I agree with poltroon.
If the vet isn’t pushing for it then I wouldn’t haul her.
I would ask your vet to call around and find a local ultrasound machine. That isn’t something you should have to haul in to a clinic for.
I have had two horses present the same way. Both had heart failure and I lost both of them a few weeks later.
My first horse was 26 and present with a murmur at exam so I had him put down at that time.
My second horse was bombing around cross country a few weeks before so we threw some money at it. No fever, heart rate fine, blood work fine. She started to go downhill and because the Edema was so extreme and presented so strangly we took her to a major equine hospital where they did an autopsy at their cost. They found a rare form of tumor that causes hardening around the heart. She was 20 and she was put down on the same day she was supposed to be at a horse trial.
In my experience if it is a heart issue lasix, dex, and the like will only help you sustain for a short period of time and you will lose her anyway. I’m terribly sorry to be so blunt but having just went through the same thing I want to be honest with you and I have tears in my eyes as I post this.
If you look through my blog you can find posts with pictures of her condition.
[QUOTE=joiedevie99;7920195]
I would ask your vet to call around and find a local ultrasound machine. That isn’t something you should have to haul in to a clinic for.[/QUOTE]
There is nothing of that sort around here. We are lucky to have portable x-Ray. I live in bum-fck nowhere.
[QUOTE=enjoytheride;7920251]
I have had two horses present the same way. Both had heart failure and I lost both of them a few weeks later.
My first horse was 26 and present with a murmur at exam so I had him put down at that time.
My second horse was bombing around cross country a few weeks before so we threw some money at it. No fever, heart rate fine, blood work fine. She started to go downhill and because the Edema was so extreme and presented so strangly we took her to a major equine hospital where they did an autopsy at their cost. They found a rare form of tumor that causes hardening around the heart. She was 20 and she was put down on the same day she was supposed to be at a horse trial.
In my experience if it is a heart issue lasix, dex, and the like will only help you sustain for a short period of time and you will lose her anyway. I’m terribly sorry to be so blunt but having just went through the same thing I want to be honest with you and I have tears in my eyes as I post this.
If you look through my blog you can find posts with pictures of her condition.[/QUOTE]
Wow, she had a lot of swelling. My mare looks like Annie from your picture dated 9-20. So far no increase in the swelling. We gave Dex x3 days a week ago and it brought the swelling on the right side down. Left side stayed the same. So far no change from that.
[QUOTE=SoShootMe;7920533]
Wow, she had a lot of swelling. My mare looks like Annie from your picture dated 9-20. So far no increase in the swelling. We gave Dex x3 days a week ago and it brought the swelling on the right side down. Left side stayed the same. So far no change from that.[/QUOTE]
Yes, she had a lot of swelling but ate and drank fine and everything else was normal. The swelling started to go down and we were hopeful but then it came back and we noticed a decline in her personality as well as difficulty breathing so the next day I left work early and we hauled her away to Purdue to have her put down.
Her swelling also started on one side and was worse on one side because the tumor affected only one side of the heart.
Any update? How is your horse doing?
Hey, thanks for the check-in. She’s doing good. The edema is minimal on the right side and has come down on the left although there is still a noticible lump. Weight is the same. I don’t know if I am over worrying but her mood maybe seems duller? Hard to say. She must have slipped on ice today because she’s a little lame on her left hind. No swelling or heat and she’s weight bearing, just short striding. My luck just gets better lol. Her jugular pulse is still very visible. That worries me. You can see the blood flow halfway up the vein and back down.
Temps dropped to the -15c area at night so she is blanketed with a light/mid weight blanket to help keep her warm. She will get a heavy turnout when temps get to the dreaded -20/-30’s.
I have a sinking feeling that she won’t be around as long as I’m hoping. But im trying to stay positive.
I’ll post updates here as they happen. Hopefully I won’t have to post for a while…
Thanks for the update - hope you have her around for quite a while!
[QUOTE=SoShootMe;7920525]
There is nothing of that sort around here. We are lucky to have portable x-Ray. I live in bum-fck nowhere.[/QUOTE]
I would think a ultra sound machine is more common that a portable xray.
Well the portable X-ray machine is about 20+ years old and used frequently. Ultrasound not so much, so no vet locally has shelled out the money for one.
Ever since I double-blanketed her, the edema has disappeared…
just lost one…
to the same symptoms, though he had been previously diagnosed with cancer. Ventral edema presented along with hind limb edema that did not respond to treatment. Labored breathing, bloodwork was borderline, but vet felt that cancer had spread to liver or kidneys. Was told to be prepared. At the end, breathing was getting, when vet arrived, she felt that his systems were shutting down and that the heart was now in trouble. We let him go that day. He was 20, welsh cross pony. Along with all this, for the 3 weeks preceding his decline, his body temp was consistently low, at one point 94. Might be why your mare feels better when blanketed?
2.5 years ago he was given a prognosis of 6 months, so we were blessed with the time we had with him.
Using this neat little symptom checker tool I found on this new website, http://www.horsedvm.com, it gives you a few other possibilities to look into.
I think she’s maybe using less energy to keep warm so her heart is working less. We had a string of days it was -40c and the edema came back a bit, not as bad as before. She is toasty warm under the blankets. Still eating and drinking good. And gained some weight. No swelling in her legs. Looking like early stages of heart failure as she’s still thriving. But I’ll check out that link above.
[QUOTE=SoShootMe;7952423]
I think she’s maybe using less energy to keep warm so her heart is working less. We had a string of days it was -40c and the edema came back a bit, not as bad as before. She is toasty warm under the blankets. Still eating and drinking good. And gained some weight. No swelling in her legs. Looking like early stages of heart failure as she’s still thriving. But I’ll check out that link above.[/QUOTE]
Hi there. Is there an update on your horse??? My 29yr old gelding in excellent health (vet says without looking at his chart he would guess he’s 20). We discovered a heart murmur 3 months ago, but vet said it was ok without other symptoms. Today I noticed lumps on his abdomen and texted vet photos, he says its ventral edema. It’s not one large mass but several lumps distinguishable between eachother but fairly close in proximity, and only on the left side. The vet can’t get out until Wednesday. I starting researching as my horse doesn’t have any other symptoms, is eating and drinking fine. He had a blood panel at the time the murmur was discovered 3 months ago which was normal. I keep seeing CHF.
How did your horse do??? Can you give me updates??? I’m so worried I feel sick.
In your horse’s case I don’t think it’s good news. It’s a sign that the heart can’t work hard enough to keep everything moving around properly. So sorry.
Wandered on back here and figured I’d update this thread for anyone who may find it with a similar case on their hands.
This mare is still alive and doing well. In the winter I have to double blanket her and the edema returns but not as bad. In the summer, she is fine - no swelling at all. She lives her days eating grass and sleeping. I’m thankful to have her this long. She’s 20 1/2 now.
So glad to hear your horse is doing well.
