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RE: [RC] [RC] EPM recoveries - Laurie DurginWell Rascal was diagnosed by my vet with it. Blood test weak positive which any horse is Se will probalby test for. Didn't do initial spinal as I had limited funds , decided to immedialy treat with Marquis instead and supportive vitamins, C, large doses of E, some selemium, good vitamin etc. We beleive we caught it real early --which by smyptoms can mean that it hasn't gotten into the spine or brain yet enough to even show up on spinal. (no way to difinitively know thay have it ,unless you get the brain and spinal cord within about 4 hours postmortuem.He had 2 years of LSD training and I had ridden him 10 days earlier , when he dropped and swiveled his hip (translocution?) like a puppet on a string. He had no pain anywhere, but failed some of the neuro signs. At the end of treatment my vet did a spinal-- but it was a negaetive-- but albulimum was way off the scale--so the gist ai got was the sample may have deteroriated. It is also easy to get a contaimnated sample if even a few blood cells get in. So lots of money could be spent without a definitive diagnosis. . It can affect individual horses differently. They think it may depend on where the parasites get in. It can affect anywhere along the spinal cord and or brain. It is ESSENTIAL is you think they have it , to start treatment as soon as you can. The longer you wait , the more damage and more likely to be premenant. I joined the YAHOO- EPM group--they have files of the research and some of their horses were in early trials for medications. They are tough at first, as many things can LOOK like EPM and you have to rule them out. About 1/2 the people who came for info , turned out their horses had something else.(I read them for about 18 months or so) Now where I am at. At thier suggestion, I left Rascal turned out (he was grade 1-2 lame by vet). I didn't start any rehab other than leaving him out for 3 months, then we occaionally walked over ground poles and did a bit of longing on a circle.Mainly to asses him. He had a slope, and junk in the pasture to keep him moving and using his coordination. He was off in that right rear for 6 months--gradually it disappeared. I did not ride him for 12 months. I KNOW some vets tell their clients it is ok-- but the "group" said stress makes it worse or likely to relapse (25% relapse rate). And that they all regretted working their horses too soon. It has been about 18 months now. He seems to be prefectly fine, no traces of it. We have ridden a bit, but not much this summer and fall due to weather , and trail loss. But he is his old tearing around, napoleanic self again. btw, he never had any lamness or unsoundness prior. So my conclusion, is he either had an early dramatic onset and we got it before it got too far--or he never really had it , it was something else and time cured it. ;0) Last time I checked. 25% have to be put down, too damaged. The rest recover to varying degrees. About 30-40% recover completely to former use(My vets MIL horse did). The rest have some permanent damage. Here is what I know now, without checking with the Yahoo group lately. With Marquis, use 1.5 dose recommended.(I did). give 1/2 cup corn oil with it.(i was giving oil anyway).Helps keep it in tract better. I wouldn't use the older meds. as They take longer, and actually seem to cost more cause you have to use them longer. 6-9 mos. for many horses.2 drug combo. And have to be on empty stomach, and make some horses anemic.And twice a day There is a new(old ) drug, but it has more side affects and doesnt' seem to work better than Marquis. Some vets are recommending 1.5 dose of Marquis for the 28 days or two months now. The old drugs do help some horses. Some horses have to try two kinds of treatment to find which works best. I prefer Marquis, horses if they are used to taking a syringe in mouth don't mind. I had to teach Rascal to take the tube with applesauce. Then he was ok with it. Vets don't argree on treatment. Lots of variance. Check out the info on Yahoo group (EPM), even if you don't want to join it and talk. Marquis is the eaiest to use, least amount of side affects.They claim a high rate of improvement--One grade or better.Only have to give it once a day-28 or two 28 days . Now improvement comes over time. What you see after tretment isn't what you will get. The nerves are "blown apart" by the protozoa. They can regenrate froom surrounding areas at a rate of about an inch a month for about a year. Though some owners say they horses improve even after the year. So if the damage area is nerve loss in a 1 foot radius, you may get it all back in a year.They may have some permanent damage, but can compensate for. Depends on where it was. Univ. of Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, and one other I can't think of offhand have done lots of research on it. --available thru the yahoo group too. Horses can either relapse or get it again---not sure which it is, or why yet.Lot they don't know--but Kentucky last year finally was able to induce it in some yearlings with high doses of portozoa.Which may be the key--it may be the amount they ingest that causes it and immune system can't fight it off. Whereas small amounts can be fought off. I now trap possums This last 4 months I have dispatched 5 on my little 5 acres and I am in sububia-country border--the loggers are sending them here I think. My feed is indoors, but I can't stop it on hay or grass. But possums dont get to live here. Best wishes--If the horse is only grade1-3 and young has a good chance of recovery, older horses or those who probably had symptoms a long time don't do as well. It is higher amoung stressed horses and those who recently were trailered long distances.... From: Ed Kilpatrick <whytrotfarms@xxxxxxxxx> To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] EPM recoveries Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 06:39:45 -0800 (PST) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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