Vets report on Phantom

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JaneMBE

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I have just spoken to the vet about the test done on Phantom.
Obviously with white cell count at 50 thousand (ten times more than it should have been) he had septicemia.

He had many bugs in his system, but salmonella wasn't one of them, there were just many varieites of bugs. Caused, most likely, because the field flooded from the brook, and by grazing he picked up many.

He did say that Phantom would have been just off colour for two days prior to becoming extremely sick and that death would have been that quick.

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Which has made me so aware now of floods and how they affect not just people, and I will not be using that field again even in an emergency. I will inform land owner but it is doubtful they will close that field, but if I see any horses in there I will inform the owners of the possible contamination.

Poor poor bugger
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Poor you, but at least you know now. When I read about it I did look back to see if you had pics of him and when I saw the flooded field I did wonder, as 2 of our cats have died after thelocal fields got flooded and they went a hunting, and we have always been adamant that its stuff washed down from the other fields along the stream that was to blame.

I know this may be blowing it a bit out of proportion, but you might want to see if there is somewhere you would report it to, as like you say, you do not want other owners to have their horses put at risk.
 
I can report it to enviro. health Beau, the field owners, when informed just said, sorry for your loss.
I just don't want to cause problems with them, as I have the other field (nowhere near a brook) I rent from them.

Have also just been informed by a previous tenant that the water is pumped directly from the brook (not self filling, it is manually pumped).
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The water the horses drink??

I know you do not want to rock the boat, but if I put my horse/cow/sheep in there and they got ill and I found out it had happened before I would be very very upset - mainly with the lan owners. As do they not have a duty of care (I know it always seems to come down to laws now) towards you and your animals, and any animals that use that field?
 
yep, in the trough. Last tenant told me a few days ago, so I am not happy. Have not had a reply from land owner yet regarding this, I asked questions (such as, is it filtered or purified etc before it goes through or direct?) I will email them again.

Land owners are not farmers or the like (I do have to be careful what I say on here).

I certainly wont rest until I have answers. I don't know if this has happened before. There were always horses in this field, but not long term ones.

I don't recall any horses dying in this field, except for some years back, but I think** that was a neglect case.

My horses are the most important thing, if it came to it that my agreement was terminated shall we say, then I'm sure I could find somewhere else for them, even if it is my back garden (as Harry used to be). Sod rocking the boat, what does it matter?
 
It sounds a similar sitauation to the foal Diva we lost, and to William.
The vet told us ecoli can live in the ground for years without causing trouble, but the specific one that killed Diva was one normally only found in ditches.
We'd had heavy flooding of the stream running along the boundary and I think the bug either got swept onto the field or lay dormant in one of the puddles on the approach to the stream and the foals drank from the puddles whilst their dams used the stream in front of them as the path was narrow. We are part way down a hill and the stream passes through hundreds of places before going into the bigger river at the bottom of the farm.
There isn't a lot you can do, this year we shall rest that field and make hay instead, and the stream has been fenced off since.
We've had horses in there all autumn with no trouble.
I will always regret not realising Diva was obviously quite sick, she just seemed quieter than normal. From now on I will take temperatures if at all concerned.
William has started refusing to be caught so he can stay out with his mates, so he is feeling fine..He has to come in just incase the weather gets bad, so it's a nuisance when he does it..
Put it behind you Jane, there is nothing you can do; I think with hindsight we all think if only, but in both cases yours and ours, we were unaware of how seriously ill they were. It's easy if something presents with a drooping head and lies down and refuses to eat. our foal did none of it..Her droppings were a little loose over two days and by the third she was dying it was that quick.
I will in future though be onto the runs with treatment the same day not wait and see if it clears up as most seem to, as bugs picked up can have devastating results as we both know.
 
Is the vet saying that it was ecoli in the water that caused the infection ? sorry, I know its not horse related but we have spring water where I live that has tested positive for ecoli and Ive not been too concerned. Perhaps i should be - is it not possible for you to get the water supply checked ?
 
Thanks Sue. I have emailed them, and asked questions, but as you say, put it behind you. I couldn't do anything about it anyway. Maybe they will re-fence it so when it does flood the field isn't part of it (that is possible)

Rachel is doing ok, bit teary at times, but being very mature Kirst
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