Undiagnosed Liver Problems - any ideas/experience

M

MrsMagoo

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 July 2005
Messages
5,152
Location
Harrietsham, Kent
Visit site
Hi all - have not really been on here for a long time but been searching on things recently and see there have been a number of posts on here recently about various liver problems etc.

Sooo story is I have a gelding rising 4 this year (July) - I bred so know full history etc. As a 1-2yr old we happened to come across the fact that he had something going on with the liver...was purely only because we done blood tests to check everything as he was VERY laid back for a baby. So liver levels were high (can't remember what the certain bits were called) and after a month or so of monitoring he had a biopsy done....this diagnosed acute liver diease, from what we have no idea? and he always looks well etc....so had some treatment, put on the usual low protein high fibre diet and blood tested for the next 6 or so months. So final bloods about a year or so again confirmed all was back to normal so nothing else to do. I have kept him on a low protein diet ever since.

That was beginning of last year - moved yards Oct last year and he really picked up, looking well etc (always was a bit ribby and pot bellied at last yard) however we have quite a steep hill to get up to the fields and i've noticed he's been struggling with it and a bit unbalanced coming down.

I know this is partly from being young but it's not improving....so last week as I was off work I had the vet out just to check. She knew his history so took bloods again just to check the liver. Got results back yesterday and it's gone high again indicating whatever the problem was is back again!! She did say bile and liver function are reporting to be fine. as before, he looks well, eating, drinking etc...the only sign is purely being very laid back and dopey.

Still with me??

My main vet is on leave until next week so waiting until he is back to discuss nxt route but will be doing another blood test in a few weeks to see what's happening. She did say it may well be they do another biopsy to try and determine what is going on, BUT i'm no longer covered on the insurance for this so it's going to be maga bucks.

So my point of my post is;

a) has anyone had this with a youngster and anyone ever got to the bottom of it?
b) has is ever affected anyones horse ridden wise i.e. he is bred to compete/showjump so is this something that is going to hinder that? experiences please?
c) any other ideas?

We are unsure whether this is related to any problem with him walking funny up the hill...that's still to be decided.

Any advice/ideas much appreciated.

Many thanks
 
Sorry about the problems your boy is having.

My gang have been having liver problems since May last year, and it's been quite a journey.

I'd recommend you ask for copies of all the blood tests which have been done (they should show the actual values for your horse as well as the "reference range" for normal hores, so you can see easily which things are normal and which aren't, even without any prior knowledge). It'll be easier for you to see whether things are improving or not, and to see whether you spot any trends, if you have complete blood reports.

Have any of the blood tests, especially the most recent one, tested things other than liver enzymes? For example muscle enzymes, white blood cells, red blood cells etc? A comprehensive blood test might help point to whether there is anything else going on.

You said your vet might want to do another biopsy, and that your insurance won't cover it. Do remember that your vet can offer you their opinion on how you might proceed, but it is your decision as the owner whether to follow that suggestion or not.

I personally opted not to have a biopsy done on any of my gang. I did however have a post mortem on one pony so they could at least have a good look at the entire liver of one of the gang that way.

People have differing opinions on how useful a liver biopsy is. One friend has found it helpful for her horse, as it was able to identify the bug which was causing infection in her horse's liver, and so they were able to target that with a specific antibiotic.

However, I've heard of plenty of people who've had biopsies done on their horse, and the outcome has really not helped with the way forward at all.

Even with my horse's post mortem, the pathologist was not able to find anything to pinpoint the cause of the liver problems.

So, as I say, my decision has been not to have a biopsy done, but I've tried to look at potential causes from a diet point of view instead, and had forage analysed, had poo samples tested for liver fluke (eventually found one fluke egg after about a dozen samples from different ponies) and so treated for that in all ponies, and they all showed improved liver enzyme levels at bloods 6 weeks later, though we are still far from normal.

I'd definitely suggest a comprehensive blood as being very helpful.

Sarah
 
My friend had her horse blood tested after a very out of character rodeo episode. Came back severe liver problems and nearly no white blood cells. He was biopsied and had various drug treatments but it nothing changed. In the end they picked up without help but didn't return to 'normal' he has his own 'normal' range. He is ridden and does as much as is right for a horse with bad spavins.
 
Thanks for your replies guys - well he's already had a biopsy once as a baby which showed a degree of liver disease but no conclusion as to why.....

Hmm guess will wait and see what vet says next week.
 
My Shetland has chronic liver damage caused by hepatitis from an unknown source. I lost another Shetland to the same thing in 2010, again no known cause. My own opinion is that mycotoxins in hay are to blame. I also know of someone whose horse had acute liver disease, he was at the the point of PTS but recovered. The lady's vet reckoned that the horse had eaten something that wouldn't normally cause any bother but due to the weird weather we've been having, the something was toxic (can't remember if it was a plant or a fungus, sorry) Horse is now back working, being wormed etc all normal. Horse is at least 15 yo.
My own wee guy has been on the low protein diet for a year and a half, his last blood test was last February with a result of 1600 (normal range 15-25 :0) he looks great and acts the same as he always has. He won't eat milk thistle or yea sacc any more and ime it didn't help.
Good luck with your horse, fingers crossed he recovers
 
Thanks......sorry to hear you lost one :( I am thinking it's most likely something from my previous yard but cant point fingers can we lol!! He looks well, eats drinks just is generally a bit dopey, epspecially for a 3-4yr horse. I'd love to think he's just naturally a big dope but dont think so.

Will see how the next bloods goe - have got him back on restore supplement also as this seemed to work first time around.

Was all going so well, just started riding and everything but now feel I should let him be for a while again as don't want to be pushing him when he's not fireing on all cylinders so to speak.
 
Let him be, don't stress his liver. Get liver only blood tests done which are cheaper. If he does not improve then move him! Also see my posts on liver disease, have any other horses at either yard had high liver results. Mine have picked up two months after moving them all with no treatment, previously had spent thousands on them
 
And yes liver disease can cause the liver not to regenerate when untreated and restrict what he can do in the future . Only a biopsy can show this
 
MrsMagoo said:
Hi all - have not really been on here for a long time but been searching on things recently and see there have been a number of posts on here recently about various liver problems etc.

Sooo story is I have a gelding rising 4 this year (July) - I bred so know full history etc. As a 1-2yr old we happened to come across the fact that he had something going on with the liver...was purely only because we done blood tests to check everything as he was VERY laid back for a baby. So liver levels were high (can't remember what the certain bits were called) and after a month or so of monitoring he had a biopsy done....this diagnosed acute liver diease, from what we have no idea? and he always looks well etc....so had some treatment, put on the usual low protein high fibre diet and blood tested for the next 6 or so months. So final bloods about a year or so again confirmed all was back to normal so nothing else to do. I have kept him on a low protein diet ever since.

That was beginning of last year - moved yards Oct last year and he really picked up, looking well etc (always was a bit ribby and pot bellied at last yard) however we have quite a steep hill to get up to the fields and i've noticed he's been struggling with it and a bit unbalanced coming down.

I know this is partly from being young but it's not improving....so last week as I was off work I had the vet out just to check. She knew his history so took bloods again just to check the liver. Got results back yesterday and it's gone high again indicating whatever the problem was is back again!! She did say bile and liver function are reporting to be fine. as before, he looks well, eating, drinking etc...the only sign is purely being very laid back and dopey.

Still with me??

My main vet is on leave until next week so waiting until he is back to discuss nxt route but will be doing another blood test in a few weeks to see what's happening. She did say it may well be they do another biopsy to try and determine what is going on, BUT i'm no longer covered on the insurance for this so it's going to be maga bucks.

So my point of my post is;

a) has anyone had this with a youngster and anyone ever got to the bottom of it?
b) has is ever affected anyones horse ridden wise i.e. he is bred to compete/showjump so is this something that is going to hinder that? experiences please?
c) any other ideas?

We are unsure whether this is related to any problem with him walking funny up the hill...that's still to be decided.

Any advice/ideas much appreciated.

Many thanks
Click to expand...
my mare had liver disease
info
http://horse-care-and-advice.weebly.com/l.html






.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top