lioness
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Posts: 122
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Post by lioness on Oct 8, 2005 20:09:08 GMT 1
Hi Guys, My daughters pony has been diagnosed with chronic grass sickness. He has been at the vets clinic for 2 weeks and is fighting to hang on by the skin of his teeth. I have said that I will give my all to save this little pony as he is worth it. If anyone has experienced this vile disease, or has any help or advise on treating chronic cases we would be eternally grateful..... Thanks L
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naria
Grand Prix Poster
yet when all books have been read it boils down to the horse, his human & what goes on between them
Posts: 1,455
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Post by naria on Oct 8, 2005 21:29:24 GMT 1
So sorry to hear about this & good luck to you all. I don't know anything about this terrible disease but on another thread someone posted a link to www.grasssickness.org.uk - the thread was started by mrs mac if I've got that wrong - & the site seemed fairly informative & had nursing tips that you might find helpful. Again I wish you good luck.
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wills
Grand Prix Poster
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Post by wills on Oct 8, 2005 23:08:33 GMT 1
Sorry to hear about this i dont no much about this but would like to no more as one of the horse at our yard had to be PTS on Monday because of it
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Post by NA on Oct 9, 2005 14:25:55 GMT 1
Very sorry to hear that you have a pony with chronic GS. GS is a dreadful disease and one which I have experienced on a number of occasions.
I have only experienced the chronic variety the once, my others cases have been the acute version. I am happy to be able to say tho' that my chronic case did recover.
I didn't send him through to Edinburgh but nursed him at home myself. It was a long hard slog and there was no miracle cure, just constant tlc. Apart from nursing the only drugs I used was bute, I put him on this from the start and gave him weekly injections of vitamin B12. Both of these more on the theory that at the least they'd be no help and the worse no harm. I also had him inhale a vicks vapour out of a wee calf pail with a towel round it. I did this about 4 times a day, when he was at his worst with the horrible thick hard mucous coming down his nose, I think this helped. He didn't particulary like it, but it did ebnable you to remove large gouts of it. For anyone who hasn't experienced this, it can be like long hard lumps of congealed tractor grease and hinders the ponies breathing. Feed wise, I went round all my friends and got a poke of every variety of feed they had to try. To begin with he would take tiny slithers of apple or carrots but then went off that, I would grate succelents to try and get him to take them. When he did begin to eat again, the thing that tempted him was simply a little bruised barley with a bit of warm water and mollasses on it. I had a long hard slog with my gelding, but we did get there so dont give up. It is doubtful that your pony will get any care in the clinic that you couldn't give yourself, time permitting of course.
Best of luck, I hope your pony pulls through. Please come back and let us know how you are getting on.
Fingers crossed for you.
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lioness
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 122
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Post by lioness on Oct 9, 2005 18:37:29 GMT 1
Thanks for that it is a great help, he has been at the clinic for 2 weeks now and finally has some gut sounds, he is still interested in grass, so the vet thinks I should be able to bring him home soon. I have probiotics, electrolytes, bute, mollasess, appetite stimulant and a B12 supplement, I just have to find something to put it all in that he will eat !! I am prepared for a long hard slog, but he is worth it, and as long as he fights then so will we. if there is any other advise you can give that might be worth a try I would appreciate anything you can give. I wonder if your pony made a full recovery ? and how many weeks was it before you felt you were over the worst ?? Thanks L
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Post by NA on Oct 12, 2005 14:36:53 GMT 1
Hope your pony is continuing to improve.
Finding what mine would eat was constant trial and error and offering him small varieties of many different things. Some of which he would sometimes take a tiny pick of, but that did not mean he would take it again.
He did make a full recovery, his coat was a bit strange for the first year afterwards. He went down with GS in the spring before he had fully cast his winter coat, and he never fully got rid of it before growing the next one. He is still well, is ridden and also being driven.
I think it was about week six before we felt we were turning the corner and he was beginning to look at food again and pick at something more regularly.
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Post by amelia on Oct 12, 2005 14:57:58 GMT 1
agree with the advice given above, loads of TLC is the best cure, constant stimulation such as grooming, keep the atmosphere busy to increase his interest and prevent him from becoming depressed. Feed anything that he will eat (obviously within reason!).
Good luck, I really hope he pulls through - I've only dealt with one case which was also chronic. He came into the vets practice where i was working as a vet nurse. I'm happy to say that he recovered.
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lioness
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 122
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Post by lioness on Oct 12, 2005 18:50:34 GMT 1
Thanks Guys, He was allowed home yesterday, and I have been making up several small feeds mixed up with carrots and different types of feed etc. The vet came today and said it doesn't matter if I feed him cream buns, as long as he east something ~!! At least there is someone ut there who survided this as well, so there is hope !! Thanks a bunch l
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Post by Catrin on Oct 12, 2005 20:19:05 GMT 1
A local Shire horse survived it several months back. I'll send him Reiki until he's better as his chakra energy levels, particularly solar plexus, sacral and root chakras are very low.
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naria
Grand Prix Poster
yet when all books have been read it boils down to the horse, his human & what goes on between them
Posts: 1,455
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Post by naria on Oct 12, 2005 21:51:03 GMT 1
I'm glad to hear you've got him back home, does that mean he's a bit better? I love the picture of you tempting him with cream buns LOL.
Good luck with him & don't forget to look after yourself too.
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Post by Karon on Oct 13, 2005 13:25:57 GMT 1
Glad to hear he's home now, hope he manages to fight this awful disease and recovers fully. Where in the country are you? It's just that there seem to be more cases being reported this year and I wonder if it's because it's more widely recognised or if it is indeed becoming more common (god forbid).
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lioness
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 122
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Post by lioness on Oct 13, 2005 16:53:26 GMT 1
Thanks guys, We are in the London area, the vet hasn't heard of many cass round here this year so far. Catrin, any Reiki you can send would be amazing, do you need to see a photo of him ? He is managing to eat some of the liquidized mixture I am making up for him, which is great, he still can't eat grass or hay, and no poop either He's coming up to his 4th week, maybe we can get him to 6 weeks, god willing. Thanks for caring L
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monet
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,423
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Post by monet on Oct 19, 2005 9:43:26 GMT 1
just wondering how your boy is doing?
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Post by NA on Oct 19, 2005 10:13:00 GMT 1
Yes how is he doing, I was also going to up this thread today.
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Post by Lucia nli on Oct 19, 2005 11:27:16 GMT 1
Up for the poorly pony.
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