Temp Loss of Motor Control

[austin]

this happened two years ago. vet treated with Dex and DMSO/Fluids IVs. happened again today. no sign of stress. heartbeat and color good.

last time Neurologiist at University of Florida said it was an alergic reaction to stinging nettle. today there is not nettle around.

symptoms showed after a dressage lesson that was not stressful.

two years ago he collapsed on the ground. today, some staggering.

I am wondering if it was a reaction to a new shampoo I bathed his legs with? I washed him off with an old faithfull shampoo and no more symtoms.

Had vet come anyway and do the Dex IV and DMSO (tubed this time).

any one have any similar experiences? this horse has been hauled around and showed and stressed with no problems. he is a laid back guy.

Please help if you can.

[Percheron X]

Could it be narcolepsy?

[jetsmom]

Does he have any QH bloodlines (Impressive)? Maybe HYPP?

[AnotherRound]

Oh, that's terrible. Have him evalutated completely. Who knows - it could be a tumor in the spine, the brain, could be residual effects of lyme, or other virus, it could be an inherited problem. There's no way of knowing without sophisticated medical evaluation fo the problems. Could be narcolepsy, seizures, and seizures could be secondary to some other problem. He could be having intracranial hemmorage (stroke). Good luck. This sucks.

[austin]

My instructor saw him blink quickly at the same time that I felt a shutter. this was not long before the wobbliing started.

I googled alergies+siezures and found a description of just what we experienced.

the first time this happened two years ago he had a slight rash on his side. hence the possibility of the stinging nettle which I found in his field after we returned from UF hospital.

the allergic siezures can maninfest in drooling episodes which he has had on two occasions over the 7 years I have had him.

the symptoms described can explain 4 strange episodes he has had in 7 years.

he also breaks out in hives if I use certain ointments or fly spray. He is very special.

[3Hanns]

I had this exact thing happen to my Mare- she was hospitalized twice w/ severe allergic reactions and shock from these reactions. When I would find her she would be uncoordinated, loss of control of hind legs, head swollen, etc.- then w/ the drugs she would recover quite fast.

The last time she was in the hospital, they took neck xrays- and found old damage to the vertebrae in her neck- they believe this impinges on her spinal cord when she moves her neck a certain way, and she becomes severely neurological- when the inflammation does down, she goes back to normal...This is a form of wobblers, the allergy diagnosis was incorrect.

Wish you the best with your horse, and hope it IS allergies

[Dalemma]

^ I was going to suggest wobblers as it can be intermittent.

But I also know of a 9 year old quarter horse that started having seizures and it ended up being Cushings........horse went downhill fast and had to be euthanized.

I think it could be any number of things.....and probably a good idea to get a complete work up if possible.

I honestly think this is something mores serious than an allergy.

Dalemma

[deltawave]

Sounds like a seizure, and those can be triggered by anything, or nothing. Scary. Is the horse completely alert and conscious during these spells? Or is he out of it? If he's 100% alert and conscious that would point away from seizure and maybe towards a spinal cord problem.

I cannot imagine how frustrating this must be for owners and vets. Even in perfectly rational, communicative humans neurological disorders are ridiculously difficult to pin down!