Older horse with issues

[Frivian]

Hi all,

Hoping I can get some suggestions on what I can do differently with managing some of my boy’s issues.

19 yo OTTB gelding, formerly evented, mostly play in baby local jumpers now

Current diet:
8 lbs Purina Impact Performance Pro (split into 2 feedings)
4 lbs soaked alfalfa pellets at lunch
1 cup Supersport
1 cup Omega Horseshine
1 scoop Elevate vitamin E
16 Zyrtec pills split in two feedings

His paddock is weedy and somewhat sparse but he gets plenty of hay and is in great weight and coat condition. He’s on private turnout and usually goes out at night, in during the day, unless weather is bad.

The current management issues:

1. He is arthritic and gets regular hock and stifle injections (every 9-12 months). However, usually my first sign for him needing hocks is sticky lead changes. He is not currently having trouble with lead changes. He is reaching the 9 month mark for hocks. His back has been feeling tight under saddle and he feels unable to lift at the canter. He is generally feeling very back sore and tight. He also appears to be more sore in his right hock than his left (vet agreed).

2. He used to get really bad headshaking symptoms in the spring, but this has not happened the last 8-10 years. This year his headshaking has suddenly been very bad, leading to a lot of tension and tightness throughout his neck and back. We increased the Zyrtec dosage and it seemed to mitigate somewhat but not eliminate. His allergies are clearly bothering him and he is having trouble breathing well when exercising. He has also started tail rubbing and has some insect bite reaction issues.

3. He’s started kicking his stall in the middle of the night when in. This has resulted in multiple large repairs to the stall and him being banned from having anyone next to him. We cannot figure out when or why he is doing it, and I am worried I will get asked to leave.

4. He appears to have lost topline despite the extra protein in his diet and plenty of correct flatwork and hill work that should help maintain it.

Things we’ve done or are doing:

1. Increased Zyrtec dose
2. Vet exam and scheduled hock injections
3. Tested for Lyme - he was normal except on the one that indicated chronic Lyme, which was slightly elevated (vet said it was in the gray area). He starts a 2 week course of doxy this week
4. Ran CBC and insulin test, all normal
5. Had saddle checked (she recommended adding a shim to my Mattes pad but otherwise it was still a good fit)
6. Given time off (still really tight after a week off)
7. 10 day course of Robaxin. This helped a lot but after finishing it he is just as tight.
8. Scheduled chiro and acupuncture

The vet has recommended that we move to back x-rays if the doxy plus hock injections don’t help. I’m concerned that the headshaking is causing a lot of the tightness, but not sure how to help the headshaking.

I’m wondering if anyone has other ideas. Was thinking of trying feeding spirulina to help with the allergies but worried Mr. Picky won’t touch it.

I’ve attached some pictures of the trouble makermaker.

[SMF11]

To address only one of your issues, I do think 24/7 turnout is best for arthritic horses, so they can have more gentle movement. It might help with the stall kicking as well.

As horses are social, herd animals, I would not do solo turnout. Unless there’s an issue, horses are happiest in compatible herds. Note “compatible”.

[Frivian]

Unfortunately neither of these things are possible at my current barn. He can’t be turned out with mares, and there are very few geldings he gets along with well enough to trust it. He has a history of pasture injuries. He is on private turnout until he retires.

[JB]

I would test for PPID asap. The behavior, the loss of topline, are all pretty common early symptoms.

Do the TRH Stim test if at ALL possible. It’s going to be much more reliable this time of year than the endogenous ACTH test

If you can’t get the TRH test done, do the ACTH and see what comes back. It may be obviously PPID, it may be obviously not, but it may be in the iffy range, in which case you’d either need the TRH test anyway OR you do the ACTH test in Sept/Oct during the seasonal rise, and/or you start Prascend anyway and see if things improve. A few months on the drug isn’t going to harm him if he’s truly not PPID, but it can be a 'diagnosis by medication", as long as you don’t change anything else.

[IPEsq]

With the back tightness, breathing, skin, and other allergy issues, you may want to continue down an allergy and/or asthma treatment program. And consider keeping him on Robaxin. My asthma horse gets incredibly body sore and tight as a result of lack of good oxygenation. His asthma is mast cell type, linked to allergies, and he also gets skin issues and bug sensitivities. It might be something environmentally a little bit different this year or he’s just been winding up for long enough now that he needs a whole system reset. If his nervous system feels wound up that could potentially explain the new kicking and other agitated behaviors. Might take steroids or something more than just the Zyrtec. If he won’t eat spirulina, try something with DHA.

I would make sure the metabolic and Cushings tests are all good before trying steroids.

[Libby2563]

I would test for PPID and focus on addressing the allergies first. Not sure where you’re located but here (Mid-Atlantic) it’s been a banner year for allergies and headshaking. Since Robaxin helped, ask your vet about keeping him on an appropriate dose until you sort other things out.

My retiree (27 now, PPID since 20ish) doesn’t have respiratory symptoms but he reacts much more to bug bites etc than he ever did when he was younger. Vitamin E for immune support seems to have helped a bit.

[Martina]

Agree with the others on having him tested for PPID. Loss of topline despite good diet is one of the first signs. Stronger reaction to bug bites is another. I also knew of a horse who’s headshaking came back worse and wouldn’t resolve through normal meds, then resolved after starting Prascend.

[Foxglove]

Can only address stall kicking --don’t know if allowed where you are, but we hung stall mats on the wall where our old OTTB kicked --stopped immediately. I was told “they do it because they like the sound.”

[Frivian]

Small update:

Started doxycycline this week and it felt like night and day with him. No apparent soreness at all and headshaking significantly reduced (I’ve caught him doing it in the stall a few times but not at all under saddle).

He was tested for PPID last year but it was using the ACTH test. I will ask my vet about doing the other test.

Any recommendations on a DHA supplement? He gets the Omega Horseshine currently but I’m open to switching.

Hock injections are scheduled for this week and he’s just started cross cantering for his changes so the timing is good.

[JB]

@Frivian

He was tested for PPID last year but it was using the ACTH test. I will ask my vet about doing the other test.

What date was the test, and what was the result?