Protein Losing Enteropathy

[11davisk]

For the last 8 months, our 6 year old quarter horse, Clancy, has been continually losing weight. Now at nearly 200 pounds under her normal weight (a lot of which has been muscle mass), the vets still don't know exactly whats wrong with her. We have her on antibiotics now called Flagyl. She picks at her food and sometimes won't even eat. She has had no diarreah and she hasn't been drinking a lot of water lately. The vets did a glucose absorption test that she failed. Her albumin was low at 2.1. The walls of her small intestine are twice the normal thickness at 0.8cm. She also has increased free peritoneal fluid. However, the fluid itself showed no abnormalities. A rectal biopsy was done and was inconclusive. We had her tested for Lawsonia and the test was negative. She has been pregnant for over 4 months. We plan to start steroids if this antibiotic doesn't work. The vets have told us that she will lose the foal if we do the steroids. That is a risk we are willing to take if it will save Clancy though. Please help with any ideas or advice. Clancy is a wonderful loving horse who I enjoy showing through 4H and other fun and open shows. She would do anything for me so I want to do all I can for her. Thank you!!

 

[Jemayni]

No advice, just a message to say Im really sorry - its sounds like a horrific situation to be in. I think your right to very strongly consider steroids, it sounds like she may loose the foal anyway......

 

[spaniel]

Your horse sounds utterly miserable. I have to say I am shocked to hear that she is in foal given her condition and Id be surprised, given her obvious malabsorbtion problems, if she produces you a live and healthy offspring.

What are the implications for the use of steroids, are the vets telling you that a single course will solve the problem or will this be an ongoing teatment? If its a one off and this will 'cure' your mare then I say lose the foal and treat the mare but as you have no real diagnosis and no guarantee that steroid treatment would truly help is it really fair on the mare and the foal to continue the way you are?

Sorry, I know this sounds harsh but until you know what you are dealing with you have to make some sort of decision about which of them you are, potentially, willing to sacrifice for the other. Even then you will have no guarantee that either the mare or the foal would ever be healthy.

 

[Llwyncwn]

I am so, so sorry to hear this. Like you, I would be clutching at straws. My first step would be to e-mail Prof. Derek Knottenbelt at Liverpool Uni and ask for his help - he is very approachable and will do his utmost. Next, ring Spillers or any of the feed mfgrs, you would be surprised at what they know.

There is also a forum member who's horse suffered with this who could help you, her name is Catembi. PM her, she is really nice and knowledeable on the subject.

Above all, dont forget that all horses are different - what works for one may not work for another.

The forum also has a few vets who you could talk to and some very knowledgeable people. Speak with Star (small animal vet), Ann-Jen, Mairi is knowledgeable and Nairi, Spaniel (already posted) - just nag people. I would also put this post in NL and ask for help.

Please let us know how you get on. We are all here to support with a vast combined experience. My thoughts are with you x

 

[catembi]

Hi there,

My horse had this for 6 months (the one in my avatar).

I don't want to speak out of turn, & there's no easy way of saying this, but my story didn't have a happy ending. (Although one or two other people on here have had better outcomes.) I am totally prepared to share my experience with you if I can help at all re steroids / treatment etc, but will completely understand if you'd rather not know all the ins & outs.

Fingers double crossed for you & your horse, & please contact me if you want to.

T xx

 

[GreedyGuts]

Steroids do not cause abortion in mares as they do in ruminants, so your mare can be treated with these drugs without direct risk to the foal.

 

[bobz1305]

I have been through this problem myself with my mare and it it not nice. She too dropped a great amount of muscle mass and was very ill to the point I dodn't think she was going to make it through. My vet was very unsure of what the condition was and it took a while to diagnose. I am not a vet so can obviously not advise on what the best course of treatment is but I will tell you that steroids were the only thing that helped her. I have had ongoing problems with low protein levels and now feed her on high protein feeds which have seemed to help. My mare was not in foal and I can only imagine how distressing this must be for you. I wish you the best of luck and a happy outcome.