Yearling loosing protein

[Muddy_wellies]

I hope you don’t mind me posting this here. I’ve also posted it in the veterinary place but it seems quiet there.

I purchased a yearling on 1st April, within a day or so he had started coughing. Day 3 of owning him the vet came out. Gave him bute as she suspected a respiratory infection. Refused to give antibiotics as no temp. 16th April he was really poorly, diarrhoea, high temp, coughing and nasal discharge. Vet came out more bute and antibiotics given. He seemed to improve until he finished the medication, by the 24th April he was poorly again with same symptoms as before and large swellings around his throat. Vet was concerned about strangles so came out the following day to do a blood test. Treatment also resumed the same as before. Bloods came back low protein, low albumin, low globulin, low serum iron, low MCV, high lymphocytes. We were advised to work him with Equest Paradox, and bloods were sent to another lab to check for Lawsonia. He was also started on paracetamol, taken off bute and given a liquid antibiotic. The night following the worming he started colicking (29th April). He was given intravenus meds, which settled him. The following day a steriod injection was given. By the Monday he was colicking again, another steriod injection was given.it was decided to keep him on steriods in powder form until we know what’s going on. Today the results for lawsonia have come back negative. So antibiotics have been stopped. Still on steriods. Vets not quiet sure what to do next. He’s lost a lot of weight and ribs are visible. He is eating okay, and stools aren’t loose. Swellings have also gone down since starting the liquid antibiotics. Sorry this is so long, I’m just stumped on what to do, what to give him. I’m wondering if anyone has come across something similar.

 

[SEL]

I have and unfortunately it wasn't a good outcome. The vet did a rough and ready necropsy the day after the yearling died and his intestinal lining was severely damaged from redworms.

I can't say much on social media (I said rather too much at the time because I was with him when he died) but at the time the vets wanted him transferred to a specialist hospital. I believe their plan was to keep him on steroids at the hospital and probably a tonne of other meds in the hope that his gut would heal. The owner had a different view.

Would your vets consider a scope?

 

[Connemara24]

I hope you don’t mind me posting this here. I’ve also posted it in the veterinary place but it seems quiet there.

I purchased a yearling on 1st April, within a day or so he had started coughing. Day 3 of owning him the vet came out. Gave him bute as she suspected a respiratory infection. Refused to give antibiotics as no temp. 16th April he was really poorly, diarrhoea, high temp, coughing and nasal discharge. Vet came out more bute and antibiotics given. He seemed to improve until he finished the medication, by the 24th April he was poorly again with same symptoms as before and large swellings around his throat. Vet was concerned about strangles so came out the following day to do a blood test. Treatment also resumed the same as before. Bloods came back low protein, low albumin, low globulin, low serum iron, low MCV, high lymphocytes. We were advised to work him with Equest Paradox, and bloods were sent to another lab to check for Lawsonia. He was also started on paracetamol, taken off bute and given a liquid antibiotic. The night following the worming he started colicking (29th April). He was given intravenus meds, which settled him. The following day a steriod injection was given. By the Monday he was colicking again, another steriod injection was given.it was decided to keep him on steriods in powder form until we know what’s going on. Today the results for lawsonia have come back negative. So antibiotics have been stopped. Still on steriods. Vets not quiet sure what to do next. He’s lost a lot of weight and ribs are visible. He is eating okay, and stools aren’t loose. Swellings have also gone down since starting the liquid antibiotics. Sorry this is so long, I’m just stumped on what to do, what to give him. I’m wondering if anyone has come across something similar.

Could be grass sickness, affects different horses differently but colicky was the main symptom with my two. Might be worth suggesting it to your vet.
Hope you boy feels better soon.

 

[TheMule]

The poor little creature has really had a rough time, hasn’t he? ?
I'm afraid this is probably a massive money pit and I would suggest thinking long and hard about whether you want to carry on along this road- hospitalization is probably your next step for more intensive investigation.
I lost my homebred yearling to intestinal cancer and a lot of her symptoms were the same- it cost me 6k for a week in horspital

 

[paddy555]

https://www.rossdales.com/assets/files/Lawsonia-intracellularis-infection.pdf

my vets, a horse hospital, didn't find it very easy to rule out Lawsonia. The conclusion was mild to low lawsonia but although he tested negative twice they were very sure it was Lawsonia. The vet, who had worked with youngstock in the US luckily recognised the situation as he was being unloaded. Tests for everything else including salmonella came back negative.

My lad was 7 months at the time, stopped eating went downhill quickly and was rushed to hospital.

After several bloods were taken and examined in their own lab and some sent to external labs dung was examined for worms. Then the important part appeared to be ultrasound scanning of the intestine. This went on for 45 minutes. It confirmed her thoughts.

He was admitted and stayed for 5 days. Treatment was antibiotics and sucralfate.

He came home with follow up blood tests. He went downhill again after 3 days. We went back wards and forwards with the hospital. They said they had only given him anti biotics the same as they had sent home with him. Finally we all realised they have also given sucralfate and that was the magic ingredient.

With lawsonia or suspected lawsonia the length of time of anti biotics was important. He was on anti biotics daily for around 2 months and sucralfate for longer.

We never got a truly positive result to prove lawsonia and vet said we could test forever for something similar and may never know precisely. Treatment would still be the same. Just with lawsonia anti biotics would last for longer.

 

[Muddy_wellies]

I have and unfortunately it wasn't a good outcome. The vet did a rough and ready necropsy the day after the yearling died and his intestinal lining was severely damaged from redworms.

I can't say much on social media (I said rather too much at the time because I was with him when he died) but at the time the vets wanted him transferred to a specialist hospital. I believe their plan was to keep him on steroids at the hospital and probably a tonne of other meds in the hope that his gut would heal. The owner had a different view.

Would your vets consider a scope?

My vet was considering doing a scope, but that was to do with the cough. Since the protein issue the cough and scoping has been put to one side.
I’m sorry to hear of your experience with it.

 

[Muddy_wellies]

The poor little creature has really had a rough time, hasn’t he? ?
I'm afraid this is probably a massive money pit and I would suggest thinking long and hard about whether you want to carry on along this road- hospitalization is probably your next step for more intensive investigation.
I lost my homebred yearling to intestinal cancer and a lot of her symptoms were the same- it cost me 6k for a week in horspital

I’m sorry to hear about your yearling. Sadly I hadn’t sorted insurance out for my boy, I thought a good dose of antibiotics and he would be fine ?

 

[Muddy_wellies]

https://www.rossdales.com/assets/files/Lawsonia-intracellularis-infection.pdf

my vets, a horse hospital, didn't find it very easy to rule out Lawsonia. The conclusion was mild to low lawsonia but although he tested negative twice they were very sure it was Lawsonia. The vet, who had worked with youngstock in the US luckily recognised the situation as he was being unloaded. Tests for everything else including salmonella came back negative.

My lad was 7 months at the time, stopped eating went downhill quickly and was rushed to hospital.

After several bloods were taken and examined in their own lab and some sent to external labs dung was examined for worms. Then the important part appeared to be ultrasound scanning of the intestine. This went on for 45 minutes. It confirmed her thoughts.

He was admitted and stayed for 5 days. Treatment was antibiotics and sucralfate.

He came home with follow up blood tests. He went downhill again after 3 days. We went back wards and forwards with the hospital. They said they had only given him anti biotics the same as they had sent home with him. Finally we all realised they have also given sucralfate and that was the magic ingredient.

With lawsonia or suspected lawsonia the length of time of anti biotics was important. He was on anti biotics daily for around 2 months and sucralfate for longer.

We never got a truly positive result to prove lawsonia and vet said we could test forever for something similar and may never know precisely. Treatment would still be the same. Just with lawsonia anti biotics would last for longer.

Thank you for your reply. I have read other posts from you about your Lawsonia journey. I’ve been searching for information for a few days. My vet stopped antibiotics today, saying that Lawsonia has been ruled out so it can’t be that. I am worried that antibiotics may of been stopped too soon. Sucralfate hasn’t been suggested. Did your horse come through it okay?

 

[paddy555]

Thank you for your reply. I have read other posts from you about your Lawsonia journey. I’ve been searching for information for a few days. My vet stopped antibiotics today, saying that Lawsonia has been ruled out so it can’t be that. I am worried that antibiotics may of been stopped too soon. Sucralfate hasn’t been suggested. Did your horse come through it okay?

yes he came through fine by the end, or at least a few grey hairs later for me.