Really worried about youngster. Any ideas??

[Patterdale]

The vet is coming tomorrow. Our practice only has one equine vet and they couldn’t make it today.

I have an extremely smart and special 2 year old Connemara. He was ill as a weanling, and after finding out about it once he was better I strongly suspect Lawsonia.
Anyway, come last spring he rallied and with a summer of grass looked fantastic going into winter.
He has wintered well, but I don’t think he’ll ever be a fatty. But then around 3 weeks ago he started looking slightly leaner than I’d like. I wormed him with Pramox, but now he is visibly sinking by the day. He looked much thinner 2 weeks ago, so I started feeding him. But since the last 4-5 days he has dramatically lost weight, to where he looks like a cruelty case. In particular, he is so run up/tucked up that he looks like a cold whippet.

In himself, he is fine. Happy, bright, canters up for feed. Eating lots. He is on 12 acres of good grass with only 3 other youngsters. They all look fine.

What can it be!? He’s having bloods done tomorrow but I’d like some ideas. Our vets are very good but mainly farm vets, and don’t see many horses, so all possible suggestions might help. Really worried about him

 

[Tiddlypom]

Do you have any sycamore seedlings in your grazing? There are lots of them about this spring. Vets are putting warnings out about them.

 

[Patterdale]

We have one small tree which is in the area I park in, about 20ft from the boundary. It’s possible that seeds could have blown. But wouldn’t he be ill then? I don’t know much about it but I thought there’s muscular symptoms?

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

As you haven't mentioned anything I assume his poo is normal in terms of quantity and not diarrhoea.

 

[Cortez]

Bloods should tell you what's going on but it sounds worryingly like grass sickness. What colour is his pee? You will need to act ASAP.

 

[Patterdale]

As you haven't mentioned anything I assume his poo is normal in terms of quantity and not diarrhoea.

I can’t tell about the quantity, because they’re out on 12 acres so it’s impossible to know how much each one does. But I haven’t noticed any unusual poos

 

[Patterdale]

Bloods should tell you what's going on but it sounds worryingly like grass sickness. What colour is his pee? You will need to act ASAP.

This is a massive worry but has it not come on too slowly? I’ve never dealt with grass sickness before though so not sure.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Bloods should tell you what's going on but it sounds worryingly like grass sickness. What colour is his pee? You will need to act ASAP.

This rang a bell for me too… grass sickness

 

[TheMule]

I'm sorry to say that my young one that went like this turned out to have cancer. She lost weight quickly but was well and bright, and then suddenly wasn’t well anymore. But it was the last thing on the long list of possible diagnostics. Much more likely to be parasites, viral, liver disease, toxicity etc. Good luck tomorrow- faceal sample and blood tests essential.
Garss sickness can be chronic, but I would expect him to be ill

 

[Horseysheepy]

Hope it's not grass sickness, how worrying for you.

 

[SEL]

We lost (not mine but lived with mine) an 18 month colt due to protein loss. Vet told me afterwards they'd suspected lawsonia early on but he'd picked up after worming and owner never followed up with them. Tbh the whole situation still makes me cross years later because the vets wanted to hospitalise when it was obvious he was going downhill fast and the owner wouldn't.

Obviously if it's protein loss it'll come through in the bloods and you can plan. Hope your youngster starts to recover it's so worrying

 

[Tiddlypom]

Am I right in remembering that you don't have a stable to put him in? You want to monitor his poo and pee among other things, so can you rig up a small turnout area instead to keep a close watch on him?

Hope that it's something and nothing .

 

[emilylou]

Grass sickness, or sycamore poisoning. We had a chronic grass sickness case that took 3 weeks to 'get bad' but was showing abnormal signs the entire time.
I'd call the Dick Vets Edinburgh Equine Hospital for advice if your vets aren't experienced and you suspect grass sickness as they are happy to help and very knowledgeable and can advise on tests/eliminating other causes, and have an interest in helping with cases as are conducting lots of research into grass sickness.

Contact us

Dick Vet Equine Practice contact details.

www.ed.ac.uk

 

[Patterdale]

Am I right in remembering that you don't have a stable to put him in? You want to monitor his poo and pee among other things, so can you rig up a small turnout area instead to keep a close watch on him?

Hope that it's something and nothing .

I could shut him in the shelter but only with another one or he’d panic and jump out. Ditto a small area - he’d just jump out. He pretty much chooses his field at the best of times.

Protein loss after lawsonia could be a possible. We dithered about with it for too long because I didn’t know about it and no one suggested it.
First he lost weight after moving here weaning. Understandable. But then he didn’t put much back on. Then he was just quiet, down, low level virus type symptoms that came and went and never amounted to much - runny eyes, runny nose etc. Nothing else was ill. Then his legs filled up. He was seen and treated with antibiotics etc but not doxy which I now know is what he needed.

 

[Patterdale]

I might shut him in with my horse. Should be clear enough whose poo is whose.

 

[Patterdale]

I’ve rung the vets back and asked them to come out today. Won’t be the horse specific vet but it will be a vet.

 

[TheMule]

I’ve rung the vets back and asked them to come out today. Won’t be the horse specific vet but it will be a vet.

Great- even a basic TPR check and getting the bloods done will be a good start

 

[Patterdale]

So I need to do some quick research to help things along.

If anyone can tell me quickly it might help. There’s no signal where the horses are.

How do you test for grass sickness?

How do you test for atypical myopathy?

How do you test for protein loss? Assuming just bloods for that one.

 

[TheMule]

So I need to do some quick research to help things along.

If anyone can tell me quickly it might help. There’s no signal where the horses are.

How do you test for grass sickness?

How do you test for atypical myopathy?

How do you test for protein loss? Assuming just bloods for that one.

You can’t specifically test for GS or AM, diagnosis will be based off symptoms, management and blood profile. It would be best to involve an internal medicine specialist at a vet hospital once blood results are in if they look dodgy. They will give you the best next steps, which would probably be hospitalization for further tests and supportive fluid therapy etc
For today, get the tests done, if temp is up start antibiotics. I'd probably want to start steroids too.

 

[Gloi]

Thinking of you and hope your youngster recovers quickly.
If your vet doesn't know what is wrong can he refer you to a horse specialist?

 

[Tiddlypom]

How far are you from Leahurst?

 

[Patterdale]

3.5 hours

 

[Patterdale]

I’m worried sick. He’s my absolute best youngster too, he’s lovely. But isn’t that always the way

 

[paddy555]

Protein loss after lawsonia could be a possible. We dithered about with it for too long because I didn’t know about it and no one suggested it.
First he lost weight after moving here weaning. Understandable. But then he didn’t put much back on. Then he was just quiet, down, low level virus type symptoms that came and went and never amounted to much - runny eyes, runny nose etc. Nothing else was ill. Then his legs filled up. He was seen and treated with antibiotics etc but not doxy which I now know is what he needed.

my youngster had lawsonia. Vet was not IMHO quick enough with even a general blood test, 24 hours was too slow. I got him into a vet hospital as an emergency. I didn't know what was wrong but that prompt action saved his life. I was lucky that the vet at the horse hospital had been treating youngsters in the US and (although she didn't immediately say) knew this was lawsonia.

He was there nearly a week and they told me they hoped they would be able to save him. They did. He was treated with AB's and sucralfate for over 2 months afterwards at home.

This would not have been clear on a normal blood test a general vet would do. The horse hospital did endless blood tests. We just stood for 2 hours with blood coming out, being tested in their lab and then some more and more tests. All the time his gut was being scanned (lawsonia) Then when their own lab had run out of tests more blood was taken to send to external labs along with poo. On his return home more blood by the local vet and then a few day later even more and then more lawsonia testing.

If this was my horse I would be on the phone now to a horse hospital liaised with your own vet and get him in there today. Everything suggested above is very serious. If I was me I would want a specialist horse vet. (no offence to general vets)
If you put your location someone will know of a good hospital. I used Western Counties near Taunton. The brilliant vet there I think is now at B & W a bit further north.

In the meantime get a urine sample. Brown?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Pramox can do very horrible things to youngsters seen 2 react to it badly and its not always immediate, there was a post on here recently with someone that had used it and youngster went downhill looked awful.

How long ago was he wormed with it?

 

[Patterdale]

my youngster had lawsonia. Vet was not IMHO quick enough with even a general blood test, 24 hours was too slow. I got him into a vet hospital as an emergency. I didn't know what was wrong but that prompt action saved his life. I was lucky that the vet at the horse hospital had been treating youngsters in the US and (although she didn't immediately say) knew this was lawsonia.

He was there nearly a week and they told me they hoped they would be able to save him. They did. He was treated with AB's and sucralfate for over 2 months afterwards at home.

This would not have been clear on a normal blood test a general vet would do. The horse hospital did endless blood tests. We just stood for 2 hours with blood coming out, being tested in their lab and then some more and more tests. All the time his gut was being scanned (lawsonia) Then when their own lab had run out of tests more blood was taken to send to external labs along with poo. On his return home more blood by the local vet and then a few day later even more and then more lawsonia testing.

If this was my horse I would be on the phone now to a horse hospital liaised with your own vet and get him in there today. Everything suggested above is very serious. If I was me I would want a specialist horse vet. (no offence to general vets)
If you put your location someone will know of a good hospital. I used Western Counties near Taunton. The brilliant vet there I think is now at B & W a bit further north.

In the meantime get a urine sample. Brown?

The nearest hospital is Leahurst 3.5 hours away. Will see what this visit brings.

Thanks for this, hope yours is doing ok now.

 

[Patterdale]

Pramox can do very horrible things to youngsters seen 2 react to it badly and its not always immediate, there was a post on here recently with someone that had used it and youngster went downhill looked awful.

How long ago was he wormed with it?

2 weeks. This is a worry too, but he’s had it before and was ok. Plus the weight loss started before, so hopefully not that. But it has definitely accelerated in the last week.

 

[Goldenstar]

Get organised to get him to a hospital I think that’s where he needs to be .

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Best of luck Patterdale, really hoping it's something that you can fix relatively easily.

I'm about 40mins from Leahurst so if you need somewhere to stop off or stay over, get in touch.

 

[Patterdale]

Thank you.

Vet been and gone. TPR all fine, good gut sounds. When I got there he’d jumped out and was in with the cattle munching their grass, so although he looked very tucked up and thin he didn’t look quite as emaciated as earlier because he was full of lush grass. I showed the vet this mornings pictures and he was like ‘oh, yes I see now!’

He has taken lots of bloods and is sending them to a specialist hospital instead of running them in-house, so I should have the results by the end of the week hopefully.

Im a bit reassured by the fact that he is clinically well. Vet thinks not obviously GS or AM but bloods will give more clues. In the meantime I will just keep a very close eye on him and cross every digit I have.