Somethings not right

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Dancing_Diva

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Ever had that gut feeling somethings not right with your horse, but cannot pin point what?

I've been dealing with the vet before anyone suggests having the vet out. I've spoken to my vet pretty much three times a week since the first week of May over this mare! She's prob sick of me by now haha! We've run bloods and stuff, everything is normal and my mare looks healthy! She's come through chronic grass sickness and is back to full health, but there's something about her that is telling me something is wrong!

However I cannot put my finger on what, I can't really have my vet out as can't say what I think is wrong, so have no idea what to get her to check! I've spoken to my vet this morning!

Has anyone else had this feeling and did you ever find anything wrong with your horse?
 
Oh I'm fully aware of that. She's as recovered as she's ever going to be.

There's just "something" else not right with her I just cannot put a finger on what it is.
 
If temp, resp, bloods etc all normal, probably not much else you can check without any physical signs. Mine had a horrid virus, years ago now, but that became quite obvious. Not himself, very quiet, but then looked bloody awful, bless him!

If you've been through a chronic GS case it would be perfectly understandable to perhaps worry unduly!
 
I think that you and your mare have been through a traumatic experience, it's not surprising that you worry more about her now and watch closely for any subtle change. Take comfort from the fact that her vital signs/bloods are good. It could be that she is still feeling a little tired after battling with grass sickness and it will take her a while to recover, like when we have the flu- it can sometimes take weeks and months for us to come back to ourselves. I wish you and your girl all the best, try and just take each day as it comes and reassure yourself that you've had everything tested and it's all come back fine
 
I have a 25 year old mare who had grass sickness when she was 8. For a number of years afterwards she had random sweat patches when the weather became humid. These could be so bad that the patches dripped sweat. She was also 'different' sometimes for no reason that I could understand. As the years progressed the sweating and 'differentness' decreased although she is never happy when it is hot and humid.
Would it be an idea to record the weather, the symptoms of your horse etc so that you can see how she progresses in her recovery. Grass sickness is a horrid illness and I know my mare has never been the same since she had it. This has not stopped her having a useful ridden life
I know the worry never goes away entirely but you have saved your horse and the next chapter is enjoying your self together.
Good luck.
 
Yes, had vet out for 6 months on and off, pony felt lame yet when trotted up was sound, was told ride him through. Lunged him nothing. Took him for x-rays and flexion and he trotted out hopping lame on both legs! Vet said out for 12 months it's a strain and he came right!
 
The only "symptoms" she has is she looks very depressed, has swollen/warm patches round her throat, her breathing sounds bad randomly and she's very quiet! Last two symptoms only started in last couple of days!

I've just this morning had her tested for strangles, after a chat to my vet and another vet visiting my yard for someone else today anyway my vet asked this other one to take bloods on her behalf. So we'll see, I've taken all precautions just incase, altho she's been off colour for a while so vet doesn't think it is strangles as no one else is ill and she's got no other symptoms, but it's something I'd rather rule out.
 
I just wanted to say bloomin well done for getting her through the grass sickness, I think its a good shout for the strangles test.

I think we can always tell when somethings not quite right, hang on in there, I hope there is a simple conclusion for you both :)
 
Thank you, it was blooming hard work and stressful esp as my Falabella died from it two days before the mare was diagnosed, but I wouldn't change it. Wouldn't have got through it without my awesome vet though.

Praying it's not strangles.
 
i knew there was something not right with my mare , she was a bit dull and had started getting grumpy. as she was getting older i first thought it may be a bit of arthritis pain, spoke to my vet when she had her annual jab and vet checked her and said she seemed fine.....a few months later i noticed that her coat didnt look right and after searching on the internet decided to get her blood tested for cushings. this was in fact what she had and once the tablets kicked in she was back to her normal self. being dull and grumpy were the first signs for mine so may be worth a cushings check...
 
Well her strangles tests have come back clear, so that's one positive.

This morning she was really not right so had the vet out. Couldn't put their finger on anything obvious! Have run a full range of bloods.

I'm not sure she has anything like Cushings. She's only just 5yrs old and has no symptoms at all (I know neither of these mean anything) my old mare had it and nothing with this one adds up to suggest that. Hoping today's bloods show something at least so we know what's up with her.

She just keeps lying down a lot today and is just very dull looking 😞
 
My last Arab survived a lengthy bout of chronic grass sickness. Anything he found slightly stressful would see him looking under the weather for quite some time afterwards, even going back to being unwilling to eat for a day or two. It was quite a few years ago and I do not know if anybody has researched the possible long term effects? I do hope your horse is just run down and will pick up soon.
 
Well today she's been acting very strange!

This morning she was falling asleep like she was sedated resting her top lip on the stock fencing, waking up and pawing the air with a front leg (she doesn't do this) then was putting her nose on the floor and stretching her neck and withers upwards! She then went and lay down!

She's been lying down on and off constantly, including lying down twice in her stable with complete strangers stood in there with us!

We're stumped! Bloods haven't come back today so hoping they come back tomorrow. We've put her on box rest to monitor her, she's eating well this evening and looking very bright again.. Farrier is coming tomorrow to check for laminitis (she's on steroids so this is a risk) altho has no raised pulses or heat. It's something else to rule out..
 
Last Wednesday I knew something wasn't right with my old lad, but put it down to being really sore from his mudfever

Went and collected some stuff from the vet for it, but wasn't happy leaving him so went straight back as my gut feeling was something was up

5 mins after returning, he collapsed, blood coming from his nose. Not a colicky collapse more a that's the end of the road collapse. I held his head on my lap and whispered my goodbyes to him whilst waiting for the vet, thinking he'd be long gone before they arrive

As it happened, she arrived looked at him thinking it was also the end of the road, when he decided to get up. She treated him as a colic, giving him an external exam and nasal flush but found nothing wrong except his heart beat had increased. Every single Blood test we have carried have all come back fine, except very slight increase of wbc but it's still within the range of normal. He has had another nose bleed since but no collapse so far. He's had antibiotics now but we are stumped to what it could be. It wasn't a stroke or anything neurological either

Sometimes you just know when they are not right, after all you are the one who blow your horse inside out and back to front. Hope you get some answers xx
 
Well blood results have come back and nothing at all has shown that suggest any problems! Her liver enzymes are ever so slightly raised but are the same level as what they was when we tested her liver back in May! Her muscle inflammatory was again ever so slightly raised but of no concern. Her white cells was higher end of normal but that's caused by the steroids and bute she has been on.

My farrier popped out last night and checked her feet and she's reacted to hoof pincher tests over the lamina area! So spoken to vets and were treating as mild laminitis, despite she has no raised pulses, no heat and is moving very well (both vet and farrier have seen her walk/trotted up this week).

I still have a gut feeling that she's got something going on with the throat following the grass sickness! Am speaking to vet again Tuesday so we're going to discuss then the opinion of taking her down to the practice and investigating. My vet also suggested her going into the practice for a couple of days so they can monitor her behaviour to see if they can see what I'm telling them she's doing. This isn't do able for various reasons, so has anyone got any suggestions on cheap cameras I can use at my yard to video her over night/durning the day that do not require electric?
 
I can understand your worry but again would recommend you minimise the possible disruptions to the mare's routine as they are likely to delay full recovery. Chronic grass sickness inflicts a major and lengthy trauma and it took a good six months for my horse to be over it.
 
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