Re: RC: Possible Tie-Up/Muscle Pull: Help!

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/28/99 9:27:49 PM Pacific Standard Time, woik@home.com 
writes:

<< Need your input, campers.
 My friend Kathy and her horse Dan headed for Death Valley yesterday,
 leaving me and little April and her buddy Cheyenne behind. I came out to
 the barn today to check on the horses and go for an easy ride around the
 neighborhood. Horses seemed fine, hadn't been out of their pens (this is
 California-style horsekeeping). I brought April out, checked her over,
 groomed, picked out feet, did leg circles, tacked up. Nothing unusual.
 Decided to longe her a bit in the arena before riding. She strode out
 fine, long nice walk. Picked up a trot, calm and still moving freely.
 She moved into a canter, still fine. Then she began to back off, varying
 her speeds, wanted to stop...I approached her and her left stifle began
 to spasm. Aborted workout, brought her up to investigate. Did some
 TTouch, lifts,>>

Bobbieeeee! Gadzooks! 

> but by the time I got her untacked she was breaking out
 in clammy sweat and now was having trouble moving left fore AND left
 hind. Unsteady on her feet. Got her back into her pen, thinking a tie-up
 was coming.>

Tie up was there. 

> Back was getting hard. She was distressed...went to back of
 pen, pawing (she does this when she is worried), putting foreleg over
 low pipe, then retracting. Not eating. Not a happy camper -- eyes told
 the story. Sweating all over... I was afraid to leave her alone but
 grabbed a stethoscope...heard tons of gut sounds, could barely pick up
 heart beat, it sounded somewhat elevated and swooshy. She pooped -- did
 that rule out colic? She wasn't acting colicky...still thinking tie-up.>?



 I spent the next 30 minutes trying to reach a veterinarian (it was 4:30
 p.m. and "after hours"). No luck -- and by then she had stabilized...had
 settled down, now eating hay, eyes looked better. 
 I called the woman who fed in the morning to see how much grain she had
 been given. April is a very easy keeper and ravenous eater -- we give
 her half ration when she is not worked. She does not get tons of
 concentrate. She'd had what she was supposed to have...but the woman
 noticed that when she took off the blanket, one of the metal thingies
 had been severely twisted. This mare tends to cast herself a lot, and we
 speculated that she may have gone down in the night and pulled something.
 After that I finally was patched through to the vet on call. After
 sharing the  story, she thought it could wait until morning...I went
 back out to check her...she was eating quietly, left inner thigh very
 tight and she does not want to bring left hind forward. She will pivot
 360 degrees in her stall without moving that foot. I finally was able to
 coax her forward a step or two for a carrot...she kind of drags the
 foot. Her back muscles are softer than earlier -- not rigid. She will
 let me pick up all four legs and stretch and circle them, although left
 hind is still spasmy. Gave Rescue Remedy, did TTouch extensively over
 entire body, and worked in some holistic salve. 
 I am having a vet out first thing tomorrow morning.
 What do you think is going on?>

She tied up
 
> What blood work should be done?>

Spray and pray, but muscle enzymes for sure--that will at least eliminate or 
confirm tying up.

> What conventional/complementary therapies should be given?>

If it's tying up, then you know my solution.
 
> Thanks for your input!
 Bobbie and April -- we shoulda gone to Death Valley, mom!
  >>

When you're going down the highway and suddenly a giant semi looms ahead, 
coming right at you--don't reach for the horn. It's too touchy-feely for the 
situation. First, get the hell out of the way. Then you'll have time for the 
gentler persuasions. 

In this case, from the get go, there were two very strong 
possibilities--tying up or colic. And almost overwhelming evidence for the 
former. Somebody with more credentials can give you the first five steps in 
dealing with tying up, but tweaking ears is not one of them.

Meanwhile, a muscle pull is not likely. Doesn't behave that way. It's a 
localized lameness. Earlier casting may have helped bring on the tying up 
episode, but I believe that's what you were looking at. Now the job is to 
prevent it from happening again tomorrow or the next day.

ti 


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