Liver biopsy

[Casper7]

Please help,

I noticed very subtle changes in my 10 year old pony a few weeks ago. Picky with hay, quiet, water intake down opening bowels once over night.

I had the vet out within two days of these symptoms he said on the outside she seemed well but did bloods as I stated she was not herself.

Her liver enzymes were raised I cannot remember exactly what the figures were but she was in the red but not high in the red is how he put it.

She was given steroids, antibiotics, liver tonic and treated for liver fluke.

3 weeks later two bloods were within normal 2 still raised but had come down from where they were.

She had a liver biopsy yesterday, the vet said her lungs were large and had she had breathing problems which she never has , he also said her liver was small which he was concerned about however, the outer edges of the liver were fine and what he could see looked ok ..

I have to wait until next week for the results but he mentioned a small liver could suggest long term ragwort poisoning!!!!

I’ve contacted her previous owner who is on the ball with ragwort so since 2013 she’s not been in contact, prior to her having my horse she lived on a dairy farm and apparently their land management would have been or should have been good.

I’ve had her 18 months and she’s been great until now.

My questions are if anyone is able to help

1. If it is ragwort then when ingested how long does it take for symptoms to show ?

2. If it is ragwort then would her liver edges look normal?

3. Is it possible for her large lungs to have hidden some of her liver ?

4. Would her liver enzymes have come down if it were ragwort?

I’ve contacted professor knotty as I found his email on here but he’s not replied yet.

To throw another thing into the mix she was sharing a field with another horse who also had raised liver enzymes back in the summer, he was very unwell but his symptoms were not picked up as quick.

It wasn’t really known what it was but it seems a coincidence that two young horses have developed these problems, if it wasn’t for the fact the vet stated she had a small liver then I’d be thinking is it the same as what the other horse had. Sheep do go into this field from time to time and it’s ex dairy land .. I’m thinking possibly liver fluke ??

Any thoughts experiences or suggestions on what to do would be gratefully received as I’m so worried.

At present she’s bright eyed, eating , drinking and looks ok
Read more at https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/liver-biopsy.770386/#lg4b5rQ9DalhugdJ.99

 

[missmatch]

My horse has had three biopsies, each showing further damage but also regeneration. His liver is app 50% broken now. He participated in the liver fluke testing trial, he was negative but here is a post from the Facebook page with contact details.

‘The horse fluke project has now come to an end and we are no longer accepting samples. Thanks to all vets and horse owners who have participated. Our results will be published soon. If you would like to enquire about getting a horse tested for liver fluke, please contact Paul Gilmore at Liverpool Veterinary Parasitology Diagnostics, gilmore@liv.ac.uk’

His vets never found the exact cause of what triggered his but we believe toxins play a huge part. I have to micro manage him and his environment. He still suffers hepatic flares but I am well versed in dealing with them now.

Ragwort poisoning is culmulative and my vets told me it had a specific look to it under biopsy. Maybe worth asking your vet about that.

Milk thistle is your friend. Some respond better to the liquid over the dried product. Gut health is hugely important. Look at the diet. I use protexin. I found mycosorb a+ enormously beneficial when in flare and always start him on that if he looks off. Lactulose is brilliantly for helping the liver.

It’s mostly manageable but sometimes takes a while to find what works for you.