Anyone able to help with horse emergency?

[HorseGirl81]

Had a mare go down this morning, vet came n we tried for hours and finally made the decision to put her down.. She was rescued 2 months ago n was literally starved almost to death.. Vet and I both agreed it was mostikely an underlying issue from the neglect..BUT I went out 3 hours later to check on the gelding(only other horse stalled) n he was down.. Have 5 others eating the same hay n grain that are fine..geldings gut sounds are fine, has a great appetite and is eating n drinking.. I just can't get him up.. He tries but acts like his back legs won't or can't get him up.. I have him some bute, and lubed his inside with some mineral oil but almost posit it's not colic. Not 2 horses that fast together.. My vet is 9 hours away and won't be able to get here too tomorrow evening.. I was lucky I caught him this morning before he left and he's the only vet with horses experience.. Anyone with info would be greatly appreciated

 

[saltandpepper2]

Had a mare go down this morning, vet came n we tried for hours and finally made the decision to put her down.. She was rescued 2 months ago n was literally starved almost to death.. Vet and I both agreed it was mostikely an underlying issue from the neglect..BUT I went out 3 hours later to check on the gelding(only other horse stalled) n he was down.. Have 5 others eating the same hay n grain that are fine..geldings gut sounds are fine, has a great appetite and is eating n drinking.. I just can't get him up.. He tries but acts like his back legs won't or can't get him up.. I have him some bute, and lubed his inside with some mineral oil but almost posit it's not colic. Not 2 horses that fast together.. My vet is 9 hours away and won't be able to get here too tomorrow evening.. I was lucky I caught him this morning before he left and he's the only vet with horses experience.. Anyone with info would be greatly appreciated

Do you have possoms in you area?? Check feed and grain for any droppings!! it could be EPM... It definitely sounds like a neurological issue. Of course, I could be completely wrong, but that's what it sounds like to me.

 

[seminolewind]

Saltandpepper, you bring up a really good point.
Is there any chance of carbon monoxide in there?
I wish I could help I just don't know . Let me pm Casportpony, she's pretty knowledgable about this .

 

[saltandpepper2]

something I found on an equine site: "Colicky horses sometimes just want to lie quietly; older, arthritic horses lie down and are reluctant to get up because the action is painful; and horses with neurologic problems may not be able to coordinate their limbs well enough to make the move to a standing position. Laminitic equines lie down because of discomfort in their hooves, and those that are in a state of extreme malnourishment or starvation lack the energy to remain standing. Regardless of the reason, a horse that can’t get on its feet presents a serious situation."

 

[HorseGirl81]

I definitely agree on it being neurological, but I keep all the grain inside my house and I'm about 98% sure that none got past the dogs or cats to get near the hay.. Can chicken poo cause the same thing? My flock free ranges n go in n out of the stalls.. I don't see them ingesting enough to get them both down, especially within hours of each other.. I even moved the gelding to the other side of the barn when we put the mare down (she was his buddy n I didn't want him seeing it) but he walked completely fine to the new stall

 

[HorseGirl81]

Zero chance of carbon monoxide poisoning.. I am able to get him semi upright.. At least enough to keep his organs from failing and muscles from dying.. We are trying to round up someone with a backhoe or something we can rig a sling up in but I don't want to make him suffer if there's no chance of him surviving

 

[HorseGirl81]

My first thought was colic, but he's pooping normal(albeit laying down) .. 2nd was blister beetle or some other no-no in the hay but nothing there either

 

[saltandpepper2]

It could also be botulism from moldy hay, but I would think you see other symptoms before the horse collapsed... West Nile might also be the culprit, but again, you think you would see other symptoms (twitching muzzle, etc) can you give a slightly more detailed description? any twitching, muscle seizes, etc?

 

[casportpony]

I think you need to find a vet. Where do you live?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

We had this happen at the last place we boarded... People were using tree clippings in their stallsfor bedding instead of pine shavings, and I think 3 or 4 horses were lost in two days. Turns out there were toxic plants in the clippings.

-Kathy