This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Cardiovascular, Blood, and Immune System » The Diagnosis of Anemia »
  Discussion on Anemia and acorns?
Author Message

Posted on Saturday, Oct 6, 2001 - 4:08 am:

This is really weird! I was just about to post the very same question, as my best friends horse has just been diagnosed with anaemia, and his bloods have just come back. Discussing the problem I asked if there was anything in the paddock that might be the cause and she said that there were acorns, but she hadn't seen him eat any...

Just deciding whether or not I ought to start a new post with his bloods in it...!

Incidentally, we have over come the problem by using electric fencing to prevent the horse from grazing that part of the paddock....

Posted on Saturday, Oct 6, 2001 - 4:33 am:

I'll risk the wrath of Dr O and put them in here I think!

Abnormal results are below, other parameters were all classed as normal (these were relayed over the phone).

Commments: Eosinophilia - borderline. No abnormal white cells. Red cells OK.

Parameter : Ref Value : Reuben's Results

Erythrocytes : 7.8-11 : 7.1 (x 10 -6/ul)
Hb : 13-17 : 12.2 g/dL
HCT : 0.34-0.46 : 0.32 L/L
Plasma Viscosity : 1.34-1.55 : 1.59 npa.s
GGT : 10-45 : 76.6 U/L

Eosinophils : 0.01-0.5 : 0.49 (x 10 -9 ul)

I am presuming HCT is equivalent to PCV.

We have been going through everything else in his regimen. He moved yards two weeks ago, and has also started going to small shows - he's five.

He is a gentle giant normally (17.3hh App X ID), with a little bit of fizz/character. He started looking off colour (losing weight, looking depressed) at the weekend. He jumped two clear rounds on Sunday but was quiet between them (normally he gets impatient if stood for a long time). He was turned out on Monday and seemed a little brighter, but on Tuesday he was worse, so that's was when the vet was called and the blood taken.

As I said he's only been at this yard a fortnight, so that's the limit of his exposure to the Acorns - could this have caused his current state in such a short time?

Looking in my Manual of Equine Practice it says that Eosinophilia may be indicative of significant internal parasite migration or allergic disease.... Reuben has been regularly wormed (rotation yearly, along with strongid P in Autumn, Panacur Guard in Dec/Spring etc) since he was a foal - he was bought as a weanling, and we know he was wormed correctly as a foal as well.

He has had a vitamin injection (B vits) on Tuesday and he looks a lot better, starting to get palyful again, but we're worried that he is still exposed to whatever caused it! Any ideas would be greatfully received!

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 9, 2001 - 2:30 am:

Dr O, could this anaemia with the eosinophilia and GGT elevation be caused by acorn poisoning?

Posted on Tuesday, Oct 9, 2001 - 6:32 am:

This is going about the diagnosis of disease backwards, you do not take samples then see what diseases match up, you take the history and clinincal signs create rule out lists then use lab work to support or reject your suppositions.

I am not sure you have a problem Heidi, though I know many labs start at 34, for a sample taken from a resting horse I consider a Hct of 32 in the range of normal. Clinical signs of oak poisoning will vary but usually a hemmoragic diarrhea is the most notable clinical sign: the stools will be darkened red or black.

Eosinophilla is not a characteristic of the disease. Though GGT elevation would be present so should all the other liver enzymes. All of these changes are very nonspecific and by themselves do not diagnose this disease.
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 10, 2001 - 5:42 pm:

Initially I thought that Reuben had most likely had a bit of virus or similar infection, that had manifested itself as the anaemia, and become apparent due to the stress of him moving yards and also being worked/competed. Maybe this is 'all' it was, and we'll never know.

We haven't been able to get out much this spring/summer due to the foot and mouth, so this was his first real work in a long time.

He did improve dramatically with the B vit injection, so my hopes are raised that it wasn't anything more serious. The vet is due this week to take another sample, so we'll see what that shows.

By the weekend he had improved enough to be feeling his old self again - trying to 'lead' his paddock-mate up the lane by his leaDrOpe himself!

Thanks for clearing up the clinical signs of acorn poisoning. As a precaution the electric fencing has been moved to cordon off that area of the paddock.

Posted on Monday, Oct 22, 2001 - 5:44 am:

Reuben's bloods are now back within normal range although the attending vet has come up with an interesting 'diagnosis', which I aren't all together convinced about - ulcers.

Posted on Monday, Oct 22, 2001 - 5:53 am:

Following Reuben's initial bloods:

Commments: Eosinophilia - borderline. No abnormal white cells. Red cells OK.

Parameter : Ref Value : Reuben's Results

Erythrocytes : 7.8-11 : 7.1 (x 10 -6/ul)
Hb : 13-17 : 12.2 g/dL
HCT : 0.34-0.46 : 0.32 L/L
Plasma Viscosity : 1.34-1.55 : 1.59 npa.s
GGT : 10-45 : 76.6 U/L

Eosinophils : 0.01-0.5 : 0.49 (x 10 -9 ul)

Two weeks later (this week) a normal set of blood values was obtained. My main question is, is it possible to make a diagnosis of ulcers from the blood results?

The attending vet has diagnosed SEVERE anaemia from these abnormal results and thinks that this has been caused by internal bleeding, due to ulcers. He said it was unlikely that he had been affected by a virus because the white cell levels were OK (which is fair comment).

Having read your information on ulcers, the only disposing factor that Reuben would have had is stress due to being moved and competed. He is on ad lib forage (haylage) when stabled and is out at pasture during the day. He has had no signs of colic, but he has DrOpped a bit of weight (which could be due to the stress etc.).

The vet hasn't put him on any specific treatment regarding this ulcer diagnosis, and also hasn't tubed him to take a look.

Any ideas greatly appreciated!

Heidi

Posted on Monday, Oct 22, 2001 - 8:00 am:

Dealing with your main question, "is it possible to make a diagnosis of ulcers from these blood results?"

The answer is no. Anemia can certainly be a result from bleeding ulcers but the diagnostic criteriion are covered in the article Equine Diseases: Colic and GI Diseases: Gastric Ulcers. However if the acorn problem was real (I have since finished an article on oak poisoning see, Diseases: Poison and Venom: Poison Plants) ulceration would be expected. Did the GGT come back down?

Being off a few days after having been just moved is pretty common, most horses don't eat well for the first week they are initially very excited and this leads to being tired. The cause of this horses problems are unknown to me but does not sound that much off what a normal horse would experience.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC