Hepatic disease in horses

[Loper]

anyone have any experience with a hepatic disease in a pony/horse? I have googled many sites and there is overload of info for vets but not many that have laymen speak.. anyone have to have a liver biopsy for a pony/horse? Looking for some personal experience with this type of disease(s).

 

[rabbithead]

What are the symptoms?

 

[ladyhawk]

anyone have any experience with a hepatic disease in a pony/horse? I have googled many sites and there is overload of info for vets but not many that have laymen speak.. anyone have to have a liver biopsy for a pony/horse? Looking for some personal experience with this type of disease(s).

Because this is something new to me, I did a search and found this link:

Liver disease in the horse: clinical signs and diagnostic aids - DVM

There are a couple of pages here which I did not take the time to read...
but the terminology appears to be broken down to some degree.
Maybe it will help you but I would expect my vet to explain it to me, especially if I didn't understand it!

Good luck,
June

 

[Loper]

Because this is something new to me, I did a search and found this link:

Liver disease in the horse: clinical signs and diagnostic aids - DVM

There are a couple of pages here which I did not take the time to read...
but the terminology appears to be broken down to some degree.
Maybe it will help you but I would expect my vet to explain it to me, especially if I didn't understand it!

Good luck,
June

Thanks Ladyhawk! I found a couple sites today where I didn't have to look-up every other word.

 

[rabbithead]

My horse had liver disease from ehrlichiosis. Since I don't know your horse's symptoms I have no idea if this could be the cause. Good luck with your horse.

 

[Loper]

My horse had liver disease from ehrlichiosis. Since I don't know your horse's symptoms I have no idea if this could be the cause. Good luck with your horse.

so far the only symptoms she has is weight loss

 

[ladyhawk]

Thanks Ladyhawk! I found a couple sites today where I didn't have to look-up every other word.

I saw where you said the only symptom is weight loss...
Did your vet tell you your horse had "hepatic disease"?

The only reason I ask is due to a weight loss issue I dealt with about seven years ago...

All three of my girls drastically lost a lot of weight and I couldn't figure out why. Even after worming they continued to lose it. Taking their feed up didn't help so I called the vet to find out when I could worm them again. (I think it was two weeks after the initial worming but not sure...)

Anyhow, after worming them again they put their weight back on pretty quick and I had to take their feed back down! Within a month their weights were back to normal... Then a couple of months later, I was talking to a lady I know who has a breeding facilty. She had the same thing happen at her place and even lost one of the foals as a result... Her's was from a bad lot of wormers. Comparing notes we found that I had used the same wormer but we couldn't be sure it was from the same lot...

Just something to think about especially if the diagnostic was not by your vet! : )

June

 

[Loper]

I saw where you said the only symptom is weight loss...
Did your vet tell you your horse had "hepatic disease"?

The only reason I ask is due to a weight loss issue I dealt with about seven years ago...

All three of my girls drastically lost a lot of weight and I couldn't figure out why. Even after worming they continued to lose it. Taking their feed up didn't help so I called the vet to find out when I could worm them again. (I think it was two weeks after the initial worming but not sure...)

Anyhow, after worming them again they put their weight back on pretty quick and I had to take their feed back down! Within a month their weights were back to normal... Then a couple of months later, I was talking to a lady I know who has a breeding facilty. She had the same thing happen at her place and even lost one of the foals as a result... Her's was from a bad lot of wormers. Comparing notes we found that I had used the same wormer but we couldn't be sure it was from the same lot...

Just something to think about especially if the diagnostic was not by your vet! : )

June

June,
I should have stated that the weight loss from winter and no gaining weight with the pastures from spring had me call the vet out. She is on a daily wormer and paste wormed every 6 months when the vet comes out for seasonal shots (spring/fall) she also was wormed an extra paste dose to make sure that wasn't the issue weeks ago. The Hepatic issue was diagnosed through blood work from the vet last week. She was put on antibiotics last week and the Vet came out again this morning to get another blood and poop sample. I won't know the results for a couple days..

She has no other symptoms that come with the Hepatic diseases.. which is what I meant about her only symptom being the weight loss. Yet, her blood showed us something is wrong.

 

[ladyhawk]

June,
I should have stated that the weight loss from winter and no gaining weight with the pastures from spring had me call the vet out. She is on a daily wormer and paste wormed every 6 months when the vet comes out for seasonal shots (spring/fall) she also was wormed an extra paste dose to make sure that wasn't the issue weeks ago. The Hepatic issue was diagnosed through blood work from the vet last week. She was put on antibiotics last week and the Vet came out again this morning to get another blood and poop sample. I won't know the results for a couple days..

She has no other symptoms that come with the Hepatic diseases.. which is what I meant about her only symptom being the weight loss. Yet, her blood showed us something is wrong.

I'm glad to hear that you are working with your vet!
I've just seen so many people try to diagnose a problem themselves or among their other horsey friends without contacting their vet and watched their horse suffer as a result. I just wanted to be sure you weren't one of those..

I hope the test results offer something positive!
Keep us posted!

June