Anyone had this with a horse? How invasive to treat? Cost expectation?
polyps in esophagus
- Thread starter Marsha Cassada
- Start date
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It is my sister's horse. She called around today and found an equine hospital 3 hours away. Appt next Monday. Scope is $180 and if anything is found they can likely do the surgical procedure right then. If not, the next day. So, he might have to stay overnight, but hopefully not. Hope it is something simple, like a polyp. He is 20 years old, so it if is something serious, she will have to rethink it. Local vet says his heart and lungs are good.
I am going with her. I enjoy learning about horse stuff. I have never been to this particular equine place; it has an excellent reputation.
I am going with her. I enjoy learning about horse stuff. I have never been to this particular equine place; it has an excellent reputation.
I can't answer your questions, but I hope you let us know how it turns out. What where the horses symptoms? Hope he/she will be OK. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a good report!
Debby - LB
Admin / Mod
No that's one thing I've not had any experience with but will be interested in knowing the course of treatment.
I will post when we find out more.
Just checking in to see how things went. Hope all is OK.
It is tomorrow. I'll let you know. It's 146 miles to the equine center. Long day for the little horse and also the humans. Hoping there is minimal construction on the Interstate going through OKC.
The equine hospital was a great place. Lots of horses pulling up and friendly owners. Everyone spoke highly of the vets and the facility and were so happy to have it available. It was 146 miles, one way for us. We arrived early and they fit us in. Since it is a hot day, that was thoughtful of them. They offered an outdoor stall for John Henry, but he was content in the roomy trailer.
The vet came into the private exam room and said they were so excited to meet a pony named John Henry! Wasn't that thoughtful of him? He always referred to him by name, and never called him "the horse".
My sister told his symptoms. He has been slowing down, not walking out in harness, not wanting to trot, for about 8 months. The last 7 months he makes a sort of grunt sound when he is simply being led. The last time we went out to drive together, we had to cut the drive short after just a few blocks and she got out to lessen the weight and lead him home. He had a hard time making it home. She thought maybe it was arthritis slowing him down, or allergy affecting his breathing.
The vet said it could be a polyp or it could be a collapsed larynx. He said a collapsed larynx is only found in ponies. He's never seen a big horse with it. It is a "pony thing". Some dogs can have it. We had never heard of such a thing.
They put a twitch on John Henry, very quietly and carefully, and he stood like the stoic, well-mannered stallion he has always been. The scope went into the nostril. We watched everything on the monitor. He did the larynx first and then the esophagus.
It was not good news. It was not a polyp in the esophagus but a collapsed larynx. The scope revealed the larynx collapsed almost all the way, 80% collapsed. If the larynx had only been affected in the neck, doing exterior stents may have been an option. But not when the damage was down to the chest. (Interior stents are not available in equines yet; for some reason vets do not know, equines build up granulation around stents and they don't last very long.)
It is a progressive disease and they seem to think it is something hereditary. It is not reversible and they cannot predict how quickly it could progress. There is no medication for it, only a drug that dilates the capillaries in the lungs so they can use the limited air better. He did not recommend that for John Henry. He warned my sister that the larynx could totally collapse some day and she could find him thrashing in a panic because he could not breathe; unconscious; or even dead in his stall.
They discussed euthanasia and the vet said he suggests making a list of 3 things John Henry enjoys. If he stops enjoying any of those 3 things someday, then it might be time to consider that option. My sister thought about having to deprive him of food, the idea that the larynx might collapse when he was alone and she would find him thrashing in panic, or even coming out to find him dead. She decided not to bring him home.
Wacrapas John Henry was 20. He introduced small children to the wonderful world of horses by visits to school, the Fair, and giving cart rides. Children in his neighborhood called him by name when he went down the street in harness. He was a good, kind boy and never gave a speck of trouble, until this.
I'm attaching the comments and recommendations for care in case anyone else thinks he might have this problem with his horse.
scope bill.bmp
The vet came into the private exam room and said they were so excited to meet a pony named John Henry! Wasn't that thoughtful of him? He always referred to him by name, and never called him "the horse".
My sister told his symptoms. He has been slowing down, not walking out in harness, not wanting to trot, for about 8 months. The last 7 months he makes a sort of grunt sound when he is simply being led. The last time we went out to drive together, we had to cut the drive short after just a few blocks and she got out to lessen the weight and lead him home. He had a hard time making it home. She thought maybe it was arthritis slowing him down, or allergy affecting his breathing.
The vet said it could be a polyp or it could be a collapsed larynx. He said a collapsed larynx is only found in ponies. He's never seen a big horse with it. It is a "pony thing". Some dogs can have it. We had never heard of such a thing.
They put a twitch on John Henry, very quietly and carefully, and he stood like the stoic, well-mannered stallion he has always been. The scope went into the nostril. We watched everything on the monitor. He did the larynx first and then the esophagus.
It was not good news. It was not a polyp in the esophagus but a collapsed larynx. The scope revealed the larynx collapsed almost all the way, 80% collapsed. If the larynx had only been affected in the neck, doing exterior stents may have been an option. But not when the damage was down to the chest. (Interior stents are not available in equines yet; for some reason vets do not know, equines build up granulation around stents and they don't last very long.)
It is a progressive disease and they seem to think it is something hereditary. It is not reversible and they cannot predict how quickly it could progress. There is no medication for it, only a drug that dilates the capillaries in the lungs so they can use the limited air better. He did not recommend that for John Henry. He warned my sister that the larynx could totally collapse some day and she could find him thrashing in a panic because he could not breathe; unconscious; or even dead in his stall.
They discussed euthanasia and the vet said he suggests making a list of 3 things John Henry enjoys. If he stops enjoying any of those 3 things someday, then it might be time to consider that option. My sister thought about having to deprive him of food, the idea that the larynx might collapse when he was alone and she would find him thrashing in panic, or even coming out to find him dead. She decided not to bring him home.
Wacrapas John Henry was 20. He introduced small children to the wonderful world of horses by visits to school, the Fair, and giving cart rides. Children in his neighborhood called him by name when he went down the street in harness. He was a good, kind boy and never gave a speck of trouble, until this.
I'm attaching the comments and recommendations for care in case anyone else thinks he might have this problem with his horse.
scope bill.bmp
chandab
Well-Known Member
So sorry for your loss and hers.
Thank you so much for sharing his story.
Thank you so much for sharing his story.
It is W a s h i t a s John Henry. The censor doesn't allow the other spelling. Sorry, John Henry.
Oh Marsha, I am so sorry to hear this. Condolences to both you and your sister. It must of been a long ride home without him. This is the hardest part of owning horses.
He sounded like a lovely little fellow.
Godspeed John Henry.
He sounded like a lovely little fellow.
Godspeed John Henry.
Reignmaker Miniatures
Well-Known Member
I have been following this thread from the beginning and when I read your description of the visit to the equine hospital on my phone I had to come to my laptop and post my condolences. I am deeply saddened for your sister who had to make that final loving decision not to let her lovely boy suffer or be afraid at the end. Cyber hugs to her and to you as well. As Chanda says, thank you for sharing this story. And thanks to for the little chuckle around that big lump in my throat about the name and how the auto censor choose to change it.
Ryan Johnson
Well-Known Member
Im sorry to read this , please give my best wishes and cyber hugs to your sister.
Ryan
Ryan
amysue
Well-Known Member
I am so very sorry for your loss. I am sure that was very hard for the two of you. Thank you for sharing your story.
Debby - LB
Admin / Mod
This is so sad...I am so very sorry to read this. Thank you God for providing a good experience in this terrible situation. Warms my heart to hear y'all were blessed with a warm, caring Veterinarian. My condolences to your sister Marsha, I know it was incredibly hard being strong enough to give her John Henry his life, and dignity in death, this is a tremendous act of love. {{{{ BIG HUGS }}}}
I was reviewing some Forum topics and see that I posted two other times about this condition. I don't think the final diagnoses was one that anyone would have suspected. The local vet who sent her to the equine hospital may have had an inkling, but without scoping no one would have known for sure. If she had found him lifeless in his stall, it would have been a mystery.
Thanks for all the kind thoughts. She plans to get another miniature pretty soon. That's good, because she is my only driving buddy here.
Thanks for all the kind thoughts. She plans to get another miniature pretty soon. That's good, because she is my only driving buddy here.
I got to thinking about this and decided to call the vet at the equine hospital this morning with my question. Since the collapsed larynx happens mostly in ponies/miniatures, I wondered if it were caused by or exacerbated by overweight. It seems more common for little horses to be overweight. The vet said the overweight ones had a harder time dealing with it, but weight condition does not cause it.
