URGENT VET ADVICE NEEDED, PLEASE

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mirandaharry

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6 September 2005
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Know should be in vets but need advice from as many as soon as poss.

Will be brief as straight out back to horse in min.

Went to boy this morn, all completely normal. Left in coz had to have shoes done.

Went back shoes this aft shoes had been done, went into stable boy looked very lame on front. Farrier still there so came straight in checked shoe, suddenly became very clear that boy looked lame all round.

Tried to take him out of stable, literally couldn't move. Looked like had just totally lost all coordination. When standing still every so often looks like looses balance, and just doesn't seem to know which foot goes where. Was fine when shod or farrier wouldn't have done him, so come on in about hour.

Immediately called vet, vet fab there in 20 mins or so. Pulse breathing etc etc all ok, not sweaty. Vet completely baffled. Injected with various things to cover anything. Wondered if lammi, but doesn't seem to fit.

Horse happy in himself, eating, pooing, etc etc, but does seem quieter.

Very distressing to see him struggling to stay upright. Vet at end of phone, coming back to trake bloods if no improvement.

Anyone got any ideas? Thanks in advance x
 
No ideas myself other than a tumour effecting his coordination but I hope it isnt that at all......... hope he gets better soon for you though, fingers crossed x
 
Spaniel has a good point, the symptoms seem to be neurological. Could it possibly be concussion? Have a feel all around his head and particularly the poll area for any heat, bumps etc. Are his legs 'high stepping' and is he throwing his head about as if he is about to be struck? Please let us know how he is.
 
I agree this is very worrying and does sound neurological to me. Glad the vet was so prompt.

Any sign he has slipped in his stable - messed up bed, scrape marks on the floor, or possibly he has rolled, got a bit cast and twisted something in his back or neck whilst getting up?

Just wondering if he mucked about with the farrier and he pulled something 'high up'. Sometimes a spinal tweak takes a while to affect the nerves as the swelling is gradual and the effects of pressure on the nerves isn't immediately obvious. As the pressure builds, the damage becomes more apparent.

I take it he is now bedded up to the eyeballs in case he falls and can only suggest that a night's rest may well see him improved. I surely hope so. Fingers crossed and a hug to you both.
 
Thanks for replies guys!

Just got back, looking much happier. Vet and farrier have been fab, altho everyone remains stumped!

Have checked all round his head as did think maybe concussion, but can't find anything.

Very very odd, both vet and farrier said they'd never seen anything like it at all. Poor boy just looked like he was really drunk, staggering around, and then when stood still he looked like he was on another planet! When he tried to move it was like he knew the floor was there somewhere but wasn't sure where.

YO checking him later for me and I'll go down first thing tomorrow. At the mo only theory I've got is that he's had some sort of weird poisoning or something.

Thanks again, I'll update tomorrow x

eta farrier said he'd been really weird when shoeing - he's usually a real fidget, but went into farrier and tried to go to sleep on his shoulder, and then just stood there like he was doped up to eyeballs. All very strange.
 
It does sound as though it could be some sort of poisoning for it to come on so quickly and to knock him out... Either that or like some others have said something neurological.

Please keep us updated.
 
I very much doubt it is what my boy had but it may be something similar, as a few other people's thoughts have pointed to.

One of my horse's broke his neck and he displayed similar symptoms to your horse, although my horse had other more serious symptoms also. Now your guy couldn't have done this in a stable, but I would agree with others that it does sound like he has had concussion from a head injury.
 
UPDATE!!!

Firstly many thanks to all who read/replied/pm ed. It really is appreciated! Sorry not to update sooner, but been laid low with this flu type thing so not been on here for while!

Thank God my boy seems fine now
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! Yay
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!!! Had me really worried there for a while, and even more so because the vet, YO and farrier had no idea what it was! Vet said def not in his feet, which was a relief as my poor farrier looked really worried, bless him! ( Think he thought he'd broken my horsey
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!!).

Farriers back on thurs so will get him to double check along with YO that hoss is ok, then if so YO said to give him 10 mins or so gentle ridden work in school and see what happens.

At the mo I'm thinking poss was concussion - maybe if anyone has any experience of symptoms of horse with concussion they could post/pm just to compare notes?

Other than that I've checked field for anything dodgy, also stopped his feed and will reintroduce gradually, and swapped from straw to shavings as thought maybe he could have eaten straw that was mouldy (obv wouldn't knowingly put mouldy straw in, but maybe missed a bit
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!!), so hopefully in anything to do with that I've now got it covered!

So hopefully that's it! Just one of those things - although knowing my boy it could well be that he tried to think and walk at the same time
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!! Poor boy, keep thinking about changing his name to Homer, d'oh!!!
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Again, thanks for all everyone's help and support! x
 
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