Paralysed hind legs...

Fairynuff

Fairynuff

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A couple of weeks ago, ali my vet, visited a 6 year old PRE (pure bred espagnolo) , which I presume to be an Andalusian, who had all the symptoms of anaphalactic shock for no apparent reason. He managed to sort the horse out but the poor thing was left with a form of paralysis in his hinds. The horse is on strict box rest and is cross tied to stop him from lying down but is otherwise healthy-treatment consists of cortisones. Ali doesnt know why this has happened nor if he will recover, could be that he gets over it as quickly as it happened or maybe not
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.His owners have decided that hes a waste of money and have asked Ali to put him down, he refused along with another 2 vets that they then contacted.
My problem is......I can have the horse for nothing! I have 1 empty box at the mo as the stallion has gone to stud and wont be back till September or October. Ali says Im mad, as filling the box with said horse will stop a livery paying horse coming in-I dont care as I cant see someone sending a ned for 2 or 3 months as we keep retired horses only. The cortisones etc will probably be given to me by Ali so Ive just got to feed etc which wont bankrupt me. IF at the end of the day he gets worse, Ill do the right thing by him, IF he recovers fully, Ive got myself a PRE for nothing (apart from blood, sweat and probably, tears)
What would you do? Anyone had any experience of this happening (paralysis) and what was the outcome? Im a wee bit confused as what to do. Mairi.
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Ps, I have the feeling that the owners would be capable of sending him to the slaughter house in the end.
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steroidal treatment is potentially dangerous

x-tying and no movement can lead to laminitis on the load bearing legs

sorry - but I wouldn't touch with a bargepole

paralysis could be a tumour or similar on the spinal cord - that could explaing the 'without warning' more than anaphylatic shock - as the tumour grows it gets to the point where it presses on the spine

too many unknows that could lead to a great deal of heartache

or to put it another way - is this horse happy - tied up day after day - unable to move and being given semi-toxic chemicals ?

do you really think it is kind to keep this horse in that condition - consider what happened to Barbaro ?

you obviously want to do your best by this horse but if it hasn't responded in nearly a month and is being tied to stop it 'collapsing' - is it's existence atm really in the horse's best interest

you must in this case let your brain over-rule your emotions

paralysis in humans and other animals is normally caused by a stroke or by a spinal injury or tumour - none of which necessarily have a brilliant prognosis and certainly not in the case of a horse - ending up with a rideable spanish horse without any prognosis of future problems and heartache
 
If your vet Ali doesn't think it's welfare is compromised, I'd give it a chance...at 6 yo it could have a long working life ahead of it.
I think you should set yourself strict deadlines for review, though - so you are not tempted to delay a decision to PTS if you need to.
Perhaps you could get a specialist equine vet interested in the case because of its unusual features (and then they might treat him for free/have more ideas)?
Don't get too attached to the horse though...you don't want to look for heartache.
Good luck
S
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yep - agreed - playing devils advocate - but you'll get far more posts telling you to go ahead than telling you not to !!

we all love horses and like to see them alive and happy - and I just as much as anyone hate to see a potentially healthy animal get pts

but from the information you've given I feel that the steroids are being used to treat inflammatory condition (not allergic type thing) so I do wonder if the vet is telling you all his thoughts on this......

if it is inflamed nerves in spinal cord then mmm - why - slipped disk (as in humans) or other severe spinal reaction

just think of the dogs you've seen on tv on those 'dog trolleys' when their back legs don't work anymore

whilst the dog may not actively be unhappy or distressed - it still isn't the 'dog it was'

we have the duty as humans to the animals in our care and we can euthanase them at the necessary time. Some people will argue that as humans we are denied what we give our animals when it is our time and pain is too great.

what I think you are feeling is that the owners are 'washing their hands' too soon. Perhaps they are - but then maybe they aren't - maybe they are just being pragmatic/realistic

if the animal can be happy and healthy and without pain I'd be the first to say give it a go - but in this case I don't think so - and you're talking to someone who has about 13 cockerels, 7 ganders and drove 4 hrs on wed. to take in a peafowl that needed a home from the rspca !!

but all of the above are able to lead the sort of life consistent with their breed.
 
If the vets won't put it down, they obviously feel it is not compromising welfare?
It will be expensive IMO though.
 
I have a pony with back end paralysis at the moment, we know the cause and her prognosis according to the vet is excellent.
I would ask the vet what the likely causes are and the prognosis', and then sit down and work out how much it is likely to cost you then try and make a decision with you head, as the vet does not want to put to sleep they must have some idea and think there is good prognosis but really grill them for likely causes and outcomes so you can make a fully informed decision.
 
Would you Pm me and tell me more about your horse and what happened and why? Im not being nosey for the sake of it, I really am interested. Will give Ali a good grilling tomorrow
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Mairi.
 
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