Diary of a Wobbler

[Altered-States]

This is the beginnings of a diary – that started a couple of weeks ago. I started keeping it for myself – to ease the pain and organize my thoughts. It occurred to me that my experiences may inform another wobbler owners. So here I am, in alter form.

Prologue

She is 18 months old, and stands a little over 16 hands – in front….more behind. She was born huge – and hasn’t slowed down. And despite her unfortunate height – she has what I’ve been looking for: outstanding expression, wonderfully straight, correct front limbs, as good a hind-leg conformation as I could wish for and a wonderful neck-set and a big, kind eye. Elastic mover – big hip. She should follow in the steps of her siblings and half-siblings: good jumping horses that moves great. She just oozes athleticism. I’m pretty sure she is her mother’s replacement to the broodmare band.

A seriously gawky/ugly long weanling and early yearling – she is blossoming now. Growing into all her parts. Precocious as a long yearling – not just in height – but in general muscle development. She looks more like two.

Except, except..... I think she used to move quicker behind. This observation follows me around every moment like the proverbial Greek Chorus. Am I imagining it? The horseman in me says no. You see what you see. And the fact you’ve always been worried about this tall filly isn’t making you see things. Something isn’t right.

So I contact my herd vet. We decide that it would be best if another vet, a general medicine/chiro practitioner sees her initially. If she’s a wobbler this vet will find it – but if it’s just a mal-adjustment because she cartwheeled when I wasn’t looking, or did something silly that got her out of adjustment I’ll be covered as well. She can also get her admitted to a large clinic for rads and a meylogram if it comes to that.

[Altered-States]

Day 1

The usual neuro exam follows. Filly passes some parts with flying colors: she has full neck mobility - she knows where her front feet are – there is no atrophy – no scuffing/wear of hind toes. But with a lifted head in front - going down a steep hill … she is hypertaxic. Her tail-pull test isn’t what is should be. And when you cross her right hind leg behind the left she doesn’t correct.

It’s time for cervicals. I make sure the equine hospital schedules us so that we can do a meylogram immediately following the cervicals if need be.
My very worst nightmare is coming true. I’m praying for EPM.

[Altered-States]

Day 8

She gets into a trailer in about 60 seconds at the first easing into dawn. She’s always had a good mind. After a 2 hour drive – we are at the clinic.

The surgeon performs more neuro-tests before we start with the radiographs. His findings are pretty much the same as the referring vet, with the exception that she doesn’t react much to being stimulated on either side of the neck. My heart sinks. That’s not EPM.

We get on with the cervicals.

I got an education on cervical measurements, the physiology of the equine spinal cord – and – the Bagby Basket surgery complete with endless rads showing before and after shots of other horses, and the device itself. It’s explained to me that boney growth causes impingement at the top of the cord. Inflammation of the cord continues and builds upon itself. Nerve function is forever lost, and the patient continues to deteriorate. The basket stops the growth and thereby stops the neverending cycle of irritation and inflammation. The surgery patient can usually expect one grade of improvement. Filly is only grade one (plus) neurologic. This means there is the chance she could recover after surgery to be a completely useful sporthorse.

The findings are…..moderately encouraging. There is some evidence of remodeling at C 6-7 – but not a huge amount of compensatory bone being laid down. It’s mild. Like her symptoms. The vet remarks that he doesn’t frequently see horses with symptoms this mild.

We discuss going on to the Meylogram. We also discuss having a spinal tap done for EPM at the same time as the procedure. I’m all for it. I came prepared – in both mindset and in pocketbook. I need to know. This need to know has been haunting my dreams for the last 8 weeks – it’s like an evil hiss in my head.

While Filly is undergoing the procedure, my SO and I consider our options. We decide that If surgery is recommended – we may pursue it. There would be no market for the filly as a horse under tack. No buyer would be willing to take on a performance prospect with a Bagby Basket. But a friend of ours who is getting ready for her next horse. We can do this – we think. Once she’s stable and in work – she will work for this friend. Maybe if we guaranteed her soundness……

She’s still down in the operating theater when the surgeon emerged, wanting a conference. He brings up the films of the meylogram. It’s not what was expected. Filly is normal in the head flung up, and the normal neck extension. She is mildly impinged at no fewer than two – and probably three places, when the neck is flexed downward: C 3-4, C5-6 and only possibly at the initial worry site: C 6-7. I mention to the surgeon that several compression sites do not make for a surgical candidate. He agrees - she is not a surgical candidate. There are maybe 12 horses that have gone through three site baskets. That’s in the entire US.

The filly must stay a while at the clinic – meylograms can cause “headaches” in horses and pain in the first few days afterwards – as the dye material in the cord is metabolized. And because of the invasive nature of the meylogram – there is the slight risk of encephalitis. So….temp taking and a gram of bute am/pm is on the agenda for the next three days. The surgeon requests that she be put on 8000 iu of Vit. E when she gets home.
We leave praying even harder for a positive EPM spinal tap.

[Altered-States]

Day 10

We pick the filly up from the clinic. She has been eating her hay, drinking, and pretty much seems okay. She gets back on the trailer without fuss and we head home to wait.

We are waiting for Davis to give us the results of the EPM test, and also for the consults on the meylogram results the attending surgeon has requested : Dr. Barrie Grant at WSU and from Dr. Stephen Reed at Rood & Riddle. I try to take comfort that no matter what the outcome, the surgeon has asked the additional opinions of the two best neuro men in the US. I don’t think I’ll be second-guessing anyone when this is over.

I am forever grateful to Filly – who is eating the Vit. E capsules whole. I don’t have to break 20 capsules a day to top-dress her feed. I kiss her on the nose. She tosses her head to let me know this mushy stuff is for wimps. She wants me to get on with turning her out.

[Altered-States]

Day 12

Filly is decidedly uncomfortable this morning. She will not graze, and wanders in a frustrated manner around the pasture – seeking out her dam. She recently got turned back out with her mother and another broodmare. Her dam has always liked this particular child of hers – even though the child is the adored adoptee of the other broodmare. Her mother notices Filly’s frustration – lifts her head to touch her face when Filly seeks her out. I am reminded of a sick human child, wanting its mother near for comfort.

This isn’t right. She is well past the “danger period” and has been off Bute for 48 hours. Her temp is normal. I call the initial chiro vet who has been getting regular updates from the surgeon. She tells me to put her back on bute, stall her with a haynet, and the will come in the am.

[Altered-States]

Day 13

Vet is out, Filly is quite sore along the crest – and very obviously more neurologic than when she went to the clinic. No better after three grams of bute over the last 18 hours. RX: 15 tabs of Robaxtin 2x, plus 1 gm bute 2x, CBC to make sure there Is no sub-clinical infection.

Day 14

This was a bad day for me and for Filly. She is so uncomfortable, and when I turn her out for a while I see slight hind toe-dragging and hear the clicking of over-reach. Her CBC is very normal.

[Altered-States]

Day 15

While the neuro symptoms have not regressed back to their grade 1 state, Filly is feeling better, and will graze now when turned out. I was told that she may, over the course of the next few weeks, improve back to the grade 1 status she was…for a while.

I’ve gotten no comfort from any equine medical professional I’ve talked to. It is only a matter of time before she becomes a danger to herself, or to me while handling her.

I now begin the age-old ritual of grasping at straws (and do so completely understanding that “grasping at straws” is exactly what I’m doing.) I am looking into acupuncture - feeding her 8000 iu's of vita E, and investigating adding MSM and massive amounts of turmeric. I found myself trying to figure out what the equine dose for an 1100 # filly would be for turmeric (curcumin). I guess building a pyramid for her in one of the pastures is next. (I’m kidding. Acupuncture is as woo-woo as I get.)

Yet, even as I look into these measures – I know they are band-aid measures at best. At two of the compression sites – there is no remodeling. Just stenosis. Her cord opening is simply congenitally too small. In thinking about this - I begin to question what I think I know about this situation. Because I’ve just realized I don’t understand how surgery with the Bagby Basket can help at the sites where there is no remodeling – just compression alone.
So, I’ve got a call into my herd vet. She’s been kept in the loop, the clinic is getting her a set of the meylogram films and the cervical rads. She is a very good internal medicine vet in her own right.

I sat a long while in the corner of her stall tonight. Filly comes over to nudge me every so often. I wonder - how many more nudges will I be able to get from that wonderful nose?

[ambar]

This is the beginnings of a diary – that started a couple of weeks ago. I started keeping it for myself – to ease the pain and organize my thoughts. It occurred to me that my experiences may inform another wobbler owners.

Mine turned out to be a not-wobblers, courtesy of a pasture accident, and is pretty much sound now. But first I had to get past the grade four status and the asking myself when I had to put this glorious baby down before she fell on someone. So I've been there, or a place a lot like it. Jingles for you both.

[ontarget]

We had to put down a stunning 8 month old colt (by Colour Rubin and out of a GP mare) because he was a wobbler... It was a terrible, terrible thing.

I feel for you, and jingles for your baby. :(

[Hattie]

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I know because I went through the same thing with my mare when she was a yearling. Luckily, she only had one site C6-C7 and I had Drs. Reed and Robertson perform the Bagby basket surgery. It's been 7 years and she has done everything that I bred her for and I was content just to have a pasture pet. It's a tough road and my thoughts are with you no matter what the outcome.

[matryoshka]

Wow. So sorry. Thank you for sharing your story, painful as it is.

[duecavalle]

Have her vitamin E levels checked if you have not already. My 4 mos old filly was lethargic and grade 3 ataxic. After negative EPM spinal tap and similar myleogram results (slight narrowing of the dorsal dye column at C6-7 when in hyperextension view), was diagnosed with EDM (Equine Degenerative Myleoencephalopathy).

Her E levels were extremely low. She was on 8,000 IUs of E but still not in the normal range. Extreme supplementation with natural (d-alpha tocopheral) Vitamin E followed and she improved steadily. She plateaued at about 2 years old. She's now 6 years old and up until this summer -- when she very unfortunately contracted Lyme -- she was sound for light riding and has been a joy to everyone who meets her.

Dr. Linda Blythe at Oregon State was very helpful: http://oregonstate.edu/vetmed/departments/biomedical/faculty/blythe

Best of luck to you and your filly.

[Laurierace]

I can't for the life of me figure out why you felt the need for an alter on this sad topic but I wish you well none the less. Its apparent you will do the right thing for her at the right time, whatever that may be.

[Bluey]

We lost a dobie to wobblers and it is a rather rare condition, but less rare in dobies.

Hope all sorts itself out for you and your filly.:(

[BKDressage]

I sympathize for you. I had a WONDERFUL gelding that I started lighty as a two yr old...went PERFECT-he was the best student! Turned him out for winter, and started him again as a 3yr old. Everything was coming right to him with no issues, it was like he was just made for dressage! I was feeling so confident in his abilities, I signed us up for a clinic. The week before, I noticed him starting to trip and be "clumbsy". Being clumbsy and tripping was NOT this horse, BUT being a baby, I was just thinking he was growing and being a "baby". So one day I turned him out, and he tried to turn, and FELL!!! He did this one more time, and I said, alright...time to go to the vet. I was completly thinking EPM, but to my dismay...he was a wobbler :( It hit SOO fast. He went from my super talented willing loving dressage horse, to having to put him down at the vet within a weeks time.... I wish you luck with your mare, and hope you do not end up in my position...

[Tif_Ann]

I am the human mom of a 14 yr old HUGE QH with wobbles. He's 16.1-16.2 and 1300 pounds. He's everything you describe your filly to be - beautiful mind, soft eyes, beautiful conformation ... we constantly get questioned by the big trainers why we don't show him.

I adopted him from a rescue, as he was donated to them. The rescue was given his history as he was a western pleasure horse until four, when he suffered a stifle injury, then ran barrells until eight, until he reinjured his stifle, then was retired and a pet for four years, until they donated him at 12. I got him knowing he had some personality "quirks" (the boy was the MOST SPOILED horse I have ever met) and started the process of rehabbing him and getting him under saddle again. Stubborn and naughty, sure, but we found out quickly that he was gaited and his canter was either AMAZING or completely lateral and cross-firing, depending on the day. After a few months I had him evaluated by the farrier for his stifle - she felt his stifle was very tight and sound - and then had the vet evaluate him to see if injections would help his stifle. That's when I got the news that our vet feels it is wobbles, a 1.5 on the scale. I tracked him down on allbreedpedigree.com and found that his history THERE (by the same person who donated him) said he was retired at 3 because he developed wobbles. When the rescue attempted to get more information from the previous owner she wouldn't respond to their calls or emails - though she had been quick to respond to every inquiry prior to that.

I have not done the x-rays or testing with Tommy. At 14, there really is no reason to consider the surgery. I know most people are quick to euthanize wobbles babies so I'm surprised that Tommy wasn't, but here he is, ten years later, mostly sound and still only a 1.5 on the scale. He's safe on trails and a very solid horse, his gaits are just messed up. His amble is a fun gait on trails however ;) There are varying opinions on whether or not he has wobbles, so I'm also using retraining and rehab work along with Vitamin E to help him be the most he can be.

Tommy is on about 6500 iu of Vitamin E each day and it makes a noticable difference in his gaits and stability. Through a lot of patient work he now trots 95% of the time (over a lateral pace - he still reverts to the pace when he's anxious or very tired) and his trot has finally become even. We're working on lengthening and compressing the trot to teach him how to stop without buckling his hind end - he likes to almost do a sliding stop. The canter still needs work, but it's coming along. We aren't focusing on it because we're going into winter and I'd rather just maintain the trot rather than try something new. The cold always makes him stiffer.

Our vet has said that since he's only at a 1.5 at 14 he's probably not going to progress much worse. It's been two years since I had him evaluated so I plan on having a new neurological workup done in the spring to see if there's been any changes.

I shared my story I guess because I've seen so many people basically give up on a wobbles horse ... so very little research is out there on what can and can't be done to help them. I've read that the basket surgery can have amazing results, but like I said - at 14 I don't consider it an option for Tommy. It would take me a couple years to save up for it anyway - and at that point I figure I'll be looking for my next horse anyway. Tommy'll be 16-17 and my other horse will be 14-15 and probably fully blind at that point, that's assuming we beat the squamous cell carcinoma that we're fighting right now. The money is better spent on a prospect at that point, as I slowly retire my other boys :)

If Tommy were ten years younger I'd absolutely be doing everything you are doing. Don't underestimate how much Vitamin E and patient training can help. The more I work with Tommy and reteach him how to use his body, the more confident and strong he gets. I ride him for my dressage instructor about every six months to get an outside eye on how he's coming along, and at our last one she was shocked with how even and straight he's become at the trot. He's strong and balanced. I can't wait to see how much we can improve his canter next year. He has a beautiful canter in there ... he just has to "remember" how his back feet are supposed to go!

Good luck with your girl!

[jubilee43]

I am so sorry to read of your troubles. We had a lovely Tb who started out with just a toe drag at 2YO across the threshold of his stall. We tried many things except surgery since it was not in the budget. We had to euth him at 3 before he hurt himself or someone accidentally.Why is it that these are the horses that have such lovely personalities right from the day they are born? Beautiful inside and out with no future...I just hate that prognosis..

[Dressage Art]

I'm so sorry to read about neuro issues of your horse. I'm also going thru that as well with my mare who fractured her neck at c7. I hope that you horse may recover since she is still so young.

[citydog]

Thanks for posting.

We had a Doberman whose Wobblers never progressed beyond a certain point. Jingles that you have plenty of time for more nose nudges from your girl.

[asb_own_me]

Heartbreaking. Jingles for you and this lovely filly.

[Altered-States]

Day 21

The results are back, Filly does not have EPM.

THe Robaxin and bute have helped - Filly no longer seems to be in pain. She is grazing normally. She is what I would call a Grade 2, minus now...instead of a solid grade 2 last week. I hope she can have some time at grade one, plus. We shall see.

I have never, in all my years of horses, had so many conversations with so many vets that all uniformly singing the same doomed story: she will continue to deteriorate until she is a danger to herself or to me. Most vets think I will be lucky for her to make it to this time next year.

I am continuing with the E, and she'll get acupuncture when my acupuncture vet returns to town in a week. THe least I can do is give her the most amount of time to feel the sun on her beautiful face, and taste the oats in her bucket. In the meantime, I think she'll enjoy this spring's foals. In my mind's eye I see her keeping watch in the pasture over the sleeping foals while their mothers graze - just as young mares assigned to "nanny duty" often do.

Now that the "discovery" period is done, I am left with an uncomfortable mental "tick, tock - tick, tock" when I touch her. I have lived with that mental ticking clock with elderly horses - but it feels very different to hear it associated with a baby - who will never whicker to her own newborn foal - or give a happy buck after clearing that big oxer.

I'll post again when there is something to report - and heartfelt thanks to all who have taken the time to post with their empathy.

[Dalemma]

Is she a candiate for basket surgery.......from what I understand it can be quite successful.......probably expensive and it is a long recovery period.

http://www.equine-equilibrium.com/ARTICLE.BasketCasePDF.pdf

Dalemma

[thatmoody]

It's difficult, and I sympathize. I have a clock ticker myself - he's fairly stable on the vitamin E now but he has EDM so I have to monitor him very carefully and it's hard to tell when you see them every day. Every tail twitch becomes a huge sign from GOD - was that it? Nope, not yet. At least he doesn't hurt, but it's a fine line between stable and falling on someone.

[pezk]

Wobblers is a common disorder in dobes. When my older dobe developed the disorder the vet at first didn't think it could be anything else. But she ran a number of tests esp for tick disease. When the tests came back positive for Rocky Mtn Spotted fever, the vet couldn't believe it. Treated the dog and the wobbler symptoms totally disappeared. After doing some research on wobblers in dogs and tick diseases, it looks like they are finding more cases of wobblers being caused by lymne disease and the other tick borne diseases. Treat the tick disease and the wobblers disappears. Since it seems that dog medicine is ahead of horse medicine it might be worth testing for lymne in any horse that presents with unusual symptoms. And not a snap test either. They can be very wrong. Just a thought.

[Pat Ness]

My thoughts are with you and your filly. I too owned a wobbler that was probably the most athletic horse I have ever owned. Please see this story for another option for wobblers:
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/columns/story?id=1977978

[stoicfish]

Just for my own info. How can they be so sure it will get to a 5? Isn't there horses around that stay at 2 or 3? I read several articles from The Horse after I read your story and it gave hope to the disease. I feel very bad for you and her, and not trying to dismiss what you are going through. I just thought there might be a little more hope associated with this and was wondering why they are so sure?
I am also going out to buy some Vit e today.

[Tif_Ann]

Stoic - that's why I posted about Tommy - it doesn't have to be an automatic death sentence. He's been a 1.5 for 11 years now ... with no signs of progressing. If anything, he's improving on Vitamin E and with exercise!

[stoicfish]

Stoic - that's why I posted about Tommy - it doesn't have to be an automatic death sentence. He's been a 1.5 for 11 years now ... with no signs of progressing. If anything, he's improving on Vitamin E and with exercise!

Tif Anne,
I read your story and I am super glad he found a good home with an understanding person. :)
But
I have never, in all my years of horses, had so many conversations with so many vets that all uniformly singing the same doomed story: she will continue to deteriorate until she is a danger to herself or to me. Most vets think I will be lucky for her to make it to this time next year.

I was wondering what they found that would make a vet tell her this?
Or can vets determine how the diesease will progress with a high degree of accuracy?

P.S Tif you can tell me where and what you use for Vit E? I am in Canada.
THANK YOU

[Tif_Ann]

I actually use a supplement called "Winner's Daily" from Smart Pak - he also had poor hooves so I was very glad to find that supplement. It also hasn't been hit with the price increase that most Vitamin E has. It provides about 5000 IU per day, then he also gets Health-E-Oil, which gives him a bit more.

[Home Again Farm]

A very good friend had a big gangly yearling who was diagnosed as a wobbler. She gave him plenty of time to grow up and showed him through 4th level before selling him as a schoolmaster where he's still going strong. Perhaps your beautiful filly will surprise you. Jingling and hoping...

[Rainrider]

I am sorry to read about your filly: Interesting that you mentioned Dr Barrie Grant. He operated on a horse of mine almost 30 years ago at WSU- he was the 13th horse done- he was a yearling and did xray to show that he had a lesion, but he did not wobble- Grant did a bone plug as was common in those days- the horse went on to be fine and was a great show horse. This horse was by Roman Champ who some felt at the time was a wobbler and passed it on to his off spring- although not all of them had it. This litle horse had quite the life and finally died of colic when he was 17- he had had an enterolith and survived that. Dr Pam Wagner also helped with his first operation.

[egontoast]

Have any of the vets discussed nutrition with you (sorry if I missed it). I recall there was a study -google should find it- from University of a Kentucky ?- which talked about limiting movement (basically stall rest ) and restricting nutrition drastically and that this had definitely worked for some youngsters in the study.

[staceyk]

My heart goes out to you and your youngster. We all have such hopes for our equine partners and enjoy thinking of their future and their potential. I am sending positive thoughts and a prayer that the doctors are wrong. They don't know everything.

[Dressage Art]

Thinking of your filly and sending good thoughts to you.

[stoicfish]

Day 8

She gets into a trailer in about 60 seconds at the first easing into dawn. She’s always had a good mind. After a 2 hour drive – we are at the clinic.

The surgeon performs more neuro-tests before we start with the radiographs. His findings are pretty much the same as the referring vet, with the exception that she doesn’t react much to being stimulated on either side of the neck. My heart sinks. That’s not EPM.

We get on with the cervicals.

I got an education on cervical measurements, the physiology of the equine spinal cord – and – the Bagby Basket surgery complete with endless rads showing before and after shots of other horses, and the device itself. It’s explained to me that boney growth causes impingement at the top of the cord. Inflammation of the cord continues and builds upon itself. Nerve function is forever lost, and the patient continues to deteriorate. The basket stops the growth and thereby stops the neverending cycle of irritation and inflammation. The surgery patient can usually expect one grade of improvement. Filly is only grade one (plus) neurologic. This means there is the chance she could recover after surgery to be a completely useful sporthorse.

The findings are…..moderately encouraging. There is some evidence of remodeling at C 6-7 – but not a huge amount of compensatory bone being laid down. It’s mild. Like her symptoms. The vet remarks that he doesn’t frequently see horses with symptoms this mild.

We discuss going on to the Meylogram. We also discuss having a spinal tap done for EPM at the same time as the procedure. I’m all for it. I came prepared – in both mindset and in pocketbook. I need to know. This need to know has been haunting my dreams for the last 8 weeks – it’s like an evil hiss in my head.

While Filly is undergoing the procedure, my SO and I consider our options. We decide that If surgery is recommended – we may pursue it. There would be no market for the filly as a horse under tack. No buyer would be willing to take on a performance prospect with a Bagby Basket. But a friend of ours who is getting ready for her next horse. We can do this – we think. Once she’s stable and in work – she will work for this friend. Maybe if we guaranteed her soundness……

She’s still down in the operating theater when the surgeon emerged, wanting a conference. He brings up the films of the meylogram. It’s not what was expected. Filly is normal in the head flung up, and the normal neck extension. She is mildly impinged at no fewer than two – and probably three places, when the neck is flexed downward: C 3-4, C5-6 and only possibly at the initial worry site: C 6-7. I mention to the surgeon that several compression sites do not make for a surgical candidate. He agrees - she is not a surgical candidate. There are maybe 12 horses that have gone through three site baskets. That’s in the entire US.

The filly must stay a while at the clinic – meylograms can cause “headaches” in horses and pain in the first few days afterwards – as the dye material in the cord is metabolized. And because of the invasive nature of the meylogram – there is the slight risk of encephalitis. So….temp taking and a gram of bute am/pm is on the agenda for the next three days. The surgeon requests that she be put on 8000 iu of Vit. E when she gets home.
We leave praying even harder for a positive EPM spinal tap.

[kcmel]

Yes, diet to slow down growth rate can definitely help the youngsters. Not sure at what age it stops helping, though. Lots of info on the Yahoo wobblers group site.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineWobblers/

[Altered-States]

As noted above, Filly is not a candidate for surgery because of the number of compression sites. Her cord opening is simply too small. The pressure at the sites causes inflammation, which will feed on itself, signal remodeling to occur, which makes it worse, and the deterioration continues. That's why the uniformly gloomy outlook the vets are espousing. WIthout surgery to fuse, there is nothing to stop this downward spiral.

(ETA - I left out the recap that Filly's compression is dynamic, not static. THis means the ligaments that hold her vertabra in place are loose. THis was apparent when the meylogram showed normal function in the with the head in normal position, and the held raised upward..and compression in the downward position)

If three sites are fused, she has no prospects for performance - and as a wobbler she's not going to be my broodmares, or anyone elses. It's a personal decision - but I'm not going to spend 20k on a surgery that will allow her to live, but not allow her a productive life. Particularly when the surgeon himself is advising against it.

The starvation/stall rest method has been used successfully - but in much younger horses who still have a good deal of growing to do.

I am not standing by however, doing nothing. Though Filly was never overweight, and never fed anything but a ration balancer, she is now getting only 2 cups wet beet pulp and a mineral supplement from Uckele 2x a day - along with her Vit. E and MSM. No hay, only pasture. She will have her first acupuncture appointment next week. She has a home with me until her quality of life dictates her euthanasia. I hope that is 20 some odd years from now.

[Gry2Yng]

Good on you AS. You seem like a really sensible owner. I hope that what you are doing today gives you some good credit with the horse gods and they send some extra ordinary good luck your way in some other shape or form.

[DeeThbd]

with the exception that she doesn’t react much to being stimulated on either side of the neck. My heart sinks. That’s not EPM.
Oh, hon, I am sure sending my most positive thoughts for you and your filly. I wanted to ask, though, about this part of your second post.
I've cut back on riding my older TB gelding after encountering the following issues: difficulty engaging / maintaining the canter (will buck and kick out and drop back to an extended trot - and will trot all day instead!); reluctance to load in a step-up, extreme sensitivity to cold water on his rt. h, occasional stumbling.
First vet did a complete lameness work up and found nothing. Second vet used a camera which shows varying temperatures on the horse, and found warmer areas on the rt. f, as well as along the spine. He also stimulated my gelding's neck with scissor tips, and found a lack of reactivity. He felt that this DID indicate EPM.....I was wondering what your vet felt the lack of reactivity indicated.
All the best,
Dee

[Altered-States]

Filly's first neuro exam had components that indicated it could be unilateral - EPM usually presents unilateral neuro symptoms (though not always).

The second exam by the surgeon indicated it was a bilateral issue (including non-reactivity on BOTH sides of the neck) which is very indicative of wobbler syndrome.

[elsbet]

Good thoughts and jingles to you and your filly. She is lucky to have you....

[JLR1]

Jingles to you and a thank you for posting your story. A 3 year old saddlebred where I board had to be put down yesterday due to this condition. Your posts have been very insightful and I truly hope for a happier outcome for your horse. She is lucky to have you.

[Altered-States]

I'm almost afraid to type this....I don't want to jinx it but....

Filly is greatly improved with the acupunture she had a week ago (which, by the way, she HATES). I can't believe it. :D

The vet is coming back to do treat her again the day before Thanksgiving and I'm going to ask her to do another neuro exam beforehand. Hopefully I'll have nothing to report before then.

[stoicfish]

Cool!!!!
I am hoping that she proves them all wrong.

[staceyk]

and all my good thoughts for a healthy happy filly...

[Quinn]

Fabulous news. Knocking on wood, jingling and praying. Have a GREAT day.

http://community.webshots.com/user/ballyduff