milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Don't yours check this when vaccinating? I've had a heart murmur picked up at tetanus booster appointment.
Too thin horse - blood test?
- Thread starter ycbm
- Start date
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
milliepops
Wears headscarf aggressively
Oh. Weird, mine always do, I thought it was standard in which case at least you'd be spared that on the bill ?
rextherobber
Well-Known Member
Hmmm, our vet doesn't, just asks if everything is ok, jabs them and goes...
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Not so lucky, it will cost £35 extra! But that will include drawing blood.
DabDab
Ah mud, splendid
Mine always do too, I have to say that I thought it was standard.
I've also seen the weight loss from a heart irregularity so definitely worth checking along with bloods YCBM. Although Ludo does have a big frame that will be carrying more muscle mass than in previous years so he could just be using a lot my more energy intrinsically
COldNag
Wasting my time successfully....
Mine always does, too. Not just one vet, all the ones from my practice do this. I assumed everyone did
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
I'm pretty sure I've allowed for that in increasing his rations. I'm just trying to rule out anything else, but I'm horribly afraid he's fretting about the separation from Deza, he's a very sensitive boy
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if the standard liver check would catch it but worth treating for liver fluke?
iknowmyvalue
Well-Known Member
Might be worth getting your vets to just run a general screening panel if you’re worried? Usually works out more cost effective than getting all the individual tests and then they can use the same blood sample to run a more thorough profile if anything flags up as abnormal.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Probably unlikely, i think, but a good thought. I've not allowed sheep on my field for 25 years, would that stop fluke?
Winters100
Well-Known Member
Selenium?
JJS
Well-Known Member
That’s what I did when one of mine just didn’t seem quite right. It was the vet who suggested it.
chaps89
Well-Known Member
This made me lol. I virtually have a 2 stage vetting done at vaccs visit - eyes, heart and trot up all done.
In fairness my vet knows us far too well and I think in the 6 years I've had madam I've only ever once had 1 year where I had a visit just for vaccination
Anyway, sorry OP I digress.
Vets can run a standard blood panel which will look at different things, they'd be able to advise if there's anything specific to test for but otherwise I'd just go for standard panel which (with my vets at least) includes liver/kidney function. Pretty sure I've had it flag up (anti-?)inflammatory responses in the past too (can't remember if that's red or white blood cells doing funky things, sorry)
Otherwise yes, I'd also ask for a listen to the heart.
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
Knew a horse get fluke on a yard where there were no sheep at the time and no recent history of sheep as far as I was aware. It was a wet year though. Main symptom was weight loss. Horse still bright in himself. Not my horse so I don't know more detail. No other horse got it.
Michen
Well-Known Member
just on the fluke thing, there’s an antibody test for it which is more reliable than the fecal test. I had this done on bear as the treatment that truly works Against fluke (resistance has become more common) is quite brutal on the horse, so you want to have a good reason to make the decision to do it.
criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
When I had a liverfluke test it had to go to Liverpool as they are one of the few places than can test for it. It was done as part of liver work up.
PapaverFollis
Well-Known Member
Ah, I couldn't remember if there was a test for it that was difficult/expensive and you just treat or whether it was that the treatment was difficult. I knew there was something. Wish I could remember the conversation I had with the horse's owner better. It was 5 or 6 years ago now though.
Michen
Well-Known Member
Yes mine went off somewhere. Took about a week.
Chinchilla
...
The main things to get:
Kidney panel - particularly creatinine/proteins and glucose, electrolytes probably included too
Liver panel - ALT and bilirubin would be the main things on this to pay attention too
blood counts for WBCs (you could do erythrocytes too though,
ACTH for cushings, or whatever the other one is called - TRH ? if in doubt in a young horse get both done. It's not likely at his age but sadly not impossible.
For a horse with unexplained steady weight loss those would be what I would want checked. I list the specific things to pay attention too because I actually I think what is included probably depends on vet/lab being used.... I've only ever had blood tests done a few times and always for very specific things (cushings mostly) so honestly don't know what's 'standard', although I know you said you'd do liver/kidneys.
Can't comment on the worming stuff, don't know enough about it. Heart is worth getting checked though as arrythmias can cause weight loss anything iirc would be more likely to be quite dramatic if it got suddenly more severe rather than gradual loss of condition .
ETA plainly my nerd side came out a bit writing this. However, whilst it is hopefully just something simple like increased caloric needs due to growth/muscle mass increase/stress at barn arrangements, fundamentally no harm is going to come out of getting physical checks done too. Plus it will give you an idea of his baseline should any further issues arise in future.
Kidney panel - particularly creatinine/proteins and glucose, electrolytes probably included too
Liver panel - ALT and bilirubin would be the main things on this to pay attention too
blood counts for WBCs (you could do erythrocytes too though,
ACTH for cushings, or whatever the other one is called - TRH ? if in doubt in a young horse get both done. It's not likely at his age but sadly not impossible.
For a horse with unexplained steady weight loss those would be what I would want checked. I list the specific things to pay attention too because I actually I think what is included probably depends on vet/lab being used.... I've only ever had blood tests done a few times and always for very specific things (cushings mostly) so honestly don't know what's 'standard', although I know you said you'd do liver/kidneys.
Can't comment on the worming stuff, don't know enough about it. Heart is worth getting checked though as arrythmias can cause weight loss anything iirc would be more likely to be quite dramatic if it got suddenly more severe rather than gradual loss of condition .
ETA plainly my nerd side came out a bit writing this. However, whilst it is hopefully just something simple like increased caloric needs due to growth/muscle mass increase/stress at barn arrangements, fundamentally no harm is going to come out of getting physical checks done too. Plus it will give you an idea of his baseline should any further issues arise in future.
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cobgoblin
Bugrit! Millennium hand and shrimp.
You're not on sandy soil, are you?
nikicb
Well-Known Member
I haven't read all the responses in full - I skimmed them and there seemed to be a lot of different ideas, so I just thought I would post with my own experience in case it is of any use. My mare that I owned for 30 years was 3/4 TB and I assume something like Connie as there was definitely pony in her and she came from Ireland. Anyway, for the first 12 years I had her, and more so in her earlier days, I struggled to keep the weight on her over winter. Looking back I think she just worried it off. Once she moved to the last livery yard I had her on, for the last 18 years of her life, and with a good friend as YO, we never had a problem again. In fact we had to watch her weight in the summer. If Ludo is a sensitive soul, he may just be a bit worried about the whole situation with Deza. If all the physical tests and processes prove nothing, that might be something to think about.
Goldenstar
Well-Known Member
I don’t get on with feeding oil if he was mine iI would give him 300 grams of linseed and a kilo of oats twice a day and his grass cubes and forage and watch what happens .
do you soak the grass cubes ?
do you soak the grass cubes ?
criso
Coming over here & taking your jobs since 1900
This was part of a full work up and biopsy after the liver enzymes were up and didn't respond to normal supplementation. RVC can do a lot of tests in house but I remember the liverfluke had to go off to Liverpool. I don't think it cost more that usual blood tests but a lot more than a worm count. Everything came back clear so didn't need treatment but normal wormers don't work and I think they have to use something off licence.
SatansLittleHelper
Well-Known Member
If he was mine and I was really worried I'd get a full blood panel done to cover all of the most common issues. Is he drinking enough?? Kidney problems could potentially cause weight loss, and I see you have ruled out ulcers.
Could you add beet to the grass nuts?? Rex isn't in work but didn't put on any real condition on the nuts alone (he did have balancer added) so now he has 50/50 soaked nuts/molasses free beet plus balancer....he's improved since the beet was added. He has hay though, not haylage.
Could you add beet to the grass nuts?? Rex isn't in work but didn't put on any real condition on the nuts alone (he did have balancer added) so now he has 50/50 soaked nuts/molasses free beet plus balancer....he's improved since the beet was added. He has hay though, not haylage.
Lois Lame
Well-Known Member
Oh I am so glad to read this. I so dislike the feeding of oil.
Lois Lame
Well-Known Member
But why would they? They are in the business of making money, not doing what's best for a horse.
Elno
Well-Known Member
Blood count, white blood cells, and selenium perhaps.
hollyandivy123
Well-Known Member
How old is he, possibly just a growth spurt?
cauda equina
Well-Known Member
About blood tests - I would speak to the vet and see what they recommend