MYSTERY HORSE ILLNESS NEED HELP

My friend has called from Texas and asked me to see if anyone has had a horse with these symptoms. The horse is at a local vets and he cannot find what is wrong.

1. First symptoms seemed like colic, but not

2. very lethargic/head down does not move

3. acts like in pain and cannot walk well

4. drinking, eating (hay only) and regular bowel and kidney function

5. no fever, blood work does not reveal infection

6. some swelling on front legs and this seems to be where a lot of the pain is

Anyone have any ideas? She is 4 hours from a vet school and does not want to transport her that far. Is staying at the local vets until Saturday. I just know someone out there has some info to help her. Thanks everyone.

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Permalink Reply by Linda Grajewski on April 27, 2011 at 9:04am

Cocoa has been given a clean billof health and permission to travel to S.D. and WY the end of June. Amazing!!! Thanks for the prayers!

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Permalink Reply by Cindy Stedman on April 28, 2011 at 7:04pm

Sounds like Anaplasmosis - A Tick Borne Disease - I really hope Coco gets better and you find out the problem.
Cindy

Equine Anaplasmosis

Recently we have seen several cases of Equine Anaplasmosis, formerly called Equine Ehrlichiosis. Typically this is a disease we see in the fall rather than in the spring. The recent prolonged wet weather has increased the number of early season incidences.

Horses usually start to show symptoms anytime from eighteen to twenty five days after infestation. The most common signs may include fever, depression, going off feed, leg swelling, reluctance to move, and having a yellow color to their gums. This is a treatable disease and responds well to multiple doses of intravenous antibiotics.

The causative agent of this disease is a Ricksettial organism called Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Ricksettial agents are a form of specialized bacteria. They are found in the white blood cells of the body (neutrophils & eosinophils), and cause a decrease not only in the number of white blood cells, but also in the number of platelets and red blood cells, leading to anemia.

This bacterium is transmitted to our horses by the western black legged tick. This tick is in the same family as the famous deer tick which transmits Lyme’s disease. It can take as little as one day or as long as nine days for the tick to transmit the organism.

There is currently not a vaccine available for the prevention of this disease, so precaution is your best bet. Use insecticides that repel ticks, and check your horses thoroughly for signs of tick infestation. If your horse is exhibiting any of the previously mentioned symptoms, please call to schedule an exam.