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 Ima Cool Kid
Posts: 3496
   
Location: TN | Glad to see how well Dan is doing!!!!! He looks fantastic |
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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia |
Just wanted to update you all about Dan...
Unfortunately we seem to have reached a plateau. We have now given the Excede shot a total of 6 times and at $110 a pop, its starting to get real old. The results do not differ from week to week. Nor does the blood work. There is still some swelling remaining. It comes a goes. Some days I rub his belly and think to myself "Hey no swelling today, that's great!" Then the next day he will be puffy again. This has been going on for 4 weeks. Honestly I feel as if they shot is just keeping whatever it is at bay. We keep asking the vet what we can do to try to hit it from another angle and she just insists we keep giving the shot every 7 days. At what point do you say enough is enough? Yesterday she pulled blood to test for Cushings. She thinks he could have it with his poor topline and it could explain his weakened immune response. Hopefully we will have the results by Friday. A few weeks ago we tested him for strangles/pigeon fever and something else that I cant remember....but all those results came back normal. At this point we are considering reaching out to a different vet.
I see this from time to time on social media and cant help but relate....
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting differently results."
What would you guys do at this point?
Edited by Runninbay 2016-01-27 5:50 PM
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 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | I skimmed thru this so I apologize if I'm asking something that has been answered, have you done a fecal for bacteria? |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | We did a fecal for worms....but not specifically for bacteria. I have read through Cowboy's ordeal and at this point im considering anything. So glad he is doing better by the way!
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Runninbay - 2016-01-27 5:47 PM
Just wanted to update you all about Dan...
Unfortunately we seem to have reached a plateau. We have now given the Excede shot a total of 6 times and at $110 a pop, its starting to get real old. The results do not differ from week to week. Nor does the blood work. There is still some swelling remaining. It comes a goes. Some days I rub his belly and think to myself "Hey no swelling today, that's great!" Then the next day he will be puffy again. This has been going on for 4 weeks. Honestly I feel as if they shot is just keeping whatever it is at bay. We keep asking the vet what we can do to try to hit it from another angle and she just insists we keep giving the shot every 7 days. At what point do you say enough is enough? Yesterday she pulled blood to test for Cushings. She thinks he could have it with his poor topline and it could explain his weakened immune response. Hopefully we will have the results by Friday. A few weeks ago we tested him for strangles/pigeon fever and something else that I cant remember....but all those results came back normal. At this point we are considering reaching out to a different vet.
I see this from time to time on social media and cant help but relate....
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting differently results."
What would you guys do at this point?
I would go to a different vet, they may tell you to continue as is but at least you would know you are treating appropriately. My retired guy had a bad cut on a joint, took him to a vet close by, stitched it up, stitches kept coming out, repeated trips back. After 6 weeks and no healing, I took him to my good vet who braced his leg and had him healed in 3 weeks. Good luck |
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Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | Runninbay - 2016-01-27 3:59 PM
We did a fecal for worms....but not specifically for bacteria. I have read through Cowboy's ordeal and at this point im considering anything. So glad he is doing better by the way!
Thank you!!!
It wouldn't hurt as it may be some sort of virus, even mild, and that particular antibiotic (Excede) may not be the appropriate one to treat it. I know when Cow was in the hospital and he had all the swelling on his belly and between his chest they told me it was because his calcium & protein levels weren't working properly, altho I know you said you've done blood tests so I'm assuming that isn't your current problem. I do hope you get an answer!! |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | I would go to a different vet and say NOTHING about his treatment so far until they talk first.see what they think.Hes so beautiful...I was hoping he would be perfect by now:( |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | did you ever get ultrasound? |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | I would definitely get another vet opinion. May get the same diagnosis, but I would rather do that than miss something. We gotta get this boy back healthy!
Edited by Chandler's Mom 2016-01-27 8:07 PM
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 Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Yes you need a second opinion but you need a difinative diagnosis. Get to a University or top surgical center vet. Not that he needs surgery, but because those are the vets that wont jerk your chain and piddle fart around playing games with limited knowledge and resources. Go to the top and you will save money in the long run and have answeres, the real answeres on your horse. |
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Member
Posts: 29
| Consider pupura hemorrhagica if he's not normal by now. Treatment is usually corticosteroids. Any swelling of the muzzle or elsewhere? |
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | jake16 - 2016-01-27 8:05 PM did you ever get ultrasound?
We never got one done. Vet still thinks it would inconclusive....I respect my vet and her opinion. I just feel like we've given this antibotic plenty of time to do its job...and it not. And then it worries me because if it is something more serious we just wasted a lot of time. Ive been researching like crazy and heart disease / failure keeps popping up. I think they would have do a cardiac ultrasound to determine that considering blood work is mostly normal. I just really need an answer at this point.
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | ThreeCorners - 2016-01-27 9:33 PM Yes you need a second opinion but you need a difinative diagnosis. Get to a University or top surgical center vet. Not that he needs surgery, but because those are the vets that wont jerk your chain and piddle fart around playing games with limited knowledge and resources. Go to the top and you will save money in the long run and have answeres, the real answeres on your horse.
We have two nice universities within 3 hours of us...I think if he looks the same next week we will be paying one of them a visit. Makes me wish we had done it from the get go.
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Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia | shepsrus - 2016-01-27 10:43 PM Consider pupura hemorrhagica if he's not normal by now. Treatment is usually corticosteroids. Any swelling of the muzzle or elsewhere?
Did a quick search and looked this up. That stuff looks nasty. He doesnt have swelling anywhere else. Just his belly. And no sores or broken skin. Seems a little more advanced than what he is showing.
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 Experienced Mouse Trapper
Posts: 3106
Location: North Dakota | So, when the vet did the "bloodwork" how was the liver and kidney function? I've seen issues with kidneys that cause the edema in the belly. I believe the treatment was sulfa or amoxicillin......I'm not familiar with exede (i think) -just looked it up it's exenel or naxel.....which is broad spectrum but indicated mostly for upper respiratory infections. Since the exede hasn't done the trick I would tend to believe you're barking up the wrong tree so to speak. That should make a huge difference after only 3 injections-in fact it's indicated for only needing 2!
I've also seen edema in the belly when the sheeth needs to be cleaned a large bean removed.
Just ask specifically about the kidneys and liver (or maybe you know already)
Since he is not better by now-(almost a month?) I would definitely get a second opinion-please keep in mind I know nothing about pigeon fever as that is not something we deal with here. Good luck to you, I think you should push your vet a little farther and at the very least get the ultrasound if everything else looks OK. |
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | I encourage you to join the forum at www.secondvet.com and post this question for Dr. Schell. I know the frustrations of spending thousands of dollars in a very short time and getting little to no improvement. My horse continued to deteriorate despite several of the best vets in Texas and Oklahoma treating him. I had one vet that recommended surgery, to which I couldn't justify, as I felt it would only correct one of the symptoms rather than the underlying issue, and the last vet recommended I put him down, and offered to write a letter recommending euthanasia to my insurance company, due to his inability to breate effiecienlty enough to withstand the upcoming hot and humid weather we have down here. I wasn't ready to do that. Through much research I stumbled across the Cur-OST website and began consulting with Dr. Schell. After about 3 weeks of him answering my questions, he asked me to give him 2 weeks to help my horse. Being very much a supplement skeptic, I was very hesitant, but I had nothing to lose except for my horse's life. I took the plunge and took a leap of faith, discontinued all medications and supplements, and began my Cur-OST journey. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. In 2 weeks I was back to lightly exercising a horse who previously couldn't breathe while at rest. In a month I was back to riding him. The physical change was phenomenal, and the "quirks" he had before he was even sick began to go away. I had a completely new horse...for the better! Had I not taken this journey, this horse would likely not be here today. It's amazing what is possible when we treat the source of the issues and get the immune response functioning correctly, as an overactive immune system can actually create an auto immune disease and the body begins attacking itself! The pictures below are only 30 days on this program. Alot more good information in this article outlying leaky gut syndrome and how it impacts our horses (and ourselves), as well as much more additional information on the "Articles" page on the Nouvelle Research website. https://www.nouvelleresearch.com/index.php/articles/385-leaky-gut-syndrome-health-soundness
Edited by Herbie 2016-01-28 10:57 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 718
Location: BOSSIER CITY, LA | I had a horse that did this exact thing. After several trips to Dr Honnas and his consulting with other vets- it was determined by biopsy that he had a type of worm that was causing the swelling and it had taken up residence in his sheath/stomach area. We had to use a special wormer for 5 days but I cant remember what it was. Our horse was wormed routinely but this worm was immune to what we had been using. You might ask your vet about it, couldnt hurt. |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | How is your boy? |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | How is your boy? |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Bump |
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Folks on-line