Dusty

[Marsha Cassada]

I've had a bad feeling for several months that Dusty is not sound. I tried to tell myself he just didn't quite know how to use his young body and that with muscle buildup and good nutrition he would be fine.

Last Tuesday we had a 5 mile cart trek with other drivers. 5 is a little farther than usual, but we do 4 frequently so it wasn't a case of being out of condition. A little on pavement but mostly on nice soft surface.

He seemed fine when we got home, but every day moved a little slower until yesterday he would hardly move at all. I gave him some banamine, which helped.

Today he is moving, but barely. I recall, trying to look back and see a sequence, that he objected to the crupper at first while harnessing for the drive. I usually lift the tail and massage a little. He did not want me to lift his tail. Being in denial, I just thought he was being silly. Also, I notice just in the last month he is wearing the toes on his hind hooves, as though they are dragging a little.

He was bitten by a rattlesnake at 2 1/2 and nearly died. (I believe the tooth issues were caused by that, but who can say for sure?) He does no jumping and I do not lunge; his ground work is all straight work, except for bending excercises. He did not begin pulling the cart until he was 3. Last trim was 4 weeks ago and trimmer commented he has good feet. He has never borne weight on his back. To my knowledge, neither his dam nor sire have any issues.

He is eating fine. I did start him on a joint supplement a few weeks ago. I don't detect any swelling.

He is so friendly and willing. I am just sick with worry.

I have an appt tomorrow with vet (luckily I already had the appt because of tooth maintainance). What shall I ask him? How can I find out what's going on? I have never had a horse with this issue so have no experience.

I did not give banamine today; hate to leave him in obvious pain but I think the vet can tell better what is going on if Dusty has no banamine.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Anything to report from the vet yet? I hope he is going to be okay, maybe he just needs a chiro adjustment.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The vet appt is tomorrow. He's had chiro treatments, but it's been since June for the last one so maybe it is a good option to try. It is chill and rainy today so I put a blanket on him. He seems be be moving a little easier today. I saw him trot briefly.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Hopefully thats a good sign (the trotting) When you said he didn't want his tail lifted I couldn't help wondering if he has slipped while playing or even just stepped down wrong and put his back out. Sorry about the misunderstanding, somehow I thought your post was from yesterday and the vet was coming today. I hate to have to wait when one of my animals is sick

and I'm sure tomorrow seems a long way off to you right now.

 

[susanne]

Have you had a chiropractor check him out? You might ask your vet if he has any to recommend. (I'm sorry, I don't remember if you've talked about this before.)

 

[MiLo Minis]

IT sounds like Dusty might have lingering nerve damage from the rattlesnake bite. I sure hope the vet has good news for you and whatever is causing the trouble is fixable.

Waiting for answers is probably the hardest part - I hope you get some!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The vet found no swelling and he felt along his spine. He could see that obviously Dusty wasn't moving right. Today Dusty did not mind his tail being lifted or handled.

He said the rattlesnake venom has been known to cause heart problems but he's never heard of it causing joint issues. He did not rule out arthritis (Dusty is 4 1/2) and also suggested EPM as a possible culprit. He said he did not see anything glaringly wrong with Dusty's conformation.

I showed him the supplements I give the boys and he said to do the joint supplement but cut back to 1/3 on the vitamin supplement (I use Smarkpak).

Also have a call into the chiropractor.

The good news, his tooth problem (caused by a cap that didn't shed) is slowly fixing itself and his 5 year permanent teeth are coming in nicely in front!

I think he will just need to lay off work for quite awhile--maybe he will never drive again. We will wait and see how he does.

Thanks for your support!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I was so hoping for a quick an definitive answer for you.

But don't give up on him yet, give him some lay off time, get a chiro in to work on him and see how he is after that. Did the vet run any tests or just offer possibilities?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

My trimmer was here this evening and she said Dusty has classic acute laminitis.

So he is on dry lot with an IR diet for a while.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I missed this update yesterday but I responded on the main forum to your laminitis post. Hang in there, at least you know what you are dealing with now.

 

[Shari]

Sorry to hear you are having to go through that.... can be hard to deal with, but I find most horse's pull through and go on to be ridden(for big horses) or Driven.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Are you sure it was caused by feed and not concussion?

Laminitis was very common in the days of horses working for a living...

Although I doubt one of our spoiled beasties would ever be worked hard enough to actually have this the cause, it is just an idea.

Has it frozen where you are?

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Are you sure it was caused by feed and not concussion?

Laminitis was very common in the days of horses working for a living...

Although I doubt one of our spoiled beasties would ever be worked hard enough to actually have this the cause, it is just an idea.

Has it frozen where you are?

I thought about concussion, as part of our drive was on pavement. I recall we mostly walked this time--we were talking our heads off.

My trimmer suspects the rich grass. We had rain after the terrible drought and the grass is lush. We have had a light frost, enough to kill some plants but not all. I know that does affect grass sugars.

I talked with the vet today and told him the trimmer is sure it is laminitis. He disagrees. But I have to go with the trimmer's extensive experience and believe she knows what she's talking about. OUr vets are good, but they deal mostly with market animals and dont' really have the experience with specific issues like the trimmer has.

Luckily, Dusty is in a very early stage. She believes we can get him under control without too much trouble, by diet. The problem, for me, is the long term management plan...

I've just been thinking how much in common Dusty had with your spotted toad when he was beginning his training! Now he is working so well. I was looking forward to holiday parades with him this year.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Marsha, what supplement is Dusty on? If he is IR, glucosamine should be avoided.

Why does she think he is laminitic? I would think even the vets in your area would be able to ID a laminitic horse, it isn't like it is some rare disease. Did your vet even use hoof testers to see if he was sore in his hooves? I would request it in a situation like that even if the vet didn't seem inclined to do it.

 

[brasstackminis]

Marsha, what supplement is Dusty on? If he is IR, glucosamine should be avoided.

I had never heard this. What is the reasoning behind avoiding glucosamine?

I have not researched IR in horses much as I have not had a horse with this problem, but I have heard that most people in the US are Magnesium deficient. I would guess that are animals are too. Lack of magnesium in the body causes all sorts of troubles, and one of them is being IR. The more sugar your body ingests, the more deficeint in Magnesium you get. An interesting thing I have been thinking about lately...I soak my feet in Epsom salt to increase my magnesium levels. Magnesium is eaiser to get into your system transdermally (through your skin) than through your digestive system. The thing I have thought about is this...I know a lot of people soak their horses feet in Epsom salt when they have lameness in the hoof or abcesses. I have even heard of Epsom salt used for laminitis. I also know that supplements for IR contain Magnesium in them. So maybe it is the Magnesium crossing transdermally that is helping the body to process the sugar and inadvertantly helping the laminitis??? Just my recent thinking. My friend has been treating her high blood pressure and blood sugar levels with a triad of Magnesium, Vitamin D and B vitamin shots. It is remarkable! I mean she will have pressures of like 190/100 and an hour after vitamin D and some magnesium she is 118/72! Her sugar levels take longer. I am just saying these things are fairly cheap so it might be worth a try.

Karen

 

[Marsha Cassada]

How can I find out if he is IR? I wouldn't have thought he was.

I did start him on a joint supplement about 2 weeks ago, which contains glucosamine.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

How can I find out if he is IR? I wouldn't have thought he was.

I did start him on a joint supplement about 2 weeks ago, which contains glucosamine.

I would see that as a great big red flag.

Stop the glucosamine and have him blood tested for IR- it is really simple. If your Vet will not/cannot do it, request a referral- you can send blood samples through the post to almost anywhere in insulated containers.

Since he has only been on Glucosamine a short while it will not kill him to stop, especially as I would have him on Bute by now, which would do the same (actually, I do not highly rate Glucosamine- it works or it does not work, there seems to be no in between and it is expensive. I have seen it work. I have seen it do nothing at all. Both my own horses. So, it is far form a cure all and I would not count on it working. Bute on the other hand, although it comes with a "handle with care" notice, always works!)

 

[ThreeCFarm]

brasstackminis, I don't remember exactly, I just know glucosamine is on the list of no-nos for an IR horse. You can google it.

Marsha, you can have Dusty blood tested. I would just treat him as if he were IR at this point to let him stabilize, then have him tested.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I'm sorry to hear Dusty is having trouble again.

That's heartbreaking!

Leia

 

[Roxane Martin]

This doesn't sound like laminitis, although the rich grass could certainly cause it. I have had foundered horses, most recently from Cushings. Typically laminitis presents as horse rocking back on heels, trying to get weight off of toes--dragging toes doesn't seem to fit. Also raised digital pulse and/or hoof wall heat--hoof tester would give clue. If you don't trust your vet, then see about another equine vet. You need to know rotation of coffin bone, if any, via x-rays.

You don't want to guess on this--the faster you get the pressure relieved and angle adjusted, the better the outcome, but make sure it's laminitis first so you aren't treating the wrong thing.

Good luck....