Not EMS

[windand rain]

5 year old welsh A started bucking when ridden looked unsound all over fat but not as fat as usual. No laminitis, no ems, on pen rest has improved in front but still looks odd behind vet not sure as convinced it was laminitis induced by EMS. Suggests continued pen rest and laminitic diet to get weight down further is on mag ox but not eating much. Very lethargic in this heat but pooing and weeing normally. Thinking of a blood test for uti or a physio to see if she has hurt herself. Any ideas vet back if not improving in a week or so. Happy in herself most days bit grumpy about surcingles on fly sheet sometimes. Never seen anything like it
Any ideas thinking from posts on here pssm or ulcers but vet thought not

 

[SEL]

Is she sweating? My mare who doesn't sweat has ballooned in the heat and is feeling very sorry for herself.

 

[windand rain]

No never seen her sweat which is a bit odd
even working on days like today she didnt I put it down to not much effort

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I'd consider and look into the sweating thing. I'd also consider ulcers and Lyme (is that a thing there?). Just my amateur opinion. Or PSSM, which I have no personal experience about, so I only know what I've read.

 

[Griffin]

I wonder if she is trying up? Although, the sweating thing is odd.

I would be tempted to try electrolytes and a pro/prebiotic to see if they make any difference.

I would definitely get a blood test done, a friend's horse became very lethargic and looked lame and was found to have very low iron. A blood test would also rule out (or in) other issues. Physio is a good shout too.

If she is not eating much, have her teeth been checked recently?

 

[windand rain]

Think the lack of appetite is the mag ox but will get teeth checked as she is about due. Will also get vet back to do bloods and another assessment. Would suspect playing up if she wasnt totally sore all over. Physio is next. It is very odd

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Similar issue here with a little Dartmoor. Vet assumed EMS due to odd fat pads even when ribs were showing in the winter, but actually she doesn't put on weight as readily as the mini cob. Always a bit footy on sharp stones, but vet and farrier have both seen her multiple times and said it's not laminitis. She's been on a restricted paddock with weighed and soaked hay because her weight was creeping up a bit and the OTHER pony did come down a bit pulsey. And she's been miserable ever since!

But mine is more obviously uncomfortable. Very girthy. Not striding out merrily like she normally does. Turning circles in the stable, and desperately looking for something to crib bite (I've removed/covered all the wood now, but sometimes she'll even bite the solid concrete).

My vet does think it could be ulcers from restricted intake, and/or boredom/stress of restricted paddock (she's got a square maybe 30mx30m over night, and then she also has access to the yard and stable during the day. She has hedges that she likes to browse, she goes out for a walk every day. I feel like she has it better than some!) Trying her on a calcium carbonate supplement with her balancer, but there's been no obvious improvement after 2 weeks. I've convinced myself she's got an uncomfortable tummy from soaking the hay too long in warm conditions (vet said at least 12 hours). So I've just stopped soaking for the moment, as she's not actually laminitic. No improvement yet.

Added complication with mine is that she had a massive bust up with her field mate, so I've had to separate them. Could maybe just be the stress of that. They're still right next to each other, always in sight, just separated by a gate. I never once saw them grooming or anything anyway.

Sorry for the long, largely unrelated outpouring! I'm just feeling very sad and helpless for this little pony! I think if I could get her back on a decent sized track, and let her be more like a normal pony, then she'd be altogether happier and more comfortable.

 

[Not_so_brave_anymore]

Similar issue here with a little Dartmoor. Vet assumed EMS due to odd fat pads even when ribs were showing in the winter, but actually she doesn't put on weight as readily as the mini cob. Always a bit footy on sharp stones, but vet and farrier have both seen her multiple times and said it's not laminitis. She's been on a restricted paddock with weighed and soaked hay because her weight was creeping up a bit and the OTHER pony did come down a bit pulsey. And she's been miserable ever since!

But mine is more obviously uncomfortable. Very girthy. Not striding out merrily like she normally does. Turning circles in the stable, and desperately looking for something to crib bite (I've removed/covered all the wood now, but sometimes she'll even bite the solid concrete).

My vet does think it could be ulcers from restricted intake, and/or boredom/stress of restricted paddock (she's got a square maybe 30mx30m over night, and then she also has access to the yard and stable during the day. She has hedges that she likes to browse, she goes out for a walk every day. I feel like she has it better than some!) Trying her on a calcium carbonate supplement with her balancer, but there's been no obvious improvement after 2 weeks. I've convinced myself she's got an uncomfortable tummy from soaking the hay too long in warm conditions (vet said at least 12 hours). So I've just stopped soaking for the moment, as she's not actually laminitic. No improvement yet.

Added complication with mine is that she had a massive bust up with her field mate, so I've had to separate them. Could maybe just be the stress of that. They're still right next to each other, always in sight, just separated by a gate. I never once saw them grooming or anything anyway.

Sorry for the long, largely unrelated outpouring! I'm just feeling very sad and helpless for this little pony! I think if I could get her back on a decent sized track, and let her be more like a normal pony, then she'd be altogether happier and more comfortable.

 

[Inda]

My 4 year old PRE started doing things like that 6 weeks ago that and has just been diagnosed with PSSM2 n/p2 n/px.

next was stopping dead and spooking, while being unresponsive to the leg and whip, followed quickly by rearing.

 

[windand rain]

Any thoughts on PSSM in welsh As

 

[SEL]

Any thoughts on PSSM in welsh As

Uncommon! I'd get the vets to run a blood panel first in case there's "something" going on. That would pick up muscle enzymes too. Have they tested EMS & Cushings? If not I'd do it all on one visit.

But if you've got a non sweater then that really could explain why the pony is bloated and feeling down. My mare used to sweat ok until she had a reaction to a guttural pouch wash and now as soon as the humidity goes up around April her sweating mechanism stops. She's very lethargic and miserable at the moment and there's nothing I can do to help ?

 

[Feral]

I would be tempted to get feet X-rays and back X-rays - quite inexpensive and might show issues such as Kissing spine or Pedal bone changes.

My 5 year old mare was very reluctant to move forward, pottery, lame in front and vet started with EMS and Cushings tests convinced it was laminitis.
It is now looking like kissing spine as she has had an amazing improvement with the injection after having X-rays.
Feet X-rays also show changes to her pedal bones (de-rotation)

 

[Muddywellies]

First port of call would be ulcers, even if its just to eliminate it. (speaking from experience here)