Hi Everyone,
I'm writing in for a friend. We live in Australia......
She has a 2 year old filly. Three weeks ago we got a lot of rain and the filly started to get greasy heel. She got the vet out and the filly was put on anti-biotics. Since then she has been steadily declining. The vet came out again and took blood samples and some of the results are as follows. The filly has:
Decreased protien levels,
increased urea levels
Elevated heart and breathing rates,
No temperatures
Oedema in all 4 legs and significant weight loss.
She did have a bit of scouring for about a week but that has cleared up. She has been tested and treated for worms, but didn't have any. But the filly looks as though she has a belly full of worms. Her coat has gone really bad too, all dry and starting to turn backwards.
The filly has now been on 3 courses of anti-biotics and there is still no improvement. She is eating and drinking normally and is still in her normal paddock and no other horses have been introduced into her paddock.

Has anyone come across these symptoms at all? My friend is worried sick as she can see this filly wasting away before her eyes and they can't find what's wrong with her.

Thanks everyone,
Sandy in Australia

Some of the symptoms you describe are the same as my filly was displaying, ie high urea levels, weight loss and bad coat condition. She had problems with her kidneys and was put to sleep two weeks ago at the age of two. Her problem was that her kidneys didnt grow from the time she was born so they could not cope as she grew.

Kidneys clean the blood, and cannot cope with Protein when under stress. Is she drinking and urinating more than usual?

I would say though, as your friends filly has suddenly developed these symptoms, that it is unlikely to be the same as my filly, but I would advise that your friend ask her vet to scan the kidneys as I have read in a few different reports that strong anti-biotics can have an adverse effect on the kidneys and may be causing temporary trouble.

I hope your friend gets to the bottom of the problem, and that the filly recovers quickly from whatever is troubling her.

Kate

My thoughts are similar - sounds like kidneys to me too. So either it could be the antibiotics, or possibly the rain caused some plant to grow which she has eaten and which has caused kidney problems (sorry, not up in Australian problem vegetation!).


Keren

i just asked my father he is a doctor and he just told me
it's something related to her kidnys .... i think it is but we are not vets so it is just a thought
i wish the best to you and ur friend and her filly ..
yassmin

Have you tried giving her a really good pre/pro biotic as antibiotics can kill off the normal bacteria in the gut? The low protein levels could be due to loss of albumin in the urine (kidney problem) or low production due to liver problems.

I would ask your vet to recommend a good diet for her. Did he test for liver enzymes? Did he test the urnie for protein? both of these will help to establish the cause of the problem and the best way forward.

Good luck with her.

Barbara

You guys are just wonderful!! Thank you so very much for your quick responses. It is nearly midnight here at the moment so I will call my friend first thing in the morning. I don't know how lucky she will be getting a vet out tomorrow, being Easter Friday. But if she screams loud enough she should get a response...

I will keep you all updated as I find things out.

Thanks again, you're all worth your weight in gold!!

Sandy

Oh, I am so sorry to hear these things....but I agree with Barbara...a really good probiotic to restore the balance in the gut...and please get her off the antibiotics..these can kill.

So many times we rush to use a drug, and as with people, a little goes a long way...and EVERY one of them has terrible side effects. Think she has been on too many for too long!

Greasy heel isn't life threatening..and while it looks ugly, it does go away with a little management..and antibiotics for it isn't recommended. And I swear by the daily wormer..a little poison each day is better than huge doses that the body and organs have to tolerate.

If she is really eating and drinking normally, I would really discontinue all drugs, balance her feed intake, and lots of TLC away from the others.

Oh, I do wish you good luck with your filly...these things make me cringe..and I know loss. Hang in there!

TOP Of The Hill Arabians

My stallion was on antibiotics for nearly three months and they saved his life so don't stop the antibiotics without checking with your vet although from what you say it deosn't sound as if she has an infection (may have had initially) as she hasn't got a temperature). However the oedema and swelling of the legs could be liver problems and antibiotics are metabolised in the liver so they could be making the problem worse if there is a liver problem. If your vet has the results of the tests can you post them; I am a biochemist so could look at them. I am sure your vet is competent to assess her blood results but it is often useful to have two opinions. If her liver enzymes are normal then it is unlikely to be a liver problem.

Best wishes

Barbara

Yes, it saved the life of our stallion too.
And this was not a long time ago

I hope your friend soon gets an answer what is wrong with her filly, to give her proper treatment. Hope she will get better soon. Keep us posted !!

Quote: The filly has now been on 3 courses of anti-biotics and there is still no improvement. She is eating and drinking normally

Yikes..I by no means disregard the vet in any case..but this sentence lead me to believe the courses being taken were not helping..sorry for the confusion.

I simply meant that within three courses with no improvment the treatment obviously wasn't working and could be hurting instead.

And I definitely am not against antibiotics, but we do tend to rush to drugs.

It is very hard to assist in any case...just going on information provided.
Best of luck!

TOP Of The Hill Arabians

Sounds like a Kidney problem to me. Does your vet have access to an Ultrasound to examine the kidneys?
Good luck and please keep us updated.
Cheryl

Hi Sandy,

Could this filly have had access to the dreaded Paterson's Curse weed?
I saw a report on Landline that detailed the trouble this weed can cause to horses. I seem to remember it affected the liver and kidneys, and was very difficult to treat unless it was caught very early. Best of luck with your friend's fiily.

Lindy

Has your vet checked that she's not reacting to the antibiotics?

Also, and I know this sounds silly, but you said the problem occurred after heavy rainfall - heavy rainfall encourages the flowering stage of fungi, and some types of fungus can cause severe hepatitis of the liver. I only mention this as a possibility because a friend of mine lost two of her livestock (cows, admittedly) to poisoning from these mushroom things growing in her pastures. Not an expert opinion and I don't want to confuse the issue, so just a possibility.

I hope your friends filly makes a full recovery. I'll say a little prayer for her tomorrow (note to self to remember to go to church on Good Friday).

Hi all,
good ideas going around and so many possibilities for this sick filly, anyone could be a possibility.

I'm all for antibiotics with infection, respirtory, blood problems, but if it's
organ or gut problems, I go with a sulfur drug- or bactrine (not sure of the spelling)
and after several courses of antibiotic, I'm usually getting trigger shy of needles (so is my horse) and the sulfur you can add to feed or the bactrine if they are not eating. Sometimes I just like using the sulfur even with infection.. as so much easier than giving shots,, just takes a little longer to work, but they can go deep in the horses body.

I would definately get some probiotic in her gut. I don't think that could hurt, no matter what.

But, yes .. I don't think anyone here would suggest you make any changes without checking with your vet or a different vet... then again you have to go with your gutt too!

If it's a poisoning you fear, I'd go on the internet and research those possibilities in your area.

Good luck and keep us posted.. maybe you have a college vet school nearby you can haul her to?? there is always someone there.

Keep us updated.. very concerned.

Georgia

Hello Sandy
Is there any update on your friend's dear filly?
Cheers,
Carol

Just asked a friend with some experience of such cases, recommends STRONGLY to STOP the antibiotics,sounds as if the kidneys and general metabolism have been affected, recommends Aloe Vera juice 50 ml per day for 3 days then 100 ml per day. also Cider vinegar 40 ml daily and homeopathic Lycopodium, dose of 30c, (8 pills per day-they taste like sugar so would like them but handle them as little as possible and don't put homeopathics near electronics) or else dose of 200c every third day, again 8 pills at a time. Wish her (and you of course) all the best, Alia

I echo what Suellen and Princess Alia and others have said about the risks of antibiotics. Many of the "good" microbes and bacteria in the intestines are part of the digestive system and serve a purpose in helping the horse break down its feed. I would surmise that with some horses, antibiotics can create a greater imbalance in the digestive system which can have severe side effects. Like people, each horse is an individual and may respond differently to a treatment.

The natural remedies and probiotics can help restore the natural environment within the digestive system and would likely help the horse.

Majid

Good Morning Sandy
Do you have an update to share with us on your friend's dear filly?
Cheers,
Carol

Antibiotics may kill the good bacteria in the intestinesalong with the bad ones causing th edisease. Eating yoghurt helps in humans, so why not for a horse? There are these probiotic products nowadays that might do some good. However, with the kidneys that cannot be the case as kidneys do not carry bacteia (if they do, that is bad!). With the kidneys, any negativ effect is rather due to antibiotics breakdown prodcuts that the kidneys have to remove from the bloeed. Same for the liver, the garbage remover of the body. So negative effects for intestines and kidney/liver are based on completely different mechanisms and if you have a kidney problem here, then restoring the good bacteria will not help.
Good luck with your horse!

My vet recommended yogurt when my mare went off her feed after being transported. It worked wonders, she was back to herself after two doses !! I had never heard of using it but I will again- he said it balances the enzymes in the gut.

Good Luck with the filly ~ Sandy

It works very well, and a less appealing but apparently valid procedure is to give yogurt mixed with dam's droppings!

Yes, Princess Alia, you are right! That is why foals eat their mothers' droppings: in order to develop the right bacterial population in their little guts. Nature knows best.

OH NO! I'm so sorry for your friend and her filly. NO advice but lots of well wishes and prayers that she some how turns around and heals.

Hugs from Kansas in the US.

Charity

Hi Everyone,
First of all I would like to say what a wonderful bunch of people you all are. I passed on all of your emails to my friend and I thought that I would give you all an update.
The filly got sick 9 weeks ago and with all of your advice, was looking like she was getting better. But a little over 24 hours ago, things went downhill rather rapidly. Here is an email that I got just on 30 mins ago.....

Thank you all again for your best wishes, I just wish the vets around here could have been as concerned about her as you all were.
Sandy in Australia....

*********************************

Dear Sandy,
I thought that I would let you know that Rania was put to sleep this morning at 1.00am.

A different vet diagnosed pulminary odema and level 5 heart malfunction yesterday with little chance of survival.
The toxins from the odema had built up in her body and she was not able to expel them, hence causing her colic/bloated. She was given dieretics, but was too late.
She fought till the very end.

RIP little princess.

I am so sorry to hear your terrible news thet the filly was put to sleep after all this time. My heartfelt sympathy to your friend for her loss, she must be devastated and that poor filly to put up such a brave struggle for life and thenlose in the end.

She is now in horse heaven where she will no longer suffer but have a life of peace and happiness.

Barbara

I am terribly sorry to hear about your friends filly.

Please pass on my condolences. I hope she can find comfort in the thought that her beloved girl is now free from pain. Having recently lost my beautiful filly I can completely understand how she must be feeling at the moment. Time is a healer, the pain does gradually ease.

She will be forever in your friends heart.

Love Kate

Sorry to hear about the filly! Poor little mite, I wonder what caused the complications.

Pass on my love and condolences to your friend.

So sad to hear. Please give your friend my heartfelt condolences as well. I was truly hoping to hear better news....

Dear Sandy
I am so terribly sorry to hear your friend's filly has passed away. Please share with her that I am keeping her in my thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.
Carol

RAINBOW BRIDGE

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.

- Author unknown -

Dear Sandy,

Please deliver my Condolences to your friend and her family... I am so sorry to hear that the filly passed away ... May god bless her soul...

Ehab

Thank you Carol,
I have passed on everyone's condolences. She was really looking like she was picking up. Apparently, the vet copped an earfull when he finally turned up. He should have come weeks ago, maybe she would still be alive, maybe not, but as a vet he had an obilgation to help and he left it too late. But what is done is done and there is no turning back unfortunately.
Thank you for the "Rainbow Bridge" verse. I cry everytime I read it. I am certainly hoping that my beautiful friends are waiting there for me when my time comes. I miss them terribly everyday. They were beautiful souls who God would certainly have wanted around him.
I know my gelding Jabaah would be giving him plenty to laugh about and I know that my dog, Tyson, will be keeping his feet warm as he loved to sit on your feet if you stood still long enough.
Thanks again
Sandy