Discomfort during shoeing -- Update post 62, horse NOT neurological!

[Libby2563]

@Texarkana

I’m so sorry. How does this keep happening!!!???

Can you do a second opinion, though? I’m having a hard time rationalizing in my head how this boy could have lasted so long on the track without issue…

I know, right!? 44 starts! When I was mowing this evening he used that as an excuse to gallop around the field bucking, and he looked perfectly coordinated to me (and athletic, sigh…). It’s scary to watch now though because I’m afraid he’ll wipe out or, even worse, crash into the pony or mini-donkey.

His response to the walking tail pull is quite dramatic though–you could pull him right over if you wanted to. Standing still is okay, which I believe is part of what makes the vets think it’s a dynamic instability in the neck (vs. a static compression). Like I said, the cervical x-rays sound pretty tame: “mild enlargement of the articular facets at C6-C7, mild ventral subluxation of cranial aspect of C5, mild bony remodeling of the external occipital protuberance.” Even if I had x-rayed the neck at the PPE it sounds like he may have passed if the neuro test was normal. The only way to localize a dynamic issue is the myelogram, which is expensive and can be kind of hard on the horse from what I understand.

I am getting a second opinion next week. I don’t have high hopes though. Honestly I can’t bring myself to hope. I spent a year hoping and trying everything for my DSLD horse and it was emotionally and financially exhausting. I am seriously considering whether I want to ride and own horses at all anymore after all this.

[IPEsq]

They really can learn to compensate quite well. And perhaps the way he carried himself in a gallop wasn’t so hard on him. Or perhaps it was just his life and career change. Why did my horse suddenly show neck signs after a clean PPE within 60 days of me owning him? The vets have a theory that major life events can be enough to disrupt their equilibrium. I bought him from the breeders, so I’d say it was a big change for him.

The danger is when they stop being able to compensate sufficiently for their deficits in situations where one or both of you could get really hurt. My client’s horse that I mentioned track trained but only one start and he had congenital issues as well as degenerative issues. But he did fine for 10 years with his post-track owners including jumping. In hindsight, there were probably always signs with things like going through spurts of cross cantering but it was manageable. Some of his sore TB feet type lameness that would occasionally pop up was probably really from the neck. Eventually he could not compensate well enough to be safe to ride. Despite how much worse his X-rays were, we still tried neck injections once. They didn’t help at all but it was worth giving it a shot. Do they think your guy is not a candidate?

As for myelogram, I personally wouldn’t do it unless your insurance requires it and you are fairly confident you will put him down on the table. But some vets have told me it’s not so bad. I dunno, I think my horse is one who would have trouble getting up safely from any general anesthesia procedure so I have avoided them.

Was the tail pull the worst? What about hills? Backing? The blindfold tests? Small circles? I ask because one thing we noticed with my horse is that he really failed the tail pull test (after passing a neuro test on PPE), but that in particular turned out to be ulcers. Must have been painful the way he had to use his core. Because he also had ulcer symptoms confirmed by scope at the same time we were looking at his neck, we treated him for a couple weeks then repeated the neuro tests before then having a neuro specialist take a look. He passed the tail pull test fine after being on gastrogard. And then he passed the final round of field tests despite having developed a proprioceptive front limb lameness by that time. So, still deemed ok to ride and the neck injections fixed the lameness.

[Libby2563]

Amazing update!! My boy had his recheck today by a different vet. He was sound and completely normal on the neuro tests! I’m so relieved!!

The original vets wanted me to do a recheck because he had a teeny tiny amount of sedative before the neuro tests at the first appointment and they didn’t think it was enough to affect anything but wanted to be sure. Apparently it was enough to make him ataxic! I can’t believe it because it was only 1/2 cc of Ace (he is super herdbound to my pony mare and was being a spaz during the lameness exam, so I suggested it to take the edge off).

The vet today was quite surprised, and I think relieved that he didn’t have to be the bearer of bad news. He suggested I have the neck x-rays sent to a radiologist at CSU just to be super-sure, and I will because it’s surprisingly inexpensive. I wish I hadn’t spent $900+ on tests he didn’t need, but hey, at least I know his shoeing issues aren’t EPM or obvious cervical arthritis. He was definitely better with the new farrier so we will see how that goes. I can’t wait to ride him again!

[Texarkana]

Great news! I’m so relieved!

It really didn’t make sense to me that the horse could have such a severe neuro problem crop up after such an extensive racing career, especially when he tested negative for the “usual” culprits like EPM.

I’d be miffed at the vet who pronounced a sedated horse a wobbler… while I wasn’t there, that seems like huge oversight that led to a lot of expense and stress for you. I understand vets are human and make mistakes, but those types of mistakes really get my goat because they fly against common sense at the expense of the owner’s bank account. I hope the vet makes it right somehow, even if it’s just an apology.

[Xanthoria]

Congrats OP!!!

it didn’t sound like the vet said “this horse is a wobbler” but rather more like “the only dx that’s left is wobbler but you should recheck this test because he’s sedated. “

???

[IPEsq]

Whew!

[Libby2563]

@Texarkana

I’d be miffed at the vet who pronounced a sedated horse a wobbler… while I wasn’t there, that seems like huge oversight that led to a lot of expense and stress for you. I understand vets are human and make mistakes, but those types of mistakes really get my goat because they fly against common sense at the expense of the owner’s bank account. I hope the vet makes it right somehow, even if it’s just an apology.

Seriously! I was totally crushed and thinking about quitting horses! I cancelled a saddle fitter, cannibalized the shims from his ThinLine pad for the pony, and withdrew from an obstacle course thing I entered for later this summer. I was completely convinced he was done.

I did tell the original vets the news and did not get an apology but I’m not that annoyed for whatever reason (relief I guess). They definitely didn’t frame it in the cautious way @Xanthoria suggested. The phone call I got about the negative EPM test was very grim. They seemed quite confident that he was neurological and most likely a wobbler, but wanted me to have him rechecked just to be totally sure. Thank god I did! Who would’ve thought only 1/2 cc of Ace could do that though!? I know people who hunt with 2 cc on board…

Didn’t have energy to ride today after doing a horse trial with the pony but I longed him for a few and he was great. Can’t wait to ride in the morning!

[Texarkana]

It’s unsettling to think that someone in a different situation might have euthanized him over 1/2 cc ace. Many people wouldn’t have had the resources to pursue diagnostics, let alone treatment, on such a grim prognosis. That’s the part that sits wrong with me, probably because I’m projecting my previous experiences with vets who are trigger happy with “worst case” diagnoses.

Fingers crossed your ride goes well in the morning!

Was the obstacle course at Double C? If you re-enter him, I’m dying to go to one of their play dates! It’s one of my goals for the summer!

[Libby2563]

@Texarkana

It’s unsettling to think that someone in a different situation might have euthanized him over 1/2 cc ace. Many people wouldn’t have had the resources to pursue diagnostics, let alone treatment, on such a grim prognosis. That’s the part that sits wrong with me, probably because I’m projecting my previous experiences with vets who are trigger happy with “worst case” diagnoses.

Very unsettling! I have little faith in vets anymore between this and all my bad experiences with my DSLD horse (whom multiple vets told me didn’t have DSLD, so kind of the opposite experience I guess). And this is supposed to be one of the top vet practices in the country too.

@Texarkana

Fingers crossed your ride goes well in the morning!

Was the obstacle course at Double C? If you re-enter him, I’m dying to go to one of their play dates! It’s one of my goals for the summer!

He felt fantastic this morning! He was perfectly behaved after a whole month off and didn’t trip once. I can’t remember if I mentioned it earlier in this thread but he has always tripped up front a couple times a ride, which is another reason we went down the neuro path. I’m hoping it was just a symptom of poor hoof balance and will continue to improve with the new farrier.

Yes, Double C! I did it with my pony last summer and it was a blast! Here’s a video if you want to see the course: https://youtu.be/9t_QRqnO4wI. If you want to meet up at the July 20th play date, I’ll re-enter him! The play dates are really popular so we should decide soon. It would be so fun to meet you!

[Lunabear1988]

@Libby2563 I’m catching up there but oh my goodness!! What an ordeal for you. I’m SO glad to hear your boy is not neurologic. Thank goodness you got a second opinion. I would still send the x-rays out too but sounds like you are in the clear for that.

[OverandOnward]

I will say also that if a vet or anyone else wants to diagnose EPM on the strength of a tail-test, that is not a sound basis for a determination. Do the blood test. There are a lot of things that can look neuro and not be (including some sacroiliac issues).

A vet wanted to save me the expense of the EPM blood test, being as the EPM treatment was going to cost, but I insisted. The blood test was negative for EPM. Another supervising vet came out for a second exam and identified sacroiliac. Figure that on a cost-benefit scale!

[J-Lu]

GREAT NEWS!!! WHEW, I’m so happy to hear this update! Goes to show that one really has to be an advocate for their horses care. Hell, one has to be an advocate for their own care.