Neurological disorder, lame, EPSM or something else?

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t_n_o

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I'll try and make this brief but I am at the end of my tether and very worried.........

Feb 09 horse had scuffs out of his hind hooves, snatching up hinds when picking out feet and kind of shaking the leg and trouble walking backwards. Vet came did flexion tests, trot up etc, all clear, advised physio and new farrier (used by the vets for remedial stuff).

Feb - June 09 Physio every 3 weeks - back spasm which would not go but apparently not painful - physio thought it may be "shivers", called vet and he said he didnt think it was but wouldnt be able to tell without further tests but advised as horse not lame etc not to worry too much.

June 09 Horse went lame on both hinds worse on right hind. Vet came out took bloods thought it might have been tye up. Bloods clear. Horse went into vets for lameness work up - x-rays and nerve blocks inconclusive.

July 09 - Bone scan, showed some "hot sports" on spine, sacro illeac, stifle and hock. More x-rays - treated with Tildren for arthritus. After a few weeks brought back into walking, long low straight lines hacking for 15 mins with continued physio.

Aug 09 - not happy with his progression, back to vets for more tests - nerve blocked stiffle and hock and below - on hock and below he was lunged and lost his back end completly. Vet stopped tests and diagnosed "neurological deficits", he had done the pull tail test and he wasn't 100%. Said he hasnt seen a horse react like that on the lunge - advised that still lame on all nerve blocks therefore not pain related and an iregular iregularity rather than a regular iregularity.

Following day did saro-illeac block - at my request to rule that out - still lame - about 1/10th.

Sent home for 6 months rest (out day/in night) and monitor.

Sept 09 - shoes taken off at request by vet and agreement by farrier. That night he amost collapsed when picking up he left fore to pick his feet out. Later that night emergency vet called because he was rooted to the spot unable to move. Steriods given. Vet thought it was a tumor on his spine and thought he would have to be PTS but gave him 12 hrs. Next day I gave more steriods and within 24 hrs he was almost 90% back to normal (well as normal as he is!). Vet that has been treating him then came out the next day and diagnosed laminitis! Two weeks box rest and then another check up by vet and introduced to field slowly.

Emergency vet and farrier both dont agree with normal vet and say that 7 weeks later there is still no sign of laminitis. The day after the rooting to the spot vet did hoof tests and no pain in the feet but raised pulses in all 4?!

Beginning Oct both hind legs swelled up to x4. Vet thought maybe high protien? Within 5 days on bute they went down - horse didn't appear to be in pain.

He has now been referred to a neurological specialist?

I am sooooo confused?

Anyone any ideas?
 
I know you've had him blocked for various things but has he been on a regular dose of bute? If not, would it be possible to give him a fortnight at top whack, turn him away completely (out 24/7 but kept warm) so mobile the whole time, no chance to stiffen up at the same time, hay or haylage only while in the field and monitor him? I'm just wondering if he's had pain somewhere and is now afraid to use himself normally in case it hurts again; they're not as daft as we sometimes take them for! The strong dose of bute should mask that pain and help him forget so use himself better while the bute is in his system at least. If the bute has no effect at all then you'd be pretty sure it's not pain related unless of course, he is immune to bute and you need something else. It sounds like there's pressure somewhere, it's just finding where. It wouldn't surprise me if you gave him a year off out in the paddock that he might improve in his own time, they're like that!
Confusing, irritating and worrying, you have my sympathy.
 
My horse has artritis in his neck which caused coordination issues with his hind legs. The struggling to lift hind legs and snatching away/shivering when he does are classic signs of wobblers I'm afraid. This indicates that somewhere there is pressure either on the the spinal cord or the nerves that branch out to his hind legs.

My horse has pressure on the nerves and has reduced coordination in his right hind leg. He had cortizone injections into the affected vertiebrae and has had lots of work to strenghten his topline as it was very weak. He also 'loses' his back end in trot and stumbles. At one point he was unrideable but after lots of hard work he's currently able to hack comfortably and for a time was able to do low level dressage.

A neurological specialist sounds like just the person to give you some answers so fingers crossed for a speedy diagnosis.
Big hugs
 
Totally bizarre. What colour is this horse and how old is he? I'm thinking maybe internal melanomas? I think my money would be on spinal chord problems. The swollen back legs imply lymph system problems and this might be aggrevated by nerve problems. My 26 year old mare has suddenly refused to pick up her off hind. She has always been ready with the next hoof, but now I have to almost push her off balance and once it is off the ground she waves it so high she tends to nearly fall over. Once I've got hold of it though, she doesn't try to snatch it away and I can do what I want with it. I suspect it is arthritis in her hips, but it is as if she doesn't know I am there wanting to pick it up (offers me the near hind instead which she also waves about), but she knows full well I'm there when she lifts it up so I can scratch her itchy tummy (and doesn't over-raise it then). To be honest though, while I'm concerned, at her age I'm not losing too much sleep over it.

At least you are going to be able to see a specialist.
 
Hi guys

Thanks for your replies - I have tried a bute trial and it didnt alter anything i'm afraid!

I must admit I thought of wobblers but then he is nearly 14 (chestnut) and from what I have read it is normally seen in younger horses unless they have had a trauma - to my knowledge there hasnt been a trauma (that i know of) and there was no "hot spots" on the bone scan to indicate anything in the neck to show a trauma or arthritis?

I guess I will have to wait till the specailist has seen him - its only a few more days to wait (time is dragging) so I will keep you all posted.

I am very worried about how he will travel but I will just have to hope and pray things go well. He hooned round the field last night and looked lovely - didnt even look lame in trot but then this morning you can see he's not 100%!! Still nice that he still enjoys a good run!

Thanks again!
grin.gif
 
nuero problems can be caused by all manner of things, for instance when I was researching ataxia in my horse I found out that it can be caused by virus's called protozea (sp.) and EHV amongst other things. Certain foodstuffs can cause ataxia, its either red or white clover than if eaten in large amounts can cause loss of coordination due to the high cyanide levels present. Also crop sprays and certain other chemicals. You are correct in your assumption that if the horse had wobblers I would have thought hot spots would have shown up on the neck or something.
 
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