JAX
Well-Known Member
23 year old Stallion wonderful health... until
December 2nd Sunday: Lethargic, not interested in anything except his alfalfa, said no to feed, coastal and water. Temp was 102.4. Gave two ccs of banamine, couple hours later seemed a bit better temp was almost normal and he started picking at his grain.
December 3rd Monday: Temp at vets was 104.6 Gut sounds normal. Blood results normal no elevated white cells. Was given banamine and antibiotics IV by vet and also given a very large amount of fluids because he was starting to dehydrate. Sent home with instructions for banamine 2x per day, antibiotic shot 1x per day, ulcergard 1x per day. She didnt know what was wrong but was trying to cover all bases. Unloading from vets he would only come out of trailer walking backwards( he knows this trailer and has never had a problem with it). Once in grass proceeded to nibble on grass and walk backwards more. Was also holding head at a tilt. If he was made to walk forward he would go in circles. Let him loose in his pen and the circling or walking backwards continued. I was told to only give him alfalfa and she would be out tomorrow becasue by this time I was getting panicky and wanted more tests run ASAP. He also didnt seem to be seeing very well.
Dec 4th Tuesday: Vet came out watched him nibble on his alfalfa said good sign and his fever was being controlled with the banamine. i asked her to run these tests, EPM, West Nile, Encephalitis(sp?), Cushings (her idea) and full blood work up including selenium, calcium, iron, etc etc. I was panicking because to me this was looking more and more like some type of brain issue and this was not a horse that I was willing to take any chances with ( he was my first and definately my heart horse).
Dec 5th: 4am he was walking around and around and around his pen extremely fast as if someone was pushing him to move on. He would only stop if i got in front of him and held him with his face burried in me. His mouth was covered in foam. I called vet and told her to get ready for him because he was getting worse. I rode in the trailer with him as he was not able to keep his balance on his own. He was trembling and didnt seem to know what was happening. Unloading at vets I had to hold his head while someone pushed his rear end and it REALLY seemed like he was blind by that time. Even just standing he was making more and more foam. I do not remember all that they gave him but I do remember they gave him more fliuds with DMSO(?) this time I believe this was what caused the horrible garlic breath. He had no fever. A couple of hours later he FELL flat out and just layed there, mouth part open eyes about half open with constant rapid eye movement alost like the movement you would expect when sleeping. After two hours of him just laying there I asked her if there was any chance that he could make it and she said probably not so I decided that I could not do this to him anymore and asked her to put him down. After he was put down she explained that he was showing signs of rabies and strongly urged me to agree to have him tested because I would need the shots ASAP. We are still waiting for results of all tests besides EPM which showed that he had been exposed at some time in his life but it was not what was wrong. Please if this sounds familiar to anyone please tell me. I believe she saved some blood in case we thought of anything else to test for. My shots are ready at the hospital in case rabies test comes out positive but i just dont think the foam he was making looked like the drool usually associated with rabies. I am scared because I have several more horses on my property with his pen being butted up to two other pens. No other horses have gone off feed or running fevers and its been 10 days since this all started. My vet says no to toxin because of the fever, and she thinks virus because of the fever with no elevated white count. I am open to hear any ideas no matter how far fetched they may be. Sorry for the book here but i figured the more info the better.
December 2nd Sunday: Lethargic, not interested in anything except his alfalfa, said no to feed, coastal and water. Temp was 102.4. Gave two ccs of banamine, couple hours later seemed a bit better temp was almost normal and he started picking at his grain.
December 3rd Monday: Temp at vets was 104.6 Gut sounds normal. Blood results normal no elevated white cells. Was given banamine and antibiotics IV by vet and also given a very large amount of fluids because he was starting to dehydrate. Sent home with instructions for banamine 2x per day, antibiotic shot 1x per day, ulcergard 1x per day. She didnt know what was wrong but was trying to cover all bases. Unloading from vets he would only come out of trailer walking backwards( he knows this trailer and has never had a problem with it). Once in grass proceeded to nibble on grass and walk backwards more. Was also holding head at a tilt. If he was made to walk forward he would go in circles. Let him loose in his pen and the circling or walking backwards continued. I was told to only give him alfalfa and she would be out tomorrow becasue by this time I was getting panicky and wanted more tests run ASAP. He also didnt seem to be seeing very well.
Dec 4th Tuesday: Vet came out watched him nibble on his alfalfa said good sign and his fever was being controlled with the banamine. i asked her to run these tests, EPM, West Nile, Encephalitis(sp?), Cushings (her idea) and full blood work up including selenium, calcium, iron, etc etc. I was panicking because to me this was looking more and more like some type of brain issue and this was not a horse that I was willing to take any chances with ( he was my first and definately my heart horse).
Dec 5th: 4am he was walking around and around and around his pen extremely fast as if someone was pushing him to move on. He would only stop if i got in front of him and held him with his face burried in me. His mouth was covered in foam. I called vet and told her to get ready for him because he was getting worse. I rode in the trailer with him as he was not able to keep his balance on his own. He was trembling and didnt seem to know what was happening. Unloading at vets I had to hold his head while someone pushed his rear end and it REALLY seemed like he was blind by that time. Even just standing he was making more and more foam. I do not remember all that they gave him but I do remember they gave him more fliuds with DMSO(?) this time I believe this was what caused the horrible garlic breath. He had no fever. A couple of hours later he FELL flat out and just layed there, mouth part open eyes about half open with constant rapid eye movement alost like the movement you would expect when sleeping. After two hours of him just laying there I asked her if there was any chance that he could make it and she said probably not so I decided that I could not do this to him anymore and asked her to put him down. After he was put down she explained that he was showing signs of rabies and strongly urged me to agree to have him tested because I would need the shots ASAP. We are still waiting for results of all tests besides EPM which showed that he had been exposed at some time in his life but it was not what was wrong. Please if this sounds familiar to anyone please tell me. I believe she saved some blood in case we thought of anything else to test for. My shots are ready at the hospital in case rabies test comes out positive but i just dont think the foam he was making looked like the drool usually associated with rabies. I am scared because I have several more horses on my property with his pen being butted up to two other pens. No other horses have gone off feed or running fevers and its been 10 days since this all started. My vet says no to toxin because of the fever, and she thinks virus because of the fever with no elevated white count. I am open to hear any ideas no matter how far fetched they may be. Sorry for the book here but i figured the more info the better.
