More wobblers questions..

S

Switchthehorse

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So I am lucky to have two horses. I get that. But horse one has hepatitis and now horse two at the age of 2 has been diagnosed as a wobbler. c2/c3 signs of OCD, no obvious outward signs but fails a lot of the tests.

She is outwardly healthy and happy just drags her toes a bit, never had any problems with balance etc, galavants round the field like all the other youngsters.

I have been given 4 options. 1) PTS now, 2) Do nothing - keep her as a pet/companion 3) steroid injections and box rest for a month to see if they make a difference 4) the operation

HELP!! I have no idea what to do. Well i know what my gut tells me but interested in your opinions. i fear most will be PTS....
 
Sorry to hear of your troubles.
You haven't really told us enough detail to pick options. I'd PTS if she's a danger to herself and humans by falling. Or I might wait to see if she improves on steroids. Or I might decide to try the op if the outlook is positive and I was insured.
S :)
 
I'm so sorry to read this. My friend had a three year old who developed wobblers and he was PTS as he got worse and worse and eventually struggled to get up if he rolled/lay down.
 
I've only ever met one mare with wobblers - and she was dangerous. Hooning in the field would cause her to fall, and panic that she couldn't get back up. Farrier wouldn't trim her as would just fall. Cracked someone across the leg when falling once. When we finally put her to sleep, she knew something was going on - tried to rear, and almost fell on top of me. Horrible condition for the horse, can lead to both horse and handler injuries, and is degenerative so will only get worse.

Personally, if it was me, I'd pts a horse diagnosed with wobblers. If it was just OCD, I'd give it a go, as you can fix that, and if not they can be fine as companions. But wobblers is another story.

The mare in question was five or six, just for reference. So it can get bad quickly. She was very well bred too, such a shame, but so dangerous.
 
Sorry I didn't give enough info tbh I don't have much!! I have been told the op only brings them down one grade and she still wouldn't ever be rideable. It's really tricky because even vet admitted looking at her you would NEVER know she had it, no outward signs just a bit of a weird gait behind. Makes me wonder whether it's a case of she could get better? I would Pts if she was a danger etc but she just looks like a gangly 2yo

I was told no idea either in terms of steroids - it may help - it may not.

No one can really tell me anything!
 
I'm so sorry to hear of your filly's wobblers.

I have a 4 year Shire gelding that was diagnosed as a high grade 3 wobbler at eleven months of age. Because he was so young, the vets felt that I might be able to affect a positive improvement in his condition by following a strict feeding regime of daily weighed hay (based on a percentage of his body weight), with additional vitamin E. He was kept in a pole barn next to his brother, for over 3 months. He, ultimately, improved over 2 grades, was, finally able to have is feet trimmed, then he was gelded, and he has gone from strength to strength (he will never be ridden or driven). I was told that had he been three years old or more, the outcome would not have been so favourable. Your two year old has much more growing to do. The severity of her wobblers appears to be less acute than my boy's (he could barely walk without dragging all of his feet, much less cavort around the fields). I was assured he was not in pain. The main symptom of wobblers is a lack of proprioception (the horse not knowing where his feet are).

You might want to ask your vet about the possibility of putting her on a greatly restricted diet of hay, having the steroid injections, and keeping her on box rest for a month or more. I make this suggestion based on my experience and the fact that your girl is young. The amount of hay I gave daily, was weighed out in the morning, and fed a little bit at a time throughout the day. And yes, the colt was very hungry and finished every last morsel of hay, including anything that dropped to the floor.

I have a dear friend in France who has a eight year old donkey jenny given to her as a gift several years ago. The donk would walk around the fields and then just trip and fall over. She was diagnosed a wobbler. She actually grew out of it on her own. I saw her two summers ago and she is completely normal.

I'm not trying to give you false hope, just the experiences I have had and the fact of your mare's youth. If you can afford it, financially and emotionally, why not give it a go?

Btw, I was made aware of the surgery for wobblers. It is very major and must be done by a specialist surgeon. The outcome is not guaranteed.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.
 
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