Liver Disease?

[kajabe]

My mare has been unwell recently - yawning a lot, lethargy, head pressing, weight loss, poor performance, poor coat quality, and reduced appetite
These symptoms all point to liver disease.
I am hopefully getting the vet up on monday.

Does anyone have any other idea what these symptoms could be?
or...
Does anyone have any experience of horses with liver disease? How is it treated/do they need different feed/etc etc

Thanks in advance! x

 

[paulineh]

The first thing I would do is get a good detox. I always use "Trinity Consultants" ring Roger Hatch and he will help you.

His number is 01243551766 The website is www.trinity-consultants.com

 

[tinawales]

Had a yearling came on the yard with liver disease (in his case probably caused by lack of worming as a foal) . Put on low protein diet immediately. Went to Liverpool who gave same advice. Livers can recover well if carefully supported (only organ known to re-grow). He made a good recovery. Get a good equine vet/hospital to see at once, identify cause of disease, eliminate cause, and meanwhile support with appropriate diet. Good luck.

 

[Misog2000]

Our whole yard had liver problems this year, we never found out what caused it, different vets used different drugs but all recommended low protein diet and milk thistle. Someone on here (maybe box of frogs but can't remember for sure) has posted lots of advice on livers in the past, might be worth searching for the threads.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Vet. Now. Pressing the head on walls is bad and is usually associated with a poor prognosis. As others have said, while you wait for your vet, low protein diet, little and often feeds, Yea Sac, Milk Thistle, keep horse out of the sun, tlc, tempt his appetite. He will need some protein so choose the highest quality feed you can find.

 

[neddynesbitt]

Having lost a horse to grass sickness I can assure you that you need the vet now and shouldn't be self diagnosing your horses illness, don't wait until Monday. Yes the symptoms could point to liver disease but also could be grass sickness I don't know what area you are in but, in our area there have been 7 cases that I know of and probably many more I haven't heard about. Good luck I hope your horse will be ok, head pressing is very serious symptom and shouldn't be ignored

 

[Lizzie0682]

Hi kadjabe, what did the vet say in the end? I've been looking in to liver damage, I'm about to phone vet, coul be totally Ove reacting but wondered how you'd got on.

 

[Tonks]

You should call your vet immediately with symptoms such as these.

IF it is liver damage then these are ADVANCED symptoms and the prognosis is not good. This would especially be the case if it is caused by ragwort.

However, as you're self diagnosing at this stage, I would wait and see what the vet says as it may not be liver damage.

 

[kajabe]

Hi kadjabe, what did the vet say in the end? I've been looking in to liver damage, I'm about to phone vet, coul be totally Ove reacting but wondered how you'd got on.

Thank fully it wasnt anything too serious, I over reacted! the vet said that she had had some form of inflammation however it should clear up in 4-6 weeks. She is getting over it now thank fully! Unfortunately I have been un-able to ride her since the end of May because of her illness, so i now have the 'fun' task of getting her back up to fitness! We had such an amazing plan for the summer holidays! Possibly going to the beach, hacking to the country parks, going through rivers etc so ive had to put this all on hold so far!
Hopefully i'll get to do some of these now
Hope you are just over reacting too and your horse is ok!! sending (((vibes)))