In my experience (and I was told by someone who is very reliable ((yes, a vet)) that Marquis is basically worthless unless at least double dosed) I would try for Oroquin. I can give you names of some vets that have used it extensively to speak with your vet, by PM of course.
With Oroquin, blood is taken prior to administration of the medication. The med is then sent, I used Oroquin for 10 days and Levamisole (sent from the same company) for 14 days. There was no other medication used, no banamine or DMSO.
Blood is drawn 4-6 weeks after treatment, they compare the before and after results.
I urge you to find a vet and start the Oroquin ASAP!!!
shjhorses, I am in the Atlanta area and know vets who will use the Oroquin. I have treated my mare two times now for EPM. The last time was the beginning of last year and I used Oroquin with great results. She is back in full work as a dressage horse.
Feel free to message me if you want and I can give you my experience with this terrible disease.
[QUOTE=shjhorses;7748049]
Hi, Iām new to this post, unfortunately because Iām now treating my 25 y/o stallion for EPM. Symptoms started very suddenly 2 weeks ago, very difficult to turn, back up but could move forward ok but still tentatively. He is also having tremors, very visually afraid of things, which is completely off for him. He was/is eating fine, except for going off grain a bit, but thatās typical for him with the hot weather weāve been having. The vet came out a week ago and predicted EPM, or a tumor or something neuromuscular, but leaning toward EPM. Titer came back āindicativeā of EPM so started treating the next day with Marquis, DMSO to help gut absorption, 6 days of Equioxx and 10ML vitamin E daily. All other blood tests came back normal so neuromuscular issues ruled out. I asked about Oroquin but my vet isnāt comfortable with the scant data, his words, and wonāt use it. Through day 6 he was ok, no change; then got markedly worse yesterday and especially this am. Very unstable, and more tremors especially if seeing something new or different. Vet came again today and took x-rays of c-spine to ensure no fractures, nothing obvious but waiting for 2nd opinion. Started him on bolus DMSO IV q12hours for 3 days to see if we can tame any inflammation, but donāt have a CRP reading as baseline, only fibrinogen. Iām worried sick, it breaks my heart to see him like this, even though heās very alert and wants to move around the pasture and know where āhis maresā are still (nothing wrong with his libido!). Iām thinking if the DMSO doesnāt help by early next week, I find a vet that will give Oroquin a chance, but donāt know if I should wait out the 28 days of Marquis or just switch if I find someone. I want to give him the best chance to return to normal, and hopefully prevent recurrence. Itās such a helpless feeling, especially because we donāt really know we are treating the right thing. I welcome any thoughts.[/QUOTE]
Bump
Zenyatta,
Iām hoping your horse is still doing well!
Yes he is!
Remember too that ongoing nutritional support with vitamin E should continue, even after treatment ends, IMO. That is what I have read, and have been told by Vets anyway.
Following this with interestā¦would love alternatives to Marquis if I ever have to go down this road! Zenyatta- I am just curious, do you have your horse on any type of supplement, during or after the treatment?
I have treated 3 with Oroquin. It is only a ten day treatment, no need for any special supplement.
Mine has been down in FL getting treated for it. He was just showing some stiffness in the stifle. The symptoms were so very slight that we were going to do injections into his stifle. The vet pulled a blood test before doing an injection and it came back positive. He was given Oroquin and will be coming back to SC this weekend. I will have him re-tested when he gets home and that test is going to be done regularly since it is in this area. I think the stress of the trip and new farm is what triggered it. He could have been asymptomic for a long time and me not know it.
We have a horse that has been diagnosed with epm. The vet suggested Marquis and rebalance as treatment, but after researching the web I like what I am reading here about Oroquin. Where is the best place to get Oroquin?
This treatment also looks good.
http://www.effectivepetwellness.com/epm-standard-kit
Has anyone tried this treatment?
Thanks for any help or suggestions
Your vet can get it from Pathogenes in the tablet, or the vet can get a paste compounded by several other compound pharmacies. Iāve learned a lot about it in the last week. Still waiting on the blood test for my horse.
Despite other folks lack of success with Marquis for EPM, it worked well on our horse. Only one treatment series for the 30 days, no return of the EPM problems.
Further information is that we caught it VERY early, and after reading MANY of the COTH posts back then, I insisted we have him at least blood tested. Back then the only other method was the spinal tap, which our Vet said was usually a ādo it twiceā thing, because the first test would inevitably be contaminated with blood at the College Clinic. At $400 for EACH draw, it was cheaper to just buy the Marquis and start giving it to the horse!! Old EXPERIENCED Vet said horse will show improvement by day 5 or he wonāt. Blood test did show horse carrying EPM, which is pretty common locally. Horses almost ALL have the stuff in them from grazing pastures, will test positive with blood test. But only if horse is stressed, immune system is weakened, do they get the cross over of EPM into the nervous system to get problems.
We know our old horse pretty well, was in daily use, but he started āhaving issuesā while being used. Was crabby to work with, pulled a shoe, would NOT back up under saddle. Family members were each dealing with him independently until the shoe pulling happened. This was one of the MOST athletic horses, never took a wrong step, pulled a shoe, argued, just one of the BEST horses ever! Then we were standing around looking at him while husband put shoe back on, complaining about the issue he showed each of us. With SEVERAL issues shared, he went to the Vet, and got his blood test, was checked over carefully with no negative results. Husband was SURE it was not EPM because he had only seen the sudden onset type, where horse was dead within a few hours.
Marquis was ordered, horse was put on NO WORK, not to be stressed at all, while the 30 days passed with his daily dosing. He missed Fair but DD wanted him better, not worried or upset about ribbons not won. He showed definite improvement by the end of the 5 days, was cheerful again, happy to see us in the morning. Started hanging out with the herd again, not off in the corner alone. At the end of the 30 days, Doc said āGet on and ride. He will be better or he wonāt. We will see what he is.ā DD got on and it was like she had been working him daily, back to his old self.
He lived and was used another 8 years, worked HARD in multiple riding and Driving activities with no EPM or neurological issues again. That one shoe is the only one he ever lost. Just as handy, athletic as previous to the EPM. He was the BEST of horses, and we still miss him a lot. Doc figured we caught him so early because we all knew him so well. Doc sure couldnāt see anything wrong with him!!
[QUOTE=SC Horse;8046633]
We have a horse that has been diagnosed with epm. The vet suggested Marquis and rebalance as treatment, but after researching the web I like what I am reading here about Oroquin. Where is the best place to get Oroquin?
This treatment also looks good.
http://www.effectivepetwellness.com/epm-standard-kit
Has anyone tried this treatment?
Thanks for any help or suggestions[/QUOTE]
Do you have a reason to second guess your vet?
Just a bump, my horse is still doing well.
Just re-bumping too, I also posted on the other current EPM thread as well to give another vote for Oroquin, I am totally amazed at how well my horse has responded to it.
So glad your horse is well Zenyatta!
Woody recovered after the Marquis treatment last year. He looked and rode fabulously, but he fully relapsed in June. 2015. We are in the process of moving, and I shipped him a few hours south to his new boarding place. And the stress apparently triggered the relapse. Or- he never fully got the Protozoa out of his system. Who knows. Heās pretty bad. This time, heās being treated with tubed toltrazuril in DMSO. 4 treatments spaced 10 days apart., PMP packets, 10K units of vitamin E.
Zenytta, where did you send your initial blood work to begin your Oroquin treatment? Was it Franckās Veterinary Compounding Lab?
Not Zenytta here, but have had experience. Dr Ellison at Pathogenes.com does the testing and prescribing. I have had very good experience with her and her treatment. My vet now uses this on other EPM horses with good success.
Good luck
I am so happy to read this thread!!! My 18 month old just finished Marquis followed by Oroquin. The Oroquin made all the difference in the world!! My vet urged us to Marquis first and when that wasnāt showing the results I hoped for I insisted he contact Pathogenes and placed an order for the Oroquin. Our boy started showing improvement on day 3 of Oroquin and is almost 100%. He will begin Levamisole Wednesday and I am praying we get him back completely. Pathogenes and Oroquin have been a God send.
Zenyatta, is your boy still doing well with no relapse?
