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This reminded me of an incident at a boarding stable a long, long time  
ago.  It involved a foal, who kept circling, staggering, falling  
down.  The vet couldn't figure out the problem, and the foal was put  
down.  On necropsy, they found the ear canals packed with ticks.

So - checking for an ear infection (or ticks if it is tick season),  
might be worth doing.

Best of luck!


On Sep 12, 2008, at 7:56 PM, Elizabeth Chase wrote:

> 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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