My 24 year old heart horse shows mild neuro signs and I am pretty upset.
We’ve had a lot of rain lately so there was no much turnout into his big favorite pasture this spring. A couple weeks ago, when I finally let him into his big pasture he was pretty happy – galloping, chasing his buddy, bucking, rearing, romping and acting like a five year old. Which was unusual. Same day, he got out of his grazing muzzle which I found in a clover patch. When he came to the barn, he was walking slowly, not limping just kind of strangely and not cantering which he normally does because he wants dinner. I thought it was a tummy ache, called the vet because he didn’t finish dinner and he was given 1/2 dose of banamine. OK in the morning.
Next evening, when I walked him in the barn aisle, he was NQR – not limping or anything, just NQR. I don’t know what prompted me but I circled him and he didn’t cross his front feet at either direction. Vet came a few days later and she sees very mild neuro signs and says she’s never seen him like this before.
Bloodwork comes back negative on Lyme and on EPM from KY lab, he’s on the cusp titer-wise and they suggest re-testing in 2 - 4 weeks. Vet wants to do IRAP on his hocks.
He picks his fronts up too high and when backed up he circles his right hind. Pivots – does not circle on his right. To the left is iffy. No back pain. No fever. Eating ok. He spooks in the pasture now when he never did before. Starting a year ago, I have suspected he doesn’t see as well from one eye but vet has checked that and feels he’s ok.
I did loading dose of Equate Vit E – 20,000 and now giving 10,000. I have Transfer Factor Stress Formula ordered. Right now, we are giving him bute twice a day for 5 - 7 days to see if that makes a difference.
Over the years, have treated 2 other horses successfully with Marquis. And had to put down a young neuro horse who was determined by autopsy to have had a tumor. So I know the roller coaster ride.
The difference here is that this is a senior horse and I’m a senior, too. I don’t want to put my buddy through anything horrible. I also don’t want to let him waste away when he could be cured of whatever is going on. I love riding him! What can I say? He’s my everything! I would love to get a test done through Pathogenes but cannot find any vet in our area (Northern Virginia) who will do that. I don’t know if the Oroquin-10 is recommended for a senior horse. I also don’t want to risk losing my vet. I don’t know what to do – I abhor indecisiveness – and am just awfully upset.
I will value any input at all.
Thank you.
