This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Colic in Horses » Discussions on Colic in Horses not covered by the above »
  Discussion on Illness initially presenting as mild colic, but resulting in death within 12 hours
Author Message
Member:
Donnat

Posted on Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 - 1:40 am:

A friend and neighbor last week lost her healthy three-year old Tennessee Walking Mare to what initially was presented as a mild colic, and then progressed to what appeared to possibly be something toxic in nature.

Around 10:00 a.m. the mare was lying down, not rolling or trashing. When the owner went out to check on her, she encouraged her to get up and the mare did, only to walk a few feet and lay down again. She immediately noted something was wrong and called the vet. Respiration and pulse were slightly elevated and she had a temperature of 101. Her gut sound was somewhat decreased on one side. The vet felt she was at the beginning stages of colic since it was stated that the mare had been feeling fine at feeding time and playing with an older gelding. After her morning meal of hay and pelleted grain, she and the other two horses were turned out in a grassy lot for a couple hours of grazing. The vet did a rectal exam and reflux test, administered mineral oil and two shots, one being Banamine. He asked that the owner keep an eye on her, giving her access to water, and call if the problem continued or symptoms worsened. The vet left approximately 12:30 p.m.

The mare seemed okay and relaxed through the afternoon, but the owner said it was obvious to her she still didn't feel well because of her expression. Her temperature had risen slightly, but it was a hot and humid day. The vet called around 5:00 to check on the mare, and she had not seemed to worsen. The owner had a important commitment and had to leave for approximately three hours that evening. She got back around 9:15 and the mare was lying down and sweating profusely. Within approximately 20 minutes, she started convulsions, with her hind legs stretched out and stiff. She seemed only able to move her upper front leg in a pawing motion and her head up and down in a bumping motion, all the while knashing her teeth. Within another 10 minutes or so she died, obviously in a great deal of pain ... and only five minutes before the vet could arrive.

Because the owner was so distraught and wanted to be able to bury the mare on the property, she consented for the vet to do only a cosmetic necropsy. He was able to examine the small and large intestine. There were no torsions or obvious blockages, and no ruptures or massive bleeds noted. He felt something else was going on because the mare went downhill so quickly, and that the colic was only a symptom.

Sorry about the lengthy background, but my primary question is what could possibly cause this? The owner indicated that there were a few mushrooms growing in the grassy lot ... one of which looked like it had been disturbed. At the owners request, the vet is going to have the mushroom analyzed by a toxicologist at the Univeristy of Missouri Vet School, but he said he doubted that was the cause of death given her symptoms. She had no diahrea, and seemed to have had a few bowel movements. He felt that even if poisonous, she would have had to eat several. The owner did tell me that she had spread a bag of old bird seed under the electric fence in the short weed for the birds to eat. The mare could have reached this material. The bird seed did contain cherries. I have read that some cherry seeds and leaves can turn to cynide when mixed with the water in a horse's stomach. Do you have any idea if this could possibly be the culprit. I hesitate to even say anything to my friend since she is in such grief. She would actually feel as though she killed her little mare if the bird seed could be the cause.

Sorry about the long diseration, but I felt I needed to give some background. Thanks for any response.
Member:
Paix

Posted on Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 - 9:48 pm:

Im so sorry to hear abt her mares suffering. I wonder if she noticed any rancid odor from the horses breath? I lost one of my horses (just under 4 y/o) to Oleander poisoning. I didnt even see any in the area where he was temporarily boarding. It takes so little of this plant (cld be seeds, leaves, stems, dried or not).

I found out later that the ranch next door to where he was staying had Oleander in their yard. It really doesnt take much and the wind can blow dried plant parts into feeding areas/pastures making it nearly impossible to know it is there.

My understanding (and experience) is tht horses basically leave it alone like many other poisonous plants - but if it blew into the pasture ( we had very high winds for two of the three days he was turned out into this pasture) and some feed were tossed near or on it - it cld unfortunately be taken in, as I assume happened with my boy.

He died with similar symptoms: presented as mild colic, no rolling or thrashing or even tht "stomach stare" showing discomfort, still some gut sounds, no blockages... He did have an elevated heart rate and after abt 30 or so hrs in the hospital - he had a terrible rancid odor with every breath.

Maybe 8 hrs before he died, his heart rate reached abt 170 and then came down to 145 and was irregular - he stayed standing the entire time - poor guy, he was really fighting this with all he had.

I assume if he had gotten more of the Oleander, he wld not have lasted the two 1/2 days at the hospital and might have died as quickly as ur friends mare.

We try so hard to take care of them and provide the best for them - its so painful to lose such a young horse (any horse!) to (sorry, just for lack of better words...) "human error."

Best thing I can do now, is tell his story and let people know abt the seriousness of Oleander. Its quite the ubiquitous plant here - we have it growing wild all over California!

My condolences to ur friend.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2004 - 7:10 am:

Hello Donna,
My condolences to your friend. The acute nature and symptoms do suggest abdominal pain, but I do not know the cause of that pain or subsequent death. For more on the causes of colic you could investigate the colic section.
DrO
Member:
Donnat

Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2004 - 9:30 am:

Dr. O and Dina. Thanks for the responses. To my knowledge there is no Oleander in the area. The little mare was normally kept in a dry lot with a lean-to for shelter, and then turned out a couple hours each day to graze, so I'm sure if something blew into her pen she would have been curious and perhaps tasted it. She was an extremely bright and curious little mare. That was why I questioned the toxic possibility of the dried cherries in the bird seed ... she would have been inclined to sniff it out, investigate and then nibble. Without a complete necropsy, I'm sure they will never know what caused her death. My friend called me to come over and be with her when she found the mare down and sweating. I noticed no foul odor from her mouth and would have since I was very close to her. The mare's distress and pain, the panic/pain of my friend, and the utter feeling of helplessness while waiting for the vet was one of the hardest nights of my life. We have wonderful vets, and we think they treated appropriately for what was presented, however it is so hard to see this happen and not know why. She went downhill too quickly to ever diagnose what else it could be. As I mentioned before, my heart weeps for my friend and her loss. I had helped her in training this mare from the foal stage, and it almost seems as though I've lost a member of my family, too. Thanks again.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC