Interim update on Thor

[catembi]

Back story: he was having a roll and a play in the arena a couple of weeks ago and galloped straight through a closed gate, ending up on his back in a ditch with the gate on top of him. No serious injury but I was wondering about a brain tumour.

The vet came today and did a preliminary neuro work up. She checked his eyes…sight is fine, no sign of a brain tumour. He failed the tail pull test. When led in a serpentine, he is unstable on the turns. He isn’t confident standing on three legs.

The upshot is that he is being referred for a full neuro work up at Rossdales and then we’ll see where we are. It’s hard to tell if it’s ‘just’ PSSM…when he was charging around in the arena, maybe he cramped up badly as he usually won’t go faster than walk, and was running away from pain? Maybe we’ll get some answers and maybe we won’t.

 

[SilverLinings]

I hope that you get some answers @catembi, and that you and Thor stay safe until you know the cause of the behaviour. Hopefully it is something minor and/or treatable and that you don't have to wait too long for answers.

 

[nutjob]

I'm very sorry to say that the symptoms sound very similar to my wobbler. There are other tests you can do yourself if you are inclined. I have used this

as a guide. Mine is OK on tail pull but pretty rubbish on everything else. He also toe drags, has muscle wastage on the hind quarters and has developed an occasional locking stifle. The neck abnormality was minimal on xray but was there, although the tests and clinical symptoms are enough to diagnose really.

I wish you the best with him and hope it's something else.

 

[Clodagh]

Can I ask, and I really don’t mean this in a horrible way, why you want to look into his problems? He’s either in severe pain or he’s got something neuro going on.
I am genuinely curious as to what you hope to achieve?

 

[catembi]

If he has got a brain tumour or does have wobblers (as opposed to just being a bit wobbly) then that’s pretty much the decision made, very sadly. If there is nothing much found so it’s ‘just’ PSSM, then I will keep him retired. He looks the absolute picture of health.

I’m trying to ‘achieve’ certainty on what’s going on with him. I would very much like to know.

I was also in two minds about whether even to bother posting as I suspected that it would do me more harm than good. I am finding the whole thing very stressful. I should probably have kept it to myself.

 

[doodle]

If of any help at all I would be doing exactly what you are doing. I would want to know what was going on regardless of the outcome. Then have an informed decision rather than working on what ifs.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I can understand your need to know. I wish you and he all the best.

 

[bluehorse]

If he has got a brain tumour or does have wobblers (as opposed to just being a bit wobbly) then that’s pretty much the decision made, very sadly. If there is nothing much found so it’s ‘just’ PSSM, then I will keep him retired. He looks the absolute picture of health.

I’m trying to ‘achieve’ certainty on what’s going on with him. I would very much like to know.

I was also in two minds about whether even to bother posting as I suspected that it would do me more harm than good. I am finding the whole thing very stressful. I should probably have kept it to myself.

I don’t blame you for wanting certainty. Not knowing means constant self doubt about decisions you might need or want to make and that’s not an easy weight to carry. I hope you get some answers.

 

[planete]

My pony, who has turned out to have some kind of muscle myopathy (not pssm1), presented as a probable wobbler at one time. He failed to put a hind foot back when crossed over the other one, felt incredibly unsteady behind when ridden and went down on both knees at once with no obvious cause, once ridden and once walking around the field by himself. He also had some pretty manic episodes. I am very glad I sent him to Donnington equine hospital for tests. He is now managed for pssm2 and ridden quietly regularly with no neurological symptoms at all. You are definitely doing the right thing trying to find the root of the problem, especially as your horse's life hangs on the diagnosis.

 

[ycbm]

My PSSM2 presented as a wobbler at around about this time of year, until I upped his vitamin E dose. I even got his neck x rayed, I was so convinced..
.

 

[Clodagh]

If he has got a brain tumour or does have wobblers (as opposed to just being a bit wobbly) then that’s pretty much the decision made, very sadly. If there is nothing much found so it’s ‘just’ PSSM, then I will keep him retired. He looks the absolute picture of health.

I’m trying to ‘achieve’ certainty on what’s going on with him. I would very much like to know.

I was also in two minds about whether even to bother posting as I suspected that it would do me more harm than good. I am finding the whole thing very stressful. I should probably have kept it to myself.

I really didn’t mean it nastily, but perhaps didn’t word it well. You go absolutely above and beyond in the care of your horses.
So if it’s just PSSM can you change something that will stop the pain? I really know nothing about it.
I hope you get the result you are looking for.

 

[I'm Dun]

I rally didn’t mean it nastily, but perhaps didn’t word it well. You go absolutely above and beyond in the care of your horses.
So if it’s just PSSM can you change something that will stop the pain? I really know nothing about it.
I hope you get the result you are looking for.

Type 2 is a nightmare, no real treatment that consistently works across the board. We just don't know enough about it yet. Type 1 is easier to manage and has a treatment protocol. I still wouldn't ever want a horse with any form of PSSM ever again.

 

[SEL]

I really didn’t mean it nastily, but perhaps didn’t word it well. You go absolutely above and beyond in the care of your horses.
So if it’s just PSSM can you change something that will stop the pain? I really know nothing about it.
I hope you get the result you are looking for.

I have a few friends who went down the type 2 rabbit hole. Two are riding horses after considerable dietary changes and two have field pets - but well managed just not happy riding.

I'm firmly on the fence as regards the validity of the testing personally but it's worked for them

I'd want to know too Catembi.

 

[Ceriann]

I would also want to know and fully understand your need to. I hope you get some answers that help you and him.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I'm very sorry to say that the symptoms sound very similar to my wobbler. There are other tests you can do yourself if you are inclined. I have used this

as a guide. Mine is OK on tail pull but pretty rubbish on everything else. He also toe drags, has muscle wastage on the hind quarters and has developed an occasional locking stifle. The neck abnormality was minimal on xray but was there, although the tests and clinical symptoms are enough to diagnose really.

I wish you the best with him and hope it's something else.

Thanks for this video, really interesting.
What will happen with yours?

 

[nutjob]

What will happen with yours?

I stopped riding him last year after an incident similar to the one described by the OP. Since then I haven't seen him do anything abnormal and whilst I don't watch him continually he is at home so I'm aware of how he's doing. I periodically do the tests described in the video to see if he is better or worse, recently he has had a big improvement in the panniculus test, now very responsive whereas previously absolutely nothing at all. In the unlikely event that he returns to normal on neurological tests, stops toe dragging and can canter a circle without going disunited or changing legs I will have a CT myelogram done and if no spinal cord compression will start riding again. If he has another panic attack in the field I will PTS as it's distressing to see, dangerous and must be extremely painful and frightening for him. The most likely outcome is he will remain with mild symptoms and be kept as a pet.

 

[catembi]

We are currently awaiting an appointment with Rossdales. We are insured with Animal Friends and it’s possible to get a pre authorization which is what we’re doing. I am really not sure whether I want them to find something or NOT find something…