Unsure what to do next

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Dancing_Diva

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Apologies for another something wrong with my horse post as only time I seem to post! Owning seven and half of them being rescues I attract problems.

My long term mare who I've had since 5months old (now 8yrs) a couple of months ago wasn't right, I couldn't touch her stifles or flank area! I had the vet out straight away and other then discomfort to touch in the areas mentioned she was fine, we ran bloods and nothing wrong, vet really didn't have any ideas tbh.

Two weeks on she slowly become worse, I was totally unable to even stroke her from the withers backwards without teeth snapping at me and legs coming for me! I moved vets and had someone else out from a new practice, my mare wasn't examined by touch due to how I'd said she was to touch. She was sound to trot up and looks bright and well, ran a full blood profile suggested a Bute trail, then ulcer scope and go from there.

I had a ulcer scope done anyway which showed up grade 1 ulcers. Two different vets feel the ulcers are a secendry cause and not the cause of the behaviour to touch I'm getting! Ulcers have been treated and am going to arrange a re scope shortly. We scanned her ovaries, again these are fine. We're trying a 30 day regumate trail (were 7 days in to this) to rule out hormones despite ovaries being normal.. I had my chiropractor take a look at my mare the day after her ovary scan, we had a huge break through. If you apply very hard firm pressure to my mare your able to touch her everywhere other then the stifles and sides of her belly near the flanks.

The vet at time of ovary scan said that if regumate trail gives us nothing then we're take a look at the back and joints before thinking of doing a head CT or MRI to rule out any problems in the brain!

Chiropractor doesn't feel there's anything wrong with the back. Altho she didn't take a risk on touching the hind quarters so they've not been ruled out for problems.

I was thinking next step of a full nose to tail bone scan. However with some imporovement I don't feel this is needed now.

I'm wondering if I should have an abdominal scan done and stifle X-rays as these are the only areas I still cannot touch and the areas that first become a problem?!!

If she was yours what option would you go for next? I'm due to speak with the vet in seven days so will take her view on where I go next but would like to have a idea of what I'd like investigated at the same time to put across to the vet as a suggestion.
 
What breed is she? PSSM could be a potential cause (it results in muscular soreness) but is really quite uncommon in most breeds. I'd also expect some changes in bloods...
 
How very bizarre....I take it she's never been funny to touch before?
If she were mine I would probably just go straight for a bike scan. You've pretty much ruled out all the general stuff.
Following with interest to see what you find
 
She's a new forest pony.

Nope never been funny to touch, having had her from five months I taught her it was ok to be touched everywhere. This was quiet a sunder change.

Bone scan was what I was thinking, it's going to cost £1960.00 for a full body scan. But by time I do other things that'll add up cost wise so might as well spend the £2000 and have one done (she isn't insured).
 
mine was similar except a gelding. At it's worst I went behind him and touched him and he double barrelled me. I thought I was going to spend Christmas in hospital. He was in that much pain. Very difficult to touch him anywhere behind his shoulders backwards. Vet came up with nothing, he ended up in horse hospital and they didn't come up with an answer. Chiro came many times but didn't come up with the answer. There were even suggestions he was badly mannered about being touched but he is the sweetest, kindest horse and was simply in pain.

If you poke the muscles over the hind quarters are they loose and pliable or simply hard?

conclusion for mine was PSSM which I worked out by trialling the treatment ie diet, heat and exercise.
You can do this easily and cheaply without a vet. There is no drug treatment just management.
Some vets haven't heard of PSSM, some have little idea what to do with it and a few are knowledgeable. You can do a hair test yourself to test for type 1 (around £30). For type 2 in the UK you are basically relying on changing management to see if there is an improvement.

I can now very safely wander around his back end and stroke him anywhere and he enjoys it. He is also totally happy about having the rest of his body massaged. The muscles over his hind quarters are now loose and floppy.
 
What is she eating at the moment? I know hind gut problems were very 'fashionable' a while back and so got some bad press as being over-stated, but Equishure worked absolute miracles for my friend's mare. To this day we have no idea what set her off but remove Equishure from her diet and within a week she's back to pinning ears and trying to kill you if you touch her flanks.
 
She's on a bare paddock as very good doer, she comes in durning the day with unlimited hay and two feeds a day of fast fibre. Out over night with plenty of hay.

Muscles over hind quarters I'll get back to you on as not sure.
 
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