out of sorts miniature shetland

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Sarah04

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Hi, I got my Shetland pony in October he was a one and a half year old colt who had not had a lot of socialisation and lived in a huge field with his buddy. I got him gelded in November. He has always been playful with my standard Shetland and has really come out of himself and is the perfect little pony but gradually over the last month his behaviour is concerning me. He seems lethargic/depressed and is lying down more resting. Today I've noticed him lying down 4 times in paddock and stable he didn't get up when vet went in his stable or when my friend's pony that he has never met peered into his stable and he's very slow when walking like he's stiff somewhere but he's not lame. His little stable has a slight step up to get in which he has never been keen walking up to get in the stable or out of the stable he just stands there pawing at the floor and I have to encourage him in and out. Tonight I watched him lay down and it took him a couple of attempts to go down like he was uncomfortable. He's eating his breakfast and tea fine , never has eaten a lot of hay but loves his grass. I have two other ponies so they are all on restricted grazing, soaked hay and a lite balancer. Vet was happy with his weight and took 3 blood samples, along with a stool sample and a scab to look at under the microscope as we think he may have mites. I was hoping we would have the blood results tonight as they are run at the equine hospital but they have said I will get them tomorrow. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm wracking my brain thinking has he eaten something he shouldn't of/his chopped rape straw bedding ? Has he been kicked by one of my other ponies or is he been picked on ? Vet said if bloods come back normal he is maybe just foot sore as one foot was warm. I've just thought something else he has started doing is opening and shutting his mouth at my new forest pony , he does this a few times at him , I'm not sure what that means?
Thanks for reading any advice greatly appreciated.
 
I can't help with his physical state, sounds like you have that covered, hopefully the tests will come back soon and give you somewhere to start dealing with that. I hope it is something easily remedied. :)

As for the mouthing, that sounds pretty normal for a youngster, I wouldn't be concerned about that. Basically it means "I'm a baby, don't hurt me" , it is generally a submissive gesture towards a larger, older or more dominant equine.
 
First thing I'm thinking is Laminitis. My mini who I've always been careful with started like that just stiff and lost her spark but turned out to be Laminitis and cause was Ems...
 
I'll be so upset if it's lami . My older pony had lami 2 years ago , has cushings and Ems so they are on very little grass and soaked hay and a handful of chaff and a sprinkle of lite balancer . If anything I'd of thought he was lacking in something been a youngest . I hope it's not lami :-(
 
debsflo said:
First thing I'm thinking is Laminitis. My mini who I've always been careful with started like that just stiff and lost her spark but turned out to be Laminitis and cause was Ems...
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How old was your mini? He's only just coming up two in June x
 
i've a mini shetti come down with lami for the first time ever this year. Her symptoms sound like your ones. I wolldn't worry about the mouthing at all, i've a little filly that does the exact same thing, its just a baby gesture. Hope mini is on the mend soon.
 
Vets has just called again to see him he has quite a lot of raised results from his blood sample . Vet thinks it's a bacterial infection and wants to take him to the equine hospital for a scan ...... along with my other pony who has had raised liver enzymes for past few months to take a liver biopsy
 
I think you might of hit the nail on the head. He has several of the sycamore poisoning symptoms . Yes we have sycamores near three of my paddocks as there are woods right next to them and I've noticed all the seeds growing in the grounds !!!! I have rang the vet to ask if it could be this if so he needs immediate treatment as it can be fatal . It's awful seeing him like this and lying down all the time.
 
Sarah04 said:
I think you might of hit the nail on the head. He has several of the sycamore poisoning symptoms . Yes we have sycamores near three of my paddocks as there are woods right next to them and I've noticed all the seeds growing in the grounds !!!! I have rang the vet to ask if it could be this if so he needs immediate treatment as it can be fatal . It's awful seeing him like this and lying down all the time.
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So sorry - hope you can get him treated asap. It may not be sycamores so don't panic but it was just a thought.
 
Vets don't think it is sycamore poising because of his blood results . I've just dropped him off at the equine hospital he's dehydrated so having fluids , he's having a tummy and chest scan and a biopsy taken from his stomach. He had a worm count of 700 it should be under 250. He was regularly wormed with the breeder and when I got him in October had a worm count done and all three ponies worm count was low. So they think it's a worm burden I'm devestated as after I went to a talk on worms at the hospital thought I was doing all the right things. They are all kept at home in the same paddocks. So ill wait to hear from the vets. My standard shetland is missing him , my other pony isn't bothered!
 
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