Re: post ride metabolic crash -long

[Onefarmgirl@aol.com]

Hi Susan (and RC pals - posting this for general interest)

Just got back from a wknd ride at which a horse (not mine) had a metabolic 
crash.  The circumstances generated a question in my mind.   Question is at 
the bottom if you want to skip the history  :-).

This was not an endurance event; just a weekend horse camping.   Naturally, 
the horse camp is somewhat isolated - at least an hour away from the nearest 
possible vet assistance.   I had never met the horse or the owner previously. 
  The horse (Mac) was a nice-looking BIG bodied quarter horse, who had been 
taken out on a longer and steeper ride than he was accustomed to.   When I 
came in from my ride Saturday afternoon, the owner asked me if I had any 
Banamine; said her horse was a little crampy.   He had drunk well when he 
came in.  He looked pretty good at that time; HR not elevated, gut sounds a 
little quiet but present.  He was tight in the flank/abdomen and seemed 
pretty clearly uncomfortable but not miserable.  

I gave him a half dose of Banamine.  His owner did not want to give elytes.  
An hour later he was happy as a clam, cheerfully munching a big bran mash she 
had provided.

Two or three hours after that he totally crashed.   While she came down to my 
campsite to see about some additional Banamine, the horse went down and 
evidently had a brief seizure.   I went to him and my compadres started 
trying to reach the vet.  The horse looked about as bad as I have ever seen.  
 Pouring sweat - I went to feel for a pulse and his legs were like ice.  HR 
was 80, mucus membranes almost lavender, eyes film-y.   Gut like a rock and 
dead silent.  Little muscle fasiculations you could feel under your hand. 
Major bad.   He went down, but would get back up when we badgered him and 
stagger around.   

The vet was on another emergency with one waiting after that; would get there 
when he could.

So here we were, late Saturday night, no help available, no way the horse 
could have been put in a trailer to haul.  I gave him a full dose of 
Banamine, which seemed to just hang there in his buccal pouch, but evidently 
was being absorbed, because in 20 minutes or so he was a TINY bit better.   
Still looked terrible, but not as if he would die any second.   A little less 
panic striken, I guess. 

I'd asked the vet about e-lyting, and he ageed even now it would be useful.   
So I gave a half dose of Lyte-Now, and a half dose of EnduroMax.    Within 
another 30 minutes the horse looked MUCH better.   Drier; no fasiculations, 
HR 60.    Still no gut sounds.  The Banamine kicking in??   The elytes??   
Took some sips of water.   Took a bite of carrot.   Another half hour, better 
yet.   Drinking, nibbling hay, gut sounds coming back, HR 50.  Gave him some 
beet pulp with more elytes.

To wrap up, the horse made a steady progression to better and better.   By 
the time the vet was available, Mac looked pretty darn good, and the vet said 
to just sit up and  watch him.   Shortly after midnight, he pooped.  Mac, 
that is,  not the  vet  :-)).  By early morning hours he was fine, and after 
the owner had a little sleep she was able to get him loaded up and on the 
road to home.

My overall best guess was that the horse was hypocalcemic.   Don't ask me why 
I think that; based on my VAST veterinary education, I guess :-)).   
Actually, I think it was the fasiculations and the big improvement after the 
Lyte Now.   

Now Susan, I realize you can't exactly diagnose the problem w/o blood 
chemistry info (not to mention seeing the horse yourself).   But here is the 
question.

Might the bran mash with its high P level have tied up whatever free Calcium 
the horse had left?   Or was the sudden crash just what was impending related 
to a post-ride colic?   

I myself don't feed bran.  But I see it done a lot, and I've been under the 
impression that it was at least not harmful.   But now I can't help but 
wonder if it contributed to trouble in this case. 

Whadaya think?  :-))

pat farmer