Poorly miniature.

[Crugeran Celt]

I have just had to have the vet out to our 11 month old miniature filly. About six weeks ago she came in from the field with colicy symptoms, she was sweaty and breathing very heavily, trying to lay down and didn't want her tea. I walked her around for about 15 minutes and she did a dropping and immediately starting eating her tea. She has been fine since until the day before yesterday when she came in with exactly the same symptoms, again I walked her for 15/20 minutes again she did a dropping and was then fine. She was full of beans yesterday and was cantering around the field, bucking and enjoying herself. Tonight she has the symptoms again but not as severe as the last two episodes. By the time the vet arrived this evening she had started eating and was looking a lot brighter and then she did a dropping and seemed fine again. She has been wormed and the vet couldn't find anything obvious, all vital signs were perfectly normal. Vet is coming back on Monday to take bloods. Any ideas welcome. Thanks

 

[MochaDun]

I wonder if it's something she's grazing on in the field?

 

[Crugeran Celt]

I had thought that and I have checked her field but there is nothing out there that should upset a pony, she also has two other minis with her, a two year old and a seven year old who have been absolutely fine. Well, will just have to see what the blood tests show. They are going to check for tape worm which I am beginning to wonder about but not sure if the symptoms would be intermittent if that was the problem.

 

[MochaDun]

Hope the bloods will give you some answers and she's OK.

 

[varkie]

Miniatures can be prone to impaction colics, which can be particularly triggered at this time of year if they or their field companions are shedding hair, which they ingest. Worth running the idea past the vet - a bit of an intermittent impaction colic.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Thank you that is very interesting as she grooms the two year old all the time and she is moulting an awful lot at the moment. I will ask the vet about that on Monday.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Hope the bloods will give you some answers and she's OK.

Thankyou, bloods just taken so should have the results on Wednesday. She has been absolutely fine since Friday and shown no colic signs at all. She was a little star for the vet and behaved beautifully. Did bleed a bit after which didn't look good on her pale palamino coat. I asked vet about the ingestion of hair and she thought it wasn't impossible but not a common problem. So will now have to wait for the results.

 

[texas]

my mini seems prone to spasmodic colic if fed haylage for a couple of days in a row without any hay or large amounts of chaff is there anything to eat in the field? some of them get problems if they have to go long stretches without any fibre.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

She is in a at night with hay, no haylage and is out during the day on a three acre field with two other minis. The field doesn't have an excess of grass but there is plenty there for three little ones. She is also fed hi fi light and safe and sound twice a day. I have checked the field for anything that might upset her but can't see that there is anything out there that would cause colic. I have no problems with the other two minis.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Hope she gets better soon and you find out the cause of the problem.

 

[debsflo]

i do too...

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Well most of the blood results are in and there is nothing seriously wrong although she is slightly anemic and has some muscle damage which could be caused by the colic itself. Waiting for one last result as this has been sent to a second lab so won't have that until Monday. Have been advised to feed a vitamin supplement and hopefully that last result won't throw anything sinister at us.

 

[putasocinit]

When was the last time her teeth were done and she was wormed, both are causes for colic, teeth not chewing properly, worms well worms cause colic from burden.

 

[putasocinit]

Anaemia possibly from worms as they suck the blood and take all the vitamins out of the feed. Remember to worm the others in the field too.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

She has not had her teeth checked as she is only 10 months old and we have only had her since last November. Our dentist is due next month. She was wormed 6 weeks ago but vet has suggested that she is wormed again with a tapeworm wormer. All other horses with her and the two big horses in the field next to the minis have been wormed at the same time.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

How is she in herself? Any better?

 

[Crugeran Celt]

She is fine, she is eating all her food and is grazing happily but I do think she is a little quiet for a 10 month old. Unfortunately I can only compare her to my two year old miniature that I also bought at 5 months and she was always so cheeky and into everything where as this one just keeps herself to herself. She is not people orientated like Maya is and was at that age. How are you by the way (Cinnamontoast)

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Partly her character, then?

I'm ok, saw the consultant who won't operate to get rid of the extra roll of flesh created by the stitches behind the knee til the cavity and holes heal. Good in a way, I can go on holiday but it's a bit restrictive being unable to bend the knee much. The cavity has gone from 6cm to 5cm in 8 weeks. Could be a while!

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Look on the bright side at least it is getting smaller. Yes I think this little filly is a much more reserved character and not at all a 'people pony'. She is a half sister to my other mini but they are like chalk and cheese. She has the same sire and is also out of the daughter of my other mini's mother. Does that make sense? She is therefore a half sister and a niece. Saying that she has been full of herself today and been having a good gallop around the field. I am beginning to wonder if the really wet, cold winter has just taken its toll on her. Don't think she is hardy as my other two. She is Fallabella X Shetland, her grand mother is quarter Shetland, grandfather and dad full Fallabella, not sure what that makes her.

 

[debsflo]

When i bought my mini at 11 months she was very extrovert ,asking for kisses and has always loved people, her little sister was the opposite and hid behind her. I think like children they can be v different.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Well had the last result back this morning and that was clear but I am feeling a little confused. The vet that took the bloods called me with the last of the results this morning and asked if I wanted to just monitor the filly or would I like her to refer her for further testing. The filly is my MIL so I said I would speak to her about it as I would be seeing her later. My MIL called into the vet's this afternoon as she wanted the results explained to her by our usual vet as she trusts him and she felt she could ask him anything she didn't understand. She spoke to him and he was surprised by our being worried as he felt the blood tests hadn't really thrown up anything unusual for a mini. He said she was not anaemic but normal for a little one and yes there was a muscle problem but that could be put right with vitamin E and selenium. The tests also showed no sign of a worm burden or tapeworm but other vet advised us to treat her for tapeworm. I am feeling very disillusioned with the original vet. We have spent a week waiting for these results being very worried and then even more worried when the tests came back only to be told today that there really wasn't anything to worry about.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Just thought I would update on our mini who will be two in June. She has really changed and become a very lively, playful little girl Not sure what was wrong with her last year but she has been a different pony since last summer. She is full of beans and loves nothing more than playing chase with my dog who also loves this game. She is a very beautiful pony and full of character.

 

[NellRosk]

Glad to hear it. do you have any obligatory pics of the little cutie!?

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Glad to hear it. do you have any obligatory pics of the little cutie!?

I have failed miserably to get photos onto here, my computer skills are not existent.Here goes lhttp://s1326.photobucket.com/user/crugeran/media/Mobile%20Uploads/GwenJessSummer2013_zpsad722483.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2eave a lot to be desired!!

 

[NellRosk]

Hasn't worked

 

[Gloi]

Here you are, I've done it for you. She is very cute.

 

[NellRosk]

Oh my goodness she's gorgeous!!

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Thankyou Gloi and yes NellRosk I agree she is gorgeous but I may be a little biased. That's my springer Jess trying to get in on the act, she just doesn't understand why horses need attention at all!!

 

[Lucky Lady]

I want her!!! So pleased she is back to her cheeky self but get her on some tummy support.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

:smile3:Lucky Lady I am afraid she is with us for life so no chance.:smile3: She has been on a supplement the vet recommended and she is a much better girl for it. Her mum is due to foal again in June this year to the same stallion, her owner is hoping for another palamino filly, can't wait to see it.