minime
Well-Known Member
ditto-
Very sick horse
- Thread starter Aces_High
- Start date
ditto-
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
Bloods pulled last night so will see what they say today. Vet isn't convinced he looks any better. More muscle has gone from his quarters and shoulders and he is looking more ribby. His muscle along his neck though hasn't dropped like his quarters and back. His gait hasn't improved and if anything has deterioriated. Like vet said he doesn't look poor enough to be as weak as he is. He has been walking backwards fine and then last night was dragging his hind toes. Walking on the straight he's got a bizarre off hind action which isn't consistant with his near hind - his leg is almost bowing out when he walks. I have a fab friend who's bringing him in at 11am so he is getting 4 hours out today and maybe with more walking he'll strengthen up. It's all too much of a guessing game for me - in need of answers
TheCurlyPony
Well-Known Member
Sorry you have no more positive news. Thorts with you, keep me updated.
MANDM
Well-Known Member
So Sorry to hear about your boy I have been watching your posts with interest.
Not wanting to be the grim reaper and I know a lot of illnesses can give the same symptoms
however I had a horse that had suspected Botulism and was shipped up to Bristol where he eventually recovered and came home.
His symptoms were similiar to your boy.
At the same time or at least close to another 2 horses were ill in the area around us.
We all did research and could not come up with any reasons for the ilnesses.
We all live on the edge of Dartmoor and checked our feeds etc etc etc .
Sadly one horse had to be euthanised almost immediatly the other recovered with seemingly now no ill effects as still lives locally (was some 8 or so years ago)
My boy came home and eventually seemed to strengthen up so some 18mths later I had shoes put on him with a view to ride him ..however I did not even get on his back as he had another sudden attack and was in terrible state so I had him put to sleep and he is now buried in my woodland.
The Vets said they suspected Botulism however I was led to believe that the only way to confirm was via a post mortem.
I hope your boy is soon diagnosed and hopefully on his recovery road
Not wanting to be the grim reaper and I know a lot of illnesses can give the same symptoms
however I had a horse that had suspected Botulism and was shipped up to Bristol where he eventually recovered and came home.
His symptoms were similiar to your boy.
At the same time or at least close to another 2 horses were ill in the area around us.
We all did research and could not come up with any reasons for the ilnesses.
We all live on the edge of Dartmoor and checked our feeds etc etc etc .
Sadly one horse had to be euthanised almost immediatly the other recovered with seemingly now no ill effects as still lives locally (was some 8 or so years ago)
My boy came home and eventually seemed to strengthen up so some 18mths later I had shoes put on him with a view to ride him ..however I did not even get on his back as he had another sudden attack and was in terrible state so I had him put to sleep and he is now buried in my woodland.
The Vets said they suspected Botulism however I was led to believe that the only way to confirm was via a post mortem.
I hope your boy is soon diagnosed and hopefully on his recovery road
Spottyappy
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear your boy isn't making as much progress as you wanted, I keep looking at your posts and hoping you have turned the corner.
Fingers crossed you get the answers fast. Has your vet spoken to any of the vet hospitals to see if they have any suggestions?
Thinking of you.
Fingers crossed you get the answers fast. Has your vet spoken to any of the vet hospitals to see if they have any suggestions?
Thinking of you.
Tinseltoes
Well-Known Member
Hope he will be ok.
oscarwild
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear you have no more positive news on Max. I hope you have a improvement on your blood results and that your boy gets stronger the more he gets out.
Fingers crossed you'll get answers soon. *Hugs* for you and your boy.
Fingers crossed you'll get answers soon. *Hugs* for you and your boy.
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
Spotty Appy - I use Rossdales as my vets so he's in best possible hands. They've had a large team investigating him. I got his results and his Fibrinogen levels are still elevated.... He had two 3 hour sessions in the paddock yesterday and his legs were up this morning. He's still on Cobactan IM which I do but I wonder if we should maybe look at some Fenadine again to get these legs down. I still think there is something lurking there. I've thrown him out this morning and his legs do go down after about 30 mins of walking around. MandM - how awful for you and to take a turn for the worst after 18 months, doesn't bear thinking about.
jojo5
Well-Known Member
Have followed your story with interest and sympathy. Some while back I did ask about the possibility of stroke in Max? Don't know enough to know if his bloods etc match this but the mobility issues could reflect something like transient ischaemia. My first mare suffered a fairly major stroke, then a series of smaller ones ( hence the 'transient'). As in people, this affected all sorts of things - her sense of taste, direction, balance, recognition etc. I guess however this would not explain the inflammatory issues unless these are secondary. Wish I could do more to help.
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
Hi JoJo5 - a stroke has been ruled out as he doesn't appear to be neurologically ill. To be fair his balance is ok as is his recognition. If you saw him out in the field or in his stable rugged, you'd think he was a normal horse. When you strip him and then do any tests with him you then see that he's very obviously not normal. I am now convinced it is viral. Top vet was out yesterday (back from IRE) and he doesn't think there's too much more we can do. He's now on oral Baytril for 10 days and then we'll decide if to take him off or keep him on for longer. He's now being turned out for 8 hours a day. I am hoping that this might strengthen him up, walking around and doing what horses do. On the tail pull he's still weak and you could pull him over when you pull to the left. He's a lot stronger on the right. He wasn't too good turning on himself yesterday and going back he's now dragging his toe. I don't think there is any chance of him being roughed off and living in the field whilst I am away.
jhoward
Demon exorcist...
how fustrating for you and your horse, I keep hoping that your going to post with an outucome. It must be such an awful time for you, at least he seems to of stabilised and not taking turns for the worse.
fingers crossed for the both you
fingers crossed for the both you
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
Are you thinking meningial? It does sound like his nervous system has come under attack.
Dizzydancer
Well-Known Member
Hi dont know if this has already been tested but just been watching a vet program on animal planet (i think) and there was a horse with very similar symptoms but also blindness it turned out after lots of negative blood tests that one finally came back showing he had been poisoned by ammonia from his own stomach, its supposed to be extremely rare which is why very rarely tested for but just thought may bne another thing to test if not been done already. hope he is improving x
Bryndu
Well-Known Member
Hi,
Have read you problems and feel this may/may not help.
My Sec D yearling dropped weight all of a sudden in the spring and became hugely wobbly and at times nearly fell. We did bloods and there were signs of selenium deficiency and he had an enlarged liver. My vet suggested worming for liver fluke, very uncommon in horses and nothing to suggest any poor grazing as he has been with me since a foal and very good land. We wormed him with 35ml of Fasinex. He began to pick up and then went on to a course of 30ml day of Visorbin Vit B12 supplement. Poor boy got lice and everything going with being run down and he is now well on the mend though it did take 5 months. He didn't have any odema.
Just a thought.
Good luck.
Bryndu
Have read you problems and feel this may/may not help.
My Sec D yearling dropped weight all of a sudden in the spring and became hugely wobbly and at times nearly fell. We did bloods and there were signs of selenium deficiency and he had an enlarged liver. My vet suggested worming for liver fluke, very uncommon in horses and nothing to suggest any poor grazing as he has been with me since a foal and very good land. We wormed him with 35ml of Fasinex. He began to pick up and then went on to a course of 30ml day of Visorbin Vit B12 supplement. Poor boy got lice and everything going with being run down and he is now well on the mend though it did take 5 months. He didn't have any odema.
Just a thought.
Good luck.
Bryndu
Katd66
Well-Known Member
Any news on how your boy is getting on?
Very interesting to hear about the stomach ammonia poisoning - might have a look out for that programme.
Very interesting to hear about the stomach ammonia poisoning - might have a look out for that programme.
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
Hi all - Max is still the same really..... He has had the last of the Batyril this evening so I think the tell tale will be in a couple of days time. He's had 4 weeks solid of antibiotics now. I had supper with my vet on Monday night and he's going to keep an eye on him whilst I am away (fly on Sunday....) He's also going to check him on Saturday so it will be interesting to see what he says. Bryndu - it's really interesting what you have said about the liver fluke. I will mention that and the stomach ammonia poisoning. He seems to be slowly picking up but I can't notice any improvement in his gait. He had his shoes taken off (he's very p'd off!!) on Tuesday and is now out with Aces High - she's keeping him on his toes and is making sure that he doesn't stand in the same spot for too long! He does need to keep moving around to keep his muscles working and to start strengthening up again. I still think his gait behind is abnormal and it certainly isn't what it was. It will be interesting to see how he looks in Dec when I return. I don't think that looking at him several times a day helps with my judgement on how he's improving. He's just getting lots of food, hay, grass and TLC so hopefully that will be enough. Really wish my trip was in a months time though.
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
Hi all from a not so sunny Melbourne. Just had an update on Max.... It's been a week since he came off his antibiotics and he seems to be on the mend. He's been towing the workforce to and from his paddock whilst I'm away, which is a clear indication he's getting back on track. I am now hoping that this is him on his way to recovery and will be able to be shod and resume work in a couple of months time. Many thanks to all of you who've paid interest in his case and who've been so positive towards him and myself. The illness still remains a mystery but I think we can put it down to a viral infection that quite possibly came from his fly bites 2 weeks prior to him going down hill so fast. Many thanks again xxx
LauraWheeler
Well-Known Member
Thats brilliant news. 
I'm so glad he is on the mend. I hope he continus to improve and is back to his old self soon.
I'm so glad he is on the mend. I hope he continus to improve and is back to his old self soon. Vodkagirly
Well-Known Member
Good to hear he is on the mend, enjoy your trip.
KatB
Well-Known Member
Pleased to here he is improving. Fingers crossed it continues!
SVMel
Well-Known Member
Glad things are looking up, have a great trip, and keep us updated on how Max goes
JenHunt
Well-Known Member
just ploughed my way through this all... not sure how I've missed it.
glad to hear he's on the mend, fingers crossed it contimues!
glad to hear he's on the mend, fingers crossed it contimues!
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
Well good news is always welcome, and the people of this forum never cease to amaze me with their experiences. Hope he carries on getting better.
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
Just heard from the UK today that Here Comes Trouble is being that! He's galloping around the field like a 2yr old and is having his feet trimmed today. All seems good for him to be shod on the 9th Dec when I am back in the UK. So pleased that all has turned out with a happy ending. Other than head butting my mother nearly knocking her out and giving her a black eye and then kicking top banana pal who's looking after them all not only once but twice. Just seen it's nearly a month to the day when I last posted - feels like a lifetime ago - not sure if that's good or bad
jhoward
Demon exorcist...
was wondering how he was the other day, have you had any feed back from the vets?
Aces_High
Well-Known Member
Everything possible came back negative. I suppose that's good but terribly frustrating for both myself and the vets. The bloods were so inconclusive as were the scans and everything else that it's just going to be a "viral infection." I can honestly say though that the Cobactan was the life saver there. He won't be going onto Trimed again due to his reaction (so strange when he had been fine for years) Just one of those unsolvable mysteries. Oh to have a Dr Sloane present
Everything is on file and a few pieces have been archived for future reference as they were so far out so who knows maybe in 5 yrs time there might be more advancements.....
oscarwild
Well-Known Member
Thats great news thats he's picked up to normal. Was wondering how your boy was doing.
Its so frustrating when you never get to the bottom of things. I know this when my lad had inflammation in his guts. He too has now came off his meds and having no adverse effects so far. So its looks like somthing he ate in the field during the summer.
Hope your boy continues to make a good prgress and he's as good as new when you get back
Its so frustrating when you never get to the bottom of things. I know this when my lad had inflammation in his guts. He too has now came off his meds and having no adverse effects so far. So its looks like somthing he ate in the field during the summer.
Hope your boy continues to make a good prgress and he's as good as new when you get back