Post by zansmo on Dec 10, 2014 9:05:53 GMT -5
I have a 37 year old mare, had her since she was 10 months old. She is my "princess horse". Just to give you some background. As a child I was in love with horses, my parents spoiled me and I had my first pony at a very early age. When I was in 7th grade, I still had a bigger pony, but wanted a "horse" so bad. Sold the pony to a good friend and saved up my money from odd jobs to buy my first real horse. Ended up finding and falling in love with a 10 month old Arabian cross foal! We have grown up together. When I got married, it was from her back, and when that marriage fell apart it was her shoulders I cried to.
Saturday after Thanksgiving she was down in pasture, alert but could not get herself up. Vet cam out gave dextrose IV, banamine, Lasix and Vit B inj. He thought perhaps she had some sort of stoke or other medical event. Vitals were all pretty normal, but she had some slight nystagmus in her eyes and her inner eyelids appeared a little inflamed. Vet thought she had about a 20% chance of getting up. We rolled her to her other side, and I massaged legs and stayed with her. 5 hours after he left, she got up, looking for dinner and has been very normal, until last night. She was down again.
Same symptoms, except at one point her heart rate was up around 70. Followed very much the same protocol as above, and this time about an hour after the vet left she was up and looking very normal for her. Eating, drinking, walking about her pasture. (peeing and pooing too)
This morning, she is up and looking for her breakfast! (yippee!!)
She foundered in her early 20s, and has some rotation in her left coffin bone, and recently she had had a couple of abscesses in that foot, I have treated and she now wears a boot on that foot pretty much full time.
As an older horse, she very rarely lays down. (almost never) and I am sure her feet and joints hurt. She has occasionally been on a low dose bute, but really not for long periods and about 1 gram twice a day only if needed. I almost feel like she wants to lay down, give her feet a rest, and then finds that she cannot get those old legs under her to get back up!
Vet has suggested some additional Vit B injects for about 3 days, and also suggested Previcox which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication used in dogs for the relief of pain and inflammation. He also suggested adding honey to her feed.
Just wondering if anyone else might have any good suggestions, or supplements to help keep her feeling good?
Because I know you all like pictures, here she is enjoying a late breakfast after her first episode.
Saturday after Thanksgiving she was down in pasture, alert but could not get herself up. Vet cam out gave dextrose IV, banamine, Lasix and Vit B inj. He thought perhaps she had some sort of stoke or other medical event. Vitals were all pretty normal, but she had some slight nystagmus in her eyes and her inner eyelids appeared a little inflamed. Vet thought she had about a 20% chance of getting up. We rolled her to her other side, and I massaged legs and stayed with her. 5 hours after he left, she got up, looking for dinner and has been very normal, until last night. She was down again.
Same symptoms, except at one point her heart rate was up around 70. Followed very much the same protocol as above, and this time about an hour after the vet left she was up and looking very normal for her. Eating, drinking, walking about her pasture. (peeing and pooing too)
This morning, she is up and looking for her breakfast! (yippee!!)
She foundered in her early 20s, and has some rotation in her left coffin bone, and recently she had had a couple of abscesses in that foot, I have treated and she now wears a boot on that foot pretty much full time.
As an older horse, she very rarely lays down. (almost never) and I am sure her feet and joints hurt. She has occasionally been on a low dose bute, but really not for long periods and about 1 gram twice a day only if needed. I almost feel like she wants to lay down, give her feet a rest, and then finds that she cannot get those old legs under her to get back up!
Vet has suggested some additional Vit B injects for about 3 days, and also suggested Previcox which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication used in dogs for the relief of pain and inflammation. He also suggested adding honey to her feed.
Just wondering if anyone else might have any good suggestions, or supplements to help keep her feeling good?
Because I know you all like pictures, here she is enjoying a late breakfast after her first episode.
I hope this makes as much a difference in your beautiful girl like it does for him! 
