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 Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
  
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | There is something wrong with my mom's mare, and I'm just throwing it out there to see if anyone has any ideas that we haven't thought of.
Mom has a big pretty pleasure mare that she has been working at getting bred via AI, and she was supposed to drop her off at the vet Sunday evening. She had her at a little fun show on Saturday and rode her in 3 or 4 classes, never rode her hard at any point. Sunday when she goes to load her up to head for the vet's clinic, the mare can hardly move. Stiff and locked up, especially in her hind end. Mom gives her IV Banamine and got her walked out of it. So thinking she'd just tied up a little, or possibly rolled and bumped something in the stall, she loads her up and takes her over. Left her in the shed row stalls at the vets office, and worried a little because it was a cold, windy night and the mare is shed off, but she had shelter.
Mom calls me last night, and they didn't get her bred yesterday (when her follicle was supposed to be ready) because she could barely walk. Vet's office gave her banamine and dex with little response. They did a full blood panel on her and she is normal across the board. No fever, no signs of any injury, eating & drinking, white cell count is normal. Vet isn't sure at this point. They've ruled out EHV-1 due to no fever and normal white count. They aren't suspecting West Nile at this point, but maybe EPM. I told my mom that she needs to insist on an IFAT test, and now. They can try to treat the neurological symptoms and get her comfortable until they know.
I'm very leery at the moment because I have this mare's half sister, who DID have EPM and has been treated successfully, but my mom's mare is at the vet that completely missed it because he "doesn't believe in it". They were in the same barn (mine) at the time that I suspect my mare may have gotten it, but granted, that was almost 4 years ago now. The vet is at least acknowledging it as a possibility right now, and probably the most likely at the moment. But, he also told her it wasn't WN because we didn't have mosquitos out yet. That's a load of crap because I've been seeing mosquitos for 3 weeks. I really want my mom to take her to my vet, but she is closed today and tomorrow. So I'm checking here to see if there are any other ideas that I'm missing. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| I would be drawing a ck to see if it was tying up. |
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Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | cheryl makofka - 2014-04-15 10:07 AM
I would be drawing a ck to see if it was tying up.
I will double check with Mom, but I believe she told me that's one of the first things they did, and have ruled that out. |
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 Super PIckle
Location: Where ever | Since tying up should have been covered in the blood work my guess would be EPM! They can have it for years an stress can rear it's ugly head. |
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Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | Mom's report this morning is that the mare is still up and bright-eyed, but worse movement-wise. Vet is supposed to call her again this afternoon. Mom says they discussed a lot of testing this morning.
Mom is at work, so that's pretty much the only info I've gotten so far. |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| PSSM would be my guess. They have to do a muscle biopsy for a definite Diagnosis. What feed and hay is she feeding ? |
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 1D Lawn Mower
Posts: 1417
Location: Southeast, Texas | I would definitely have her tested for PSSM. And, think strongly about having the results before she breeds her.
Keep us posted! |
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Common Sense and then some
Location: So. California | What were her AST and CK levels? Knowing those would rule in or out tying up.
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Hummer's Hero
Posts: 3071
Location: Smack Dab in the Middle | I haven't personally see any of her test results, but my mom said the vet has told her that "all her tests have come back completely normal" with nothing indicating PSSM or even non-genetic tying up thus far, and he's stumped. They are currently planning on treating her with Oroquin 10 to see if she responds. Mean while they are treating the neurological symptoms with anti-inflammatories, dex, tetracycline, and IV DMSO. She continues to be bright eyed and alert, friendly and even interested in a stud that was being collected (remember she's in heat) within her sight line. Just walking like a drunk, showing no improvements.
I'm going to have my chiro look at her when she gets back at the end of the week, and she will be starting the EPM drugs about then. I'm encouraging my mom to do the muscle biopsy if she doesn't improve on the EPM treatment and no physical problems are found by the chiro/vet.
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | If PSSM was the issue you would have elevated muscle enzymes just like a minor episode of tying up. I think you are on the right track treating for EPM. |
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