Michelle@wescofarms
Well-Known Member
As I mentioned in a response to Carolyn's (Frankie) post - we've had Vet bill heck this year! Our horses have found new and interesting ways to injure themselves and have come up with illness too!
Our latest is our Senior Stallion, Samis Roger Rabbit, being diagnosed with West Nile Virus last week. Roger was slated to go to the AMHR Nationals this year in the under 28" class, but will probably be home, even though he's well on the road to recovery.
I did want to share this with everyone, as Roger didn't have the classic 'WNV' symptoms and the vets were surprised that he actually did have it.
Anyway, on July 29th, Roger seemed to be limping on one back leg, and as we'd just re-fenced his pen assumed he'd caught his leg in it. The next day he seemed a bit worse, but was still eating, peeing, pooping, screaming at the mares (tried to breed one through the fence), no fever - so we assumed again that he had pulled something. By Monday 1st we had a call into the vet (another horse need an eye removal), and mentioned his symptoms. No one seemed overly concerned, even though he was a bit unsteady on both legs by now.
Tuesday, he lost control of his back legs - he seemed like a drunk or someone coming out of anesthetia from the hips back. He'd take a few steps fine, then walk on the front of his hoof, then get them under him, and repeat. Turning was a problem and he'd go down. By the time he went to the vet's he'd lost control of his tail - it was like he'd had a spinal block. He stumbled off the trailer, but was still screaming at the mares and trotting on his front end - we were supporting most of his weight on the back.
The vets started treating him for EPM (assuming that was the most likely cause), did a spinal tap to rule out lymphoma and to check for inflammation - an indicator of WNV or EPM. It came back normal. While at the vets he never spiked a fever, blood count was normal, spinal x-ray normal, he never went off his feed, perfect bowel function, he even escaped from his stall one day in search of mares (apparently screamed for them the whole time!), all with his drunked back end walk/trot.
The results came back positive for WNV on Friday 5th, and he came home - he actually walked off the trailer. We did take him in to our holistic vet who has him on a immune support program for the next 30 days along with Banamine to keep the inflammation down.
Our mainstream vet's did mention that they rarely see minis with WNV, and the do not seem to contract it as often as large horses. I'm wondering if they do, but just don't have as severe reactions. Roger didn't, and we're watching the rest like a hawk. They also believe as Roger was clipped for a recent show it was probably easier for the mosquitos to bite him. He was also the one most heavily sprayed for mosquitos (Deep Woods OFF), but was still bit.
Anyway, I wanted to share with everyone, if you're on the West Coast it is here. The closest case to us was over 25 miles away last year, so go figure!
Edit to add - we didn't vaccinate for WNV this year so no flames it was a personal choice along with a screw up from AgriMed!
Our latest is our Senior Stallion, Samis Roger Rabbit, being diagnosed with West Nile Virus last week. Roger was slated to go to the AMHR Nationals this year in the under 28" class, but will probably be home, even though he's well on the road to recovery.
I did want to share this with everyone, as Roger didn't have the classic 'WNV' symptoms and the vets were surprised that he actually did have it.
Anyway, on July 29th, Roger seemed to be limping on one back leg, and as we'd just re-fenced his pen assumed he'd caught his leg in it. The next day he seemed a bit worse, but was still eating, peeing, pooping, screaming at the mares (tried to breed one through the fence), no fever - so we assumed again that he had pulled something. By Monday 1st we had a call into the vet (another horse need an eye removal), and mentioned his symptoms. No one seemed overly concerned, even though he was a bit unsteady on both legs by now.
Tuesday, he lost control of his back legs - he seemed like a drunk or someone coming out of anesthetia from the hips back. He'd take a few steps fine, then walk on the front of his hoof, then get them under him, and repeat. Turning was a problem and he'd go down. By the time he went to the vet's he'd lost control of his tail - it was like he'd had a spinal block. He stumbled off the trailer, but was still screaming at the mares and trotting on his front end - we were supporting most of his weight on the back.
The vets started treating him for EPM (assuming that was the most likely cause), did a spinal tap to rule out lymphoma and to check for inflammation - an indicator of WNV or EPM. It came back normal. While at the vets he never spiked a fever, blood count was normal, spinal x-ray normal, he never went off his feed, perfect bowel function, he even escaped from his stall one day in search of mares (apparently screamed for them the whole time!), all with his drunked back end walk/trot.
The results came back positive for WNV on Friday 5th, and he came home - he actually walked off the trailer. We did take him in to our holistic vet who has him on a immune support program for the next 30 days along with Banamine to keep the inflammation down.
Our mainstream vet's did mention that they rarely see minis with WNV, and the do not seem to contract it as often as large horses. I'm wondering if they do, but just don't have as severe reactions. Roger didn't, and we're watching the rest like a hawk. They also believe as Roger was clipped for a recent show it was probably easier for the mosquitos to bite him. He was also the one most heavily sprayed for mosquitos (Deep Woods OFF), but was still bit.
Anyway, I wanted to share with everyone, if you're on the West Coast it is here. The closest case to us was over 25 miles away last year, so go figure!
Edit to add - we didn't vaccinate for WNV this year so no flames it was a personal choice along with a screw up from AgriMed!
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