JJS
Well-Known Member
Not much point to this post, except that I'm feeling incredibly down about the whole situation and sometimes some HHO support is just the ticket.
Over the past couple of months, something in my gut has been telling me that Tudor isn't quite right. It was nothing I could put my finger on to begin with, but over the last few weeks, his winter coat has come through and it just doesn't seem normal: appeared a bit prematurely, too thick for the time of year, and really dull and dusty looking. At the same time, he's had watery eyes that aren't shifting and he isn't himself. It's nothing hugely obvious: his weight is good, he's sound and alert, but he's lost that spark that's such a big part of his personality. He no longer has any interest in any sort of interaction, despite being one of the most people oriented horses you'll ever meet, and that's sort of been snowballing for a while now.
The more I think about it, the more he seems like a textbook case of early PPID. He's only 10, but I've enough experience of the disease to know all of those little symptoms that most people don't immediately clock. The above and a few other things, coupled with the odd, unexplained bout of laminitis last summer, means I'm going to be phoning the vet tomorrow and arranging to have some bloods run.
Whilst I know that PPID can be managed well, the thought of that, or whatever else it might be, is really getting me down. The poor boy just can't seem to catch a break and I feel absolutely awful on his behalf. He had the worst possible start - with physical abuse and terrible neglect - and then had to be retired at seven after developing grade five headshaking. He's asymptomatic in the field and has been able to lead a lovely, happy life up until this point, but his management is already massively complicated by his existing issues, so anything else on top is the last thing he needs. I've tried so hard to make up for his horrible beginnings, but he just seems to have the most awful luck
So, if anyone has a few of those famous HHO vibes lying around, please send them his way. I'm determined to get to the bottom of whatever it is that's going on, but a bit of extra luck definitely wouldn't go amiss.
Over the past couple of months, something in my gut has been telling me that Tudor isn't quite right. It was nothing I could put my finger on to begin with, but over the last few weeks, his winter coat has come through and it just doesn't seem normal: appeared a bit prematurely, too thick for the time of year, and really dull and dusty looking. At the same time, he's had watery eyes that aren't shifting and he isn't himself. It's nothing hugely obvious: his weight is good, he's sound and alert, but he's lost that spark that's such a big part of his personality. He no longer has any interest in any sort of interaction, despite being one of the most people oriented horses you'll ever meet, and that's sort of been snowballing for a while now.
The more I think about it, the more he seems like a textbook case of early PPID. He's only 10, but I've enough experience of the disease to know all of those little symptoms that most people don't immediately clock. The above and a few other things, coupled with the odd, unexplained bout of laminitis last summer, means I'm going to be phoning the vet tomorrow and arranging to have some bloods run.
Whilst I know that PPID can be managed well, the thought of that, or whatever else it might be, is really getting me down. The poor boy just can't seem to catch a break and I feel absolutely awful on his behalf. He had the worst possible start - with physical abuse and terrible neglect - and then had to be retired at seven after developing grade five headshaking. He's asymptomatic in the field and has been able to lead a lovely, happy life up until this point, but his management is already massively complicated by his existing issues, so anything else on top is the last thing he needs. I've tried so hard to make up for his horrible beginnings, but he just seems to have the most awful luck
So, if anyone has a few of those famous HHO vibes lying around, please send them his way. I'm determined to get to the bottom of whatever it is that's going on, but a bit of extra luck definitely wouldn't go amiss.
