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 Peecans
    
| I did not want to steel the other lady's thread of the spoke mare but had some questions.
There was a comment that sudden spookie Ness is a sign of EPM.
My great mare really has me scratching my head. She was down in southern alberta last winter she came home Feb and has been really wired since. To the point if accused who had her of abusing her (even though I truly know that would NEVER happen unless sombody else took her on his days off)
Any way shes a sensitive mare but shes been extra senstive, hot (and she used to be miss mellow) wired with new places (so not her) and scared of ropes (shes a finished heel horse and top notch ranch horse) and if any thing touches her back end she freaks to the point of throwing her self down her fit is so bad she loses her footing.
Im getting to the point I don't enjoy riding her anymore and she used to be the one we all had a fist fight over to get for a day of work. Im at a loss and really upset.
Is EMP something I should look into? Ive never had anything to do with it or heard of it around here, I dont even know if its got only certen places it effects.
Anybody have any thoughts?
Edited by della 2014-08-15 9:32 PM
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  Queen Boobie 2
Posts: 7521
| If I were you, I would look into EPM. A good friend had a been there, done that gelding who was old faithful. He suddenly got nuts about anything coming up on his right side. He would freak out and take off in a frenzied scared to death bucking fit.
He had EPM and it affected his eyesight. She treated him 2x I think, and he got much better. Probably returned to 95% of his former self. | |
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Peecans
| What does the testing involve? | |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| Every horse has EPM. The ones with a low immune systems are the ones effected because the Protozoa is able to break the blood membrane barrier. I would treat her. Silver Lining Herbs has a great EPM protocol.
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Queen Boobie 2
Posts: 7521
| http://www.epmhorse.org
read on this site. You can send a blood sample to a place in Florida that is doing a lot of work with EPM. I know 3 people who have used this place and their treatment successfully | |
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 Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | Www.pathogenes.com for testing and treatment. They will suggest meds with test results if needed. | |
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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | Spookiness was definitely a symptom in my mare's EPM. She has always sensitive and reactive, but she got stupid reactive and spooky, like dangerous spooky at nothing. I could not ride her around other horses because she'd panic and run sideways, and spook constantly. She also started randomly and violently pulling back. She'd done it as a young horse, so it took me a long time to make the connection. After treatment she is back to her normal self. If she spooks or (very rarely) pulls back, there is an obvious cause. It's not random now.
Another symptom in my mare was ridiculous marish ness. She was down right embarrassing, and never seemed to not be in heat. | |
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Peecans
| RockinGR - 2014-08-15 10:00 PM
Spookiness was definitely a symptom in my mare's EPM. She has always sensitive and reactive, but she got stupid reactive and spooky, like dangerous spooky at nothing. I could not ride her around other horses because she'd panic and run sideways, and spook constantly. She also started randomly and violently pulling back. She'd done it as a young horse, so it took me a long time to make the connection. After treatment she is back to her normal self. If she spooks or (very rarely) pulls back, there is an obvious cause. It's not random now.
Another symptom in my mare was ridiculous marish ness. She was down right embarrassing, and never seemed to not be in heat.
She pulled back too, for no reason I went to pet her and she just went stupid.
I am just at such a loss :'( Shes just really not her self and until I read that post tonight I have been stuck tryin to figure out what happned handling wise and how to fix it andngetting know where.
But we dont have opossum? Or buy hay (but the hay is bought from ??When she was down south)
I guess I should go have a visit with my vet and see what he thinks.
Edited by della 2014-08-15 11:24 PM
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 Goat Giver
Posts: 23166
| If you treat her, use traditional meds. They are proven to work, unlike herbs. | |
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| I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak. | |
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Peecans
| kmcsunshine - 2014-08-17 8:52 AM
If you treat her, use traditional meds. They are proven to work, unlike herbs.
If I do end up treating her it will be under the advice of my vet. I really dont know enfough about this and herbs in general to just go ahead and start giving her stuff.
Honistly some of the herb products scare me, can this react with that? And so on so I just dont use them lol.
Not saying a person shouldent im just not comftrotable is all | |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM
I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak.
The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO | |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | dianeguinn - 2014-08-17 2:20 PM
achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM
I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak.
The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy ), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive ), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO
I'm hoping to get blood pulled on my 3yr old gelding. He has slight muscle atrophy around his hind end, started to buck which was out of his character and dragging his hind toes. he also has a minor subluxed front pastern and from what I am told that could be what through his back out of whack. Either way, it is one less thing to worry about if I test. He was off to a trainer hoping to fix the bucking and he said he didn't ride like he did when he first had him, still wanted to buck and just acted kind of unbroke in the face etc. Part of me hopes it is EPM so I can begin to treat and know what I am dealing with...the other part hopes not as it is such a serious thing. If it is EPM, I hope I caught it fast enough. He shows no lameness and very minor muscle weakness in his hind end when the tail pull is done while he walks. | |
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | dianeguinn - 2014-08-17 3:20 PM achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak. The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy ), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive ), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO
How high do the numbers have to be for your vet to treat a horse for EPM? | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 975
Location: The barn...where else? SW Missouri | Barnmom - 2014-08-17 6:25 PM dianeguinn - 2014-08-17 3:20 PM achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak. The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy ), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive ), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO
My mare was 16 8 16 and pathogenes and my vet recommended treatment using origin 10. I finished the meds last Saturday and I can already see a difference in her. She was lethargic and sleepy acting which is not like her at all and was losing her topline like crazy. She was not showing any lameness issues. I am going to retest her to make sure her numbers are down. I was so excited to see her running and bucking this morning | |
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Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | Barnmom - 2014-08-17 6:25 PM
dianeguinn - 2014-08-17 3:20 PM achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak. The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy ), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive ), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO
My mare was 64 on all Pathogenes titers. She showed none of the classical neuro signs and my vet also thought that it was not EPM - I insisted on the test... | |
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Texas Taco
Posts: 7499
Location: Bandera, TX | Barnmom - 2014-08-17 6:25 PM
dianeguinn - 2014-08-17 3:20 PM achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak. The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy ), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive ), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO
My mare was 64 on all Pathogenes titers. She showed none of the classical neuro signs and my vet also thought that it was not EPM - I insisted on the test... | |
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Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | GoMistyGo - 2014-08-17 7:26 PM
Barnmom - 2014-08-17 6:25 PM
dianeguinn - 2014-08-17 3:20 PM achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak. The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy ), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive ), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO
My mare was 64 on all Pathogenes titers. She showed none of the classical neuro signs and my vet also thought that it was not EPM - I insisted on the test...
Anything over 4 is a positive. | |
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Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | dianeguinn - 2014-08-18 9:21 AM GoMistyGo - 2014-08-17 7:26 PM Barnmom - 2014-08-17 6:25 PM dianeguinn - 2014-08-17 3:20 PM achildres - 2014-08-17 10:57 AM I would get a simple neuro test done. Where they check balance and whatnot. I didn't have any bloodwork done on my mare, she just showed signs, and we treated her for EPM for two weeks and noticed she improved, continued treatment and she is now fine. She was never spooky though, just very off balance and weak. The symptoms of EPM are varied, depending on where the protozoa attacks the body. The blood test from Pathogenes.com is only $65, and they are on the cutting edge of EPM treatment. Personally, I have found that by the time the horse gets off balance or weak and shows visible symptoms, there's already been a lot of damage done and a has a bigger chance of relapse and/or never recovering to 100%. I had one that was showing no obvious symptoms other than he wasn't wanting to turn his first barrel as tight as normal, and his ears drooped....he always looked bored or asleep. I just thought that was just him. The vet didn't think he had EPM, but I insisted on the test because I wanted to rule it out before treating anything else. Guess what? He came back with some of the highest numbers they had ever seen. He's now on his second round of medicine and his ears no longer droop, so I'm assuming the protozoa was around his poll area and not his back end, so his gait abnormalities were nil to none. Had I waited for more obvious signs (such as muscle atrophy ), he would have a lot more damage I think. Even if your vet doesn't think she has it, I would go ahead and test. The sooner you treat (if they're positive ), the sooner she'll be back to her old self. JMO My mare was 64 on all Pathogenes titers. She showed none of the classical neuro signs and my vet also thought that it was not EPM - I insisted on the test... Anything over 4 is a positive.
Good to know, Thanks! | |
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EPM ...... or other thoughts