Liver probs

A

Artful

Active Member
Joined
12 March 2013
Messages
31
Visit site
Hi all - I'm new here and only really posting having read with interest about the number of liver issues which seem to be around ! Quick - history -sister and I keep our horses on small yard (been there since may) we have our own paddock . My sisters horse had a couple of colic episodes in October and dramatic weight/muscle loss. Vet was called and after blood test and liver biopsy she was diagnosed with hepatitis. Meantime my boy started to lose condition in November . Vet called and blood test showed liver damage but no infection. Sisters horse treated with antibiotics and vitamin supplement/milk thistle/low protein diet. My boy had hepatosyl /same diet/ milk thistle. Both have had several blood tests and both showing normal liver function. They still need to put condition on but I think once Spring eventually arrives and they can go out we hope they will look a lot better! Vet does not really have any idea what is going on!:
 
Hi Artful. According to my vets they are seeing, in the last year, more and more horses with 'mysterious' liver conditions and my horse was one of them. Dropped off loads of weight at the end of last year, blood test and biopsy showed liver damage but not caused by ragwort, liver fluke or virus, the 3 main culprits. He's been on heavy doses of steroids and looks miles better, we're about to wean him off them and fingers crossed he'll continue to recover.

Last time I spoke to my vet she said they now have a theory that it might be caused by a mycotoxin in the grazing, which in turn is caused by the wet weather last year, and they are doing further research on it.

Hope your neds get better, roll on spring etc..!
 
My mares just been diagnosed with liver problems following an impaction colic where she was at the vets clinic and obviously had lots of blood tests. She was tested again on Friday and they were still high and after being on danilon for a few days she's looking much brighter so she's obviously in pain with it. Vets told me to have her retested in a month as it could be a virus that's just attacking her liver (no runny nose, coughing etc) but she had a high temp during the colic which is unusual. Or if she starts going downhill once the danilons finished they will put her on a liver supplement to be on the safe side. I feel like I'm going round and found in circles with no idea what's going on at the moment :( bloods showed its not poisoning (so rules out ragwort etc) just raised liver enzymes and inflammatory markers.
Worrying to not know the cause or the problem at the moment!
 
Mycotoxins are becoming more significant this year following the rain we had. They are found on grass/pasture as well as in hay and haylage and feed bins no matter how well made and stored.

The only supplement currently available that contains a mycotoxin binder is Lifeforce - either the Formula or Elite depending on your horses workload - its helps the horses gut work more efficiently - especially the hind gut - and the mycotoxin binder binds with the mycotoxins and combined with a more efficient gut helps the horse excrete them. The Lifeforce also contains organic minerals which are bio-available to the horse so helps boost their immune system - which part of the livers job.

Vets have nothing to prescribe or use for mycotoxins at present.
 
Last edited:
Yes it's all very strange -especially as our two had a liver problems but for different reasons!! My boy has been fine in himself just looked b.......y awful although that's improving. My sisters horse has also been ok in herself but really looked much worse than he did -I think it was the rapid weight loss that was so shocking. Anyhow both seem to be on the mend now but we will be keeping them on the milk thistle for ever I think! It was interesting that at the end of the summer (around September) they took a sudden liking to some big thistles growing at the edge of their paddock!! Maybe just a coincidence though. Roll on spring!
 
Slinky Unicorn, ta, good bit of info on Lifeforce.

Artful, it's a strange one isn't it? One of my other horses also started to lose weight..same situation as you...a blood test showed she also had liver damage but nothing as severe as the first horse, she's recovered completely without and medication. The first horse's liver is totally fine now, we are hoping he stays well when he comes off the steroids. The vet said he might have another underlying condition and it's just the steroids keeping that at bay so everything crossed as the next couple of months are going to be a bit critical. If he starts to go downhill again she said there's nothing else they can do.

I moved them both to a different yard in January, vet's advice was 'get them off that grass NOW!' and I've just managed to move my other two horses, youngsters, off of it as well. The weird thing is that the youngsters haven't been affected at all, just the two older horses, and the three horses belonging to the land owner are all fine too.

I know what you mean about the shocking weight loss, my horse went from being a big chunky four-square arab to a bony shadow of his former self in about 12 weeks, he honestly looked like the worst RSPCA type case, it was awful. But oddly enough his appetite was normal and he never seemed sick or sorry which made his condition all the more baffling.
 
OP just be careful it's not myopathy! I'm a bit anal about after loosing a horse to it and never even heard of it before so trying to make more people aware of it. It's believed to also be caused by mycotoxins and most prominent in the autumn when your horses got ill. The symptoms you describe sounds exactly like my horse at the time, the link in my signature will bring you to a FB page with loads of info about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top