loz9
Well-Known Member
Sorry if this is a bit waffly, my head is a bit of a mess & tbh I just need to write it all down, so feel free to ignore.
Last summer my mare had copd like symptoms (treated with ventipulmin) & all seem to be fixed.
A month or so later she started with an odd twitch with her head & a slight noise. Had the vet out, suspected headshaking, took xrays to be on safe side to check for tooth/sinus probs. Nothing showed up so diagnosed her as a headshaker, but I knew deep down she wasn't headshaking, so asked for a referral to a larger specialised practise. They reluctantly agree & vet came out a couple of week later (took ages to get results from xrays). By this point she was making much more noise, almost a choking on her own saliva sound & I had to stop riding her as I felt like I was being cruel. Not exactly great with a good-doer in the middle of last years summer & grass coming out of the horses ears.
Fast forward to vet referral. He agreed it wasn't headshaking & wanted to do an overground endoscopy. Fine by me, shame the equipment was broken, & it took about 10wks for her to be scoped. By this point she was really suffering with her weight, as any ridden work resulted in a horrific noise & she was clearly struggling. But scope was done (tbh the vet who did it pretty much diagnosed her on my description!) & she was diagnosed with dorsal displacement of the soft palate. It was a pretty sever case & he didn't really expect her to improve vastly.
So on to the treatment (over xmas), 6wks antibiotics & 8wks steroids, not great with a fat horse but he wanted me to get as much weight off her as possible & he thought shifting the weight would be the answer. Fast forward 8-10wks she had lost a substantial amount of weight & the improvement was amazing, so off the antibs & steroids & carry on as normal. There was still a slight noise, but she was happy to work.
End of march horses had their vaccs & he had a listen to her ridden. Was shocked at her improvement & pretty much signed her off as fixed. She had lost approx. 80kg by this point! & was rather fit (not eventing fit, but fit).
To now; the noise reappeared mid April, but put it down to the weather. She kept getting worse, so I spoke to the vet who said 2wks steroids & see where we are. Shes been on them now for just over a week, theres been no improvement & to top it off she is now uncomfortable in her feet. Its not obvious laminitis, but if you know her you know it is
& she won't keep her muzzle on! She driving my insane!! I had attached it with a headcollar over the top earlier & she had somehow taken the muzzle off but still had the headcollar on :S So have weaved the muzzle & headcollar together & I'm hoping it will be on in the morning. I can't keep her in as she will just stand & rear at the door & if I was to turn her out in the arena she will just jump out.
Im at a loss with her now I couldn't ride her because of her breathing, try to fix that & now can't ride her because of her feet! & shes not helping herself at all! I just want her fixed & don't feel like the vets are taking me seriously! Oh & to top it off the insurance will run out soon
Phew that feels better!
Last summer my mare had copd like symptoms (treated with ventipulmin) & all seem to be fixed.
A month or so later she started with an odd twitch with her head & a slight noise. Had the vet out, suspected headshaking, took xrays to be on safe side to check for tooth/sinus probs. Nothing showed up so diagnosed her as a headshaker, but I knew deep down she wasn't headshaking, so asked for a referral to a larger specialised practise. They reluctantly agree & vet came out a couple of week later (took ages to get results from xrays). By this point she was making much more noise, almost a choking on her own saliva sound & I had to stop riding her as I felt like I was being cruel. Not exactly great with a good-doer in the middle of last years summer & grass coming out of the horses ears.
Fast forward to vet referral. He agreed it wasn't headshaking & wanted to do an overground endoscopy. Fine by me, shame the equipment was broken, & it took about 10wks for her to be scoped. By this point she was really suffering with her weight, as any ridden work resulted in a horrific noise & she was clearly struggling. But scope was done (tbh the vet who did it pretty much diagnosed her on my description!) & she was diagnosed with dorsal displacement of the soft palate. It was a pretty sever case & he didn't really expect her to improve vastly.
So on to the treatment (over xmas), 6wks antibiotics & 8wks steroids, not great with a fat horse but he wanted me to get as much weight off her as possible & he thought shifting the weight would be the answer. Fast forward 8-10wks she had lost a substantial amount of weight & the improvement was amazing, so off the antibs & steroids & carry on as normal. There was still a slight noise, but she was happy to work.
End of march horses had their vaccs & he had a listen to her ridden. Was shocked at her improvement & pretty much signed her off as fixed. She had lost approx. 80kg by this point! & was rather fit (not eventing fit, but fit).
To now; the noise reappeared mid April, but put it down to the weather. She kept getting worse, so I spoke to the vet who said 2wks steroids & see where we are. Shes been on them now for just over a week, theres been no improvement & to top it off she is now uncomfortable in her feet. Its not obvious laminitis, but if you know her you know it is
& she won't keep her muzzle on! She driving my insane!! I had attached it with a headcollar over the top earlier & she had somehow taken the muzzle off but still had the headcollar on :S So have weaved the muzzle & headcollar together & I'm hoping it will be on in the morning. I can't keep her in as she will just stand & rear at the door & if I was to turn her out in the arena she will just jump out.Im at a loss with her now
I couldn't ride her because of her breathing, try to fix that & now can't ride her because of her feet! & shes not helping herself at all! I just want her fixed & don't feel like the vets are taking me seriously! Oh & to top it off the insurance will run out soon Phew that feels better!
