TB not well...lots of strange symptoms..any ideas..:-(

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doris2008

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I posted a few days ago about my TB being off colour.
He stopped eating properly Thursday evening after riding him. He rode fine, was his normal self but then didnt eat all his dinner.
He then didnt eat much all night. He pooed normally.
Very quiet, uninterested in anything, couldnt be tempted with much food, very grumpy. Kept close watch during Fri night.
Spoke to vet Friday night and Saturday morning. Advised we monitor him over weekend as possible reaction to vaccinations. Wasn't concerned it was an emergency.
No temperature, vital signs normal.
Saturday again not eating much although picked at some sugar beet and haylage.
Today he has been out all day and is happily eating grass but once in symptoms return.

List of symptoms:-

Off food, has occasional mouthfuls of haylage/feed. Will eat grass though.
Drinking plenty of water - been putting electrolytes.
Pooing as you would expect with not eating much but they are normal enough looking.
Weeing normally.
Normal gut sounds for him.
Very quiet, lethargic, grumpy.
Not right on his feet, shuffling between back legs - doesn't seem to be able to get comfortable. Coordination a bit off. Hasnt been lying down as usual.
Is showing interest in rustly packets etc - and relatively interested in surroundings but most definatley not his usual self.

YO suggested possibly he's had a fall in field which would explain the coordination issue, but then I would have thought that would have presented when ridden.

Will be getting vet to run bloods tomorrow.

Anybody have any ideas? Everyone seems stumped at moment. He doesn't seem to be getting worse, and today seemed more alert.
 
My pony had similar symptoms to your horse, no appetite etc, but not the coordination problem, he had liver failure. I think there are probably a lot of things it could be, the best thing would be to wait for your vet to see him, and try not to worry, although I know that is easier said than done. Will you keep us posted as to how he is?
 
what happens if you try to back him up in hand?
there is something called "ryegrass staggers", 1 of mine had something like it years ago with similar sort of symptoms - slight uncoordination, v quiet, not herself at all. i got the vet straight out, he examined her and tried to back her up in hand at which point she wobbled a lot, he gave her a big injection of some kind of vitamins-pick-you-up and then she was absolutely fine very soon afterwards. this is decades ago so i really can't remember what the injection was though.
hope he comes right quickly, the fact that he's still drinking, eating grass and pooing normally is positive, at least.
 
On the pooing normally thing - I seem to remember that a horse's digestion takes about 3 days to come through, so you need to take into account of that time lag. If he is now not eating, you would expect to see the impact in a couple of days, not immediately.
B
 
Mmmm, the grumpyness, shifting back feet, apparant uncoordination (which could be stiffness/soreness on feet) sound a bit like sore feet to me. Is laminitis a possibility with the grass the way it is at the moment?
I know he's only eating grass but I find my pony who is prone to laminitis is a bit obsessive about grass if she is ever having any...
Just a thought.
 
Again my old pony had similar symptoms to your horse but again didnt have the bad coordination she just couldnt walk. In the end it was liver disease but dont worry yourself until you get the vet out and bloods done etc.

Sorry I cant be too much of a help and I hope your horse gets better soon. xx
 
Couold easily be a reaction to a fall or slip in the paddock. What is he like when you go to tack him up? A visit from the chiro could help. My boy was always grumpy and off his food when his neck went out. He would also work really well so it was quite confusing.
You could add to his feed - 1 tablespoon each, Baking Soda, Epsom Salts, Yeast & Dried Thyme, preferably twice a day for a week. This is an old stockmans remedy for 'Rye Grass Staggers' and works far better than any of the commercial preparations. I'ts quite late in the year for this to bother them - usually found around the end of summer when stressed grass gets rained on. The remedy will deal with many of the 'toxins' created by an fungal type of infection. Yeast being the hardest worker.

I would though be inclined to have bloods done first to rule out any infections
 
Hiya, thanks for the replies. :)
Vet came yesterday and took bloods - five samples!
She wasn't sure what it was, possibly viral, and the lack of coordination a result of fatigue and exhaustion.
She gave him an anti inflammatory injection and he perked up very quickly - within about half an hour. He did break into a sweat also.:confused: He has remained much perkier since, has eaten some food and also a net of haylage.
Last night when we did a late check he was raiding my OH's pockets - much more normal behaviour! Still seems quite stiff however, but very pleased he is much more interested in whats going on.
Vet has also given Danilon to give twice a day.
So, waiting now really for bloods to come back, which will hopefully be today.
Will update when I hear something.
 
Sounds like this is more common than I thought - my mare has been pretty much the same, even the 'shuffling' when walking. Vet thinks a virus of some sort.

Toomanyhorses26 has also started a thread in Veterinary as her TB is poorly - seems like there might be a bit of it about!

Bloomin' TB's!!! :)
 
Spoke to vets last night, bloods all came back normal. So she thinks a he was probably already starting with a virus when vaccinated and the combination has knocked him for six. She suspects they caught white blood cells on rise up to a peak after falling below normal, so when looked at they were a normal level.
The anti inflammatorys have definately helped as he is much perkier, although still very tired. He is eating more now too, so onwards and upwards hopefully.
He will have at least 2 weeks off and will re assess him then.
Thanks for all the replies. :)
Scarlett - I noticed that thread too, it does seem like there is something around. I just hope he doesnt spread it to the 17 other horses on yard!
 
so glad your horses seems to be on the mend. my TB had a 'mystery' illness in august (almost killed him :( ) but has been fine since and is now shwing very odd signs again as of last night, off his fed, laying down a lot and generally looking a bit dull. fingers crossed it is no more than a cold.

good luck with yours, thinking of you x
 
aregona said:
so glad your horses seems to be on the mend. my TB had a 'mystery' illness in august (almost killed him :( ) but has been fine since and is now shwing very odd signs again as of last night, off his fed, laying down a lot and generally looking a bit dull. fingers crossed it is no more than a cold.

good luck with yours, thinking of you x
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Hey, thanks. I just read your thread. Its really worrying isnt it. I think the worst thing is not knowing whats going on. If only they could speak :(
Really hope you get to the bottom of your horses problems as soon as. x
 
Its really worrying isnt it. I think the worst thing is not knowing whats going on.
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Which is why we get the vet to come out sooner rather than later. Your desciption gave all the signs of a virus (although of course, could have been anything). And a quiet, depressed horse that won't eat is often the sign that the horse is running a temperature. As with people, the aim is to get it down as quickly as possible.

I'm glad it's nothing serious - but next time it could be. So err on the side of caution and call the vet first, and us next.
 
So glad your horse is perkier now OP :)
doris2008 - hope yours gets better too

My mare had similar signs a few years back; she was off her food, very grumpy and agitated, couldn't get comfortable for quite a few days and just wasn't her normal happy self. She was passing everything, but a lot less frequent than normal. She did have a slight temperature too!
Got the vet and he diagnosed her with spasmodic colic. She did not show any of the common colic signs. We couldn't pin-point the cause, but thought it was something she ate in the field.
She was put on Yea-Sacc after that to help balance her gut and it never happened again. Coincidence or cure - who knows!
 
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