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Discussion on Horse with balance problems
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Member:
palmare
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Posted on Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 - 4:54 pm:
two horses on my place came down with unusual neuro symptoms. Neither my vet or myself have had ever seen the symptoms before and the vet recommended putting them down. The symptoms came on overnight. Symptoms were the horse standing in one place and with head down and suddenly doing a circle with front feet in place and rotating rapidly around just using their back legs. The horse seemed to spin around in an attempt to regain their balance. has anyone seem a horse do this and do any of you have an idea what caused this
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 - 11:08 am:
Hello Daisyanne,
The symptoms are certainly neurological and, assuming no dementia, probably affecting the vestibulocochlear system (eighth cranial nerve. But the cause does not fall out of this localization as any type disease can be affecting this area. That two horses are effected so close together certainly suggest toxin but does not rule out infection. And I cannot think of a toxin that just effects the balance system other than perhaps some drugs?
What were the other clinical findings (normals and abnormals) and have you run laboratory work? I too would be slow to consider euthanasia unless the horses seem to be in pain or suffering but would consider beginning TMP/SMZ and pyrimethamine as described in the article Diseases of Horses » Nervous System » Incoordination, Weakness, Spasticity, Tremors » EPM, Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis.
DrO
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Member:
vickiann
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 - 3:46 pm:
Could very early-stage moldy corn poisoning (or blind staggers) cause neurological problems such as this type of circling?
One of my neighbors had a variety of neurological problems for quite some time in a gelding (who did recover) who had been exposed to some moldy, decaying large bales of hay.
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Member:
erika
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Posted on Sunday, Sep 20, 2009 - 6:17 pm:
Loco-weed or tansywort?
Erika
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, Sep 21, 2009 - 8:38 am:
There will be profound depression, a form of dementia, with moldy corn and with tansy ragwort there will signs of liver failure. These are possible but we need more symptoms guys before we can begin guessing as there are so many possibilities out there with the information provided. The focus right now needs to be what else is the horse telling us.
DrO
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