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Alex needs some jingles this morning

I’m jingling for Alex!

Rebecca

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A friend of mine had a horse that she and I both thought was colicky but she ended up being diagnosed with EPM. Caught very early, treated and back to normal as far as I know.

Jingling that resolves quickly!

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Jingles a comin’ your way!

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Jingling for Alex.

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Sending loads of jingles

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How is Alex this morning?

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Jingling! :chains: :chains:

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Alex seems fine this morning! He got another dose of Banamine last night (my last one; have to get to the vet today), but he seems brighter and more active. Hopefully it was just a gas colic that has resolved.

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whew. thanks for the nice update.

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So Alex recovered just fine from his colic. BUT, over the last few days, he’s started to act really oddly. Wondering if any of this sounds familiar -

A few days ago I noticed Isabeau and Fox were begging for food. Alex normally is right there with them, but this time he was standing some 20’ back, just - standing there. Sometimes he does this when he’s getting a hoof abscess, but he walked out sound and wasn’t reactive. He ate.

Two days ago, he didn’t come up with the other two. I found him walking slowly up from the back of the pasture, taking time to graze here and there, without a care in the world. He followed me to the house, but didn’t beg for grain (although he did eat it). At that time, he looked slightly off in the hind end, possible LH, but it was dark and hard to really tell. Last night, I detected no lameness at all.

This morning, I heard Fox whinnying (highly unusual). Fox and Isabeau were at the house, but not Alex. Again. I walked 1/4 mile+ in the pasture and found him grazing near the creek. He turned his head and whinnied at me, but didn’t come towards me. I was thinking he was lame or injured or caught in something - but no. Nothing was wrong. But he seemed to have absolutely no idea that he was alone. He kept looking towards the back of the pasture, like he thought the other horses were there, and even though he could hear Fox whinnying from the barn, he never seemed to quite put the two together. He did finally turn and go to the house (again, looking slightly off in the hindquarters, but not quite enough to be absolutely sure), but when he walked, he kept his nose planted almost on the ground a lot.

I’m going to call the vet today and see if we can get him evaluated soon - I’m thinking we should pull a Lyme titer and probably test for EPM as well. Any other thoughts? He’s 21, so I suppose a mild stroke isn’t out of the question.

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That was the first thing I thought of, unfortunately. JINGLES for Alex!

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I would do a complete blood panel along with the usual tick / parasite systemics

I assume you check a temperature and did a complete hand run over for tender spots

could there have been a fight?

vision?

I would put liver and kidney issues on my list. Could the heat have dehydrated him enough to stress out an old age kidney function.

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First Jingles & AO for Alex ~

I had an ancient show pony ~ World Champion Hackney mare ~ start exhibiting some strange behavior similar to what you’ve described. She seemed a bit confused about where the other ponies were • not coming in with others …at first I thought the extreme heat ??? hosed her frequently; she had a shed with ceiling fans • following days I noticed she was always following the fence lines when I called her in after the others were already in and waiting for dinner.
She would also follow the fence to the water tank • her behavioral changes were very gradual ~ a span of 67 days.
Long story short ~ Ashley had had a stroke and eye sight was failing too …. Would become agitated if confined in a stall. Watched her carefully and she was trimmed by farrier and just not “right” - checked her day and night ~ and on the Labor Day weekend her condition deteriorated ~ 9-06-2016 ~ Ashley was buried with
Red Roses & a Love Note I hope this ^ is not what you & Alex are struggling with - but thought I should describe our situation •

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Jingles for Alex!

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I had a mare in her mid to late 30s suddenly get very confused. She couldn’t find her hay when it was right in front of her, and she got aggressive with the pony she lived with. When she got aggressive with my husband within a day or so, we called the vet. He said it was the horse version of Alzheimer’s. We euthanized her as there was no upside for a horse that old.

My neighbor, who used to be a friend, told the other neighbors we’d murdered our mare. Just what you want to hear after a difficult decision. We knew it was the right thing to do.

There are other possibilities with Alex. I would definitely get his vision checked when the vet sees him. I hope this is just something temporary.

Rebecca

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I don’t have a thermometer - but I examined him both times and found nothing wrong. It hasn’t been hot lately, so I can’t think it was the heat.

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I’m still thinking Lyme. I’ve had ponies and minis act just odd when they’ve been positive. One forgot how to back up. He didn’t seem uncomfortable, it was more along the lines of backing up was not on his program any more. Another one repeatedly went back to the last obstacle I was working on with her before she got sick, it was a bridge and we were working in hand. When I’d turn her out she would repeatedly go to the bridge and either put her front feet on it or get all the way on it, and just stand there looking NQR. All recovered with treatment.
Sending along more Jingles!

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Oh, Lyme is really bad in this part of the US! :frowning: Hopefully, it’s not that.

I don’t know what jingles are, but I’m sending lots and lots of love and good thoughts your way!

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Some Saturday Sunshine Jingles for Alex & his mom ~ AO ~

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Jingles are the COTH version of good luck, good wishes. The term refers to jingling curb chains :chains:

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