Not often I find something new!

[rabbitsfizz]

In a SIX week old foal????

Now, technically this is not possible, we do know that, but all the blood work came back pointing to this.

The foal has been "not right" for just over a week and the Vet was treating the symptoms.

Yesterday I just was not happy with not being able to stabilise her temperature, so she went in for blood tests.

My Vet is now officially stumped (and this is the Equine Practise at the Royal Veterinary College!!) so I am open (and so is she) to all and every opinion/guess idea.

Her white blood count is high, she has very minor liver problems and her red cell count is good (Vet was expecting to find liver failure.)

Vet also missed me saying she was six weeks old, or maybe did not ask and I did not say, anyway, she sort of assumed she was newborn to one week old (she is very tiny and fine) and was bowled over to find she was six weeks.

OK, people, over to you!!!

 

[HGFarm]

All I could really find was this.......................

http://academic-server.cvm.umn.edu/NCN/isoerythrolysis.htm

Why would this foal, if it even lived to this age, still have issues with this problem? Are they SURE? How could a foal survive this long with this condition? It sounds like this is always fatal at a very early age if not treated, etc........... I think they need to keep digging.

If this is what they suspect it is, why didnt it hit her right from the start? This is something that shows up this much later!!

 

[MountainMeadows]

Jane

I would suspect something else - possibly an ulcer (and I am usually the LAST one to jump on that bandwagon - but do admit that treating for one isn't going to hurt anything). Might also have a minor tear/hole in the intestine from the foal eating something that he shouldn't - been there, done that. In my foal's case it ended up being fatal, but the tear was quite significant.

Hopefully your baby will just continue to improve with care & time.

Stacy

 

[Carolyn R]

What other symptoms does she have?

It is possible for ulcer /digestive track issues to present themselves with a elevated white count, little fluctuation to the red count, and have a fever due to inflamation in the intestinal track. They can still urinate, and pass manure, but eventually due to the inflamation things pull to the gut and their digestive track slows.

The above is a total guess, but I did have this experience with a haflinger foal, symptoms were initially a slight fever and her just not being herself, elevated white count, no initial change in red count, but as suspected, it dipped after a few days, then leveled out. The official ruling was gastro enteritis (sp) but the real cause was a mystery (ulcers, bacterial infection, stress???????).

The remedy after the diagnosis that was presented to me was to put her on IV fluids, put in a gastric tube to pull off any fluids that were pulling to the area. This was done for several days. Reasoning was to give the intestinal track a break so it could heal and inflamation would subside (was explained to me as "it is like having rope burn on the inside of the intestonal track"). My only regret was not placing the foal on a long course of ulcer treatment in conjunction with the treatment she received.

I hope you gain some insight soon.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Thanks everyone, she is being treated automatically for ulcers as I will not give Banamine (I have a MINI Vet!! Yippee, no more Bute!!! She's worked with Minis in Oz) without it.

She is being hit with high power antibiotics, the treatment she is getting is right for what is wrong (if that makes sense!) the bloods indicate no need for a drip or a transfusion at this point.

Obviously this is not Isoerythrolysis, but it presents, form the blood works, as if it were, and, until I said she was six weeks old, that is what my Vet thought it was (OK so she is used to Minis that are bigger than mine!!) she had not fully absorbed that Mira was six weeks old, now that she has she is stumped, but is treating the symptoms.

Any and every thought, however wild, is welcome.

We have considered Rhodococcus and I have had it before, and we are not ruling it out (we are not ruling anything out!) but this is a puzzle.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Poor baby, sending my best for her Jane.

 

[Flaxenacres]

What are her symptoms?

 

[eagles ring farm]

Something to consider our vet did not figure it out either

but the equine the hospital did.

We had a filly born last year

for the first couple weeks all types of blood tests

show high likelyhood of liver problems

she constantly ran a fever sometimes as high as 106

we finally took her to an equine hospital

after 2 days and many tests and ultrasounds

found nothing they were going to do a liver biopsy

but as we had told them.

Once we hosed her down for 20 minutes to

bring her fever down she was like any other foal running and playing

and also at night she seemed to be at her best early morning when temps cooled down

We'll the diagnosis was Anhidrosis (non-sweater) when she was born her

sweat glads never kicked in. Threw all the blood tests results off.

They sent her home with meds:

They put her on a powder called One-AC for 2 weeks

with Aeropulmin Syrup for the first week (both meds were very inexpensive)

of course all the previous vet tests and hospital stay were very expensive

We'll after the 2 week treatment all was given orally

she is in perfect health and never had another problem

they say if you catch anhidrosis early enough the meds kick start the

sweat glands. It will also work sometimes when they are older

She went from a very sick baby to on her way to the Nationals next month

showing as a yearling.

I sent her meds to the trainer with her incase any problem was to return

but she has been just fine and sweats normally since the treatment of 2 weeks last summer.

Just a thought to consider, but I'm not sure that you have had a constant high temperature problem

our girl we had to hose off for 20 min 4 x's a day before we found out what was wrong at night she was not too bad

Hope you find out the problem soon. And have a happy ending as we did

Lori

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Thanks, Lori, she can sweat though, but it is worth remembering.

She is now in the College (which is $4,000.00 as you go through the door...) and I have just sold my liver to pay for it!!!

Seriously, it was that or put her down and I was not ready to do that, I'll keep you posted.

 

[eagles ring farm]

Bump

any other thoughts anyone

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Thanks everyone, but I had her PTS this am.

Ultrasound showed her liver was huge, I am awaiting pm report.

 

[luv2ridesaddleseat]

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Rabbitsfizz. That just stinks.

Joyce

 

[Miniv]

I am so very sorry, Jane.

Thank you for sharing the hardship. Hopefully you will find out what the actual cause was.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Oh Jane, I am so very very sorry. I know how you love each one of them.

 

[Marty]

OH Fizzy I am soooooooo sorry

 

[AnnaC]

So sorry to hear the sad news. Hopefully you will find some 'reasons' from the pm? How is your mare taking the loss of her foal?

RIP little one.

Anna

 

[HGFarm]

Oh Rabbitz, so sorry to hear you had to make that decision. I was hoping for some better news here today. It will be a learning experience for us all though if you feel like sharing what you find out on her condition she had.

Hugs to you, and I hope they sell you YOUR liver back since she was there just a short time. It is never easy to lose one, no matter the age or reason. Again, so sorry Jane that she was not improving!!

 

[Carolyn R]

Jane, I am sorry it turned out this way. It never gets any easier when things play out like this.

 

[REO]

{{{{Jane}}}} I'm so sorry!

 

[LittleRibbie]

Oh Im so sorry to hear about your little one. It just seems so unfair. Hugs to you,

heidi