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I had a mare do this back in May. 

However, I did have a causative: 3 days earlier, she ran through a fence -- at 
the corner post, tore herself up good. I'm a trauma nurse, so wound care isn't 
a problem for me. 

We were totally mystified as there were no overt signs of infection, save for 
behavioral indications and a temp of 110 degrees (F). 

Vet came out, found a wee splinter in the crease at the base of an ear, and 
lots swelling going into the ear canal. He removed the splinter, pus sprayed 
like a geyser for a moment. Gave her a mega dose of penicillin, something for 
her temp, and a 5 day anti-biotic regimen. 

Next day she was behaving normally (for her).

Question: is EPM a possible factor?

In humans, even a urinary tract infection can influence behavior, and in the 
elderly, they can become quite confused and delerious. It's also interesting to 
note that adult humans get ear infections all the time... and again, sometimes 
it affects a person's mentation.

I hope your horse recovers; to me, they are family.

Liz
Minnesota



--- On Fri, 9/12/08, Don Huston <donhuston@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: Don Huston <donhuston@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [RC] horse with body quivers
> To: "Vickie Jensen Hogen" <vjhogen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Friday, September 12, 2008, 4:09 PM
> Finding my horse like that would scare the crap out of me
> and having 
> the vet not know what it is...ugh.
>
> This is a wild guess. Stop all processed type feeds and
> supplements, 
> they might have a toxin like that stuff from china in the
> dog food. 
> Check with the owner of the other horse to see if you were
> both 
> feeding something the same.
>
> Another wild guess. One morning my friend found his horse
> walking 
> backwards in a circle. He put a halter on to lead the horse
> out for 
> the vet and the horse would not go forward. These symptoms
> are 
> completely different than yours but the diagnosis for my
> friends 
> horse was something I had never heard of. The blood test
> showed heart 
> worms and why that made the horse walk only backwards is a
> mystery. I 
> do not know what the treatment was but the horse recovered
> completely.
>
> Good luck because it always helps to have a little.
>
> Don Huston
>
>
>
> At 10:08 AM 9/12/2008 Friday, you wrote:
> > I need some advice.  My 10 year old arab was down this
> morning, his 
> > whole body was quivering. Got him up with lots of
> encouragement to 
> > stay up..  Trailer ride seemed to relax some of the
> muscles and he 
> > wasn't wanting to go down after we got him to the
> vet clinic.  He 
> > still had the shakes so bad that vet couldn't get
> an accurate heart 
> > rate on him.  Gums were gray, temp was good, body very
> quivery, no 
> > appetite, alert, balance seems to be off, reacts
> normally when hand 
> > is brought toward eye.  Those are just random things
> vet looked 
> > at.  Drew blood to screen for west niles.  Horse was
> vaccinated with 
> > 5 way and west nile one week later in late may or early
> june.  After 
> > being at vet clinic for over an hour, receiving an
> intravenous 
> > injection of banamine, and a dose of penicillin he
> slowly quit 
> > quivering and regained some of his pep and personality.
> (Hubby says 
> > that he was not really shaking even before receiving
> banamine and 
> > penvk) We were able to get a resting heart rate of 28
> on him 
> > then.   We were sent home to follow very basic care 
> > instructions.  Feed him 25% his normal amount and watch
> him, call if 
> > quivering returns.
> >
> > Vet was very honest, he did not know what was causing
> the problem, 
> > he doubted it was colic, I didn't think it was
> colic to start 
> > with.  Here is my dilemma, we have no idea what is
> going on and one 
> > other horse in the valley showed signs that were very
> similar over a 
> > week ago, she continued to get worse and is being put
> down this 
> > morning, they only did a blood draw for west niles and
> sent it off 
> > yesterday. So if any one has any advice the vet and I
> are both open 
> > to suggestions.  I really don't want to get behind
> the 8 ball.
> > He is currently alert and wanting to eat, bright eyed
> and seems 
> > normal.  Unfortunately the other horse also seemed to
> come around 
> > only to regress and is now down and being put down
> probably as I am 
> > writing this.  Symptoms of that horses first day seem
> to be very 
> > similar.  I just don't want to get behind this and
> loose him.  Any 
> > other blood work we should be doing?  We are going into
> the weekend..
> > No changes in feed or daily routine, high quality grass
> hay 
> > diet.  No access to weeds or strange plants.  Has not
> been exposed 
> > to any other horses this summer, The rides I wanted to
> do were 
> > canceled, so we have done a few trail rides by
> ourselves..  No 
> > obvious wounds or punctures..
> >
> > If there are spelling errors and this is random, please
> ignore, it 
> > has been a really crappy morning.. My son missed the
> bus on top of 
> > all of this, and I missed my drs appointment..
> SIGH!!!!!
> > Thanks
> >
> > vickie hogen
> >
> > ----------
> > Looking for spoilers and reviews on the new TV season? 
> > <http://television.aol.com/feature/fall_tv?ncid=aoletv00050000000037>Get
> > AOL's ultimate guide to fall TV.
> Don Huston
> San Diego, CA
> donhuston @ cox .net

     

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