Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I've got a 25 year old Arabian gelding that has some problems tonight and I need you folks advice. Xala started exhibiting this behavior around 5:30 p.m. today. Here's what he does--paws a lot especially at fences, gates and stall walls. He doesn't just stand in the middle of the paddock and paw, after pawing a while he either trots or canters from one end of the paddock to the other and then will lie down flat with his head tipped up, will then get up and lie back down. Looked like colic to me. I called the vet, told him I had Banamine paste on hand--administered a dose for a 1000 lb horse and waited. Vet told me to see if he wanted anything to eat--offered a small amount of Purina Equine Sr. (his usual feed) and he ate at normal speed and appetite--checked him at 6:30 and the unusual behavior was starting again--almost ritual like--pawing, then trotting and then flat out lying down--decided to opt for the vet to come out--as soon as the vet arrived--all normal behavior--I'm sure the vet thought I was nuts--his vitals were normal, normal temp, gut sounds, etc.  The vet gave me a dose of ace promizine (spelling error) to give him in case the behavior returned--it did--what do you think this is?  I called K-State--and they weren't sure--but did mention the possibility of EPM and rabies--he was vaccinated for rabies in July, has had three West Nile shots last year and is scheduled for West Nile this week, and all the usual shots for sleeping sickness, teatnus and flu--your ideas will help me on this sleepless night--Liz