Please pray for my 2008 filly not doing so good

[ontherisefarm]

Thanks for the info Getita.. I would never have known what it was....

 

[Reble]

yes, just was reading the same site. do not see anything about inbred?

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livest...acts/90-056.htm

Just wanted to ad, glad your filly is doing OK

 

[Genie]

I'm so sorry to hear about your foal . I am somewhat puzzled as to why your vet seems to think that this condition is somehow related to foals that are closely bred.
The following is pretty common knowledge regarding the diagnosis of Rhodocuccus equi and may be of help.

Rhodococcus equi, (previously known as Corynebacterium equi) causes a persistent bacterial pneumonia in foals, and may become established as an endemic disease on some breeding farms. It may result in considerable losses through costs of diagnosis and treatment, and in some cases, through death. A better understanding of the disease may reduce its significance. There appears to be an increase in the importance of this bacterial disease, with the increased concentration of foals on a smaller number of breeding farms.

A recent survey at the Ontario Veterinary College showed that Rhodococcus equi infection accounted for 10% of all foals sent for post mortem examination and 45% of all foals with pneumonia. These numbers, however, may not reflect the true incidence of the disease in Ontario. While the infection does not seem to be a problem on many breeding farms, on farms with endemic disease, all the foals may become sufficiently ill to require treatment.

Ecology of the Organism

Rhodococcus equi is a robust soil organism widespread in the environment. It has simple nutritional requirements, which are perfectly met by materials in the manure of animals, whether from horses, cattle, pigs, or even chickens. The organism will potentially multiply wherever there is horse manure. Temperature also plays a major role in the growth of Rhodococcus equi, with optimum growth at 30ºC. In Ontario’s hot summer of 1988, death of foals was not restricted to those born to mares on breeding farms, under ideal temperatures, one organism may multiply 10,000 times in a few days in an area contaminated by horse manure.

There seems to be a direct relationship between the number of Rhodococcus equi in the environment of young foals and the number of cases of pneumonia. Because the organism reaches the lung by inhalation, dusty manure-contaminated environments (such as are commonly found in loafing paddocks on horse breeding farms in the summer) are potentially lethal sources of infection. The equivalent of one tablespoon of dusty soil kicked up by a mare, perhaps into the face of her sleeping foal, can contain a million of these bacteria. To prevent Rhodococcus equi infections, foals should thus ideally be born in January (when the organism remains frozen in the ground).

Rhodococcus equi can also multiply to dangerous levels in the intestine of a young foal. Foals establish a normal intestinal flora of bacteria from birth to 12 weeks. In this period, they seem to be susceptible to being infected by abnormally high levels of Rhodococcus equi. Levels of up to 10,000 organisms per gram of manure are sometimes shed from infected foals. After 12 weeks, the bacteria rapidly decline in number and no longer multiply in the intestine. The ability of the organism to multiply in foals, but not in adult horses is likely another reason why horse breeding farms may become progressively infected with Rhodococcus equi. Any of the bacteria then found in the intestine result from acquisition of grass.

These facts help to explain why some farms become heavily infected with the bacteria and develop problems each year with foal pneumonia. Little is known about the susceptibility of this robust organism to disinfectants. However, because many horse breeding farms do not use concrete, disinfection procedures are often difficult to carry out in the stalls and impossible in the loafing paddocks. In the areas where the foals are kept, regular disposal of manure and dust control have proven effective in reducing the levels of bacteria.

..

That is great information......................our ground here in Ontario is frozen for 6 months so that gives us a big window for foals to be born...l.o.l.

but seriously, thank you for the info, really good stuff to know.

 

[Taylor Jo]

Shana, I'm so thrilled to hear she's better and there's medication to make her better. Ya Hoo!!!!

Hope she does well and gets back on her feet real soon. And yes thanks Getita I never knew about it before, very interesting. TJ

 

[SHANA]

Yes I am glad too. I really didn't want to have to make a decision on putting her down but my vet said her heart rate had gone down quite a bit since yesterday and said it would be expensive as she has to be doctored for a month. I also wish to thank Gini and CMHR for their money donation for some of Frostys' medical expenses. Frosty really appreciates it as do I. THANK YOU.

 

[Gini]

Shana and all I want to explain something. This was my personal check to Shana donated by me in CMHR's name. I am sorry if I have confused anyone with my donation. I did not want to see this filly not make if for financial reasons. If there are any questions about this please contact me. at

[email protected]. Again, this was my personal way of helping and doing it and in CMHR's name period!

 

[Sharron]

Shana

Check with your vet on a product called Azithromycin (sp) compound paste. We have had great results with it for pneumonia, and rodococcus...one tube 60cc treats a foal for 12 or more days, plus you have the benefit of an additional 12 working time frame after the last dose. Erythromycin and Rifampin, can have a devastating effect on the babies system, with projectile diaherrea, that is very hard to control...the Azith has been much better in treating the Rhodoccous, and pneumonia...have your vet do some research on it....

Sharron

 

[White Socks Miniature]

I too really like Azithromycin (aka Zithromax). It is great stuff!

 

[SHANA]

Ok I'll ask my vet but he has used the other 2 with good results he said.

Thank you Gini again for helping Frosty. I really do appreciate it. She ate half her grain again tonight, drank water and was eating her hay when I left the barn. My hubby gave her her shot as I hate giving needles. She is in a stall by herself so I can monitor what she eats, drinks and how she is pooing and peeing. She whinnies at me when I go near her stall.

 

[mizbeth]

Hi

Glad to hear your filly is doing better! Please take Sharrons advise and look into another type of drug for your little mare. A lot of medicines that are good for big horses are not appropriate for the little ones as the side effects can be lethal when used. I know that using some antibiotics for a period of time can cause ulcers, as does Bute and some other types of drugs affect the liver and kidneys. Our little guys are much more sensitive than the big horses to medicines.

I will continue to pray for her.

Beth

 

[SHANA]

Well she is doing better this morning. Her grain dish was clean from yesterday as I left it in her stall to eat when she wanted. She again ate half her grain and was munching on hay when I left the barn. She also is not as sunk in but has lost weight due to this. Poor girl. I have her on soaked beet pulp and Omolene 200 which is what she was getting before she got sick. Not sure if I should be giving her something else like equine juvenile.

 

[Candice]

Shana, I'm so happy to hear that she is doing better. I hope her road to recovery is a short one.

Getitia, Thankyou for that wonderful explanation. This is not a disease that I am familiar with (never heard of before).

 

[SHANA]

I had never heard of it before either so it is also new to me. I am just glad that she seems to be doing better.

 

[Cathy_H]

Sending best wishes that she is back to normal soon. Nice of Getitia to share that info. Best of luck for full recovery & soon!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Getitia, very concise and understandable, Thanks!

Just to clarify, I would love to know where your Vet found this information, as it does not appear in any published journal, maybe he just made it up on the spot, because, I have to say, that is what it sounds like to me.

Vets hate not to be able to give you an answer as to why an animal is sick, well, some Vets do.

I lost a foal a few years back to this, and nursed three others through it, the Vet did warn me that it was likely the others would come down with it.

My animals are heavily line and in-bred, and I am more than happy with their breeding.

At NO time did my Vet (from the Royal Veterinary College, here) say anything about it being linked to that, in fact he was surprised and upset that we did not manage to save the very young one, even though he was a (gasp) father to daughter breeding!

That is about as close as you can get and there was not a mention of this, so I think we can just forget that one!!

I am so glad your baby is on the mend, once they start to get better they tend to keep going and you seem to have the nursing more than in hand, well done, though, for noticing it so quickly and getting a Vet out promptly, time is of the essence in these cases, and I have to also say well done to your Vet for actually starting to treat, very sensibly, before he knew what he was dealing with, it probably saved her life.

Make sure she stays warm and happy, I would get her a companion if you can, and just let her do what she wants.

Mine went out fairly quickly, but this was summer and the weather was more than warm (which we suspect is what started it all off) so obviously you will have to play that one by ear.

I hope this is the start of her recovery, please, keep us posted on this, we do worry about peoples babies, even when we have some of our own.

 

[shelly]

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your filly!!!!!!

ray

:love :love

 

[Taylor Jo]

I agree with rabbitfizz you and your vet acted VERY quickly and probably saved her life and for that you should be VERY proud of yourself. Not everyone would have taken such swift action. Give your self a pat on the back and I'm so happy she's doing better. TJ

 

[SHANA]

Well Frosty is doing much better this morning. She was pawing when eating her grain which she use to do before she got sick. Also she was still eating grain when I left the barn and the past day she would only eat half then would be eating hay. So that to me is a good sign, means she is feeling better. She still is a little sunk in but not as bad as thursday and is no longer breathing heavily or have a rapid heart beat.

I do have 4 other weanlings and my vet checked them and they are all fine. He said I could leave one in with her as a companion if I wanted but I figure she needs her grain more than a companion at the moment. She can't get any warmer than our barn. It is so warm in there. She seems to be content by herself right now. I am just glad she is feeling better. As for my vet he says he sees it more often in foals that are inbred.

 

[SHANA]

Most of my weanlings are 6 months or older, Frosty is only 5 months old. I am just glad it is something fixable. My vet said a week before her pills are done to have him come do a blood test to see if it is out of her system or if we will have to continue her treatment for longer.

 

[Taylor Jo]

[

My vet told me that many people do not continue the treatment long enough, as the syptoms go away, but the "bug" is still there--almost like have Tuberculosis--it takes a long time to clear out of the system.

I agree, having been a nurse in the past it's important to finish the medication that I'm sure you know to do that. The meds need to kill the bacteria and just cause the horse is feeling better it doesn't mean she's well. Which, I'm sure your vet and you are also very aware of. I'm just so thankful that she's on the road to recovery and she'll get better and better. Thanks for being such a good mommy. I like it when people take such good care of their animals. ((((Hugs)))) Maybe you can breath just a "little" easier now. TJ