Very weird symptoms - any ideas???

shell1978

shell1978

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Ok, so I turned my mums horse out this morning as normal, mum went to get her in at 1pm for a hack, and she was really lethargic, droopy head, hind legs slightly wobbly, tummy tucked up, high temp, not eating.

Called vet out who thought spasmodic colic, so gave pain killer jab and she perked up - eating her hay. Just been up yard to check on her and she has not poo'd since mum got her in at 1pm, she is bright and eating - but now for the weird symptoms which I dont think are related...she cannot put her head over the stable door or put her head to the floor to eat or drink???? Its as though she has had a funny 5 mins in field and damaged her neck muscles, but that doesnt answer why she is not pooing etc! Any ideas? Worried :(
 
Something not right somewhere odd symptoms that dodnt fit with the colic ie not putting her head over the door poss head or neck pain , i
Would be worried if not
Passed any dropping I would speak to ur vet even if just for advice keep
Us
Updated x
 
desertstorm said:
She's not recently had a flu vaccination has she? One on the yard had similar symptoms last week the day after having her flu jab
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Nope, no flu jab - although thinking about it, pain killer was given by injection - I wonder whether vet didnt inject into vein properly?
 
Could be a trapped nerve, could be something she has eaten, could be colic but if she is not able to put head to floor to drink you need a vet out again asap - an ill horse needs to be hydrated as this will affect recovery, reaction to drugs etc.

The not pooing in 9 hours is not normal either.
 
racebuddy said:
Something not right somewhere odd symptoms that dodnt fit with the colic ie not putting her head over the door poss head or neck pain , i
Would be worried if not
Passed any dropping I would speak to ur vet even if just for advice keep
Us
Updated x
Click to expand...

I know its all very odd. We just rang vet, and he is not concerned yet that she hasnt passed any poo - but I am!! He is also puzzled about the whole neck thing!
 
My horse had a virus last year from going to a horse show, his temp was up and he was off food for a while.

He also didn't poo and just looked sorry for himself, the vet didn't give him anything as he wanted to see how it went in 24 hours time.

Perhaps take your horses temperature a few times a day and if it goes up get the vet back out.
 
Could have been colic originally and maybe had allergic reaction to jab although, would I'd be concerned no poos since 1pm. I'd ring vet

Sorry just seen you've spoken to vet. I'd be concerned he's not concerned that no poos since 1pm, that's not normal for any horse
 
Nugget La Poneh said:
Could be a trapped nerve, could be something she has eaten, could be colic but if she is not able to put head to floor to drink you need a vet out again asap - an ill horse needs to be hydrated as this will affect recovery, reaction to drugs etc.

The not pooing in 9 hours is not normal either.
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We had put water buckets ontop of bales of shavings so she can reach - may have to get another vet out for 2nd opinion as present one does not seem concerned!
 
I really would do this - they do not work for free, they get paid so I don't understand why he won't turn out. You as the horse's owner is concerned, that should be enough for a vet to have a look in my view!!
 
Hi is she up to date with her Tetanus jab ? I hope she's feeling better but if not better to be safe and get your vet back out , no poo would worry me but sounds like your taking good care of her and will keep fingers crossed .
 
It does not sound like spasmodic colic, I have always withheld food until they have passed droppings to prevent a compaction and am surprised you were not told to do so.
The high temperature would worry me, along with the problems moving her head, I would insist on the vet coming back out tonight.
 
Tuffles 23 said:
Hi is she up to date with her Tetanus jab ? I hope she's feeling better but if not better to be safe and get your vet back out , no poo would worry me but sounds like your taking good care of her and will keep fingers crossed .
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thankyou! yes all upto date with jabs - Will get onto vet again. I will let you all know how we get on!
 
The symptoms you are describing sound very much like the ones my mare had when she went down with enteric septicemia. I would be insisting that the vet came back out straight away. The fact that she has a high temperature would worry me. I'm not saying that is what your horse has, but the head business is indicative of pain somewhere and my thoughts are that it's related to the intestinal problem rather than an injury. My horse couldn't lower her head properly for a week. She then had similar symptoms when she had a course of antibiotics, upset stomach and wouldn't lower her head.

Incidently, the septicemia was caused by a course of antibiotics for a mild skin rash. They killed off the bacteria in the gut, but some of the nasties survived, multiplied hugely, and passed through her gut wall into her bloodstream. Something to be aware of, although very rare.
 
Something to take into account - if she hasn't eaten for a while, she won't need to pass anything.
A pony I knew was treated for colic the day after his injections. He acted just as if he had colic and they were worried because he hadn't poo'd, (but also he hadn't touched his haynet all night either)
They didn't put the two things together and the poor pony had to go through a rectal examination - which of course found no blockage- and then a tube down it's gullet and a drench poured in:eek:
 
Not sure if the ? colic and the head thing are connected but my veteran had a similar weird episode of suddenly and dramatically being unable to lower his head to ground level. It lasted 3 days and I had to feed, hay and water him at shoulder level for that time. Poor lad couldn't graze either which truly distressed him and I'd just got to the point where I had to consider what quality of life he'd have if he couldn't graze and couldn't lie down (horses need their heads and necks to start the upward heave to stand up again). Vets had no idea what the issue was or what had caused it but gave finadyne and antibx and instructions to monitor closely for a few days. I called them back out after 3 days as he was no better and they turned up at exactly the moment a fellow livery said to me how good it was to see Sunny grazing happily on the grass verge (he has free range privileges at the yard). He was a little stiff lowering his head but he could graze, eat and drink normally and got better and better over the next few days. It was as sudden resolving as it had been in appearing. He's never had another episode and we still have no idea whether the pain relief, antibx and feeding management helped resolve it or it would have resolved on its own anyway. But I'm glad the vets covered all corners just in case!
 
not being able to lower head to floor was one of the symptoms my horse showed , so had to make sure food and water were at a height she could manage....i tried taking her in hand for a pick of grass and she was really frustrated and kept pawing the ground, got the vet who suspected strangles, and this was confirmed with snotty nose etc after a couple of days.
 
I might be barking up the wrong tree but this was just like what happened to my horse. Your horse sounds like she has fallen onto her neck in the field and damaged the vetebrae which has damaged nerves making her 'wobbly' on her legs. (I put info about my horse iyesterday n the post in veterinary about "wobblers - tell me all"). My horse couldn't lower his head above chest height and was in a lot of pain. He was given a course of finadyne and I think from what I remember bute too. He had to be fed and watered from chest height. He was in a right state!

I would suggest you ask your vet to come out and xray or better still get her referred to an equine clinic. Sadly my horse went on to develop wobblers syndrome due to the compression in his neck vetebrae on nerves after his fall in the field. Not suggesting this will happen to your horse but comprehensive xrays at a hospital might assess the damage more accurately.

My vet used finadyne to stabilise my horse prior to travelling to Liverpool.


However I have also seen a horse with colic looking very wobbly on his legs and walking crab like, so I know colic can effect horses in different ways.
 
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So sorry ive not been on to update you all - so busy at the mo!

So I went back up yard that evening and 3 poo's!!! thank god! Vet came back out again to look at neck the next morning, he thought muscular but could not be sure without an xray. She had a steriod injection and box rest to see how she went for the next few days. Then Friday morning had a call from mum to say a haematoma had appeared underneath her neck which was a huge relief!, and now she is right as rain, eating and drinking off the floor! thanks you all for your replies!
 
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