Box_Of_Frogs
Well-Known Member
Also in Vets.
Asking on behalf of a friend. 6 weeks ago they took pity on a terribly sick looking TB and bought him. Owners said he was "poor" because had recently been on long term box rest, possibly cross tied, not sure. Friends have been trying all the usual things to get weight and condition back on him but to their horror he has suffered an almost complete systems shut down. He has developed a very rare auto-immune condition called pemphigus. He has coronitis in all 4 feet, with pus oozing out continuously. Ergots and chestnuts oozing serum and blood. Skin flaking. All mucus membranes inflamed and raw. Symptoms of belly ache too. He's eating like mad but it all just comes squirting out the other end. He's put on the tiniest amount of condition in the 6 weeks but he's in a bad place, sometimes driven so mad by the coronitis that he lies down and chews his feet. This has given him awful sores around his mouth. He's been on antibx which help but the minute he's taken off them, he deteriorates again. He's only 6 love him. They've spoken to Prof Knottenbelt who has advised it is a very serious disease with a guarded-to-poor prognosis. He has said they need a peritoneal tap to be performed asap to look for free blood in the abdomen and some other diagnostic procedures that I can't remember. Of course, he wasn't insurable.
I know this is desperate and the friend - very experienced horse owner - knows that there may come a time when they need to call it a day. But if there is the tiniest hope of a recovery they want to offer it to this lovely chap. Has anyone had any experience of this awful disease, good or bad? If good, do you have any idea what it was that "turned the corner"? Thanks all.
Asking on behalf of a friend. 6 weeks ago they took pity on a terribly sick looking TB and bought him. Owners said he was "poor" because had recently been on long term box rest, possibly cross tied, not sure. Friends have been trying all the usual things to get weight and condition back on him but to their horror he has suffered an almost complete systems shut down. He has developed a very rare auto-immune condition called pemphigus. He has coronitis in all 4 feet, with pus oozing out continuously. Ergots and chestnuts oozing serum and blood. Skin flaking. All mucus membranes inflamed and raw. Symptoms of belly ache too. He's eating like mad but it all just comes squirting out the other end. He's put on the tiniest amount of condition in the 6 weeks but he's in a bad place, sometimes driven so mad by the coronitis that he lies down and chews his feet. This has given him awful sores around his mouth. He's been on antibx which help but the minute he's taken off them, he deteriorates again. He's only 6 love him. They've spoken to Prof Knottenbelt who has advised it is a very serious disease with a guarded-to-poor prognosis. He has said they need a peritoneal tap to be performed asap to look for free blood in the abdomen and some other diagnostic procedures that I can't remember. Of course, he wasn't insurable.
I know this is desperate and the friend - very experienced horse owner - knows that there may come a time when they need to call it a day. But if there is the tiniest hope of a recovery they want to offer it to this lovely chap. Has anyone had any experience of this awful disease, good or bad? If good, do you have any idea what it was that "turned the corner"? Thanks all.
