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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Jan 2013 : 4:30:31 PM
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Forgot to add that I had our Haylage (cut from the field he grazes in in winter) tested for all minerals and mycotoxins - thankfully all ok  |
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carol B
Silver Member
England
312 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2013 : 06:41:01 AM
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| An update on my boy with liver problems. He had a scan and a biopsy, the scan showed no abnormalites and the biopsy was inconclusive. As he was continuing to lose weight the vet put him on steroids, Prednisole, 90 a day. He had another blood test after 5 weeks which showed his liver was recovering well, but his weight had dropped even further, despite a good feeding regime, which was mystifying. He's now on steroid injections daily..has been for the last 2 weeks....I'm worried about the risk of laminitis with them but the vet said it's now a kill or cure situation and needs must etc. He's on 4 feeds a day. On the vet's advice I've now moved yards. Rather scarily, his field companion, arab x welsh mare, started to lose weight quite quickly a few weeks ago, she'd had a blood test and it seems she has liver damage too but not to the same extent as my boy. I've moved her to the new yard with him, she's not being treated at the moment, we are hoping that simply a change of location might do the trick.. |
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2013 : 08:06:19 AM
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| Hope both of you continue to get positive news on your boys x Carol it sounds like a similar situation to mine. I had never heard of the grass itself having toxins or anything that can can cause a problem, but it looks like this is the case. Vet likened it to an alcoholic that was having liver treatment but kept drinking! I'm hope ing a move will return his results back to normal with supplements as he has no perm damage. |
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2013 : 09:36:38 AM
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Carol, I notice as well from your previous thread that you moved yards prior to him losing the weight.. It really seems like that is the problem. Mine has been poorly on and off since last year when I got him, and we only now have come to the conclusion that it was his environment  . Can I ask what type of pasture it was? Is it new to horses or is it established grazing? Mine was on a river and I think that may have something to do with it. Theres no ragwort, clover or toxic plants of any kind... Me and the vet went through it with a fine tooth comb |
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2013 : 09:38:08 AM
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Hope your boys get better after the move!
We think shesky's was a virus, but I had just moved him anyway when he was diagnosed, so at least I know if it was his old grazing, it can no longer harm him anyway!
If you source your hay/haylage from the same place and it's not branded, you can send a sample to Dodsen & Horrell for anaylsis - you will need to call them and ask specifically for Mycotoxin Analysis and they will send you a special form (it's not one of the standard ones on their webpage).
I am not sure if they can do this for your gazing as well - I would assume so if you sent them a sample?
Also worth testing the minerals to make sure you aren't overloading anything xxx |
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2013 : 10:27:25 AM
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Thanks Pasha
we're pretty positive its something the grazing, but I would be interested to do that test to see the result.
I know its not hay or haylage as we get it from different places and when he got sick last year he hadnt really had any yet as we still had really good grass. Now the grass is all frozen and hes only eating hay pretty much 24/7 he seems much better. Also hes just on basic chaff and cubes, bit of sugar beet in winter - no Mineral overload and since he got sick he has had a liver supplement.
If its a virus tho thats good news as its a one off incident :). Thats what The vet initially thought Jack had. |
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jobo
Bronze Member
129 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jan 2013 : 12:40:34 PM
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| Hi this may no use atall but here goes i was diagnosed with pernicious anemia 6 months ago and im not sure if the studies have been done about if horses suffer or not? I have to have an injection of b12 once a month for life now or it will cause all sorts of problems. But i just wondered if the self harming comes from the feeling of what they call "ant crawling" under te skin this is what i get and it can drive you mad but as for a horse suffering with it i think it would cause it too bite and scratch its self mad,its like incects under you skin and you cant get to it if you know what i mean. Its too with the stomache not being able to absorb b12 due to autoimune problems so i wonder if there is a link ?? If so then b12 jabs should control it.It also affects your brain ,memory is a real problem,also amkes you nervious and really drives you crazy,so maybe more research needed on it,there behind with people which is so frustrating to say the least,hope they continue to recovery quickly,all the best |
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Emmaowen
New Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2013 : 08:49:16 AM
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| Hi can you email me please unicorn? I have had the EXACT same issues an after a combined Almost 10k of vet fees between mine and my friends horses I may be able to tell you some of the things we've tested etc. we still have no answers and our ggt has been as high as 1200!! All three horses at ours look well and all three have been affected. My email is lyndsey.downes@shorelinehp.com :) |
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2013 : 09:34:31 AM
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Hi There
I emailed you. Mine has been at his new yard for a couple of months now and looking fine. I need to call the vet to come out for some follow up bloods soon and Ill update everyone then.
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2013 : 5:53:41 PM
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So last week the vet phoned me and told me Jack's latest bloods had come back normal!!!
this is the first time since he first had a test that his liver enzymes were anywhere near the normal range!
So it was most definitely the grazing/something at our old yard. We will keep an eye on him of course and do follow up tests, but looking good for us now |
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joanna_piana
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3935 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2013 : 6:19:55 PM
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That's great so pleased he's come through it |
      
Harthall Rashida RIP, Binley Ishara, Bouchan
Chorleywood, Hertfordshire |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2013 : 7:23:32 PM
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| Glad his tests are now normal must be a relief. |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2013 : 7:37:07 PM
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| I'm glad he's ok now!But I would be worried about the other horses at the old yard,are they aware of the problem?They should run tests on grazing/hay/water there until they find out the cause of what looks like poisoning of some sort. |
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 10 Apr 2013 : 12:31:22 PM
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Pasch you're right it is a bit worrying. They are aware of the problem and I have told them that he is better now we've moved.
I am popping to see them this weekend so I will see what's happening. |
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carol B
Silver Member
England
312 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2013 : 06:54:20 AM
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Months and months later and finally an update from me. In Feb I moved my poorly boy and his friends off to a livery yard. By this time he looked so thin that we had to put a notice up on his stable door to say he was very ill, under the vet and his appearance wasn't due to neglect and cruelty, you know what big livery yards can be like! He was on huge doses of steroids, pills at first and then daily injections. His appetite was good, luckily, so I put him on Saracens Show Improver (the title of which seemed like a cruel joke, given the way he looked) alfafa with oil and racehorse hay (not quite sure which grasses it was made of but it smelt heavenly). The horrible spring dragged on. Endless rain, bitterly cold winds, the days and weeks merged into one long exhausting slog looking after not just the poorly one but the other 3 as well. Nothing seemed to change. I found a job (had to pay for that hay somehow!) manning (well, womanning) a toll bridge, in retrospect it wasn't a very bright move working for hours outside in the freezing winds, within a few weeks I came down with the worst flu I've ever had and was in bed for a week. Luckily I had cover for the horses at the livery yard but it was my darkest hour and I seriously considered having the boy PTS, I felt neither of us could go on....
Everything passes. Spring started properly and the boy started to look better. It was a very gradual process, less ribs showing, a bit of a gleam to his coat. Something was working, or it was combination of everything. The vet came and blood tested him, his liver was working normally, all of his blood counts were near enough normal and she could see a difference in him. I cried. He started going out in the paddocks with others and he picked up even more. Fast forward to May and we weaned him off of the steroids and I held my breath, would he relapse without them? No!!! Hurrah!!!!! By June you couldn't tell he'd ever been ill. At the start of July the vet said I could start riding him again (gulp!), gentle 10 minute hacks at first, she said, to begin building up lost muscle. Hah...gentle? he was raring to go!
So here we are in July. I now have my beautiful, fat, (I'm not ashamed he's fat), glossy, opinionated and fiery boy back. I did shed some tears the first time I rode him last month, I honestly never thought I'd be sitting on him and seeing that beautiful arched chestnut neck in front of me ever again. Oh, his neck, or rather his mane, here's a weird thing, he's never had a particularly good mane after having sweetitch on and off for years, but all through his illness his mane grew and grew and he's now got the most fabulous rippling long mane and forelock. Anyway, he's fine, I'm back in the saddle and all is well.....everything crossed it continues.. |
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Pop
Platinum Member
England
3051 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2013 : 08:32:41 AM
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Wow, that's brilliant. Actually made the screen a bit blurry. I hope you feel much better too, its exhausting emotionally.
Any pictures? |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2013 : 1:17:06 PM
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Wonderful news and really enjoyed reading your so well written post.
Echoing Pop,pictures please? |
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carol B
Silver Member
England
312 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2013 : 7:39:10 PM
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| Thank you Pasch and Pop. It's been a heck of a journey with him! I do have photos, can some kind soul please tell me how to magically magic them from Dropbox onto here? |
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brack369
Gold Member
559 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2013 : 8:57:40 PM
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| Great news!!. My aunt has been through similar with her horse, a long stressful experience. Glad you and your boy have come through the other side |
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2013 : 1:25:00 PM
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Such great news CarolB
I also loved your post - I remember when Jack got his first normal blood result in a year! I was over the moon, he is also looking fine now and back in light work (only light due to my time constraints :|) but he is full of beans |
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2013 : 1:35:50 PM
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Brilliant news...made my eyes leak a little!!!
I think photo's are definitely the order of the day! |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2013 : 1:57:16 PM
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| Congratulations on your great news, so glad to read he is back to his best (and better, since he now has a flowing mane as well!) |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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unicorn122
Bronze Member
England
152 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2017 : 12:18:47 PM
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| Sadly this problem has raised its ugly head again 5 years later :( We moved to another new yard 2 years ago which is about 1.5 miles away from where we were originally. Either he's allergic to the ground in our area, or it is a genetic problem. Very strange. |
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