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  Discussion on Is it Wobblers and What Do I Do?
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Posted on Friday, Jul 13, 2001 - 1:27 pm:

I have a 14 month old TWH filly who fell while running in a wet pasture and couldn't use her hind quarters to get up for several hours. I've now read everything I can find on this web site. So here is the full story to date..

The vets checked her for broken bones and ruled that out. We dragged her to a stall and I stayed with her the night. She got up around 2am, and has been able to stand and move around haltingly ever since. That night and for three days after the vet gave her an IV with DMSO, AZIUM, Banamine and Bute as well as B vitamins to keep swelling down. After the three days we went to oral bute, banamine and azium and continued with B vitamin paste for nearly 2 weeks. Then we discontinued all medication and I started her on: Vit E, Flax seed, Dynamite Free and easy and MSM. She's on Timothy hay and gets a about 1 lb of oats to mix the meds in 2x/day. After reading what I could about the diet I withdrew the flax seed (1/2 cup 2xper day) as it is high in protein. Was that right to do?

I've also had a chiropractor/accupressurist work on her 1-2x per week. She has been stalled the entire time in a 12x18 stall so all she can do is pivot and walk one or two steps. She has steadily gotten stronger but her hind in is still very compromised. It is consistently weak and slightly weaker on the left side.

I had resisted the notion that is was wobblers as the onset seemed to be accident related but in reading your conversatons the following may be relevant:

as a weanling I weaned her early (at 5 months) as I was travelling and the people feeding her left her on only dry summer grass and she became malnourished (bloated skinny belly). When I returned I had the vet out and we put her on alfalfa and sweet feed. She developed mild epiphecitis (swollen pasterns rear) and we immediately put her on oats only and timothy.

The month prior to the accident I began preparing her to show and put her in cross ties in the wash rack. She'd been cross tied a lot but the wash rack was a new experience and she reared and tried to jump the front panel (31/2-4 feet high)twice. I still do not think she did herself any damage at that time but cannot be sure. Could either the diet or this incident impact her for wobblers?

I haven't taken her for xrays because the closest xray is 3hrs away and WSU is 6 hrs and I wasn't sure she could make the trip in the trailer.

The chiropractor and I decided yesterday to begin to walk her in the round pen to try to slowly build up her muscles (now getting no exercise). Is this a good idea? My vet is out of town until 7/23. He left recommending the xrays.

So, my immediate questions are:

--optimal diet
--could her history have created/contributed to the condition
--is walking her a good idea
--is a CSF tap an appropriate test; can we do it here before I try to haul her to xray
--I've read about dogs w/wobblers treated with a neck brace and gold beads to stimulate accupressure points in the neck. Has that ever been tried in horses?

Thanks for your quick response yesterday. The ambiguity of this as well as the possible prognosis weighs heavily. She's my favorite and my best baby.

Posted on Sunday, Jul 15, 2001 - 7:46 am:

Taking them one at a time:
--optimal diet
Until a firm diagnosis is made, and this should be your first priority if surgery is a possiblity, it should be a regular balanced diet. I checked into dietary treatment of Wobblers and believe 14 months is too old to begin the pace diet but have increased the amount of information in the article on how to formulate such a diet. The diet is most effective in cases where signs are early and very mild.

--could her history have created/contributed to the condition
Yes this could be due to the injury alone. I do not think that the earlier history is strongly suggestive of Wobblers. The fact a[ppears to be she was normal nerologically behind until a very bad accident involving neck trauma.

--is walking her a good idea
No not if she has a cervical instablity this will only injure the spinal cord more.

--is a CSF tap an appropriate test; can we do it here before I try to haul her to xray
Yes but why not have the radiograph and CSF done at the same time, both will be required.

--I've read about dogs w/wobblers treated with a neck brace and gold beads to stimulate accupressure points in the neck. Has that ever been tried in horses?
Not that I am aware of.
DrO
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