Urgent - what could this be?

caitlineloise

caitlineloise

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My friends horse has come down with colicy type symptoms since late last night, not drinking eating or pooing much.

Vet came out and he has a very high temperature. When I left the yard he was shaking. Still not eating or pooing but had a little drink.

Could anything think of a cause or diagnosis for this? Vet has taken bloods and thinks its a 'virus' and we're not to touch him.

Sorry for the rushed crappy post but I'm worried!

Thank you
 
We've had a generic "virus" going round the yard for a few weeks. Similar symptoms, generally speaking the ones that have had it have been worst on the first day then gradually getting better over about 5 to 7 days. Hope it turns out to be nothing serious for you.
 
Did vet rectal? Horses my still poo if impacted as everything after the impaction will still come out and a high temp can occur with impaction, shaking could be due to shock or pain x
 
Had the exact same of what you're describing here also.

Going round the area at the moment - it's a virus. Not 'contagious' as such I don't think, as out of 30-40 horses of ours all kept together, only 3 got it. Same with other yards I've speaking to who have had it also.

Edited - all got over it within 24-48 hours. Vets couldn't do a whole lot about it other than let it run its course.
 
Ps: Imho you should touch him, he will need his temp taking and checking for dehydration regularly at the very least, follow strict isolation protocol use gloves and aprons, over shoes if you have them and a foot bath of disinfectant outside stable, dont touch any other horses until you have showered and completely changed clothes. MM
 
He is not my horse so no need to touch him.

Yes the vet was an equine vet. Chine house in Leicestershire.

Not she did not do a rectal.

Thank you all for your replies, hopefully it is just a virus he will recover from.
 
To be honest I'm surprised that the vet didn't refer the vet to an equine hospital, it is probably a virus but the horse sounds like it is in significant distress. The symptoms are similar to colitis, and that is very dangerous. I don't mean to make you worry even more though, if the vet says that it is probably a virus then I would believe the vet, but keep a close eye on the horse. Is your friend able to stay at the yard overnight?

My last gelding passed away last year due to a sudden, serious onset of colitis, so I am extra-nervous about these things. I hope your friend's horse makes a quick recovery.
 
Tash88 said:
To be honest I'm surprised that the vet didn't refer the vet to an equine hospital, it is probably a virus but the horse sounds like it is in significant distress. The symptoms are similar to colitis, and that is very dangerous. I don't mean to make you worry even more though, if the vet says that it is probably a virus then I would believe the vet, but keep a close eye on the horse. Is your friend able to stay at the yard overnight?

My last gelding passed away last year due to a sudden, serious onset of colitis, so I am extra-nervous about these things. I hope your friend's horse makes a quick recovery.
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Thank you for your reply.

My friend is able to stay if she really want's to, but is choosing not to. It is also more complicated with the fact our yard owners (who live on site) are on holiday for 6 weeks and they have charge of the alarms. Not my choice, I'd be down there all night if it was me, personally, and tell them I wanted the alarms off.

How long does colitis take to properly take hold of a horse? Could you tell me all you know?
 
It varies from horse to horse, but this is how it went for my gelding: He was fine the evening before when I brought him in at about 5pm, the next morning I got to the yard at about 8am and he was clearly ill, diarrhoea all over the stable, he felt cold, was very lethargic and in shock. However he had eaten and drunk during the night. I called the vet immediately and she referred him to an equine hospital, he was there by midday. They were very worried about him and gave him a 50/50 chance, although at that time he was coping rather well. He was improving at about 6pm, his shock levels were reducing (according to a blood test), although he was still very ill I thought there was some hope. He then deteriorated overnight and I got a call at 4am the next morning asking for my consent to have him put to sleep, as his body was in total shock and he couldn't get up; as his organs had failed there was nothing they could do. The vet thought that the drugs he'd been given had reduced the external symptoms of shock and calmed him down, but the damage had been done internally.

It was horrible and I couldn't stop blaming myself, but the vet said that there was nothing that I could have done that would have saved him, it was like a freak illness, probably down to salmonella poisoning. There have been a few similar cases at my yard in the past year, but not as serious. From what the vet said, and my own research, colitis is generally fatal, but also very rare and very unlucky. So the horse you're posting about probably doesn't have it, despite the similar symptoms (which can point to lots of different things); I'm sorry if I've worried you excessively.
 
Tricky one this!

Could be a number of things!

No rectal done - That's a bit strange in itself!

Would have thought a rectal (unless its a tiny pony) reflux test (tube down the oesophagus) and sucking it out, and if any of these prove suspect then a peritoneal tap can be done as well.

As people have said it could be colic, it could be grass sickness, it could be colitis, it could be equine atypical myopathy and yes, could be just a virus but antibiotics would not touch a virus! Anti bs are for infections!

Bute when given lasts 12 hours the same for antib's hence why you give things like noradine twice a day.

Keep us informed and I do hope the horse is ok! They are a bit of a worry when they are poorly!

Like you I would be sleeping in my horses stable if this was mine with the lorry ready to go to the equine hospital
 
I stable at the same place and stuck my head over his door at 9pm with the owners and and he passed a dropping then. He is obviously uncomfortable but only showing mild colic signs (not eating and feeling down, no other symptoms)

He had started to pick at his food as well although was not overly enthusiastic about it poor little chap.

Suspect vet is right with a virus tbh. He looks just generally under the weather, certainly not in severe distress and signs don't really point to colic which is why i would imagine a rectal was not done.
 
PooJay said:
I stable at the same place and stuck my head over his door at 9pm with the owners and and he passed a dropping then. He is obviously uncomfortable but only showing mild colic signs (not eating and feeling down, no other symptoms)

He had started to pick at his food as well although was not overly enthusiastic about it poor little chap.

Suspect vet is right with a virus tbh. He looks just generally under the weather, certainly not in severe distress and signs don't really point to colic which is why i would imagine a rectal was not done.
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Thanks PooJay. :)

Spoke to owner this morning and he's still a little under the weather but temperature has gone down. Hopefully he's going to be okay.
 
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