[Lance]

Sorry to introduce myself through this thread, but I'm really freaked out right now and could use some advice! I've searched the forum for the word paralyzed and found just one thread that was similar, and it had a bad outcome.

Rebel is a 3-week-old colt. He began walking strangely yesterday and collapsed seemingly out of nowhere. He is in the barn now laying on a comfy bed of hay. He wouldn't take a bottle last night, my mom stayed with him in the barn until nearly morning. She stayed home from work today and tried to feed him with little success. Tonight it took me and my wife 3 hours to get him to drink a water bottle full of formula.

Two vets have come by so far. One suspected sepsis, but Rebel isn't running a fever and his white blood cell count is normal. The other thinks that it is a trauma injury, but in running my hands along his spine and elsewhere, he doesn't react to pain. There are no bumps or lacerations either.

He isn't totally paralyzed, he struggles to avoid the bottle by kicking his back legs. He tries to get up, but can't. We helped him up a couple of times and he goes straight to his mother who has been watching over him in the barn. He will suckle for a moment and lose his strength, bowing his head and collapsing.

I am driving back over here tomorrow to feed him in the morning and see if he has gained any strength and can stand any longer. I will post a video tomorrow. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Lance

 

[MyBoyPuck]

Wow, that has to be scary. Were his pulse, heart rate, capillary refill time all normal? The gum color shows alot in terms of shock and such. Perhaps this little guy is not able to absorb some important nutrients from his mother's milk? Either that or the mother is producing something toxic? Did they test her milk? Sorry I can't be of more help. I'll cross my fingers for the little guy.

 

[JustDressageIt]

Sounds like you need a vet who will get to the bottom of it; it doesn't sound good, I'm sorry to say. I have no idea what could be the cause, but a foal being down and not able to get back up is not good. Are his muscles spasaming? Is his dam in the stall with him?

 

[equiniphile]

No help here, but prayers your way.

 

[shesinthebarn]

Is there any chance when he was born that the cord snapped too early? ie short cord? Sometimes this can cause a back-flow of fluid to the brain. Has he ever had coordination problems, especially in the front end? We had a few with this issue and we thought they were gonners but were successfully treated with DMSO jugs and LOTS of veterinary care. If possible, keep trying to feed this foal on a very frequent basis. I would even suggest on an hourly/ every other hour schedule like e newborn baby.

Good luck - hope he is OK!

 

[kevinshorses]

I had a weanling that slipped on some ice one winter and couldn't get up. I was going to shoot her but thought I would have the vet come out to take a look. He gave her some IV fluids and some anti-inflammatory shots. gave her a shot the next morning and she still couldn't get up. I came back that afternoon with a rifle prepared to put her down. She tried valiantly to get up so I helped her a little and she stood. I gave her another shot and repeated it the next day as well. She never had another bad episode.

The vet said that when she fell she pulled a muscle and it hurt to get up so she stayed down and got cold and stiff. Then she couldn't get up. When he gave her some pain killer and anti-inflammatory and maybe a muscle relaxer it allowed her to get up with little pain. I can't believe you have had two vets look at the horse and they haven't done anything. That is just laziness on thier part. Try to find a vet that is a little hungrier.

 

[trailhorserider]

I don't have any advice but I wanted to send prayers and well-wishes your way. I hope the little guy pulls through. My foal has had several health issues since he was born and I know how stressed and emotional I was when he had problems. So I really feel for you and I sure hope he makes it!

 

[ShutUpJoe]

Meningitis maybe?

You think the vets would have at least tubed him and put an IV in.

 

[mbender]

How is he today?
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[franknbeans]

Poor baby! Prayers coming your way.....Not sure where you are, but I guess I am fortunate to have an equine hospital within a couple of hours....That would be the best scenario.

 

[Hunter65]

Oh no. I hope you find out what it is and that he will be ok.

 

[MyBoyPuck]

Any change with the little guy?

 

[zaudika]

The symptoms sound very similar to the case of EEE that a yearly filly I was close to went through this last year. It takes awhile to get a blood test back on this, but you might want to have the colt tested.

Sadly, if it is EEE, the chances of survival are very limited to none. If not EEE, sounds like it could be something else neurological.

I'm sorry to hear you're going through this. Prayers.

 

[HalfPass]

Wow
I am sending prayers your way!
I am a bit shocked that the vets that came did not do more for this colt than say they didnt know what it was.
At this point I hope you havent posted because your just too busy trying to help the little guy!
Let us know how you and the colt are doing!
Halfpass

 

[Cherie]

It does not look real good for this colt. He is a little too old to be weakened from an IGg lack of good immunity or a blood / milk incompatibility with his mother.

I would guess a CNS problem in either his brain or spinal cord. Either are usually a death sentence. I had a really good foal have partial paralysis from hitting a fence in a storm. Vets said he hit it with the flat of his face and over-bent his neck. There was a larger than normal gap between two vertebrae. We could help him stand and he could nurse but he collapsed as soon as we quit steadying him. One week and $1200.00 later of x-rays and anti-inflammatory drugs, IVs, and other supportive therapy, we had to put him down.

I hope yours comes out better, but be prepared fpr the worse.

 

[AlexS]

I am so sorry to hear this, and I have nothing to add other than I am sending you my best wishes. I too would like to know how he is now, and would like to ask you to get a different vet out.