Miracle so far, but jingles (and ideas) needed!

[amastrike]

Yesterday one of my barn's best lesson horses suddenly became very ill. She was running into walls, collapsing, unable to walk. She fell on a couple of people, and seemed to forget how to walk--she'd step forward with one leg, then tip forward without stepping until someone tapped her leg with a crop. She couldn't back up, she'd just tip over backwards. (I did not witness this personally, but was told about it from those who were there.) She was also circling and leaning hard to one side. The vet came out and wasn't sure what it could be... they were thinking rabies, and he had to go make calls to the health department and all that. She was going to be euthanized when he got back. Thankfully, it took a very long time for him to get back, because by the time he was able to come out she was doing much much better. She was standing unassisted and fairly steady, eating and drinking. She quite literally got a stay of execution. She's on Naxcel daily, and dexamethasone twice daily, both for four days. Today was the first day of that treatment (well, technically second, he treated her yesterday, but we have to do the injections for 4 days). We're hoping and praying she gets better. She was looking really good today--she ate most of her hay, wolfed down her bran mash, she was bright and alert.

Jingles for Friday (http://i42.tinypic.com/1z6ckg6.jpg) would be much appreciated, as well as any ideas of what could be wrong with her. Tumor? Stroke? Disease? It's just so odd.

[horseluver1]

Could it be a toxic plant of some sort? I heard of a horse at a boarding facility that exhibitied the same type of behaviour you explained and it turned out to be some sort of a toxic plant in the pasture. Just a thought.

[horseluver1]

whoops...forgot to send Friday a ton of jingles from PA!!

[MistyBlue]

Poor girl...my best wishes for her.

[Gayla]

Jingles!

[JoZ]

My old gelding did something similar -- seems like it was a bit less raucous than poor Friday but he was 29 or 30 at the time. I felt so bad, I led him through the door and he missed the doorway and walked headlong into the wall. Disoriented, staggering. The vet thought it was probably a stroke. He also had facial paralysis which I think was one of the things that made the vet think "stroke".

He made a 100% recovery. Balance and ability to walk came back first; we thought the facial paralysis would be permanent but it too started to recede until one could see only the faintest sag to an eyelid then... nothing.

Do you notice anything like that (paralysis)? I think the toxic plant idea is a good one too and worth investigating. Regardless of what it is, HUGE jingles for it to pass and let Friday get back to normal!!!!!

[amastrike]

Thanks for the input. A toxic plant would make sense, but I don't see how she could have possibly got into anything. She hasn't been out in the pasture, and the other turnout areas don't have much grass. Anything she could have eaten could have been eaten by other horses too, and no one else is having a problem. I suppose she could have eaten something on a trail ride, but I think the last time she was on the trails was Tuesday. Wouldn't ingesting a toxic plant have an effect sooner?

Personally, I'm leaning toward the stroke (or strokes) theory. Now people are saying "oh yeah, I remember her doing something weird, but it went away so I didn't think about it." Someone had seen one of her legs twitching, she had one instance a couple months ago where she fell over in the lawn but recovered quickly (vet found nothing then). She was circling in one direction, leaning in one direction, and her eye on that side looked a bit droopy (just about normal now). She was having a little difficulty eating yesterday, but was fine today. Do steroids help with a stroke?

Poor girl's only in her mid-late teens. We've had her less than a year, and she's been so popular with the lesson kids. She's a good, sweet girl that you can trust with anyone.

[DesignerLabel]

This may be totally off track, but she wouldn't be a Quarter horse with Impressive lines, would she? Since she's been there about a year, hopefully this isn't HYPP related.


Liz

[amastrike]

The vet thought HYPP (not sure on her breed or breeding), but she didn't respond to treatment.

[JB]

My first thought was indeed a stroke. Jingles!!!

[Buffyblue]

Jingles from NYC! Hoping for a full recovery!

[Risk-Averse Rider]

Jingles from Arizona.

[horseluver1]

I would assume that if she ingested something on the trailride Tuesday it would certainly affected her that day or evening. I just hope she is doing better and the vet can figure out what is going on. I am still jingling away....

[amastrike]

Friday is still doing well. She was such a good girl for her shots today. She's been looking bright and alive. Hopefully she stays that way. If she pulls through, her new show name is going to be "Miracle Friday" (or maybe "Friday Miracle").