I’ve got a 6 year old OTTB that I’ve had 2 1/2 years. He raced 5 times, wasn’t a closer due to DDSP and Epiglottic entrapment. Had a tie forward done and all is good with that aspect except some rhythmic blowing…we don’t have a problem with that as its a huge compliment 
So moving forward, I decided to take him to see Dr. Casey in Marshall, va to be looked at for intermittent tripping and general laziness, thinking his pelvis or something was out. He’s not been lame at all…just putts around and does his job for the most part! He’s been a little agitated the past couple weeks, two at most and Saturday he a bronc fest when I first got on him at show, which is so not like him. This guy can get be lead around by my kids and husband at home and shows…giant puppy dog kids guy. when He ended up being extremely reactive all over, fixed the bilateral scapula pain, but everything remained reactive despite a few acupuncture needles. He suggested checking for Lyme. Snap test came back in less than 5 mins for Anaplasmosis, Lyme didn’t show up. I know there are false negs and pos with the snap, but felt confident in his findings. Does anyone have any experience with Anaplasmosis or Dr. Casey? I tried to refrain from having a panic attack right then and there!
I’ve had two horses come down with Anaplasmosis. It’s more of an acute illness. Symptoms like fever, diarrhea, swelling in legs, anorexia, depression etc. One of mine had a severe case and got the IV oxytet, wouldn’t eat for days and lost a ton of weight, but recovered fine. The other was a very mild case and he just got doxy for 14 days and that was that. He was back to normal after 2 days of banamine and ABx.
The symptoms you describe–tripping in particular, makes me think of EPM, did your vet test for that?
No on the EPM. He was adamant about it being tick related…When I say trip, it’s not a “trip” but more like “I don’t wanna get under myself” kinda thing…if that makes sense. It’s the slightest fall out behind. He gave us 2500 mg of doxy bid for 3 days then 5000 mg bid for the remainder of the 21 day cycle. Also gave us omeprazole/ranitidine paste to use daily due to ulcer past. My guy doesn’t have the edema, diarrhea or the others. He did start having more frequent bowels coupled with the “agitation” and above. I feel better after hearing about your horse!!! We also have been struggling with weight. Also been kinda blah, but chalked that up to every other day allergy shots…I mean I’d be blah if I was stabbed with needles on the regular! My guess is it’s all related!
I agree that anaplasmosis is more of an acute illness, with a fairly sudden high fever (my guy was 107 :eek:) and great lethargy. Definitely not a horse you’d look at and think at all it would be good to ride him.
Your situation does not at all sound like anaplasmosis.
My pony contacted anaplasmosis twice last summer. The first time he was unbelievably ill. I rode him at 4pm and he was a little dull, came back to check on him at 6 and he had no interest in food, could hardly stay on his feet standing in his stall and was running an almost 107* fever. We did 3 days of IV oxytet and banamine and he bounced back extremely quickly.
About 4 weeks later he was showing symptoms again, although not as severe (105* temp, but that was really the only sign). 6 days IV oxytet cleared it up and haven’t had a problem since.
This all began early June 2015, he was out of work most of the summer and fall letting his body recover. He came back this spring better than ever.
My horse contracted it twice. Both times his fever was 105 and all of his legs swelled up like tree stumps. It comes on so quickly and it really wipes them out. Luckily the doxy works very quickly and my horse at least was back to his old self in a few days.
I have noticed he seems to get some residual lethargy in the warmer months since he’s had it. I hate heat too, so now we just take it easy in the summer.
Definitely sounds like a false positive for your horse. Symptoms do not fit at all.
My horse had similar symptoms to the others-- 105 temp, stove pipe legs, lethargy, off feed. Treated with doxy and he was better quickly.
My other horse had similar symptoms to your horse-- change in behavior and attitude, spooking at random things, trailing out behind, then one day I went to bring him in and he was neurologic and couldnt walk a straight line. Tested positive for chronic Lyme via the Cornell test, and positive for EPM via multiple tests, including the SAG ELISA.
I would seek another opinion-- you’re surrounded by stellar vets in that area.
Agree with the others - anaplasmosis test was negative but fever of 105.5F, lethargy, not eating…began treatment immediately with IV oxytet and back to normal within a few days…followed with a course of doxy.
I suppose your horse might also have Anaplasmosis now but the symptoms that made you call the vet would be for something else that still needs treatment. (although, without a high fever, I would doubt Anaplasmosis).
What you describe isn’t anaplasmosis,horse is sick, sick, sick,high fever and stocked up legs. It hits them fast and furious…i’v been sick with it myself and i was sick as a dog,ran fevers of 106.
It knocked me down and out for the count till doxy kicked in,same for horses.
We have gone through Anaplasma. My horse seemed fine in the am. He was sluggish and felt hot when I put him in the trailer to go to a big trail ride. His temp was 104.5. I unloaded him. After 24 hours of doxycycline, he was fine.
This sounds more like EPM or Lyme to me. I am not convinced that the snap test is worthwhile in horses. Read the literature. I would insist on an EPM test and complete neuro exam.
From what I’ve found, Anaplasmosis literature is 10 years behind what is actually being seen. Says it mirrors PHF. My horse could have a low grade fever, he’s been blah and possibly had higher fevers the last week when it was hot. I’ve had EPM horses and the tripping is not a neuro trip. It is strictly an " I’m sore and lazy" can’t pull hind end under nyself. He only does it in the ring on bluestone footing. He does not do it on trails, or doing hill work/trot sets up or down. A neuro horse would have face planted. He does not have any positive neuro tests for EPM. I know the tick borne tend to go hand in hand. From what I’m gathering, it’s been caught in the very early stages and Lyme can also be an issue. The snap in horses was proven to be 100% accurate in horses…I’ll have to find the research I found last night that supported and also my horses symptoms. I also have my horse on allergy serum which could mask some systemic responses.
No SNAP test is 100% accurate.
And I’m not sure what you mean by this:
“From what I’ve found, Anaplasmosis literature is 10 years behind what is actually being seen.”
How would you know what’s “being seen”?
The research is from 2002-2006, which means it’s outdated. It is 2016. In regards to what’s being seen in my horse and other who aren’t on this page had the exact same issues with their horses or knew of a horse. All were mild reactions/responses. It seems like the above ones took a major system wide hit. Bigger hit=bigger issues like: limb and joint edema, fevers, diarrhea, etc.
Perhaps what you’ve seen is older.
there is, however, current work being done.
WRT milder clinical manifestations of an infection, that is not unexpected once a given pathogen becomes prevalent. Naive populations are usually hit harder.
For instance: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26069228, a paper discussing the limitations of ELISA testing on horses, published in 2015.
I’d put a bit more faith in the scientific literature than an informal survey of friends and friends of friends. Just sayin’.
[QUOTE=egrubbs;8825484]
The research is from 2002-2006, which means it’s outdated. It is 2016. In regards to what’s being seen in my horse and other who aren’t on this page had the exact same issues with their horses or knew of a horse. All were mild reactions/responses. It seems like the above ones took a major system wide hit. Bigger hit=bigger issues like: limb and joint edema, fevers, diarrhea, etc.[/QUOTE]
I am doubting that you are actually seeing anaplasmosis, regardless of the SNAP results…or that your hose has only anaplasmosis. It’s common in tick-infested areas. It generally does not present the way you are describing. “Sore & lazy” is not what is typical…sudden onset of fever, loss of appetite, stocking up of legs is. In my area, vets will treat for anaplasmosis without blood test confirmation because it is notoriously poor (although I have only heard of false negatives, not false positives…but I am not a vet…but Ghazzu is.)
[QUOTE=S1969;8825512]
I am doubting that you are actually seeing anaplasmosis, regardless of the SNAP results…or that your hose has only anaplasmosis. It’s common in tick-infested areas. It generally does not present the way you are describing. “Sore & lazy” is not what is typical…sudden onset of fever, loss of appetite, stocking up of legs is. In my area, vets will treat for anaplasmosis without blood test confirmation because it is notoriously poor (although I have only heard of false negatives, not false positives…but I am not a vet…but Ghazzu is.)[/QUOTE]
I agree,this is not anaplasmosis i’v never heard of it presenting the way OP is talking about.
[QUOTE=JB;8824962]
I agree that anaplasmosis is more of an acute illness, with a fairly sudden high fever (my guy was 107 :eek:) and great lethargy. Definitely not a horse you’d look at and think at all it would be good to ride him.
Your situation does not at all sound like anaplasmosis.[/QUOTE]
This. I’ve had a few experiences with anaplasmosis in my career with the horses. Most memorable was a horse I’d just bought… had a few weeks. Normally very forward, bright, a bit of a pill to get to cooperate, but once there just was lovely. One day he was extraordinarily quiet, cooperative and needed a TON of leg. I cut the ride short and hosed him off. He was steaming in the late summer day heat! Temp of 106, refused dinner… we started him on oral --I think Doxy right away (early 90’s)-- and he was back to his normal self after a week or so off from riding. Dx: Anaplasmosis/ Ehrlicchia.
I had a pony with anaplasmosis. He was appeared to be his usual chipper self in the morning but by mid afternoon was pretty darn sick with a temp of 106, stiff all over and no interest in anything. We got him to the clinic asap and he was on iv oxytet for about five days IIRC. He was so sick we had a hard time getting him to unload from the trailer. I though he was a goner. After a couple of days on the oxytet he was feeling MUCH better and was giving everyone at the clinic his usual “runaround” in the stall (little stinker was a devil to catch).
OP, read the full text of the article that Ghazzu posted. In that study, the Snap test/point of care test was not very accurate.
FWIW, my anaplasmosis horse never had stocked up legs or anything else swelling, not even his sheath or any ventral edema. Just that damn fever.
