Chestnut mare
Well-Known Member
My 19year old mare seems to have a severe reaction when eating hay causing her to run in circles and throw her head about. She always runs to the right. She is going for further investigations next week which is a CT scan of her head.
Basic history is a tooth root abcess in July which resulted in a tooth extraction and a long course of pain relief and bute. All healed beautifully.
In September she started having this dramatic reaction to the hay. The vet was called and she had numerous xrays which only showed an 'abnormality' in the tooth root next to the one that was extracted in July. This tooth was also extracted. Again has healed perfectly but will still react to hay.
She has been on hay replacers and is maintaining weight etc fine and is bright in herself. I have been gently hacking a couple of times a week with no reaction. She also has a reaction when she has mix or nuts although nowhere near as dramatic. So all her feeds are soaked with hot water.
She can bite into whole apples with no issues. Grazing is fine as long as the grass is short.
What could it be? Vet suspects a fracture? All her remaining teeth have been checked with no problems.
Any ideas before the CT next week
. Its very distressing for both of us. Being on bute doesnt help so I am not even sure if it is ?pain.
The vet said I can give her more time/rest but I think 3 months is long enough now.
She also has cushings and her levels are normal on the Prascend.
Thanks
Basic history is a tooth root abcess in July which resulted in a tooth extraction and a long course of pain relief and bute. All healed beautifully.
In September she started having this dramatic reaction to the hay. The vet was called and she had numerous xrays which only showed an 'abnormality' in the tooth root next to the one that was extracted in July. This tooth was also extracted. Again has healed perfectly but will still react to hay.
She has been on hay replacers and is maintaining weight etc fine and is bright in herself. I have been gently hacking a couple of times a week with no reaction. She also has a reaction when she has mix or nuts although nowhere near as dramatic. So all her feeds are soaked with hot water.
She can bite into whole apples with no issues. Grazing is fine as long as the grass is short.
What could it be? Vet suspects a fracture? All her remaining teeth have been checked with no problems.
Any ideas before the CT next week
. Its very distressing for both of us. Being on bute doesnt help so I am not even sure if it is ?pain. The vet said I can give her more time/rest but I think 3 months is long enough now.
She also has cushings and her levels are normal on the Prascend.
Thanks