Stumped!

[Chinchilla]

Diva was scoped last Weds. No Ulcers found, stomach lovely and healthy apparently!
The scope Vet also felt her back and said KS or sacroiliac issues are very unlikely for the symptoms she is presenting though am willing to get x rays and ultrasounds done if necessary. Both he, our usual vets, and ourselves are absolutely stumped as she is still showing a very marked pain response when her girth groove/lower barrel is pressed, even when just stroked lightly there. I hate seeing her in pain and not knowing why, or what I can do to make her feel better. In a way I truly wish it had been ulcers so it would just be a matter of a tube of gastroguard and lots of forage and then no more pain for my precious pony. But no, of course it couldn't be that simple.....
Stuck for ideas now. Costochondritis?
Thinking will ask for a chiropractic referral and a thorough orthopaedic workup and thermal imaging maybe. (So worried about how expensive this is all going to be though )
Not sure if I've missed anything really obvious to look into. Doubt it is just behavioural due to the flinching when groomed/stroked but willing to go down that route too and have a list of recommended breaking people from my instructor and plan of action if nothing is found by further diagnostics.

Sorry...needed to vent anyway (lol). Stupid bloody horses. I hate them sometimes!

 

[windand rain]

used to have a pony that fell over when you did up the girth apparently there is a nerve that can run a bit close to the skin there. She was twitchy about being touched there too. Might not be it but worth a try

 

[lottiepony]

used to have a pony that fell over when you did up the girth apparently there is a nerve that can run a bit close to the skin there. She was twitchy about being touched there too. Might not be it but worth a try

Echo windand rain a friends horse recently had a treatment on that muscle/nerve area as was causing pain. She did have other issues as well but certainly worth looking at. Fingers crossed you find out the cause, so annoying going through the whole process and not getting anywhere!

 

[Pearlsasinger]

used to have a pony that fell over when you did up the girth apparently there is a nerve that can run a bit close to the skin there. She was twitchy about being touched there too. Might not be it but worth a try

The vagal nerve. My very food sensitive mare had the reaction until we sorted out her diet and removed any foods that she reacted to. I assume that her nerves were inflamed because of the foods.

Or could she have hindgut ulcers?

 

[paddi22]

I have a similar one, and i took him to rob jacson, and it turned out his sternum was off and that was causing the pain response. Might be worth taking horse to him if he was near you at all. I had gone to a few different vets and osteos and physions, and he was the only one that fixed him.

 

[Chinchilla]

The vagal nerve. My very food sensitive mare had the reaction until we sorted out her diet and removed any foods that she reacted to. I assume that her nerves were inflamed because of the foods.

Or could she have hindgut ulcers?

We're looking into hindgut issues atm; she's on a course of probiotic currently. Can't do anything else until that's finished too but the flinching hasn't reduced since starting it so am not optimistic that that is the problem. Will try anything though!! But I've never dealt with anything like this so am fumbling in the dark and not sure where to start. Vet is probably bored if the sound of my voice at this stage lol....Keep phoning up with questions xD

 

[JJS]

I'd also be leaning towards either hind gut issues or something muscular. Hope you find out what's causing her issues soon and that she goes back to being her healthy and happy self again ASAP

 

[Leo Walker]

I have a similar one, and i took him to rob jacson, and it turned out his sternum was off and that was causing the pain response. Might be worth taking horse to him if he was near you at all. I had gone to a few different vets and osteos and physions, and he was the only one that fixed him.

Definitely get Rob or Tom Beech out. Tom would be my preference esp as you have a question mark over hind gut issues.

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Have you had her ovaries checked?

 

[Chinchilla]

Have you had her ovaries checked?

No. That's on the list of things to speak to the vet about too; it would explain why she was 'lightly backed' as a two or three year old (I don't know which?) then stuck in foal though.
I'm so scared it's going to something serious. She wasn't vetted either which makes it worse but I've owned her two years till June she was 110% in all ways, I've ridden her bareback ect. with no issues then tried to bring her back into work after my exams and bam. The Diva I knew disappeared as soon as the girth was done up.

 

[Chinchilla]

Just heard from the owner of Diva's filly that the filly has been taken to horsepital as she is presenting similar symptoms and has become dangerous to ride.
Ugh.
Going to get a 5 panel test done. It probably won't show anything but at this stage it helps to rule anything out.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Just heard from the owner of Diva's filly that the filly has been taken to horsepital as she is presenting similar symptoms and has become dangerous to ride.
Ugh.
Going to get a 5 panel test done. It probably won't show anything but at this stage it helps to rule anything out.

Oh that sounds ominous. Fingers crossed for you all.

 

[shergar]

Diva was scoped last Weds. No Ulcers found, stomach lovely and healthy apparently!
The scope Vet also felt her back and said KS or sacroiliac issues are very unlikely for the symptoms she is presenting though am willing to get x rays and ultrasounds done if necessary. Both he, our usual vets, and ourselves are absolutely stumped as she is still showing a very marked pain response when her girth groove/lower barrel is pressed, even when just stroked lightly there. I hate seeing her in pain and not knowing why, or what I can do to make her feel better. In a way I truly wish it had been ulcers so it would just be a matter of a tube of gastroguard and lots of forage and then no more pain for my precious pony. But no, of course it couldn't be that simple.....
Stuck for ideas now. Costochondritis?
Thinking will ask for a chiropractic referral and a thorough orthopaedic workup and thermal imaging maybe. (So worried about how expensive this is all going to be though )
Not sure if I've missed anything really obvious to look into. Doubt it is just behavioural due to the flinching when groomed/stroked but willing to go down that route too and have a list of recommended breaking people from my instructor and plan of action if nothing is found by further diagnostics.

Sorry...needed to vent anyway (lol). Stupid bloody horses. I hate them sometimes!

Could your horse have ulcers beyond the reach of the scope ? Have a look at two videos on YouTube EQUINE ULCER DIAGNOSIS BY MARK DEPAOLO ,also the video that follows that one ,he talks about diet and a rib out of alinement is it the same place on your horse .Sorry I dont know how to do a link but easy enough to find .

 

[Chinchilla]

Could your horse have ulcers beyond the reach of the scope ? Have a look at two videos on YouTube EQUINE ULCER DIAGNOSIS BY MARK DEPAOLO ,also the video that follows that one ,he talks about diet and a rib out of alinement is it the same place on your horse .Sorry I dont know how to do a link but easy enough to find .

No thank you we think hindgut ulcers are a possibility but am only trying to explore one thing at a time so we know what is actually wrong if that makes sense? Rib out of alignment should be detectable by chiro or orthopaedic workup both of which are on the list to things we have to investigate. (I have literally written down a list and am ticking them off as things are ruled out lol).

 

[Leo Walker]

Tom Beech is very good with the whole horse and diagnoses and treats hind gut issues in a lot of horses. Hes not cheap but you can put it through insurance as hes a vet. I'd get him out and cover all your bases at once

 

[SEL]

Tom Beech is very good with the whole horse and diagnoses and treats hind gut issues in a lot of horses. Hes not cheap but you can put it through insurance as hes a vet. I'd get him out and cover all your bases at once

I was going to suggest the same.

Saw your post on the Horse vet FB page Chinchilla and thought chiro in case there's something out around the girth area. I know a pony that is 100% in a certain design of girth and throws a wobbly if anything else goes on - including surcingles. No stomach problems with him, just some form of sensitivity in that area.

Don't worry too much about the 5 panel. Always worth doing with the appaloosa's just to rule out any of the nasties, but when my PSSM mare has played up around her girth area it isn't actually PSSM related. Its usually a physio or gut issue.

Let us know how you get on

 

[orangegrace]

OP did you get to the bottom of the problem? I have similar symptoms but been scoped clear today so very stuck. Vet has suggested irritation from ingested sand as grazes on sandy soil but I'm not convinced !