What happened? Bit stiff to dead in 2 weeks :-(

Dizzykizzy

Dizzykizzy

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Can anyone shed any light on this for me please? My 22 year old mare started looking a bit stiff about 2 weeks ago. Vet came, said it didn't appear to be laminitis more likely arthritis and said give her bute. Farrier trimmed her feet and she had very slight bruising in her soles and round the hoof wall join but he agreed it didn't look like laminitis. She had very flat feet and had showed bruising on them in the past. The bute didn't help, she went from a bit stiff to almost unable to move in a matter of days. Vet was visibly shocked whe he saw her again and put her to sleep at my request. My husband stayed with her but didn't ask any questions (it was a very sad and shocking experiece). I am at a loss to know how my beautiful horse got so bad so fast. Anyone?
 
So sorry for your loss.
I've recently lost my 20 year old cob very suddenly. Fine one day, was shod and went for a leisurely hack. Brought in for the night, totally fine at 10.30pm. By 5.30am the following morning, his back end was almost paralysed, if he tried to move, he fell. He had every blood test and brain test available, all clear and was treated aggressively with steroids. 5 days later he was PTS. Vet's only explanation was a fracture somewhere in his neck that was affecting his nervous system (hadn't been able to XRay/scan as we couldn't move him).
Sometimes, it would be wonderful if they could speak and tell us what they've been up to just to make sense of it all
 
Sorry Dizzykizzy cannot help with this one or give reasons. So sorry you lost your mare in this way but you made your best decision pts so she did not suffer unduly or too long. When you feel able it will be worth asking the vet for ideas.
Take care of yourself at this sad time.
 
I'm so sorry to read this. My best guess is some kind of laminitis, possibly linked to Cushings. I have lost 2 horses in unexplained circumstances, one to undiagnosed laminitis but she was ill for about 3 months with the vet scratching his head until she foundered. IME, all you can do is focus on the memories you have of the years you had her and try to move on. It might be worth your ringing the vet for a chat when you feel up to it.
 
I'd say your vet and farrier both got it wrong and that your horse got laminitis from the frozen grass, which is a big risk for lami prone horses.

I am at a complete loss as to how a farrier can look at a horse with bleeding in the white line and say that it has no signs of laminitis.

I suspect that you would have lost your mare anyway, because at her age the liklihood of this having been brought on so suddenly because she was starting with Cushings was very high.

I'm sorry you have lost her, but I hope it will help to understand why.
 
So sorry for your loss.
Hope you get some answers, it must be awful to lose one like that, but you did your best for her and ended her suffering quickly, you couldn't have done more under the circumstances. xx
 
cptrayes said:
I'd say your vet and farrier both got it wrong and that your horse got laminitis from the frozen grass, which is a big risk for lami prone horses.

I am at a complete loss as to how a farrier can look at a horse with bleeding in the white line and say that it has no signs of laminitis.

I suspect that you would have lost your mare anyway, because at her age the liklihood of this having been brought on so suddenly because she was starting with Cushings was very high.

I'm sorry you have lost her, but I hope it will help to understand why.
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This ^^^

Having a cushings mare that is prone to laminitis, this would have been my first thought. My farrier and vet both missed it with her the first time. It was me that first suggested it when a different vet came out and confirmed it. I seem to be hearing about more and more cases that are missed by vets and farriers. Bruising is not normal. I am so sorry, OP. RIP beautiful girl.
 
So sorry for your loss. You called in the professionals so could have done no more.

Dreadful thing to go through.
 
Really sorry for your loss :'(
(hugs)
Hope that you will be able to find some answers :(
Only thing I can say is that a similar thing happened last january to a pony I was taking care of. Fed her the night before and next morning went up to feed her and she had collapsed. Kept stuggling to get up bit from girth area backwards she was paralysed :(
Again, really sorry for your loss :(
xx
 
It was her time, Dizzykizzy.

Don't think about what and why. It was just get time and you did what you had to.

I'm sorry for your loss.
 
Wagtail said:
This ^^^

Having a cushings mare that is prone to laminitis, this would have been my first thought. My farrier and vet both missed it with her the first time. It was me that first suggested it when a different vet came out and confirmed it. I seem to be hearing about more and more cases that are missed by vets and farriers. Bruising is not normal. I am so sorry, OP. RIP beautiful girl.
Click to expand...

Cushing's laminitis is what occurred to me, too and with Cushing's, it doesn't have to be classical. The bruising is also indicative and can be residual and indicative of past issues, too.

So sorry. I know we aren't vets, but many Cushing's horse and pony owners are extremely well up on all symptoms and management (unfortunately :( )

You never throw away the T-shirt.
 
Thanks for the support everyone, the vet did think she could be in the early stages of cushings but it all happened so fast.
I lost her son to colic on Christmas Day last year, I hope she is with him now, running free of pain, both of them.
 
Pearlsacarolsinger said:
I'm so sorry to read this. My best guess is some kind of laminitis, possibly linked to Cushings. I have lost 2 horses in unexplained circumstances, one to undiagnosed laminitis but she was ill for about 3 months with the vet scratching his head until she foundered. IME, all you can do is focus on the memories you have of the years you had her and try to move on. It might be worth your ringing the vet for a chat when you feel up to it.
Click to expand...

Yes I agree with this. I had one that they initially thought was shoulder lameness, and turned into Lami. She recovered and then a year later (in a new home) went down with it again and was diagnosed with EMS.

Hope you're ok. Don't beat yourself up.x
 
The same thing happened to my 22yr old boy, he appeared to be stiff at first, I was worried about lami but the vet did not think it was?
But I was right and it was later diagnosed in all four feet, he also had cushings!
He was so bad that the vet said it would be kinder to pts!
I could hardly believe this was happening, but I let him go, it was the hardest thing I have ever done!
 
Im so sorry for your loss but tbh i dont think you'll know for sure unless a pm is carried out, it sounds to me like youve done the best thing by your horse.:(
As others have said ask for some time with your vet to discuss this.
 
So sorry for your trouble, we can spend a lifetime wondering the what ifs, we can only do as you have done and do the best we can for our animals.
 
Virtual hugs coming to you and your lovely husband. You must both still be in shock. Give yourselves time to grieve, you may never know exactly what was wrong with her, but she knows you loved her so much, you couldn't see her suffer. Maybe this sudden change in the weather exacerbated the problem too, but she was lucky to be owned and loved by someone who could make that hardest decision when it was needed.
 
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