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  Discussion on DrOopy lower lip
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New Member:
Jonr

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 19, 2005 - 10:21 am:

I have a couple of yearlings that have DrOopy lips and seem to have lost some control of their lower jaw and have trouble chewing. I brought them in last night, and one of them had a snotty nose. The vets here have not seen this type of thing. There noses are turned so it seems they have some nerve damage on one side of the face. They are all still well coordinated and are very active and are trying to eat the best they can. So I don't think they have West Nile. Has anybody seen these symptoms before? Have you ever seen this happen from Influenza/distemper?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 20, 2005 - 6:15 am:

Wow John,
Certainly the first thing that comes to mind is a very mild botulism (Equine Diseases » Nervous System » Incoordination, Weakness, Spasticity, Tremors » Botulism Poisoning, Shaker Foals)
It is unusual to have as a first sign, cranial nerve deficits with viral encephalomyeltis but I would not rule it out particularly Herpes virus considering the age and snotty nose (Equine Diseases » Nervous System » Incoordination, Weakness, Spasticity, Tremors » Equine Herpes Encephalopathy).
DrO
New Member:
Jonr

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 20, 2005 - 10:51 am:

They seemed to look a little better last night. The sorrel was eating much better. After reading up on botulism, I suspect that I have a mild case here. We had a big rain last week and these yearlings are in a bigger pastuer so they have not been eating much hay out of my round bale feeder. I suspect the hay became damp and spurred the growth. I had already removed the hay, but they had plenty of time to ingest some. Do you know if these colts can recover without giving them antitoxins. Do you have any suggestions for treatment? Last night I gave them penicillin and banamin. I will check them again today at noon when the vet comes over. I called my vet and told him I suspected mild Botulism. He is making his first visit today. Thanks for the pointer, things are starting to come together. Also, I did verify that they have feeling in the lower lip last night.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 21, 2005 - 6:55 am:

Yes if the symptoms are mild they will recover completely with time alone. Note that penicillin is for the infectious form of botulism, while your horses have ingested preformed toxin. The article has specific recommendations for that form also. However if you have removed the source of the toxin and the foals are improving, I am unsure they need any other treatment.
DrO
New Member:
Jonr

Posted on Friday, Apr 22, 2005 - 4:10 pm:

Well, we aren't sure. My Vet thinks they are hitting the side of their face on something and getting nerve damage. But he isn't sure either. Also, note these are yearlings and very strong with no signs of weakness. I did notice that there is some virus in the group as well as within the adjoining horses. A few of them have a bit of a cough and runny noses. I guess I am just crossing my fingers and hoping they get over it which it looks like they will. Thanks for all your help.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Apr 23, 2005 - 7:48 am:

Let us know if anything else develops Jon.
DrO
New Member:
Jonr

Posted on Monday, Apr 25, 2005 - 10:09 am:

Saturday, I noticed that my two year olds that are drinking from the same water on the other side of the fence stopped drinking the water. My thought now is there is something in the water. I scrubbed out the water tank and drained the water. I did take a sample in case I need to test it. They did drink the water as the new stuff filled the tank. Now today, Monday, they were ganted up again and clearly aren't drinking the water. So I carried some pails of water into them again. There definitely is something in the water that they do not like. On Saturday, one of the two year olds was DrOpping his lower lip a little bit. I am going to pass on the info to my vet. Please let me know if you have any thoughts.

Thanks.....
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 - 6:41 am:

What is the source of this water and have you tasted it?
DrO
Member:
Marroon

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 - 11:59 am:

Jon,
I think the Department of Health will test the water you have saved for a little bit of nothing and your time taking it in. You never know what's in your water until you test it. Especially well water.

My sister was allergic to her well water. She had to use bottled water. (She is allergic to many things.) But we never suspected it was the water. I am also interested in the source of the water. Is the water that you are carrying out to them in the buckets from the same source? I would suspect not, but if it is not a separate source I would find a separate source until the tests came back.

Oh, and how long had it been since you had last cleaned the tank? Had it been just recently? If so, what was used to clean with?
New Member:
Jonr

Posted on Friday, Oct 7, 2005 - 11:54 am:

I thought I would summarize this case. These two horses did actually have nerve paralysis. One of them has fully recovered and the other has improved but I am not sure if he will fully recover. The paralysis was either an electrical shock from a water tank that was getting some voltage from an underground break or from hitting something. Thanks for all your help on this subject.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Oct 7, 2005 - 6:30 pm:

Unless the shock knocks you down, I don't believe it and several foals hitting their facial nerve bilaterally (you had a DrOop instead of pulled to one side) is way too much coincidence for me. I still think herpes or botulism is way out in front of these possibilities unless the shock did knock you down but thanks for the update.
DrO
Member:
Jonr

Posted on Friday, Oct 7, 2005 - 7:21 pm:

It actually was two foals that this happened to and they were pulled to one side. They did look to have some paralysis the way the were trying to eat and the way there tongue and nose hung to one side. They were also extremely healthy otherwise. We also did a complete blood test and we also tested the water and the grain/hay. thanks...
Member:
ldodson

Posted on Saturday, Jun 21, 2008 - 5:34 pm:

I got a mare in for breeding Sat. 6/14/08 She seemed fine and she has been bred 4 times. However, she has developed a DrOopy lip on the left side. None of my other horses are exhibiting this sign. I feed hay cubes, beet pulp,and mare and foal. One thing, I left her halter on her for ease in catching her in the arena. She is eating, drinking and socializing with the other horses. Could she have been stung by a bee in the water? What else could cause this DrOop. Can she get over it without medical attention. }
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Jun 21, 2008 - 9:46 pm:

There are other things than botulism that can cause a DrOopy lip, as I'm sure Dr. O will confirm. Does she have any other symptoms? Is her balance o.k. when turning on the hind end? How old is she? Is she in with other horses where she could have gotten kicked?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jun 22, 2008 - 6:40 pm:

Linda,
Can you repost this in a new discussion rather at the end of Jon's?
DrO
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