Ragwort poisoning and sweating

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Help! I have taken on a rescued 10 year old mare who has "significant liver damage" due to ragwort poisoning. I am fast becoming a real expert on this and have had some priceless information and advice from some of the most knowledgeable people in the world. But I've just hit an issue and I'm not sure if its connected to the ragwort poisoning or just a fab winter coat. Over the last couple of weeks, the little mare has started to sweat heavily, in or out of the stable. She is a quiet girl and doesn't charge madly about. She is SOOO sweaty it's as if she's been out all day in a damp mist. Nothing else has changed - appetite, poo etc all normal. She drinks quite a bit as you would expect. The thing is, she has never known shelter or luxury of any kind so is this a side effect of the liver damage - possibly a sign of further deterioration? Or is it just a native gypsy cob in a thick winter coat in unseasonably mild weather? Anyone got any experience of this? Or also got a hairy native who has been sweating conkers for a few weeks? Many thanks.

 

[pottamus]

What's her temperature like? I would check that and be asking the vet for advice really.

 

[scrat]

I have a traditional heavyweight cob who has come in from the field the last few days sweating under his long mane and up between his legs. The weather has been mild so I know he is just too hairy for these tempretures and he is being fully clipped this week. I hope this is just the case with yours, good luck.

 

[Honeypots]

We have a heavyweight cob at our place who get like you've described. Like he's been in a mist. He's the most laid back guy so I know he's not been looning around. We have to clip him to keep him cool in the winter. He het sweat running down his face from his ears. In fact I have to clip 2 of my native hairies every winter just to stop them overheating..

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Thanks guys - I've also just heard back from Professor Knottenbelt at Liverpool University, the world expert on ragwort poisoning in horses and god only knows how he finds the time to respond to desperate individual horse owners when he's giving learned seminars all around the world, but the man is a saint. He says it could be a sign of metabolic changes or simply a hairy native in a mild October! He has recommended a trace clip and has advised that an oral sedative (she doesn't think much of humans and associates clipping hair with veterinary procedures) will be ok for her dreadfully damaged liver to cope with. Beyond that, he continues to advise no further action, with all eyes on ponio to let us know what SHE thinks. God, he's brilliant. If I weren't already married ........

 

[Happytohack]

I have two heavy horses, both pretty hairy and one in particular is coming in slightly sweaty. My shetland is also getting hot and sweaty and so is my Icelandic. They have started to grow their winter coats and the weather is just exceptionally mild. The weather is due to change next week, so I wouldn't be too concerned about the sweaty coat just yet.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Thanks JayCeeLen - the pic of your coloured cob is very like my girlie-o so that will tell you the type she is. Experiment this afters. Popped her out in the field - still v v sweaty - where a cool wind had picked up. Went back an hour later to a bone dry horse! So I do think maybe NOT metabolic disaster and more hairy native growing a mahoosive thick coat. So the next battle is the clipping! Suspect she will end up looking like an accident in a lawn mower factory! Thanks again everyone for advice. x