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[RC] Mystery virus in horses in Egypt - Maryanne GabbaniWe've been having a series of sick and dying horses in Cairo and having just managed to get a stallion through this in one piece, we want to share the symptoms, our theories about what is happening and how we succeeded in having a horse survive. The treatment was done by the seat of our pants, basically, and while it was successful, Morad (who did the treatment when he couldn't find a vet or any advice) would really appreciate comments and suggestions.Symptoms: The onset looks like a colic. No fever at all. The eyelid is dark red and the gums have blue streaks. The back is stiff and the area over the kidney is held high, similar to a horse with excess gas. At this point if manure is passed, it is dry with no mucus. It looks like a light colic, but the horses who have presented these symptoms then proceed to shivering, collapsing and dehydration within 24 hours. By this time they have diarrhea and dark reddish urine. What worked: Morad's stallion Halim presented with the symptoms yesterday morning. Yesterday 4 pm: The first thing he did was to give 20 cc's each of Hémocardyl (Adrénochrome semi-carbazone, sodium salicylate, and methyl p.hydroxybenzoate), Buscopan Compositum (ingredients in German...can't translate but it is for veterinary use), and Dexa- Tomanol IV. 8 pm: Four hours later he began IV fluids, 20 litres of saline on a fast drip rather than an open line. Midnight: After this he repeated the same medication and an hour and a half after this, he started the saline again on a fast drip. 2 am: After 3 litres he injected 10 cc of Finadyne in one half litre of saline and continued to give an additional 17 litres of saline. 4 am: Two hours later he administered charcoal adequate for a 400 kg horse orally and a 4 litres of parafin oil (one litre for every 100 kg). Immediately after the charcoal and parafin oil he began another 20 litres saline again on fast drip. 6 am: 100 ml Thiamphenacol (for reducing gas, relaxing the stomach, and eliminating toxins) orally. 10 am: Another 20 litres saline IV on fast drip. 6 pm: a bran mash with 200 gr crushed flax seed, 250 gr oats (Quaker), 1 kg bran, the water from 1 kg boiled barley, 250 ml molasses was absolutely devoured. About every half hour if he wasn't on the drip he was given a brief walk for circulation and a small amount of berseem or a bit of bran mash. Today: 10 am: Same 20 cc's of Buscopan, Hémocardyl, and Dexa-Tomanol as above plus 10 cc Finadyne (roughly every 8 hours) and no drip until 3 pm. 3 pm; Another 10 litres of saline on a fast drip. 6 pm: 20 cc's of Buscopan, Hémocardyl, and Finadyne IV. Dex was stopped for worry of laminitis. The horse got an all clear this evening. Most of the horses have collapsed and gone into convulsions and died. The vets are at a bit of a loss as to what this is, but it appears that it is a viral infection that is attacking the muscles and nervous system and giving symptoms of a colic that fool people into treating it as a colic.
Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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