Note: You must be registered in order to post a reply. To register, click here. Registration is FREE!
T O P I C R E V I E W
Barribarrs
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 2:51:02 PM My beautiful little boy, Hunter, is in a bad way. We're (vet) not sure what is wrong and are awaiting results which may or may not give us a route to follow.
At the moment we're considering trauma, viral, neurological or infection. We've had penicillian, steroids, antibiotics, bloods taken, poo samples.
He was going to be moving to a new field on Wednesday and when I went to put his headcollar on, he put his ears back. That's not like Hunter - he's 1 but outgrown grumpy boy attitude he was born with. He also looked to be standing funny, and I went to check him for injuries as he is a typical youngster and if he can find a way to injure himself, he will. I walked behind him and he turned his head to watch but seemed to go a little off balance and when I tried to get him to take a step, he looked as if he didn't want to put weight on his front legs and went down. Instantly started shaking - the ground is wet and cold but it was instant shaking - and when the vet arrived, he couldn't get a vein in his neck to inject pain killers (we were thinking pelvic fracture or leg at this point because he seemed to be struggling with his back legs when he tried to get up) and had to inject into his leg. Finally got him in the stable and monitored and he would show lameness in every leg at different times as well as completely sound in every leg. He's wobbly, twitchy, he was falling down - but he hasn't today. He is eating, pooing, peeing, drinking and still standing and although I know we're far from being in a happy place, I have to think positive that at least he's doing this.
He is my beautiful little homebred arab x paint boy with a cheeky personality, adored by all who meet him and despite having a few horses, I'm always known as Hunter's mum.
25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Barribarrs
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 6:28:06 PM Faracat, he's still on antibiotics - Norodine or something similar (can never remember names of things). He gets one and a half sachets a day until at least Monday. If he continues to improve at the rate he is currently, he'll be out on Monday. Say a prayer for his buddies in the field he's going into!
garnet
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 6:16:28 PM Pleased to hear he's on the mend!
Faracat
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 3:59:23 PM Did the Vet give him antibiotics at any point during his treatment?
I'm just wondering whether he could have had Lyme disease which is treatable with Antibiotics if caught early.
LadyLuck1
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 1:31:52 PM Really pleased he is feeling better. Mary
TanyanChewy
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 12:48:56 PM So pleased he is feeling better
arabianrio
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 11:39:27 AM soo glad he is getting better
Kes
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 11:39:18 AM Glad to hear he's on the mend xx
Pasha
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 09:55:37 AM Soo glad he is on the mend xxx
xsara
Posted - 11 Oct 2012 : 08:18:53 AM glad to hear he is on the mend a very worrying time and both are lovely
Kharidian
Posted - 10 Oct 2012 : 4:02:10 PM He looks happy in his snowflake disguise!
Caryn
Barribarrs
Posted - 10 Oct 2012 : 3:56:12 PM Pics of the poorly boy, taken today after a roll in his newly made up bed. And because I'm on a photo roll, this is his sister, Kali (same dad, she's Straight Egyptian - dad chose well when he visited the girls). She's 1 next week.
Gerri
Posted - 10 Oct 2012 : 10:44:33 AM OMG how scary for you and the poor little mite I am sooo glad he is improving but it gives you a nasty scare and very worrying, heres hoping he continues to improve thinking of you and sending healing vibes
Callisto
Posted - 10 Oct 2012 : 12:32:20 AM That's great news
When I had my horses outside the kitchen window I used to have to crawl along the floor (in the dark) to get to the kettle if I wanted an early morning cup of tea, otherwise they insisted it was feed time .
Quarabian
Posted - 09 Oct 2012 : 9:05:55 PM This sounds very positive.
Pasch
Posted - 09 Oct 2012 : 9:02:14 PM
SuziQ
Posted - 09 Oct 2012 : 8:31:06 PM What great news, lets hope it is onwards and uppwards from here...hugs to Hunter bless him
Barribarrs
Posted - 09 Oct 2012 : 8:23:11 PM Well, good news. Hunter has shown a marked improvement. So much so that the vet appeared, steroid tablets in hand and said 'you won't be needing these'.
He's steady on his feet and I got to move him to my other stables about a quarter of a mile away (in his new field) with a warning from the vet to wear a hat because he's a little bouncy.
While making up his tea tonight, he can watch me from his stable, he was constantly kicking his door. Unfortunately alerting Beauty, Joey, Kali, Hass, Troy, Rhapia and Healy in the closest fields that there was more food on the go. Luckily the girls and boys in the back fields haven't twigged about the extra feeding time yet or I'd be in trouble!
The vet is due back later in the week then again on Monday and if he continues with his recovery, he should be allowed out for a couple of hours. Woo hoo! If I could figure out how to post pics from my phone I'd let you see how lovely he is but my Flicker account is defying me!
I would like to thank you all for your kind words and suggestions as to what could be wrong. We're still not sure what is up, may never know, but his gelding was scheduled for later this month but it has now been postponed until February. Perhaps he knew ...
Callisto
Posted - 06 Oct 2012 : 12:25:09 AM How frightening, hoping he continues to improve and fingers firmly crossed hat you can get to the bottom of this.
Pasch
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 10:40:22 PM Sorry to hear about this,you must be so worried!Hope you find out what it is and can treat it.All fingers crossed!
Vik1
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 10:08:01 PM Has your vet ruled out Atypical Myopathy? I know there has been some cases of it somewhere in england this year. Symptoms include stiffness in hind legs through to front, sweating, muscle tremors, twitching, dark urine, reluctance to move, frenzied vocalisation. It is a very serious condition ie on same level as grass sickness.
Im not meaning to worry you more than you are, I really hope its not and its some sort of virus. I keep everything crossed for you and the little man.
pinkvboots
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 9:42:33 PM Just a thought but have you wormed recently a friends horse had a terrible reaction to equest although he wasnt falling down but was very poorly and had a high white cell count, i really hope you get to the bottom of it and i wish him better x
Edited to say my friends horse was only a two when this happened.
Barribarrs
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 9:33:39 PM Thank you for your kind words and also suggestions of what could be causing it, more work for the vet.
Hunter's temperature is normal despite being hot to touch, but only front half. He's cooler from about ribs back.
Blood results came back today. White cell count is 20, which is high, but the whatever it is within the white cell count to show infection should be 85 but it's 60. All other results are normal.
We checked him over with a fine tooth comb when we got him into his bed because vet was convinced he'd been kicked in the head or even run into something but there was not a mark on him (unusual for him), no cuts, no swelling, no heat, nothing.
He was hyper sensitive around the head, still is but not so severe. He hasn't fallen down since yesterday - he would be standing still and then thump down, he wasn't necessarily always moving at the time.
He has started shouting when he sees me walking toward the stable and he's still eating, drinking, etc. As the vet said, if you've got a horse that's doing those things, you've got a horse ready to battle. I think I love my vet. He has not once mentioned the possible outcome - possibly for fear of my bubbling - and hasn't dismissed anything I've suggested, no matter how desperate it sounds. So we're treating as infection and waiting to see what Monday brings as the steriod injection will be wearing off and we'll see if this brings a new range of symptoms.
debs
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 8:24:03 PM Fingers x'd for your boy
garnet
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 7:05:45 PM Hope you get a diagnosis soon and that your baby boy will make a speedy recovery. What a worry for you!
Liz100
Posted - 05 Oct 2012 : 5:58:48 PM Oh dear, how worrying. Everything crossed that he makes a speedy recovery.
It's strange because YO's welsh D mare has recently had similar symptoms. She had a foal on her too and was so poorly they thought they were going to lose her. All the investigations the vet did turned up nothing but she didn't get any worse, nor any better. Although she had no injuries they did find some broken bottom fence rails in her field so wondered whether she had maybe rolled and got stuck in the fence and somehow injured her spinal cord in the struggle to free herself. After a few days they decided to bring her home from the brood mares field and wean the foal. She had a rough ride in the trailer because of her inability to stand properly but she started to make a dramatic recovery when she got home, so they wonder whether she had a trapped nerve that freed itself on the journey. Very strange and she still isn't 100% several weeks on, but she is almost back to normal.
I am sooo glad he is improving but it gives you a nasty scare and very worrying, heres hoping he continues to improve
thinking of you and sending healing vibes
.
