Not sure what's wrong with him

Birker2020

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My horse has been acting a little differently for the last four days. He is quieter than normal, and although absolutely lovely to ride lacks some of the usual spookiness that he usually displays.

On Saturday my horse my horse got turned out and then I got him in about three hours later. Then I took him to a local indoor school which I'd hired. We did about 3/4 work on flat and jumping and then tried to load to come home. As I was loading there was a horrendous thunder storm and I spent 3/4 hour trying to load him in torrential rain with lighting above our heads. Eventually I got him in the trailer and went home changing his rug with a thermatex upon arrival. I wondered if he'd caught a chill, although he didn't shiver or appear to be cold (he had his outdoor l/w rug on at the time of loading him).

Back home he wouldn't eat his hay net which is very unusual. I changed the hay as I was concerned that it may have been tainted (dogs run loose and may have weed on the hay) and I mixed some of my own hay with it. He still didn't eat it but wolfed down his tea and played with his snackaball. I thought I would leave him and come back up later (he didn't look colicky). He had his head over the door and everytime I went near him he would do a really loud whinny.

I went back up at nine and he'd not poohed (I did think he wouldn't as he'd had very little to eat that day and little grass on the field) but he'd also dug a hole in his bank and according to a friend been lying down. I treated him for colic by doing what my vet always advises in his case (history of repeated spasmodic colics) by giving him a bute and putting him on the walker. He wolfed down the bute in his second tea that night and walked fast on the walker for 30-40 mins. I swapped his hay yet again for something my friend had (which looks really nice) and he started eating that so I left him. The next morning I went up and he'd poohed three times.

Yesterday he appeared to be acting the same way, although again great to ride, but riding in the hail and heavy rain he was very calm (almost stoic) so I wondered again if he was okay. I went out and bought a small bale of hay and mixed it and he started eating it but not with much gusto. He wolfed down his tea and everytime he saw me would whinny loudly. I left him again with his head hanging over the door as if expecting something else from me (very bizarre behaviour for my horse).

I went back up last night and he seemed happy enough, eating his hay (again with not much gusto) but no pooh's. I've just rang the YO and she thinks he is ok but will check on him when she gets him in from the field.

What would you do, leave it a few more days or get the vet out tomorrow? His temp yesterday morning was 37.2F which I know is a littele low - and which can be related to shock (possibly traumatic thunderstorm loading issue).

I keep thinking about symptoms of atypical myopathy due to the vocalisation, but not of the other symptoms fit in. Obviously if I really thought it was that I would be at my horses side.
 
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I would get the vet, he is not passing enough droppings, I know he is not eating that much but it is likely he is not eating because of discomfort even low grade pain can stop them wanting to eat much, the longer the bowels are not working properly for the more chance of serious implications.
Is he drinking enough as slight dehydration can slow everything down and make them feel rough, they do not always then drink enough to properly hydrate without some help, plenty of very wet feeds of mainly fibre may help keep him moving.
 
I would also ring the Vet for guidance. Make very wet sloppy feeds to keep hydration up and let him rest, no riding until better. Perhaps soak the hay too to help hydration, hope he's ok.
 
I would get the vet, he is not passing enough droppings, I know he is not eating that much but it is likely he is not eating because of discomfort even low grade pain can stop them wanting to eat much, the longer the bowels are not working properly for the more chance of serious implications.
Is he drinking enough as slight dehydration can slow everything down and make them feel rough, they do not always then drink enough to properly hydrate without some help, plenty of very wet feeds of mainly fibre may help keep him moving.

Hi there be positive. Yes he has wet (not soaked hay) and fairly wet feed and he is drinking slightly more than usual but not enough to be worried about given that it has been quite mild lately.
I forgot to mention that last week he got quite a bad rash over his body (mainly rug area) which I assumed was down to being to warm in his outdoor rug which is a middle weight when it was 9C, so I started putting him in a light weight but then it got much colder again. BUt maybe that was linked to something sinister.

I have just had a text from my friend at the yard who has said that he is eating his hay quite happily so I will see how he is later, but feel a bit happier about this now, as I didn't go up this morning to check on him as I have to be at work really early.

If he hasn't done the normal amount of pooh tonight when I go up after work, or he does anymore of this whinnying or digging banks then I will get the vet out as a matter of urgency. I've had him 9 years now but remembering him being a bit 'weird' like this last year, and the YO said there are one or two that aren't eating up as normal although she said this was their hard feed and not hay, so there may be a virus going round or something.
 
I hate to say it, but mine started like this. I hired a lorry & he was very, very difficult re loading (had to give up) then later that week we were mobbed by bullocks, I jumped off & he was chased around a huge field for about 20 mins. He gradually went more & more lethargic & has now been scoped & has ulcers.

Ulcers can (apparently) come on within hours of a stressful event. Hope it isn't that as they are an almighty PITA.

T x
 
He has actually been back on slippery elm for the last fortnight so I doubt very much that he has ulcers as his stomach is lined with mucilage.

Last night I went up the yard after work as he is happily munching away on his hay and seemed to be fine, poohing normally and did two whilst I was there so I think it may have been some kind of virus or maybe the events of saturday with the thunder/lighting and rain made him colicky.
 
How's your horse today?
I wouldn't under estimate the rash as it may be bacterial infection which may be itchy or painful. It may seem to be minor but it is under the skin and may suddenly erupt and be very nasty. Horses can feel very uncomfortable with it. Just a thought anyway.
 
Lamlyn2012 The rash lasted one day. It was there when I got there at 5.30pm and lifted off his outdoor rug, and when I left him at 7pm it was still present (although had gone down a fair bit) and the next day when I saw him at 5.30pm it had dissapeared. The horse had been too hot under his rug - he had on a middleweight rug, is not clipped due to fine coat and it had been 9C all day.
 
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