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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
   
Location: Nowhere Special | Has anyone ever heard of "panic attacks" in horses? Cause this is a new one to me
I shipped my mare to Tx to the trainer this week. She arrived tuesday night. She has been there 3 days and I got a panicked call from my trainer last night that "something" was seriously wrong with her and he has never seen a horse do this. He immedietly called the vet.
They swam her Wed, rode her lightly Thur and Fri. She is very green so he is basically starting from ground zero. Said he rode her about 30 mins yesterday, she was a little froggy at first but settled in and they ended on a good note, had the barn help hose her off and put her on the walker, then stand tied. (she HATES standing tied and will dig a hole to china) after she dried put her up, she drank, gave her feed and went to the house. Came back out 3 hours later to check on the barn and she was "wobbly" like her legs were giving out on her, her balance was way off, staggering,she was acting agressive, tossing her head, after they halter her she started striking at the lead rope and halter, dripping sweat and had not ate her feed.. I could hear the panic in my trainers voice. I have really high hopes for this mare so I am just sick sitting a 1000 miles away fearing the worst, waiting for the vet to get there and a phone call back.
Vet comes sedates her after they have to wrestle her into a corner to get her sedated (this mare is a huge pet, this is not like her at all, she has never been aggressive a day in her life, shes easy to vaccinate, worm, she catches you without a halter) As soon as the sedation kicks in she immedietly returns to normal,, sweating stops, shes steady, walking good, regains all her strength, she becomes her lovey dovey self, and starts eating her feed, absolutley no problems at all).. They checked for colic, pinched, nerves, anything out anywhere, anything pulled, muscle sorness, and are pulling blood and going to go over her again this morning. Vet said nothing wrong with her she had a panic attack would be his best guess.
What in the heck is going on here?? Has anyone had this happen? Its like she had a phsycotic break or the worst melt down tantrum ever seen.. She is spoiled, and has not really had to be a "real horse" till now.She is impatient and does not like being stalled, but has been in the past, she just hates it. This mare is very, very, very, smart, but she also sometimes uses that in the worst ways. It is not something new for her to "hunger" strike till she gets her way (out of the stall) but she has never had a melt down before like this.. Usually just stall walking, and pawing the stall door.
I sent her for 60 days initial training and the kid just royaly screwed me, starved her and put 10 rides on her returning her to me with bit sores, and girth scald because he just rode the crap out of her the day before I picked her up.. After getting weight back on her I sent her to a lady I have used in the past and she rode her in the feedlot for 30 days had absolutley no issues whatsoever and she was riding good when she came home.. I have rode her a few times since then, no problems a lot of times I saddle her in the round pen and don't even have a halter on her. (trainer said every time they saddle her she washes out with sweat before they even get her fully saddled) I'm sure a big trip to tx and a new barn, new people, and actually having to work for a living is stressful but this is not the first time shes been to a trainer and away from home and she has a mental break so bad in three days that the trainer really thought she was dying? I'm just sick over this, have no idea what to think, what to do, where to start.. Any and all ideas would be greatly appreciated!!!
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I had one who was claustrophobic, could not haul by herself, had to last horse in and first out or she literally would rebound off the walls of the horse trailer.
I didn't have to use any medication just management.
With yours I have no advice but to speak with the vet on calming, relaxation medications for your horse.
I would also put the horse on ulcer medications immediately and not take her off till she is home |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | PSSM? I have no idea. |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | I agree with Cheryl, remove all grain with high starch content. What is the hay quality in front of her now?
Yes, I've had a horse have a panic attack. Many years ago, not pretty. I used pharmacology and horse sense with him. He was a two year old black stallion. Would have thought he was a H/J prospect not a colt about to be running down the track. He at first ran at me in the round pen then he tried running thru the panels of the round pen. Finally he jumped the panels. Very scared of human contact. He was unloaded into pasture by owners then herded into the working lots. Poor animal...
Since your horse was wobbly did they check her for a head injury? |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| EPM |
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | She is not on grain just hay and supplement. Alfalfa cubes and costal, fat supplement.
I don't think EPM we really don't have many cases of it here, and sedating her wouldn't bring her out of it like that.. I was wondering about tying up tho. But that should show up in a blood test. Pssm I would have thought would have shown up way before this but I think they have a dna test for it now and I'll c if they will test for that.
I told him to turn her out in the pen with the pony, sedate her lightly for a few days and give her some time to get use to things, they are also going to give her calming cookies before and after.. I wil get her on some ulcer prevenative ASAP good call |
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | As far as I know they checked her inside and out from the floor up. I thought she may have fractured her neck the way he was making it sound or had a stroke. But she was not out anywhere, no soreness, no swelling, not a scuff or mark on her.. They will check her again this morning. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| jetgetset - 2014-10-18 12:04 PM
She is not on grain just hay and supplement. Alfalfa cubes and costal, fat supplement.
I don't think EPM we really don't have many cases of it here, and sedating her wouldn't bring her out of it like that.. I was wondering about tying up tho. But that should show up in a blood test. Pssm I would have thought would have shown up way before this but I think they have a dna test for it now and I'll c if they will test for that.
I told him to turn her out in the pen with the pony, sedate her lightly for a few days and give her some time to get use to things, they are also going to give her calming cookies before and after.. I wil get her on some ulcer prevenative ASAP good call
Tying up the horse will have elevated ck levels
I would bypass the ulcer preventative, and go straight to the omeprazole, as what you described, this horse already has ulcers, if she is washing out as soon as saddled, this is a big sign |
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | How long does it take to develop an ulcer? If she got ulcers from standing in the pasture eating for the past 2 years doing absolutley nothing else I may as well give up now and not even bother with her.
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| jetgetset - 2014-10-18 7:29 PM
How long does it take to develop an ulcer? If she got ulcers from standing in the pasture eating for the past 2 years doing absolutley nothing else I may as well give up now and not even bother with her.
I was told 3 days it takes to form an ulcer.
I have also been told by vets most performance horses have ulcers, it all depends if they affect them.
I had one horse had no symptoms of ulcers, one day she didn't look good, hauled her to local vet normal on vs, normal on bloodwork, normal on palpation, hauled her to another vet, he agreed she looked sick didn't know what. 2 days later I get a call saying she has a rectal bleed and is bleeding out.
I find my worrier horses tend to get ulcers faster, or at all versus my big ego horses.
My suggestion treat for 30 days with omeprazole, I have great success with ulcer cure OTC, it costs 150 for the first month. Then I would keep her on the maintenance dose and it is 150 for two months.
Douglas R Gordan on this forum is the distributer, I suggest speaking with him.
Also horses can get ulcers in pasture as well especially if they have no forage, the slow feeding hay nets, bale covers will be beneficial for these horses and will prevent wastage and mess.
Ulcers are not a death sentence easy to maintain, and reasonably priced if you look around. |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | I thought ulcers could form in a matter of hours. Like 12 or 13 hours of stress. I hope you keep us posted on this, I would like to hear how the rest of the training goes.
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Location: Kentucky | My first thoughts on this...... She spends 60 days at a trainer (male) with a horrible experience.... 30 days to trainer (female) good experience. Comes back home to you and life is good. Now to another male trainer and she is panicked. Does she have trust issues with men after her first not very good experience at a trainers ? Just a thought curious to see how this works out for you  |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | I would bet she has ulcers from the stress of leaving home and going to a new place, surrounded by new horses and a new daily routine. Have her scoped to see. |
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Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | cheryl makofka - 2014-10-18 7:48 PM jetgetset - 2014-10-18 7:29 PM How long does it take to develop an ulcer? If she got ulcers from standing in the pasture eating for the past 2 years doing absolutley nothing else I may as well give up now and not even bother with her.
I was told 3 days it takes to form an ulcer. I have also been told by vets most performance horses have ulcers, it all depends if they affect them. I had one horse had no symptoms of ulcers, one day she didn't look good, hauled her to local vet normal on vs, normal on bloodwork, normal on palpation, hauled her to another vet, he agreed she looked sick didn't know what. 2 days later I get a call saying she has a rectal bleed and is bleeding out. I find my worrier horses tend to get ulcers faster, or at all versus my big ego horses. My suggestion treat for 30 days with omeprazole, I have great success with ulcer cure OTC, it costs 150 for the first month. Then I would keep her on the maintenance dose and it is 150 for two months. Douglas R Gordan on this forum is the distributer, I suggest speaking with him. Also horses can get ulcers in pasture as well especially if they have no forage, the slow feeding hay nets, bale covers will be beneficial for these horses and will prevent wastage and mess. Ulcers are not a death sentence easy to maintain, and reasonably priced if you look around.
Edited by ACEINTHEHOLE 2014-10-20 1:41 PM
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | Thanks for all the info.. I'll look into the ulcer meds. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| Just get some compunded omeprizole. Give it her leave her along for a couple days. Make sure that they few low starch, and plenty of hay. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | pinky pie - 2014-10-20 1:19 PM
My first thoughts on this...... She spends 60 days at a trainer (male ) with a horrible experience.... 30 days to trainer (female ) good experience. Comes back home to you and life is good. Now to another male trainer and she is panicked. Does she have trust issues with men after her first not very good experience at a trainers ? Just a thought curious to see how this works out for you
I was wondering about this as well |
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | Honestly I don't know. She has always been handled by women here the only man shes been around besides the trainer is the blacksmith, she does not seem to have a problem with him when I am there to hold her, if my mom holds her she acts like a pig with no manners.. But shes not at all nervous just trying to get away with bad manners. My trainer is a good guy I rode with him for 6 months know his routine, training methods and horse handling so even if shes afraid of men she should get over that with him.. This mare is a LOVER she gives hugs (yes I know it sounds crazy) she always has and I did forewarn the trainer about this and tell him she is by no means to be punished for it (afterall who does not like getting a big harry hug from a horse) LOL and he even said after she was sedated she was her same old "lovey dovey self all up in your sh?OT" so she evidently likes him enough to hug him too.. LOL |
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Expert
Posts: 1611
| Animals have panic attacks just like ppl....
I dunno y ppl think animals don't have the same mental conditions that ppl get because they DO |
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 If it Ain't a Paint it Ain't!
Posts: 8519
Location: Mansfield, Tx | Just wondering how your mare has been doing? |
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I am a Freak
Posts: 3326
Location: Nowhere Special | So far so good. I talked with him yesterday and he said shes been fine ever since. They gave her a few days off and will pick up where they left off today. Explaining all of this to the insurance company has been interesting to say the least.. LOL |
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If it Ain't a Paint it Ain't!
Posts: 8519
Location: Mansfield, Tx | LOL, I'm intrested to see if she just needed a few days to settle or if she does it again... |
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Panic Attacks in horses?? For Real??????