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  Discussion on The Aging, Malnourished Horse (w muscle wasting)
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Member:
kaylab

Posted on Friday, Oct 24, 2008 - 10:59 pm:

I recently found my first horse, a 21yo TB, very thin (I believe a Hennecke 3) and bought him back and took him home.

He's always been a hard keeper but to me, he looked emaciated. I've had him back for a month and he's gained quite a bit of weight and looks brighter in his eyes.

His ribs are filling in and his boney butt is also looking better. But his withers are sunken and his spine is poking up with no fat anywhere near it.

He still needs to gain weight and we continue to work on it with free feed grass, some alfalfa, some corn oil, etc.

He has been vet checked and his lab values were mostly normal. So, in essence, he was healthy, (teeth are good), but not getting enough food.

I am wondering whether the muscle wasting along the topline, spine, withers, will get better with more weight? I'm sure some of the problem is his age and breed but I wonder what to expect over the longer term?

He's put on quite a bit of weight in the month I've had him and looks much better. But I'd still be scared to stick a saddle on that boney spine!
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Friday, Oct 24, 2008 - 11:15 pm:

Hi Kayla,

I've rehabbed a lot of bony oldsters, including 2 TBs. What to do and how much to expect depends a lot on whether he has underlying medical conditions that may have contributed to his current condition. If it were me, I'd have my vet do a physical (incl. checking teeth) and run some bloodwork, and I'd also do a fecal to check whether he may have parasites etc..

There are feeds that work very well to rehab older horses (along with forage). Often they're a good value against all the other stuff we end up putting together, and can be more consistent. Personally I often used soaked Equine Senior or Ultium, depending on the horse and its history (if known). Also a trace mineral block.

There are many conditions that can cause muscle wastage that will not be reversed by good care, but it's hard to say whether you're looking at that or not. Good on you to bring home one of the old guys and give him some happy times. Skinny or not, I'll bet he's happy to be with you.

Post a photo and let us know how he gets on.
Member:
alicem

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 12:01 am:

Hi Kayla,

I'd do a check for sand in his manure. Depending on what and where he was eating before you got him back he might have lots of sand. My old TB guy was filled with it when I got him. He regained the weight and muscle but ended up with cancer. ;o(

Depending on how cold where you live I'd probably blanket him as well. Good luck
Member:
kaylab

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 2:35 am:

Elizabeth, he was vet checked including blood work, teeth, and a physical. His teeth are good and the vet felt the only real issue was that he needed more groceries.

The only weirdness on the workup was low red blood cells, but the vet feels this was due to low weight rather than disease and did not want to treat for it.

He has been wormed once and is supposed to be wormed again this week.

Alice, every horse in this area (Las Vegas) has a fair amount of sand due to the ground here. I've been wanting to do a course of SandClear but wanted to wait until he was healthier. It's probably that time.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/luxuria/sundance/IMG_0595.jpg is a photo of his boney self when I bought him back.

And here's a photo of him from 4 years ago, just before I sold him.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/luxuria/horse/IMG_1556.jpg

I figure he should be able to look like he did 4 years ago, right?
Member:
kaylab

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 2:36 am:

Also meant to say that he may appreciate being blanketed if I can't fatten him up some more. But right now, it's no lower than 60 and it won't go down into the 30's for a month or two.
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 10:24 am:

So what the heck happened that he was allowed to get like that? Ignorance or hard times? Looks like a nice boy!

We have a mare that looked worse than that, but she was about 6 months old, not 17 when she was that skinny. She filled out fine, so I would hope your guy will too. It may be a matter of him also having the energy to move around more and build up muscle.

Keep us posted, I'd love to see him again in 6 months!
Member:
kaylab

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 10:53 am:

He is 16.2hh, has always been a hardkeeper, and I suspect they fed him as if he were an air fern QH. I think it was ignorance and perhaps economics rather than malice. But his feet were also completely ignored.

Even when he was my horse 4 years ago, it was always a struggle to keep weight on him...but it is possible.

Getting him back was more drama than I care to even think about. I still don't know what I'm going to do with him. I sold him because I didn't want him. I still don't want him. But I was afraid he'd not make it through the winter if I didn't get him out of there.

The plan is to fatten him up and then free lease him to an appropriate home. I _think_ he's sound...just a touch of arthritis. At least, that was all that was wrong with him when I sold him 4 years ago. He looks sound at the trot from the bit I've seen. The only thing I've noticed is that he's landing toe first in the hind end but hopefully that will change with better foot care.

He's a good old guy and I'm glad I was able to get him out of there. He's the perfect beginner horse.
Member:
alicem

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 11:00 am:

Hi Kayla,

I'm in Reno same problem here with the sand.

It's around 30 degrees so mine are getting blankets at night, off in the morning.

My neighbor had one this skinny I stuck a blanket on him anyway on a windy day about 55 degrees. You could see him relax, and then he went to sleep poor old thing, standing to get the maximum amount of sun.

Lucky guy to be rescued by you!
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 9:29 pm:

So glad that you got him back, Kayla.
Member:
kaylab

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 10:03 pm:

Just not sure what I'm going to do with him over the longer run. I can't afford him. And I don't "want" him. I sold him because he wasn't the right horse for me.

Now I'm scared to sell another horse. :-/ I'm thinking once he's fattened up, I will free lease him so that I can take him back if someone isn't taking care of him.

He's a hard keeper. I don't think anyone had any malice towards him. But with his size, his breed, his age, and his metabolism, he needs more upkeep than an air fern quarter horse (which is the rest of what's at that barn.)
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Saturday, Oct 25, 2008 - 10:44 pm:

Hi Kayla,

Well, it sounds like he's in great hands now. I'd just go slow on groceries so as not to get over-feeding problems. It always frustrates me how slowly I need to go on feeding something skinny, but it's safer.

A lot can happen in 4 years to an older horse, but it doesn't sound like you have any real indication of underlying problems right now. SO let us know how he comes along for you. What a nightmare to sell a horse and then see him like that! I'll bet he jumped back on your trailer in one heck of a big hurry.
Member:
vrich

Posted on Monday, Oct 27, 2008 - 8:32 pm:

Oh, Elizabeth - you must be crushed to find him in this condition. So glad you were able to get him back! I bet you can bring him back to where he was slowly. I have a special place in my heart for TBs - the love of my life is 20 and fabulous.
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Monday, Oct 27, 2008 - 8:55 pm:

Hi Kayla,

Sorry-- one more question-- did your vet rule out Cushings for some reason? I have seen very similar muscle wastage with Cushings, and the age and progression for this guy is certainly suggestive.

- Elizabeth
Member:
kaylab

Posted on Monday, Oct 27, 2008 - 9:25 pm:

He did a full blood workup. The only abnormality was some RBC count but the vet felt that was from lack of groceries, rather than disease.

His fur doesn't look Cushinoid.

Actually, he's starting to look like a brand new horse!
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Monday, Oct 27, 2008 - 9:32 pm:

Hi Kayla,

The coat is typical, but not present in every horse that responds to treatment for Cushings. If he's bouncing back, that's great!

A Cushings check isn't part of the standard workup here, though it may be for your vet. It's worth asking, if only to be extra vigilant for laminitis as you try to bring him back.
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