Very sick horse

[LauraWheeler]

I do hope you have some answers soon. It's horrid not knowing whats wrong. Still sending lots of (((((((((((vibes))))))))) for max and ((((((((((hugs))))))))) to you.

 

[minime]

I am crossing my fingers for you both. hugs.xxx

 

[Spottyappy]

Our soil is heavy clay.
The horse I have had the issue with has been on clay at least 17 years, but only developed the problem about 12 years ago, when the weather was same as this summer- dry for months on end then abruptly ended with torrential downpours.
We are also now, in last 2 weeks, experiencing heavy dews in the mornings, combined with mild weather and grass still growing, and even this can spark an episode of the runs.
When it flares up- unexpectedly nowadays but initially because we didn;t realise why- it can take several months to things back to normal.
I really hope you get some answers soon.
Thinking of you.

 

[oscarwild]

Aww sorry to hear your still having issues and I really hope that your results come back soon and give you a idea of whats going on.

Healing vibes coming your way. *HUGS* for your boy

 

[Aces_High]

Morning, Max still has the vets stumped. His bloods from Saturday came back with high inflammatories (expected) and I couldn't hear the rest as the phone signal kept breaking up. I am having them emailed across today. He is still really weak and when we tail pull him when he's walking he is showing a lot of weakness. The scan last night showed that his spleen was larger than it was on Saturday, this could just be due to it working extra hard producing more Red Blood Cells. His lungs looked good with just a little bit of tagging which you'd expect from an older horse, there wasn't any fluid in them. His kidneys looked really good and we got a great picture of the one on his near side. The piece of small intestine which was odd appeared to be functioning as it should but still looks abnormal. Again this has taken the vets by surprise and we seem to be learning that Max is a medical mystery if nothing else. His top line has really dropped away and he's being a bit of an old goat to lead out (not uncommon!). Seems to be all or nothing. He was a little quieter this morning and I wonder if he's just getting a little down in the dumps. Spottyappy - we are on very light land and the grass is coming back on the rested paddocks. I am going to get my farm manager to run a soil analysis for me but I need to know what we are testing for first - makes it slightly more tricky! Thank you all again for the vibes.

 

[jhoward]

big hugs to you, and i really hope you start to get some answers, I cant imagine how fustrating this is for you and your lad.

have your fields ever been ferterlised? or weed killer any where near where a horse could of been? and what about you water source? lead posioning although unlikely can poduce the symptons of you boy. could well be worth getting that tested too if you havnt already.

best of luck and I think I can safley say we all have ou fingers and legs crossed for you.

 

[anthony79]

Have read all the postings on this mystery. Suggestion : probably already checked but years ago I nearly lost some goats & a horse from nitrogen poisoning. Caused by rain on a farmers field 2 miles away washing the nitrogen down river and again the stock had no direct access to running water. All the stock had to have massive doses of Vitamin B complexes over quite a long period. All recovered but unsteady gait and quite a lot of your were present.

 

[Happy Horse]

I don't know where you are but Andy Durham at Liphook is a legend at uncovering medical mysteries. It may be worth your vet having a chat with him to see if they can come up with any new ideas.

http://www.liphookequinehosp.co.uk/staffdetails.php?id=7

 

[LauraWheeler]

I don't know where you are but Andy Durham at Liphook is a legend at uncovering medical mysteries. It may be worth your vet having a chat with him to see if they can come up with any new ideas.

http://www.liphookequinehosp.co.uk/staffdetails.php?id=7

Agree whole hartedly. Andy Durham is amazing. Lucy went to him when no one could workout what was wrong with her. He was amazing. So kind and understanding and I finaly got a diagnosis. He also kept intouch with my vets after and advised them on how to try to treat Lucy.
I'll never forget The night he rang to tell me the diagnosis, he was amazing. He explained it all to me in a way that I understood and listened to me cry down the phone for ages. I honestly can't praise him enough.

 

[Aces_High]

Hi Guys, Thanks again for all the suggestions. I am going to speak to the vets about nitrogen poisoning as I do nitrogen my paddocks. We farm so all the fields around are also sprayed with nitrogen. I am going to get on to the farm manager about soil analysis so we can try and crack this mystery. I am very fortunate and use Rossdales as my vets - I have a large team of some of the best vets in UK and Europe on the case, including specialists in internal medicine. I have used them for over 25 years and have a super rapport professionally as well as socially with "my" vet (strange how I refer to him as mine - think it's a Rossdales thing!!) I think I forgot to mention he's going on to preds at the end of this week and I am doing his morning jabs as we haven't ruled out the Trimed from causing Saturday's turn of events. I am certainly open to all suggestions as we are wanting some answers so please keep them coming. I am about to Google Nitrogen poisoning in horses now

 

[Happy Horse]

I didn't know you were with Rossdales. I am sure they have all the exerience, Andy would be a good option if you were witha smaller unspecialised practice. It must be so frustrating, I hopeyou have an answer soon.

 

[anthony79]

I too have Googles Nitrogen poisoning in horses and it does suggest that this would be a avenue to check. Various articles particularly implicate forage grown on ground that had been previously heavily fertilsed with Notrigen. Which brings into mind the hay that you had used right up to Max being taken ill.

 

[Aces_High]

Hi Happy Horse - I really hope my post didn't come across defensive! Certainly wasn't meant like that at all and I greatly appreciate that you didn't realise which vets I was with. I have done some Nitrogen Googling and there are a couple of things which don't lay up with him in that his RBC count has been on the improve since Sunday 12th and even on the 20th when he had another attack came back fine. When horses have nitrogen poisoning it affects the production of RBC's. Also he hasn't had diarrhoea which appears to be common with Nitrogen poisoning. I've passed it on to the vets and will be seeing them this evening so will let you know if that's an avenue to follow. Many Thanks again for all your posts and thoughts on what could be wrong with him. Please keep ideas and (much needed) vibes coming - someone out there must have experienced something like this before.

 

[Faro]

Kind of been following this over the last few days. I have nothing I can offer to help I'm afraid, but just wanted to say that I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the very best outcome for you.

 

[SVMel]

Gosh, I know this is very difficult for you, and was hoping for more good news from you by now, although things sound better than they were.
Still keeping everything crossed for you, keep us updated xxxxxx

 

[Janah]

Bump

 

[Doris68]

Oh no A_H, I'm really sorry to hear about the relapse. You can't get better than Rossdales to find out the source of the problem - hooves crossed for you. Hope there will bea permanent solution for you very soon.

 

[Aces_High]

Thank you guys. He was a little sparkier this evening and proceeded to stamp on my mobile phone so I have lost all my contacts. (I did swear and then thought better of it due to the last 9 days of hell). I swear he's determinded for me to have my sabbatical as he's spending all my funds rapidly. Oh phone isn't insured either! Not terribly helpful when vet is on way out!! I agree Rossdales are the best and I couldn't wish for him to be in better hands.

 

[micramadam]

Just caught up with this and I hope you get to the bottom of things soon.
Also have a poorly horse who just had an op today so \can empathise with you.
Sending lots of healing and positive vibes your way((((())))).

 

[Aces_High]

Just caught up with this and I hope you get to the bottom of things soon.
Also have a poorly horse who just had an op today so \can empathise with you.
Sending lots of healing and positive vibes your way((((())))).

Sorry to hear about your horse. I hope he/she comes out fine for you. We are trying everything to get to the bottom of Max's illness but nothing is firing up. Vet this evening is highly confident that he won't die (huge relief) and will be here stronger and bolshier than ever when I return from my trip. I am on the line of changing my flights at the moment. He needs to turn a sharp corner and get stronger and better rapidly for me to fly at the moment. Lots of positive vibes to you too

 

[Aces_High]

Max seemed perkier this morning, must have been sheer delight of breaking my phone! I am desperatly wanting to get him turned out to enjoy the last of the English sunshine before winter sets in. I was thinking of bucket muzzling him so he can't eat but can have a potter around. He still needs to get stronger and he's finding his walks a little tiring. Anyone who's had a badly ataxic horse, how long did it take for them to regain their strength?

 

[oscarwild]

Sorry can't help with your question but I do hope Max continues his improvement and you get on your trip. You'll be in need of it once this is all over.
I too can sympathise with you on the not being able to find out whats wrong. I had issues with my boy for last 3 months. So far all I have is inflammation in his guts which steroid tablets control. But every time we drop the dose he falls ill. I'm on the would a allergy test be a good idea or a investigation op. So hoping he stays stable and wont need either.

Fingers crossed that he makes a good recovery and you get away.

 

[Aces_High]

Afternoon all. Max is now on the Cobactan once a day (from today) and the Finadine has been stopped. He's having his walks increased and vets wanted him to start turnout today. I did say I'd rather wait until Saturday - I am not at work then so can monitor him more closely. So hopefully still on the Cobactan and having some turnout will work. I think trying the one thing at a time approach might just be the key. Need huge fingers crossed......

 

[oscarwild]

How is Max doing? Hope you've had a good couple of days and that he is continuing to improve

Hope he's feeling better and your getting some sleep now.

 

[Aces_High]

Hi all, Max seems to be on the improve - started turn out for 3 one hour sessions on Saturday. I didn't think he looked very good out in the paddock yesterday evening - he seems a little stumbley and not moving very well. I've put this down to the fact that he's so weak and should hopefully strengthen up in the upcoming months. Did a trot up and got him turning on himself for the vet. When I tried to get him into trot he set off squealing and bucking - we can rule letargy out at the min!! He's still on the Cobactan and will be going on to Baytril (oral) at the end of the week. We are not going back to the Trimed after last Saturday's occurrance. We are drawing some more bloods on Wednesday so will see what they show us. It's a pain having to be at work as it makes his 3 one hour paddock shifts impossible.

 

[LauraWheeler]

Glad to hear he's showing some signs of improvment and I hope he continues to improve from now on.
I was wondering how he was doing earlyer so thankyou for the update.

 

[welsh horse rider]

sending lots of healing vibes to your horse hun ((((hugs to you)))) xx

 

[MrsMozart]

Good to hear he's doing well

 

[cumbriamax]

so pleased to hear of his improvement.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

am keeping everything crossed for him. It is sounding positive, which is really good!