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  Discussion on Weird "Epidemic?"
Author Message
Member:
hollyw

Posted on Sunday, Mar 15, 2009 - 9:57 am:

Apparently, there has been a rash of these symptoms in the NW Louisiana/East Texas area on March 14 and the vets aren't sure what to think. The following testimony is from another site, and I have permission from the author (whose vet encouraged her to post it to another board) to print it here in hopes that someone can shed some light on the problem.
*******************
This morning - Sat,March 14, went out to feed. One of my paints was still laying down in his stall and when he got up he acted like he couldn't get his balance, or stand up and walk. He was trembling/muscles quivering all over, even in his legs. I took his temp, normal. He did keep lying down and looking at his belly some, so presumed it was colic and stress from that. Gave him 10cc of Banamine, blanketed him,,called vet, and described his symptoms. Was going to take him in, but he couldn't/wouldn't walk, kept laying down, but not rolling and he looked alert. So let him lay and asked vet to come out. When he got here he was on the phone with another vet, who had seen several cases of the same this morning-in various locations in this parish, even in an adjoining parish(county). Long story short..my vet had had about 8 calls, and already seen 2 other horses with same symptoms..the other vet had seen several and had been getting calls all morning, also. Upon exam he noted my horse's muscles and joints were painful and stiff but with no swelling, heat. He gave him bute, muscle relaxer, as I had already given him the banamine. He would seem better to be better after some continuous movement - but after stopping for a while had a hard time getting going again. Everything else was normal, temp, gut sound, and one of the other vets had checked blood for west nile, epm, etc in the horses he had seen...all were clear. After about an hour or so my horse was better and was walking around the pasture, stiffly, but up and seeming to be improving.
Vet called back and said he had spoken with a vet in east Texas who had seen or heard of 25 cases today,,same symptoms. My vet ended up seeing/talking to 15!!
Strange,,,but horse seems to be on the up side now, with hopefully no after effects, we'll have to see. My vet is a well known, respected, knowledgeable equine vet in this area....he said it had been one of his strangest days ever! Anyone else have or hear of this strange onset of symptoms? I live in NW Louisiana, very near the East Texas line.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Sunday, Mar 15, 2009 - 10:20 am:

Sounds just like Hank when he has an acute case of laminitis, Wonder if her location had rain with warm weather leading to rapid grass growth.

Tho you would think the vet would have checked feet. I have seen this quite often in the spring, most horses tend to get over it quickly and it can be missed easily.
Member:
pattyb

Posted on Sunday, Mar 15, 2009 - 1:17 pm:

Wow Holly!

I just wanted to chime in to say that the first thing that came to my mind was a possible feed/hay connection?

Although there would be no connection, it reminded me of an epidemic of moldy corn poisoning that ran rampant thru southern Virginia and northeaster NC several years ago. It was quite a mess, particularly on breeding farms. The culprit was a particular corn source that went into a lot of the local feeds. Many horses were lost before they figured out what was going on.

Within the past year, there have been several horses lost to botulism in one farmers round bales. One lady lost several horses before they determined what had happened. Scary, very scary

Very glad to hear that your horse is improving.

Another thought might be tick related?

Please update when you can...very interesting.
Member:
hollyw

Posted on Sunday, Mar 15, 2009 - 9:56 pm:

The woman who owns the horse lives in Northwest Louisiana, and she wrote to me as well as posted the following:
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My vet called tonight and in the course of our conversation he did say that a vet near Quitman, TX I believe,,had mentioned the possibility of some sort of "staggers", as we have had a very dry season for a spell,,then all of this rain,,possibly resulting in some sort of mold that would cause problems. He is going to call the LSU State Vet school tomorrow and see what they may have to say about all of this. At any rate, to his knowledge all of the horses are doing ok..mine is pretty much fully recovered,,and he did say that mine was the worst of all the ones he had personally seen. All in all, there was a total of about 50-60 horses affected in various degrees by this "epidemic" of problems in the NW Louisiana & Northeast Texas areas.
I personally, have been feeding the same hay - square bales kept in a dry barn - to all of my horses all this winter,,and the same feed - oats - from the same barrel to all for a good while. He was the only one ill...it will be interesting to hear if any of the vets involved come up with a clear diagnosis of the situation, as it was pretty scary for a while there, and I would welcome any answers so as to prevent a repeat performance! Not to mention the vet bill :-)...
Thanks for all the comments, and suggestions..and well wishes...they were all much appreciated, and I will keep you posted on any news.
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I wonder if any of our members are from the NW Louisiana/NE Texas area and have heard about this?
Some folks suggested that it was due to the recent cold snap, and that some of the horses were unprepared and got shivering so much that it cramped their muscles . . . almost like a kind of tying up????? The owner has a few different horses on her property, and only one of her horses was effected. Similarly, individual horses in other barns were effected while other horses in the same barns were not effected at all.
Thanks for your input.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2009 - 9:52 am:

In an effort to find a connection I would be looking for some toxic plant that has recently come up with the warmer weather. I find the cold snap induced tying up unlikely except as to how it might effect herbage, some plants become toxic when frosted.
DrO
Member:
hollyw

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2009 - 10:35 am:

Thanks, Dr. O. That option wasn't even mentioned by any of the vets there. I hope the owner gets more information about the incidents. I'm sure she will let me know, and if she finds out anything else, I'll post it here.
Member:
zarr

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2009 - 12:13 pm:

Holly there is a mustang rescue near Colorado/Kansas border and some of their horses have the same symptoms as these do. They thought as DrO. that is is some plant/weed but still unknown.?
Member:
hollyw

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2009 - 12:29 pm:

Cindy, what's the link to the site?

Thanks.
Member:
hollyw

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2009 - 12:30 pm:

The horse owner e-mailed to me this morning and said that the vets in the area are considering a fungal infection on some of the grasses. She said they hadn't had a frost, but did get cold and rainy after a warming up.
Member:
zarr

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2009 - 4:23 pm:

Holly I'll try to find.I hate ??? when it comes to critters being ill!
Member:
zarr

Posted on Monday, Mar 16, 2009 - 4:58 pm:

3 Strikes Ranch but don't know if anything is up on their site.Also found Chronicles of the Horse where someone in Geo. has similar symptoms. Maybe it is new green stuff looks good after long winter.So far I've seen everything listed from bracken ferns to left over residue from a calf feed?
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