All my horses are ill.... VERY LONG

[Wolf-Kim]

I'm so sorry all this is happening.

***Please, please, please let the person who sold you the hay know IMMEDIATELY to avoid causing other people the same issue. Let them know their hay is NOT safe to be sold for horse consumption. Or AT LEAST ask them to STOP selling until this can be determined.***

I hope your horses recover. Please let the seller know, as well call around to all your local vets, to help diagnose this in other local horses. A bad batch of hay can ruin MANY horses if the contamination is not brought to attention.

Let us know how your babies are doing and good luck.

-Kim

 

[Akane]

Are you cold hosing? You need to try to keep the swelling and heat down especially in their hooves or you risk founder. Get some water running over them, stand them in containers of cool (cool not freezing) water with epsom salt (rubber feeders work better than buckets), rub them down with cool wet rags... whatever it takes. Keep the temp and swelling down. If it were me I'd have been cold hosing when that first swollen leg showed up.

 

[corancher]

Wishing you and the horses the best. I know nothing about horses but hope all is better soon.

 

[texasreb]

I was just going to advise you to cold hose those legs several times a day, but Akane beat me to it.

Cold hosing will reduce heat and swelling and improve circulation and it feels good!

Poor babies and poor you! I hope you caught it in time and they are well on their way to a full recovery.

 

[pips&peeps]

I just got back in the house and had lunch after running around this morning and I did hose down my sickest boys legs.

I took a weed sample down to a company called Wilbur Ellis, they sell weed spray to farmers, and they identified it as hoary alyssum.

I am now awaiting any vet to call me back..... The Washington State University Vet told me to get some charcoal in them, but everyone is too busy to help me.

I will go back out in a little bit to hose down legs again. I have contacted the guy who sold me the hay and he was very nice. He said he would call everyone that bought this hay from him.

 

[Guitartists]

I don;t know squat about horses... but

 

[Judymae]

First off I'm soooo sorry this has happened to your horses. I couldn't imagine having mine all go down at the same time. That is horrible.

Second, I'm soooo happy the hay man is being cooperative with you. That shows that he isn't just in it for the money. He does care.

And last but not least, I'm so happy that our friends here were able to help you out like they have. I have horses but didn't know anything about this problem. I'll be saving this info.

Good luck with your babies. I wish you a speedy recovery!!

 

[karanleaf]

All I can do is send a hug...

Sure wish I could be close enough to help you out the charcoal wouldn't be easy even with two people.... Much easier with a vet and some sedative.... I am glad you got the deffant answer and that the supplier is aware.and he is being helpful to call his other customers about it... sounds like he is a good person.
I hope the Vet gets there soon for you...
I know it's very troubling for you to see them hurting and not able to do as much as you want to for them

I'll be checking in to see how things are coming along...
My prayers are with you and your horses...

 

[pips&peeps]

Thanks for your support everyone!

Scotch, my show horsie, is at the vet's house right now. He is going to keep an eye on him overnight.

He called and said his heart rate is down and looks better, but when I dropped him off he was still having a hard time with balance and strength in his back legs.

From what I have learned from a Vet at WSU if the horse gets diarrhea then you can pretty much say your goodbyes.

But, we didn't get to that point.

This can also cause full on laminitis and turning of the coffin bone. The swelling is going down slowly, I hope the hosing down helped.

Our 8 year old paint was swollen today, so I have hosed him down and will let him out in the paddock this evening to walk around a bit as he is not in as much pain as Scotch was. They have been without the hay for about 36 hours now.

The man who sold me the hay was very apologetic and wanted to trade me out some alfalfa, but I told him at this point my only concern was saving my horse's legs and feet.

I'm contemplating on whether or not to send him my vet bill as I know it will probably be over $1,000.00.

Anyway thank you for all your good thoughts.

 

[karanleaf]

Jean you have been working hard to help your guys and they know you care... That's what makes you a wonderful human. I believe that as long as you are vigilant with the cooling down and give them as soft as footing as possable. They will keep improving. Cooling down, soft footing and circulation is the key.. laminitis is not the end all I know I have a 17 yr old Saddlebred mare who had full blown laminitis on all fours and she is very fine today....

So your love for you horses will help them through alot. Speedy recovery to them all

Karan