About six days ago, I saw my 8 year old Morab
mare lying down. No big deal, but then later in the day I saw her down
again. Up on her chest, ears up, looking around. Occasionally laid
flat out, but she was not trying to roll or biting her flank. Concerned, I
went out, and she stood up, stretched a little, and walked off slowly, eating as
she went. Altogether that day, she was down about 5 hours of the 12 I was
observing her. Since then, she has been down less each day, but is still
not quite right. It's almost like someone added 15 years to her age
overnight.
Her pulse today was 48 right after I haltered
her. Since she's a total pasture potato, I think that is normal. No
fever. No labored breathing or nasal drainage. Appetite has not
suffered at all. She is on 7.5 acres of improved grass/clover/touch of
alfalfa pasture that she shares with one other horse, and they have both packed
on 100 pounds since the grass came in well 5 weeks ago. They get about one
cup of oats and a cup of cracked corn once a day, so they like humans and I can
look them over well. Water is free choice from an automatic waterer and
they have a mineral salt block in the barn. Attitude remains good - she's
still interested in her environment and doesn't have that preoccupied look that
sick horses get when they tune out the stuff around them. Today I walked
her to the back of the pasture (she was sound) 1/4 of a mile, then turned her
loose and encouraged her to hurry back to the barn. The other mare
galloped off, the Morab went at a trot, head and ears up, tail flagging, but not
her normal "I'm feeling good" run. I yelled at her to run, and she
cantered for about 200 yards, then pulled up and walked/jogged to the barn while
the other mare galloped all the way. Speaking of which, the Morab is boss,
but the second mare has not been yielding to her as much since this
started. The morab still eats first, though.
I lunged her at a trot in some 10 meter circles
both ways - no obvious lameness. Did some half-baked neuro checks (pushed
on her hindquarters - pulled on her tail, pushed on her shoulder, backed her up)
and her responses seemed normal, although you could make a case that she wasn't
as willing to back up as normal. Same thing with lifting her feet - she's
just a shade off normal. She lifts them, but doesn't hold them
up as long as normal and is just a little reluctant in the
initial lift.
The neighbors over the wire fence just got a new
horse in their herd of six, but he has no symptoms of flu or any other
illness. My mare is up to date on EWT and is a year out on her WNV.
We do have lots of opossums in the area, and I lost a horse to EPM 15 years ago,
but again, I'm not seeing the same neuro symptoms he did.
My thoughts have been:
Colic - no rolling, no indication of pain, no
change in diet or exercise, bowels are moving well. Horse has history of
only one mild episode when she was a two year old. They have been known to
chew on the wood in the barn - maybe a splinter? - but again, no sign of belly
pain or infection.
Laminitis - no lameness, just a little reluctance
to step out like normal. Alternatively rests both hind legs, not rocking
back to take weight off front feet. She was scratching her neck on a pole
the other day and leaning forward.
EPM - maybe, but it would have to be a very mild
case, and it's improving, not worsening.
Deep muscle strains/sprains - it is a 7 acre
pasture, and in walking across it, I have found a few animal holes. Maybe
she had a bad fall and is a little achy? Does that happen to horses?
There are no hot spots on her legs or anywhere else, for that matter, and she is
as good for grooming as ever.
Lameness issues - she does have a horizontal crack
in her left hind, about 1/2 inch down from the coronet on the outside rear of
the hoof. I don't remember it, but I also don't inspect feet daily.
It hasn't worsened since this started.
Anyone have any opinions? Anything like this
ever happen to you? Since her symptoms are so vague - really more of a
change in personality than anything I can point to as a true symptom, I have
been reluctant to call the vet. Plus the fact it seems to be slowly
improving. I would appreciate anything anyone could tell me.
Thanks
