how long - a virus

[BackInBlack]

hi, me worrying again. have any of you had a horse suffering from a 'virus'? my horse has been off work all spring and summer because he has been lethargic. 1st his liver was bad, now it looks like he may have a virus. have been treating with equisup and milk thistle and a low protein diet ( for those of you who havn't read previous posts!) and he doesn't seem to be any less lethargic at all. getting the vet out again in a couple of weeks. but just curious as to how long a 'virus' can take to improve.

 

[kellyeaton]

get vet out asap it might be his liver again. you dont want to be pumping with any food or supplements for a boost coz his liver will have work very hard witch you dont want that. call vet keep to your low protine diet with the milk thistle get your self some b vits and lactose that is digestiable engery and the liver does not have to digest that all!

 

[BackInBlack]

right, i'm on it... just phoned my vet and he said Smokey should be up and flying by now - he's going to come out next week and take some lung samples do more blood tests etc. keep your fingers crossed for him - i'm more than worried again now...

 

[hellybelly6]

Let us know how you both get on. Thinking of you.

J has a similar problem and has been off since the beginning of May until recently due to lameness, virus, kidney damage, high protein levels in blood and urine and itching.

He is now back in work, but still not quite his bolshy sparkling self. A virus can take many months to get over, but as everybody else says, get the vet out and let us know how you get on.

Do you feed anything containing alfalfa?

 

[BackInBlack]

Thanks hellybelly. he's currently on hi-fi lite and sugar beet so yes he is on alfalfa. is there something better i can give him? smokey has been lame as well! he had an abcess in one heel and has just bashed his other front leg...he's in the wars- poor thing.

 

[only_me]

you should try restore, it has been the only thing that has helped our horses that have had a virus.

hope your boy recovers - (Have you thought about a kidney infection being the problem? my horse gets very lethargic when he gets them )

 

[BackInBlack]

thanks only-me. yes i'm going to get some restore, they've just started selling it in the Robinsons catologue i noticed. will bring up kidneys with the vet next week, would that make him drink a lot?

 

[editor]

Hi Tallyho - just wanted to let you know that I tried Restore in liquid form for my horse when he was first diagnosed with high liver enzymes - after 2 days on restore both his back legs filled up like tree trunks - vet called it oedema - I had to take him off the restore straight away and the swelling went down - needless to say i havent used it since - maybe he had a reaction to the herbs in it - maybe smokey will be ok for you but just watch out. Vet has put mine on Visorbin now instead of D&H b sure - said it was better as it has sorbitol in it too. I have just had another biopsy done - still shows active hepatitis but no more clue as to what is causing it. Its has been nearly a year now - vet said it could be virus causing the hepatitis - hope smokey has not got the same - have you got his bloods done again for liver enzymes?

 

[BackInBlack]

hi longslade - if it's not one thing it's another isn't it?
haven't had liver enzymes checked since bloods 3 weeks ago. i'm presuming they are going to be checked again on tuesday, well i'm going to ask for them again whatever. smokeys going to have a lung scope and i'm going to ask if he can test for kidney disease on tuesday so not looking forward to that - farrier came today and says his foot abcess has cleared up so that's one good thing. it's just so frustrating isn't it - going on so long and not being able to find out what it is?

 

[editor]

What tests do they do for kidney disease? Ed wee's everytime i ride usually in the first few mins after me getting on, now he only has to see me when i go to catch him in the field and he has a wee - its like he thinks oh my god got to do some work better go for a pee first! His ultrasound showed he had a lot of fat round his kidneys but vet said this was not a problem in itself. they also took a sterile urine sample with a catheter and tested it for infection but none showed. I still wonder if there is a connection to his lethargic symptoms. Let me know what tests they do for kidney disease. Thanks.

 

[only_me]

having a kidney infection would make him drink more - merlin ( a gelding

) usally gets cystitus in the winter

other symptoms include peeing after ridden work (although this has developed into a habit for merlin) and generally being a bit "off" and lethargic. thats in my experience anyways.

usually a course of antibiotics clears it up within a week

I would always reccomend restore, have never heard of a reaction to it though, and i find it is usually the only one that works apart from collovet

 

[jaffs]

Just curious ...why do you ask about Alfalfa?

 

[kellyeaton]

ya my girl star was on vi- sorbin. in stead of rerstore try ragaid this is what i did with star and her liver/ what food is she on? did you get some lactose of your vet? is she getting vitmin injections still?