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  Discussion on Depressed horse!
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Member:
india99

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 - 4:21 pm:

Hi if you read swollen mass in jaw topic you will read that my mare has been through some serious stuff lately. It has been about six weeks since her operations but she is still supposed to be on box rest but with hand walking twice daily, as I work full time this makes it difficult for me so I'v turned her out in a small field, this may sound madness with a deep digital flexion tare but this is where this topic starts, she just wonders aimlessly, sometimes I catch her dribbling from the corner of her mouth where her lip still DrOops down, there is no sparkle in her eyes infact she looks empty and sometimes I find her cowering in the corner behind stables looking scared. I suppose I,m taking advantage while she's like this to try and get that leg better in a controlled manner but it's breaking my heart to see her like this because I,m sure there has been some brain damage to my mare and really can't see any improvement in her face or her behavour, she often tries to bite if you move to the side of her and has even corned me to kick me yet somedays she just stands there and seems to enjoy a love. She's stopped being colicy since I put bio premium in her food as the vet suggested the amount of antibiotics she had been on stripped her gut of the good bacteria, but I cant help thinking she would of been better off put down, I have got two other horses and if I didn't think she could cause damage to her leg I'd bring them down to be with her but I have her leg to think about aswell. Do you think she will snap out of this or is there any tests I can have done so see if she's had some sort of stroke whilst under general anasthetic. Pre-op this mare was a real handfull but I wish she was like that now. The vet who did the operation said if it wasf a stroke her ear would be DrOoping also, but is this always the case? If it is depression or brain damage what can they do I,ve never felt so helpless in my life. I just want to help her get well again.
Member:
ekaufman

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 - 6:05 pm:

Hi,

So sorry to hear that your mare isn't doing well. I have no idea what the cause could be, unfortunately.

It would be good to rule out depression if you could. Could you possibly rig a small pen in the corner of the field (possibly double up the fence around it to create a "moat") and bring other horses into the field so she could see them? That way you could rest the leg injury and keep her less isolated.

She could be ill or damaged, but I once nearly lost a horse to plain old loneliness. He stumbled in miserable sad circles in his tiny enclosure while recovering from a major illness, wouldn't eat or drink, and looked like he was fixing to die. Finally I ended up putting one of my fillies in with him. She ate his hay, and he DrOpped his head onto her butt and went to sleep. It was all uphill for him from there. So it does happen, though I have only seen it once personally.
Member:
jowidner

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2008 - 9:06 pm:

India, I'm sorry to hear of your horse's illness and injury. I know that helpless feeling when an animal you love is struggling. Seems like there could be several reasons for her behavior - loneliness, pain, neuro involvement, and just plain feeling poorly.

If she is not on any pain meds perhaps you could check with your vet about a trial of a pain reliever to see if that helps her. If she looks no different on the med then try a companion or take her for a walk to see if a change of scenery perks her up.

Years ago after nearly losing a mare to colic, my vet suggested I take her for a walk to a nearby stream and let her graze and relax in the shade by the running water. The "nature cure" really did seem to lift her spirits and renew her will to live.

I hope that things improve for your mare. Illness and injury take their toll and sometimes apparently simple supportive measures can help more than one might think. Good luck to you.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008 - 8:21 am:

Hello india99,
you should post this in the same discussion as the recent problems your horse has had so that we have all the information about this case together. It will be easier to make a accurate assessment by first reviewing this earlier information.
DrO
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