HYPERLIPIDEMIA - A CASE STILL OPEN
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Last fall my driving mini developed what I assumed was a stone bruise from trail driving. The bruise wasn't improving much, so I asked my vet if there was something we could do to make her more comfortable -- he prescribed Bute - 1 g. on day 1 and 1/2 g. for 3 days, and I followed his instructions - the worst thing I could have done.
My mini went off feed almost immediately and became lethargic. We then began a shotgun treatment of her symptoms -- fever, high pulse, colic, anorexia, diarreah - until after 6 days, I requested a referral to the local vet school, where the vets took one look at the bloodwork and immediately diagnosed hyperlipedemia.
My mini ended up living in I.C.U. for a week, on I.V. fluids, antibiotics, and prayers. We all expected her to die, but when I picked her up and brought her back home, her blood levels were almost back to normal except that her protein levels were very low. The assumption was that the Bute caused ulcerated bowel, which brought on the anorexia, which set the liver dysfunction into motion. Low protein levels? possibly the result of the unhealed ulcer?
So....the tough little patient came back to her own barn, and we began what has been a slow process of - we hope - full recovery - ?
Since the mini has come home. she has been eating normally, except when she has had bouts of colic and diarreah - which occurred at first about once a week, then once every two weeks --- and now - we are entering February - she has gone over 3 weeks without a bout. A couple of these colic bouts have been severe, and I have administered a dose (the correct one!) of Banamine on those occasions - but for the others, I have asked her to handle the pain on her own, provided hay, water, and hope - and the next day she is back among the living. She has also developed a high intolerance for grass -yes, even the dry, winter grass we have now.
With the staggering vet bills, I had resolved to let my mini sink or swim on her own, but after a couple of months of these colic bouts, I decided to try one more thing - and with the blessing of my new vet, put her on Gastrogard - Gastrogard requires one month at full dose and one month at half dose - and now, the mini has about 5 days remaining before she finishes the Gastrogard treatment.
With recommendations from other seasoned mini owners, my current feeds includes Farnham's Miniature Horse and Pony feed and Happy Hoof, with a daily dose of a powdered culture (forget the name of it...it is in the barn) to add bacteria to the gut. She is out with her buddies in a winter pasture - which around here means bare, bare, bare.
I am watching her now, running around and shaking her long mane, bossing the others into line - for all to see, a normal, healthy mini. The jury is still out on this case, but I have a little fighter in the ring.
My plan ? Finish the Gastrogard and let the winter play out...then, if all is well, start getting my little athlete back into shape and see what happens.
Lessons to be learned:
READ, READ, READ ---Many vets do not yet understand mini-management -- they are not like the big guys and gals!
IF YOU HAVE TO TREAT PAIN, USE BANAMINE, NEVER BUTE - Lilbeginnigs posts Bute warnings, but I didn't read them in time!
IF YOUR MINI GOES OFF FEED EVEN FOR A DAY, IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION! BE PROACTIVE!
DON'T GIVE UP WITHOUT A FIGHT! YOUR MINI WON'T...!
INVESTIGATE LOW-STARCH FEEDS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY -- CHECK OUT FARNHAM'S NEW PRODUCT, MINIATURE HORSE/PONY FEED - HAPPY HOOF - TRIPLE CROWN SAFE STARCH...AND THE HAPPY HOOF PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT WITH YET ANOTHER LOW STARCH CHOPPED HAY PRODUCT.
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