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Fee
Platinum Member
2601 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 2:33:02 PM
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My friend's beloved arab x welsh pony is desperately ill. It seems everything has been tried and still her life is on a balance. Can you please read the symptoms and meds and maybe, just maybe one of you sees or knows something we're all missing?
Email from owner.....
All and any suggestions gratefully and desperately welcome.
Symptoms, they mainly come and go at various times. Attached is day chart.
Stamping Hind legs
Days when Not eating
Head hanging
Tummy gurgling
Liver, High AST, CK, GT, Total Protein and Bile Acid
Gastric Ulcers - diagnosed by response to medication (too ill for test)
Excess Saliva
Face itching/Blisters
Dragging Hinds
Wobbling/Staggering
Splayed legs
Grinding/crunching teeth
Very depressed
Bashing me with head, swinging sideways action (Has knocked me out and sent me airborne a few times, can be quite violent)
Eyes running clear liquid (front legs wet from rubbing eyes)
Occasional manic need to escape, thru fences and stable door, climbing over or lifting door off.
No awareness of space
Lost voice
Licking and chewing
Massive strength at times but mostly weak
VERY poor quarters
366kg (14.1hh)
Puffy above eyes
Cribbing
Temperature and heart rate normal
Medication:
Gastro Guard
Metacam
some Liver support meds from Vet forget the name of
Milk thistle
Devils Claw
2 weekly Multi vit injection
Aloe Vera Juice
Problems:
Off side Hip
Liver
Ulcers
Something wrong with her head (vet said the word Tumor but I ignored it cus I wouldn't cope with that thought) - (she is not head pressing)
Very thin
Overall:
Vet says 'Day by Day'
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Edited by - Fee on 07 Apr 2011 08:42:52 AM
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phoenixbruka
Gold Member
England
1190 Posts |
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NatH
Platinum Member
England
2695 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 2:53:11 PM
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Sounds to me as your friend has tried everything - sometimes it just kinder to let them go.
All the best |
Natalie
Chapel Lane Arabians
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 3:02:26 PM
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Oh poor poor pony.
Agree with Nat, her quality of life has to be pretty bad, bless her. |
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mogwai
Platinum Member
England
2717 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 3:04:22 PM
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All those symptoms can be associated with severe liver disease/malfuntion.
How old is the pony?
As a last ditch attempt to sort out my girls liver disease i called Roger Hatch at trinity consultants. Within a week of being on his L94 she had made unbelievable progress, even the vets were shocked.
Her symptoms weren't as sever as your friends pony, but it's worth a shot!
Give him a ring now. i was sceptical about this, but it worked.....and has worked for so many others.
Ros |
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Fee
Platinum Member
2601 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 3:28:59 PM
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From owner, I'm keeping in touch with her via text just now as she's afraid to leave the field ...
She is 17 next month. Most of the symptoms are typical for liver and ulcers. She is ready to give up, but I keep getting a spark. Also, I thought the vet might just PTS on sunday and Pop knew that was in my head, totally unusual but she went mad when the neddle for painkiller went in, like she was saying no no, not yet. There is a spark, and she is trying. She keeps picking up, and I have real hope, then we have a relapse. Its not time yet to give up. She wants me to try.
And, she should not be that bad based on the liver profile. She isn't considered to be in liver failure at the moment, but that may come.
Today she is weak and tired but grazing, and she comes to me and she is a bit better each day since the relapse on sunday, and she only started the metacam sunday and the alo vera today. I want to give her a week or so, unless she had a bad relapse. She wants to live, and she is trying very hard.
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 4:32:31 PM
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I agree with Ros, it sounds like liver diease. The toxin in the system from liver disease will cause severe headaches.
I do hope someone (possibly Roger Hatch) can help her.
Barbara |
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jaj
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4324 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 4:57:59 PM
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Fee that doesn't sound good at all  . I know you are desperate to help but she really does sound as though she has reached the end of her particular road, so sorry it's probably not what you want to hear but I do think it would be kindest to let her go  .
Jen
xx
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Kuraishiya (Maleik el Kheil/Kazra el Saghira) and Sahara Bey (Kuraishiya/WSA Charismma) |
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maryann
Gold Member
United Kingdom
767 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 5:04:02 PM
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It really does sound like all the symptoms my mare had last year...After 16 yrs together never had i ever had a vet to her i had to make to the hardest decision ever and that was to have her PTS..She would of been 18 this year but there was no way i could leave her suffer..It all happened within a week..She pick up in her personality but all her weight had come of and this mare would live of fresh air. I knew it was drugs from the vets and ever blood test i had done on her (5 in total) the blood cells were dropping so even through better on the outside she was not better on the inside..I really hope someone can help.... |
Maryann
www.freewebs.com/amarabians
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Edited by - maryann on 06 Apr 2011 5:24:51 PM |
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Silver
Silver Member
279 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 5:33:09 PM
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| If that was my pony i would not let it suffer anymore ,how long has it been like this?. |
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SarahA
Silver Member
476 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 6:48:50 PM
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| Please everyone don't start getting on at them to put this horse to sleep, it's each and everyones very personal decision and it is for them to make and not us to judge, support would be much better. |
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Moira
Gold Member
Scotland
503 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 7:04:24 PM
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My friend's horse had an impaction in his stomach, not his gut, which caused some (but not all) of these symptoms. Apparently it's quite unusual and it took the vets at the vet school in Glasgow a couple of days to figure out what was wrong. He was still eating, but not much and he kept sitting down like a dog. The food sitting in his stomach and unable to go anywhere caused ulcers too.
The only other thing I can suggest is Chronic Grass Sickness. The Grass Sickness Fund has a website with loads of info. I saw a horse on the TV programme about the Dick Vet that the GSF paid for part of her treatment.
Good luck to your friend and her wee horse. |
  
***Zak******Zhaazeer*****Gremlin |
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Fee
Platinum Member
2601 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 7:17:58 PM
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Thanks SarahA, yes please know that this horse has excellent vets and if they think that time has come they will advise. Just wanted to 'put this out there' incase anyone could see anything as I said in the first post.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts so far, all your suggestions are being looked into to.
Fee |
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Edited by - Fee on 06 Apr 2011 7:19:02 PM |
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Pauline
Platinum Member
England
3185 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 7:32:00 PM
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Fee
I too would say contact Roger Hatch.
I don't know if you can remember just over a year ago my little New Forest Mare (Was 21 last year) was very very ill that the vet wanted to put her down. I called Roger and got some stuff for her. A year on she is galloping around the field with the others.
Rogers number is 01243551766
Pauline |
Pauline Higgs
Equine & Human Holistic Therapist
www.thegentlestouch.co.cc
www.endurancegbmidsouth.co.uk
Berkshire / Hampshire Border |
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alison
Platinum Member
Wales
1810 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 7:35:09 PM
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Sending you support and best wishes, I am sure you will know when things cannot carry on. Meanwhile will keep on praying for a positive outcome, do what you think is best.
Alison |
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Offira
Platinum Member
England
1583 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 7:52:12 PM
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Gosh that is quite a collection of worrying symptoms. Not sure I can offer anything helpful other than in your friends position I would treat for liver failure in case and cut anything like soya oil or high protein feed out, even though she is thin.
it is terrible, you want to fight for them but wonder if you are doing the right thing. Fingers crossed you can find the cause. I guess poison or ingesting something like rat poison has been ruled out.
Fingers crossed she pulls back from this.
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 8:02:31 PM
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I must admit that I immediately thought Liver failure when I read the symptoms too, we lost my anglo to this a couple of years ago, he fought valiantly but he lost his eyesight, which is when we let him go. Can she still see? Please check this. Despite the vet coming out daily we didn't realise this for a couple of days, and it was really distressing to realise that we had missed it. I sincerely hope that she can be helped, and I too would recommend contacting Roger Hatch. Hoping for a positive outcome for all concerned.
My aunt was giving him reiki, which did seem to ease his distress for a while after each session. |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
Edited by - Callisto on 06 Apr 2011 8:04:20 PM |
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Fee
Platinum Member
2601 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 8:02:44 PM
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Thanks again guys. Will pass Roger number on, thanks. Offira all proteins have already been cut out.
Could all of this be anything to do with diabetes/IR?
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whippy
Junior Member
England
36 Posts |
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morag
Bronze Member
England
94 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 8:51:00 PM
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| I would cut out all the herbal supplements - they mostly all need metabolising in the liver and some induce liver enzymes as well - this won't help the pony if it already has a liver problem.They can also cause allergic reactions!! (Gastric ulcers?!) Reading the symptoms I would go with a serious build up of pressure in the brain - either due to injury( has it whacked its head?) or tumour (sorry - not what you want to hear I know).Best of luck with this one - a very difficult time for you all - be guided by your vets they can "detach" in the best interest of the pony |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 9:02:44 PM
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| Wish I had something helpful to offer! Hope there is something that can be done for her - it sounds as if she is very much loved x |
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s.jade
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2401 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 9:08:47 PM
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Ragwort poisoning? We took on a young gypsy cob, who displayed many of the same symptoms, and then started almost fitting...it was confirmed as ragwort poisoning and there was no option but to let him go.
Really, really hope it's not the case for your mare, fingers crossed she pulls through xx |
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xsara
Gold Member
822 Posts |
Posted - 06 Apr 2011 : 11:44:36 PM
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| fingers crossed hope the pony pulls through sorry i cant offer any advice |
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Vik1
Platinum Member
1711 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2011 : 02:05:00 AM
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My first instincts is liver disease or grass sickness. Encephalopathy is an end stage symptom of liver disease. How long has this pony been bashing its head? Ive only seen it in acute liver disease and Ive got to admit, I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy. It was horrific, it was so violent the pony broke it jaw and eye socket. I have also seen encephalopathy in humans as Im a student nurse but it obv manifests in a different way, normally confusion. It is caused by cerebral cell damage due to high ammonia levels.
I hope this pony pulls through and the vet gets to the bottom of it. |
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Fee
Platinum Member
2601 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2011 : 08:39:28 AM
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H Pop died last night. She was with her friends. She just missed Jess too much. They are running together again.
Please give your horses and ponies and extra long hug today, because you can and also in the hope all that comfort somehow reaches Tricia (Pop) who is devastated and completely heartbroken.
To have lost her two most precious girls in such a short space of time apart is just unfair.
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Pauline
Platinum Member
England
3185 Posts |
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Desperate Plea - RIP H Pop
to your friend.
