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It has been estimated that 65% of the horses in the Southeastern US will 
have a positive blood test for EPM. Clearly 65% of the horses in the SE 
don't have EPM.  When my horse came down with West Nile, the vet did 
some coordination test on the horse. He diagnosed it as WN. He said it 
would be (with a high probability) one of three things, an injury , EPM 
or WN. He eliminated EPM and an injury with the coordination test. He 
was right.

The neurological responses will to be slightly different for each of the 
three. I would find a good vet who has a lot of experience with 
neurological conditions to examine the horse before I went any further - 
that is unless it is even remotely suspected to be WN and if it is start 
treatment asap.

Truman

Stephanie E Caldwell wrote:

> Laurie,
>
> I've been meaning to write this earlier this week. If you want to know the
> entire EPM story, let me know. Star was "diagnosed" with EPM in May of 2001
> on symptoms and positive blood tests only. I treated for 6 months on the
> anti malarial/anti biotic combination, $1200 of treatment. When she
> continued to have problems and I was considering retiring her for a pasture
> ornament at 4 years old, I called the senior partner of the vet practice I
> used out for one last effort on her. He borrowed a thermograph from the vet
> school and it was a true spinal injury. She had major inflamation in the
> spinal cord itself!! She had received a spinal injury from a saddle that was
> defective. Please check other options before treating, the long term effects
> can be devestating. My horse has a major resistance to sulfa antibiotics,
> she lost alot of hair... It can have tragic effects EPM or not.
>
> On spinal taps, my mother has days she's paralyzed from a spinal tap with
> *no* complications. I refused to have one done, and would make the same
> decision today if I had to do it over.
>
> Let me know if you want to know the long version!
>
> Steph
>  




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