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Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] [RC] Update on stumbling horse - EPM - Jennifer Adam


Hi Carla -
First, I am so very sorry to hear that your gelding may have EPM! You both will be in my thoughts and prayers. I know that when your horse is sick, your heart just aches. I hope you will be able to get to the bottom of this and I hope treatment will be successful.

Second, as far as exposure goes, birds can also pick up and distribute feces that contain the protozoan that causes EPM (Sarcocystis neurona). If you fed hay contaminated with bird droppings, it is a possible source of the EPM exposure.

You should also be aware - and I hate, absolutely hate to tell you this - but before you make your decision regarding treatment, be aware that once muscle atrophy is visible on both sides of the body, there can be permanent neurological damage that treatment cannot correct. If it is due to EPM, that is. Hopefully there is some other explanation for your gelding!!

I helped write a paper on EPM while I was working for a veterinary pathologist at the University of Missouri several years ago and we saw lots of really sad cases. You have my complete sympathies!!

Jen Adam


From: "Sky Ranch" <skyranch@xxxxxxxx>
To: "Dawn Carrie" <rdcarrie@xxxxxxxxx>
CC: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [RC]   [RC] [RC] Update on stumbling horse - EPM
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2006 13:26:46 -0500

His hindquarters are asymmetrical, you can see it standing behind him, and also on his upper shoulders. And they're "opposite" sides, if you follow me. It could be from him carrying himself wrong - I really don't know. It could be my riding -- I don't post -- normally I stand in the stirrups, and post very, very little. I could be riding crookedly, too, you know -- this is quite possible, and in fact maybe even likely.

There are so many things to consider. But again, the stumbling and falling to his knees twice while I was riding him, at a walk (!), were what caused me to take him to the vet to start with.

Carla Richardson
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Dawn Carrie
  To: Sky Ranch
  Cc: Ridecamp
  Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 2:23 PM
  Subject: Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] Update on stumbling horse - EPM


Carla,
Hang in there...keep the faith that you'll figure out what's wrong with your boy and fix it. Where is the asymmetric muscling? Hind quarters? Up high or down low? Any chance that could be due to a chiropractic problem, maybe he's been carrying himself crooked due to that? Any old injuries you're aware of? Do you change diagonals frequently when posting? Just brainstorming here...

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Replies
Re: [RC] [RC] [RC] Update on stumbling horse - EPM, Sky Ranch