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  Discussion on Did my 26-year old Thoroughbred Tye Up?
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Member:
jchadola

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 3, 2009 - 2:50 am:

I would appreciate any input. Abe is a 26-year-old thoroughbred gelding-a hard keeper but looks good for his age. 4-1/2 weeks ago he had his front shoes removed after wearing shoes for a number of years. He seemed tender, especially in one front foot (he had not had back shoes on).

He is not ridden because he was tripping at the canter a few years ago. He gets turned out every day.

6 days ago he had his second strangles vaccination. 4 days ago he had his first trim since having his front removed. Yesterday morning he was seized up in his stall and would not move and go outside. It seemed to affect all 4 legs/feet. The dominant gelding (whom Abe hangs out with) even walked into Abe's stall and Abe did not move. Unfortunately, the lady who looks after my horse called my home number and I am at my parents' place. She intended to call my cell number. So I found out about this today when I just happened to call her. I immediately called the vet who came out. When I arrived Abe was not with the other horses - he was way around the buildings by himself. I was so scared I was going to find a dead horse. He's my first horse so this has been such a worry. Luckily I found Abe eating grass by himself. I put the halter on him and took him to the barn. He walked slowly and limped a bit but he walked OK until I got to the cement outside the barn. He did not want to go on it. Then he did and I took him into the stall.

Then his left nostril started to bleed. I freaked out. However, he had a scab above his nostril and there are prickly berry bushes near where he was grazing. The bleeding stopped in about 15 minutes. This has never happened before. The vet was not concerned about it (probably because of the scab above his left nostril).

The vet arrived and Abe seemed to continue to improve. He was even playing with his head over the stall with my younger horse, Titan. The vet used hoof testers and found some tenderness near his one toe but nothing radical and nothing on his back feet. He could feel no digital pulses by his front feet. The vet took blood to see if his enzymes were elevated as that would show he had tyed up. I've had him since he was 9 and he's never tyed up. However, he is not a usually active horse but has his moments when he will run around. The vet said it is possible he had an episode of running around like crazy and tyed up. He also said it is possible his foot hurt so much it made him seize up all over. But he said if the enzymes are not elevated, he does not really know what caused this. He did not think he had laminitis or navicular. He said he was worried about him but it was good he had improved. He gave him a shot of banamine and said to give him one gram of bute in the morning and evening tomorrow and the next day then see how he is the following morning after the last bute dose. I gave him some hay and he was happily munching in his stall when I left.

Any suggestions of what is going on - tying up?

Janice
Member:
scooter

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 3, 2009 - 5:44 am:

Janice sorry about Abe. It sounds to me like his hooves probably hurt. The not wanting to walk on the cement being a pretty good clue. When Hank had sore hooves he did not come out of the bedded lean to.

Abe's had shoes on for years and he may be having a hard time transitioning to barefoot combined with a strangles shot and he could have been feeling sore all over.

If he still seems sore try padding his hooves and see if that makes a difference, if it does you have your ans.

Hope Abe feels better soon
Member:
jchadola

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 3, 2009 - 6:53 am:

Thanks Diane. You may very well be correct. My farrier is on top of it and wants to know the results of the blood tests. Switching to barefoot may just not be something Abe is comfortable with at 26. My younger guy, Titan, who had laminitis last July, seems to be adjusting quite well. I was very concerned 2 shoeings ago (the day his shoes were removed) when there was blood on his hoof toe and thought he had a new bout of laminitis - but it turned out to just be remnants of last July's episode. But last Saturday after 4 weeks of no shoes, there was no blood - I was so happy. He was sore after his trim though and would not trot in the ring - but that makes sense. Today when the vet had him trot back and forth on concrete, there was no reluctance to trot - just a head bob every 7 or so strides - not unexpected.

But I feel sorry for Abe. After having probably been abused at the race track he does not deserve to hurt in his elder years. I am probably going to be kicked off disability and my old job was not held for me so I have no job to go to but there was no question that I would pay for the emergency fee so the vet could see Abe right away. I'd live on crackers if I had to for my animals. I had just bought soft fluffies to go on Titan's halter because he has to wear a muzzle when he is turned out every day so always wears a leather halter outside - the halter was rubbing his hair off and I didn't want it to be uncomfortable.

Animals always come first.

Janice
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 3, 2009 - 9:24 am:

Hello Janice,
From the history a vaccine reaction (assuming the strangles was injected) and/or too close a trim is suggested and you should note that a vaccine reaction will also cause an elevation in the muscle enzymes.
DrO
Member:
jchadola

Posted on Thursday, Jun 4, 2009 - 4:07 pm:

Thanks Dr. O. The vaccine was given into the nostril - it was the 2nd vaccine as he had his first about 3 weeks before. He clearly had had it before at the racetrack because he had no objection to the vaccination up his nostril.

He is now on Bute.

The blood tests were normal. He looked better yesterday. The vet thinks it is a foot problem and that he should have shoes back on. I called my farrier.

Janice
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