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  Discussion on Sudden Death in Older, Fit Horse
Author Message
New Member:
Vettech

Posted on Thursday, Oct 2, 2003 - 6:48 am:

My 29 y.o. retired endurance Arabian died suddenly while trail riding 3 days ago. There were no signs of illness. As a matter of fact, everyone had just remarked how active he was the day before when he ran and pranced around the arena for 20 minutes.
He was typically enthusiastic and we cantered for about 50 yds as usual and then trotted another 100 yds and slowed to a walk to turn into a smaller path. He had his tail up and ears pointed forward as usual and was moving typcally.
In 3 strides at the walk, he stopped. I thought he was defecating, but then he put his nose to the ground as if to sniff something. I only had time to say, "aAre you OK?" when he suddenly jerked completely over and had a seizure for about 15 seconds. I got my leg out from under him and saw that his gums and tongue were already blue, so the seizure was probably due to hypoxia. He took a few agonal breaths and died. It took about 2 minutes total. I never could feel a pulse. No bleeding from nose or mouth no trauma.
We couldn't perform an autopsy because he was up on a trail and had to be left until we could get the right kind of bulldozer to retrieve his remains.
This horse was owned by 1 person for most of his life before I adopted him 2 years ago and she said he had never a had a sick day. He had been completely happy and healthy and very active while I had him too.
Does anyone have an idea as to what happened? I assume it was sudden cardiac death, probably from ventricular tachycardia. Has anyone had this happen to a horse of theirs? Are there any articles?
Member:
Cara2

Posted on Thursday, Oct 2, 2003 - 8:28 am:

Pamela, that is so sad but at least your horse died well and happy and unaware of what was about to happen. It sounds like a massive heart attack or something similar. There are some likenesses to my friend's aged sheep which I found collapsed in the field recently when I went to turn my horse out with him. He was 9 years old (ancient in sheep terms I believe)and yet just the evening before we had all commented on how lively and playful he was, and certainly in fine fettle. He was unable to get up when I went to see what was wrong, but aware that I was there I think. As you observed there were a few last gasping breaths and then he was gone. I think he'd been lying down and had got up to come over for a drink but the effort of standing brought on a heart attack or possible a stroke. There was no sign of him having struggled.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Oct 2, 2003 - 8:30 am:

I agree an acute cardiac failure best accounts for the signs you describe but the nature of that failure cannot be known from the information available to us.
DrO
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