Eagle isn't well

[MeganH]

He is a pretty boy, Renee. Still praying for him! I hope you will soon know what you need to be able to help him however he needs it!

 

[Reble]

I am going to take him this week to be weighed as I am not really sure what he weighs. I feed him 13.8% pellets with beet twice a day and hay twice a day. his back is fat and he has a huge belly. His neck flopped over last year when his health problems started. He lost a lot of weight even though he was on grass with the other horses who were all fine. Nothing had changed and he had been with the same horses for several years. I had blood test done and he was put on a special diet. He seemed to get better until about a month ago. I took him off grass and brought him to the stable behind the house that has a small pen around it so I can control what he eats better. Since he has been here he has got even fatter. I am at a total lose as to what to do with him.

I took these at the weekend.

I hear you, these small guys are so hard to get their weight correct.

Our mares can be out 24 / 7 on pasture and they look so good.

I have a gelding that I am trying to figure out the right feed.

He is only out on pasture for a few hours.

Pasture soon will be shut off for all soon, being winter is around the corner.

He was getting alfalfa cubes for his night feeding, but getting a belly, so changing him to alfalfa/timothy cubes & just a mineral supplement.

Wish we had a magic wand to fix them up without so much trial and error.

Looking forward to hearing what your vet finds and recommends.

 

[Riverrose28]

I was just checking in on Eagle and looking at his pictures. I'm not sure if it is the camera angle or not, but it looks like one nostrol is higher then the other, am I seeing that right? If so it is a sign of discomfort and you should mention it to the vet. Terry

 

[mydaddysjag]

Ive been watching Eagles thread for a while now, and it looks like I never got around to posting. I dont have any advice medically for what might be wrong, but sending prayers he is feeling better soon. If you need to bed his stall with straw to keep him warm and he wont quit eating it, can you possibly put hay down? I know its probably not economical, but have seen people bed their broodmares and new foals with it, so no one gets sick if they nibble. Just a thought.

 

[HGFarm]

I am SO sorry you are having to go through this and I sure feel your frustration regarding the other vet- omg, what a nightmare.

Eagle looks like a couple of typical low thyroid horses I have seen! Has he been tested for that? It's a simple blood test...

 

[Eagle]

Riverrose, I read your post to hubby and he thinks he is grumpy cos of the "stupid" plait and he thinks it gives him a headache so I took it out and took some extra pics. It looks to me as though he has a wonky nose

great another defect.

What do you all think?

P.S he doesn't like it when I get down low to take the photos, he puts his ears back usually.

 

[Eagle]

Eagle isn't well, I took out his hay but he didn't really touch it and he keeps laying down. He isn't rolling but I have seen him twice sitting up like a dog. Could this be ulcers?

 

[ClickMini]

I'm sorry, I haven't read 99% of this thread. If my horse wasn't eating, was laying down and sitting up like a dog, I would have the vet out just as soon as humanly possible. I am thinking good thoughts for your darling Eagle.

 

[AnnaC]

Renee, I have had no experience with ulcers, but I'm sure that I have read on here that the sitting dog position IS a sign of them. And remembering all the stress he went through earlier this year, then I think you may have found the answer to at least one of his present problems.

How fast can you get him a 'remedy' over there in Italy? Just to give it try.

 

[Jill]

I'm sorry, I haven't read 99% of this thread. If my horse wasn't eating, was laying down and sitting up like a dog, I would have the vet out just as soon as humanly possible. I am thinking good thoughts for your darling Eagle.

I agree. Has the vet been out? I hope everything turns out well and he's doing well soon.

 

[Eagle]

I have called 3 vets and noone can come so I am driving round looking for a pharmacy to buy magnesium and zantac. Wish me luck

 

[ClickMini]

Can you take Eagle to them? I have now read the whole thread and, I feel, this is a RED ALERT EMERGENCY! What is his temp? Pulse? Respiration?

 

[mydaddysjag]

Re read the entire thread, and also thought back to the thread you posted a while back about Eagle biting your son, which was very out of character for him. Has be been unusually agitated, pinning ears, maybe biting, not as willing? Dog sitting is a big sign of ulcers, so is being agitated, or even agressive, and in my horse, so was eating things that he shouldnt be (mine was chewing wood, when he never had before), but not wanting his food. He also was agitated, and even trying to bite at times, which is VERY, VERY out of character for this horse. We had No poop for a while, then poop that clumbed together in balls and was sticky. He would NOT drink, the only way I was getting water in him was with a very soupy mash, and some days that was hit or miss. My guy wasnt as fat as Eagle, but he certainly could have lost weight. One day I looked at him, he was extremely bloated. This was something that happened in a day, and unusual for him. We had a vet out and treated him for cyanide poisoning for 10 days, but he did not improve. I wasnt happy with vet 1, and took my horse to a different vet clinic. We ran a ton of blood tests, tubed him, and also ran fluids. The new vet felt that we were dealing with ulcers, and put him on gastrogard along with carafate. He is also on a different "diet". I dont have pasture here, which is best for ulcer horses. My vet said that if I did have pasture, she would have recommended putting a grazing muzzle on to make sure he couldnt grossly overeat, but could still eat 24/7 which would keep fiber in his stomach. NO grains or pelleted "feeds". My guy is getting beetpulp and alfalfa pellets that I soak into a mash, along with a little canola oil. He also has two busy snacker slow feed hay bags that I fill with half timothy hay, half alfalfa hay (alfalfa has stomach soothing properties because of its high calcium, like tums for a human). With the hay bags, he makes what used to last him 30 minutes last anywhere from 2-6 hours. He seems to eat his hay faster at night. My guy was fat and all of the sudden, one day without explanation, he was sick and wouldnt eat. Hes certainly not a horse I would expect to get ulcers, he is turned out everyday, fed a high fiber diet, and hasnt been worked since I got him, as I got him at the end of show season. My vet felt that he probably had ulcers when I got him, which just progressively got worse.

 

[Eagle]

He has had meds and is now munching on his hay,

Temp, pulse, respiration all in the norm. I have him on cam so i will keep watching him. The vet is coming first thing in the morning.

Please keep him in your prayers. Thanks

 

[Hosscrazy]

Regarding Cushings/IR, Dr Kellon is the best. Great advice from those who have directed you to her site.

Also, I'm not sure what a "wonky nose" is, but just looking at those 2 photos you posted, you might want to have that biopsied at some point. Might just be the angle of the pix - hard to tell.

Liz N.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Oh Renee, i just want to give you a mega hug...Im so sorry you are still dealing with the unknown w/little Eagle!!

What sort of ulcer meds do you have over there...is there a way for me to send...doubt it would be real quick but I can find out for you the quickest way to send some to Italy.

I dont want to scare you but when I thought SB may be getting/have ulcers the vet asked me if she ever appears to be sitting down..I said no but he said it is, sometimes a sign. There could be several things going on too and the ulcer( if he actually does have ) could be being caused by something else going on. you know alot more than I do so I know you are doing everything possible but Im still going to send cyber hugs and prayers.

Husbands

Eagle looks great with a braid and with out!!

 

[Riverrose28]

My computer is having issues, so I hope this posts. I don't know what you mean about a wonky nose, but your vet can verify about nostrols, if your horse holds one higher then the other they are in discomfort or pain, and it can be caused by any number of things, from a ulcer, virus, colic, whatever. Your vet should know and examine. I hope Eagle gets the help he needs and gets better soon I know you are worried and I feel for you. all the best, I'll say a pray to Saint Francis. Terry

 

[Eagle]

O.k so we made it through the night (which was long and cold) and as soon as I have dropped the kids at school I am going to buy Gastrogard.

Thanks for the prayers.

 

[REO]

I can see from his pics that he really doesn't feel well.

More prayers for your boy.

 

[cassie]

Renee still praying for your man!! poor Eagle! he looks so miserable, you can see it in his eyes

how did you go with the vet... have they come yet??

praying for a solid diagnosis for your beautiful Eagle!! poor beautiful man!!

hugs, kisses n prayers being sent Renee!!