access to papers as my student membership ran out last year.

 

[mop]

no i ve split them up since but they can still see each other and are together during the day but seperate at night

 

[mop]

thank you so much i m desperate! yes heavy metals herpes electrolytes liver function twice cushings and anemea have all been tested for and come back clear no temperature and normal heart rate

 

[charlie76]

Ryegrass staggers?

 

[charlie76]

http://tur-www1.massey.ac.nz/~wwerc/ryegrass-staggers.html

 

[trottingon]

That's a strange coincidence. Surely if it has happened to two horses at the same time it has to be something external, i.e. in their food, drink, or environment?

 

[TGM]

Do you know if they are lying down to sleep at all? Although horses can sleep standing up they can only do so in light sleep. They also need deep sleep and need to lie down to do so. Horses that don't lie down (due to lack of bedding, pain, insecurity etc) can suffer pseudo narcolepsy, where they start to buckle and collapse due to deep sleep deprivation.

My old mare had this when she had her foal. She was quite capable of lying down to roll, but we assumed she was avoiding sleeping lying down due to wanting to stay alert to look out for her foal. Have your horses got somewhere dry and soft to lie down? Could they be worried about bullying from other horses at all?