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View Full Version : HELP...horse has heaves symptoms and a fever


hunter-eventer-hunter
Aug. 31, 2009, 08:24 AM
Any help on this one would be good: We have a 14 year old home breed TB. Never raced, light hunter work, is outside about 20 hours a day. She has been the healtiest horse I have evet known until this week. She was losing conidtion the second part of August. Losing some muscle and just seemed lazy. On Monday 24th she was really out of breath coming in from the field. Had vet out that day.

She was diagnosed with heaves like/allergies and a mis-alinged back. We are in KY and this summer has been really wet and cold so we have some really crazy mold and weed's going on. Vet said she had seen many odd allergy/heaves cases this summer in horses with no history.

Chiro has been out for the back already so that is not a red alert. She had no fever on Monday, her WBC looked good but some other blood factors were really messed up. She went on a 5 day course of Dexamethasone, Cough Syrup, Trihist 2X a day, blood booster and limited turnout. And is going to start of Power Pack as soon as we can get the breathing sorted out.

She was done with the dexamethasone Saturday and her Cough Syrup on Saturday and by Sunday here breathing was really bad again. She also had a fever, 103.5. That was a new symptom. So last night another vet saw her (my regualr vet was not on call this weekend) and she got 20 MG dose of Dexamethesone, 5 CC of Albuteriol (for asthma) and we turned her out in her regular T.O.

She had gone off her feed and was very depressed.

New symptom this morning...she has trickles of bloos out of her nose. The regular vet will be out to the barn as soon as she can.

We may be going to Rood and Riddle today as we are in Kentucky about an hour away, but this girl HATES trailers (that will add even more stress to an already stressed out girl).

I will go if we need to, but any other ideas :(

FindersKeepers
Aug. 31, 2009, 03:22 PM
With her rapid downward spiral, I'd put her on the trailer now and take her over there.

Of the things that popped into my head reading your post, not a single one of them is something I'd let wait a few more days.

hunter-eventer-hunter
Sep. 1, 2009, 08:12 AM
We went to Rood and Riddle, and her blood work was very bad. She was bleedign internally, trying to make new RBC's and couldn't. Her clotting was really bad, and she lost blood pressure and couldn't stand.

hoopoe
Sep. 1, 2009, 08:29 AM
Oh my dear what a terrible event.

I am very sorry for your loss. I hope the vets can find you an answer to put your mind at ease

Nanerpus
Sep. 1, 2009, 08:33 AM
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that.

sid
Sep. 1, 2009, 08:34 AM
I'm sorry to hear this. Possibly Lymphosarcoma?

Buffyblue
Sep. 1, 2009, 08:35 AM
I'm so sorry you lost her! I have a 14 y.o. TB mare myself and it sure seems awfully young for such a serious medical condition!

Mara
Sep. 1, 2009, 08:38 AM
I am so sorry. It's never easy even when you know the end is near, but to lose one suddenly is such a shock.

trubandloki
Sep. 1, 2009, 09:00 AM
I am so sorry for your loss.

hunter-eventer-hunter
Sep. 1, 2009, 09:22 AM
I'm sorry to hear this. Possibly Lymphosarcoma?

That is exactly what Rood and Riddle think it was. We will have the necro resutls in a few days to know.

The staff at Rood and Riddle was tremendous as always. They did every thing they could, but the little girl ( I was there when she was born, and she was a small little filly ) laid down at 5 PM last night and told us it was time.

Thanks....

I never thougth her creeky old dam would outlive her, but she did.

sid
Sep. 1, 2009, 11:07 AM
When you posted about respiratory distress, fevers, then blood from the nostrils, that was all to familiar to me. I lost one of my homebreds, 8 year old mare with the same symptoms. Chest radiographs confirmed.

It came on fast. From first symptoms to having to be euthanized it was only 9 days.

Terrible shock. Take good care.

Susan

SkipHiLad4me
Sep. 1, 2009, 11:10 AM
I'm so sorry for your loss.