Very high temp and pulse, vet baffled?

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Snowfilly

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Posting on behalf of my uncle *HORSE IS UNDER THE VET*

15hh cob, 9 years, gelding. Was a bit 'quiet' yesterday but nothing specific. This morning, temp of 106 and very high pulse rate, looks like he's just had a hard gallop. Gut normal, passed dung and water, eaten some hay and picking at grass. No attempts at going down, no sign of pain or discomfort anywhere.

Vet can't see an obvious cause; given antibiotics in case of batcerial infection and anti-inflamatires to lower temp and is coming back later. Horse showing no improvement.

Any ideas? He is in a closed herd, lives out 24/7 and as uncle hasn't been riding due to weather, no horses have left or come onto yard for past 8 weeks or more. There are no other horses within two fields' distance, and none of the others are showing any signs.

Anyone got any ideas? He is a very poorly boy atm and temp is critical, according to vet.
 
:confused: oh dear, poor boy and poor you. I would suspect something akin to pneumonia or some kind of infection. Need to get his temperature down, soak some towels in tepid water and try and cool him without causing a chill. Fans?

Has the vet taken bloods? If not, ask him/her to on return.
Hope he improves soon. Keep us informed. xxx
 
I'd echo the need for a comprehensive blood test including muscle enzymes. Hoping the vet has already done it, but if not, I'd opt for that asap to try and pinpoint what's going on.

In the meantime, if he'll eat willingly and is still pooing normally, I'd make sure the horse is being offered a full ration of feed balancer to ensure his vits/mins are up to scratch.

Hope he soon improves.

Sarah
 
Hi, thanks for the input, everyone, much appreciated.

Temp has gone down a great deal, and hee's got another dose of anti-inflams for the morning. He seems brighter in himself, which is a good sign and his breathing is a lot easier.

Apparently, he looked a little bit wobbly this morning but this has worn off since the drugs and it wasn't muscle shivering as such, more the sort of 'jelly legs' we get when we feel weak and wobbly.

Forgot to ask whether he had bloods taken, will ask in the morning.

Fingers crossed, he might be over the worst.
 
Hope he continues to improve.

I'm not sure if it would be this but mine had a very distressed reaction to early onset of bad mud fever infection - found him not lame but stiff on one back hind having had an obviously disturbed night in his stable. Was pawing at the floor on occasion and giving the impression he may go down. Walked him round the stable block and he seemed to improve so put him out to see if stiffness would ease but didn't seem like himself. He then decided he couldn't walk at all in the field, straddled his back legs apart and seemed to be having difficulty putting head down to graze. Got him back in within minutes and he started shaking and resting all that leg. Vet came and while could find nothing obvious wrong with leg, his breathing rate was double what it should have been and only v minor increase in temp. Definitely pain reaction vet decided but he ruled out spasmodic colic by doing exam but as a precaution was also given antispasmodics, painkillers and antibiotics jabs. He'd had minor mud fever scabs on that heel. 4 hours later his hind leg was very filled from fetlock to hock. So 5 days of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Vets think his reaction was all down to the swelling of the leg starting as painful.
 
Hi everyoone,

Just a quick note to say thanks for your ideas - horse is now fine and ready to go back to work as soon as the nights draw out a bit more!

Vet has no idea what was wrong with him, but none of the others ever showed anything, so we've put it down to 'one of those things' and hope it doesn't happen again. Just wanted to share the good news!
 
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