cause of death - thoughts?

[mightyhijames]

i know this is very limited information but here's the deal. my niece's pony became ill late last week. they thought it was colic, she didn't respond to treatment so she was taken to leesburg. apparently, she exhibited neurological disorder, her liver shut down, and she died. so far, they don't know the cause of death. the first thought was that she ate something that was toxic but i haven't heard anymore about that. i'm getting all this info second-hand so it's sketchy but i was wondering if this rings a bell with anyone?

[Intrinsic Worth]

How old was the pony and what kind of condition was it in before it died?

[madelyn]

I lost a colt a couple of years ago, extremely similar, necropsy showed a parasite in his brain stem.

[mightyhijames]

this was a nice pony, very successful at local shows, kids' pet. i believe she was about six years old and had had some time off for a soundness problem. very sad. but i would certainly hope that some place as big (and expensive) as leesburg would be able to figure out what caused her death.

[Joie]

Had the pony received a tetanus antitoxin shot in the 2-3 months prior to death? If so, they might consider serum hepatitis.

[Shammy Davis]

A number of years back my daughter's 17 year old hunter jumper TB mare died under similar circumstances. The initial symptoms were lethargy and bouts with what appeared to be colic. This went on every three or four days for about 3 weeks with recovery in each case after walking appearing in a couple of hours. Nothing significant was realized from exams or tests. She was pastured with 3 other mares along the James River in VA, but because the bank is very steep, spring water is and was piped to the trough. The horses never drank from the river, so I could eliminate that. The day she died she swam across the river and died on the far bank. Whether she fell over the bank or jumped, we'll never know. Because of her age, I didn't pursue it. My daughter was devastated. The mare's name was Classy and she was all of that and more. None of the other horses were affected. I'll will tell you that I don't think her death was a result of neurological illness. Because of the actions of the others gradually separating from her throughout this period, I think she had a major organ failure like the kidney or liver. Her death was a fore gone conclusion for them. I just didn't pick up on it as she continued to recover and further the other problem of course was that nothing in the examinations helped us diagnose the source. Sorry for your loss.

[louis finochio]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When you worm your horses, your best bet is to give your horses milk thistle, as this is a tonic to maintain a healthy liver.

Milk Thistle will flush out the liver and detox at the same time. This remedy will save many horses from the last mile.

[Shammy Davis]

Louis: I'm not sure where your "milk thistle" remedy comes from but my experience tells me that when a horse reaches 17 years that the equine road is coming to an end irregardless of extra supplements. Horses that reach 28 like SECRETAME, ISLAND WHIRL, and DANZIG are rare. With the pony's death that started this thread or the death of my daughter's mare, the cause of death will remain unknown. I think natural causes would explain it best. The industry, particularly the feed and veterinary side are pushing supplements. They are expensive. They are very profitable for the vendor. I know a number of owners who swear by them. Personally, I've retained the same horse care methods as I did as a young man. For the money, my horses are doing just as well as the supplemented horses. If you think that the extra bucks are worth the milk thistle go for it. Otherwise, you need to provide some statistical data to support your recommendations when it comes to supplemental equine heath care products.

[mightyhijames]

the pony was taken to leesburg equine hospital for treatment, which is where she died. according to my sister, she should have the results of (whatever) tests that were run by the hospital. if/when i hear of the results, i'll pass it along.

[Intrinsic Worth]

Louis: I'm not sure where your "milk thistle" remedy comes from but my experience tells me that when a horse reaches 17 years that the equine road is coming to an end irregardless of extra supplements. Horses that reach 28 like SECRETAME, ISLAND WHIRL, and DANZIG are rare. With the pony's death that started this thread or the death of my daughter's mare, the cause of death will remain unknown. I think natural causes would explain it best. The industry, particularly the feed and veterinary side are pushing supplements. They are expensive. They are very profitable for the vendor. I know a number of owners who swear by them. Personally, I've retained the same horse care methods as I did as a young man. For the money, my horses are doing just as well as the supplemented horses. If you think that the extra bucks are worth the milk thistle go for it. Otherwise, you need to provide some statistical data to support your recommendations when it comes to supplemental equine heath care products.

17 and coming to an end? I'd hate to be one of your horses.

[louis finochio]

To Shammy: Milk Thistle is very inexpensive, My cost wholesale is $5.75 per pound.

If you have a horse that has no energy or appetite, you can try the Milk Thistle flush and clean out the toxic waste in the liver and it will give your horse many happy days of super health.

People that have the same symptoms will have a clean bill of health after they do a liver flush.

[Shammy Davis]

Thanks Louis, I'll stick to plenty of clean fresh water, good hay, pasture, and 3 buckets of sweet feed a day. My human experience with supplements has not been all that great either.

[valerie]

Wow 17 is old? Please don't tell the 30 year old and the two 27 yr olds out in my pasture that.

Louis, the Milk Thistle is in my natural detox that I have taken for myself and I must tell you that it made a difference in me. Thanks for the tip, I will try to remember that when I vaccinate or worm mine next time.

[Roguelet]

I still have my first horse. He's 27 this year and shows no signs of slowing down. He has a reputation and somewhat of a following in several states. Very special horse.

Anyway, I believe the pony in this thread was only 6 when it died, if I read the posts correctly, so in this case I don't think age should've been a factor.

[austique]

Uh the average lifespan of a domesticated horse is 20-25 years and they are generally considered Seniors as early as 15. Some humans live to be 100, but that doesn't mean all of them do.