I'm afraid I have some dreadful news. Yesterday Jazz went suddenly lame with a staggering gait behind, after 20 minutes in the arena. I turned a tight circle and he could hardly stand. I had the vet today and he has definite neurological damage somewhere in his spine. He is quite literally almost falling off his hind feet on a circle. If this is connected with the toe dragging he has been doing for several weeks then it is very, very bad news. At the moment the hope is that he has been an idiot in the field (and we've seen them have a mad five minutes plenty of times lately) and tweaked a vertebra somewhere and bruised his spinal cord. If not, then he's probably a wobbler and that is just incurable and I'm afraid it would mean having him put down. He is better tonight than he was this morning, and if he continues to improve then he will be going for neck/back x-rays to see if there is a permanent problem, or if we can inject some steroids somewhere which might help.
Ace has been kicked and is on antibiotics as a precaution too. It's a nasty little wound, deepish, not stitchable, but he is sound and I did ride him yesterday with it. He was lovely, much more confident out on the road than he used to be.
Please keep your fingers crossed for Jazz.
C
Life never lets us forget for long that it can pull the rug out from under us any time it feels like it. I hope this turns out to be a false alarm. I'm having a hard time composing this comment without profanities.
ReplyDeleteHow scary! This is a time when you wish horses could talk. It's hard to believe that the two injuries (Ace's wound) are not connected. While I have heard of wobbler syndrome I don't know much about it. However it seems encouraging that Jazz is a little better this evening. Definitely got my fingers crossed. Such worry! Hugs sent your way.
ReplyDeleteOh no.. everything crossed that it's not wobblers.. and fixable... and ditto Mary Lou it does seem encouraging that he is showing improvement.. but again have no experience of this... whatever it is... best wishes and carrots to both Jazz and Ace.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you both.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Mary Lou is right , and Jazz and Ace just had a bit of a scrap. I hope so. X
Oh, so sorry to hear this Caroline. What a bolt from the blue - blimming horses :-( I have such fond memories of that time I attempted to ride Jazz and he nearly bounced me through the ceiling!
ReplyDeleteWobbler syndrome tends to be inherited and would likely have shown up much before this. It is caused by a malformation of vertebrae--usually in the neck.
ReplyDeleteI would be more suspicious of some sort of trauma, and we hope that is treatable.
Here in the US, EPM (Equine protozoa myeloencephalitis) would be another likely candidate, but from what I've read, the disease is not found in the UK. (Transmitted by opossums) But, if all else fails, perhaps a test for that might be worth it. Hate to think it may have spread overseas, but you never know. Stranger things have happened.
A good acupuncture/chiropractic vet might be a good option here too. Mostly because they can use various non-invasive tests to try to locate a problem.
The fact that he is a bit better is a super good sign, regardless.
Sending hugs of support to you all and tons of good wishes.
Please do keep us well posted.
Ace is fine, I rode him this morning. He was very upset about the change of routine with Jazz being in the barn, but I stayed in walk until the volcano stopped threatening to erupt and then got some nice trot and canter and stopped.
ReplyDeleteJazz is not fine and has gone more wobbly again with a lower dose of bute today. I will be ringing the vet at 9 tomorrow, but I am not hopeful.
The research I have done suggests that it's very unlikely that the toe-dragging was not connected, so this is unlikely to be a new injury. It may even account for why he did not take to jumping at four years old. You'll remember me blogging at the time that he did not seem to trust himself to know where his feet were.
Apparently it's not uncommon in large warmbloods, too.
I hope to give you better news tomorrow but it doesn't look that likely :(
C.
Still have everything crossed.. my thoughts are with you.
ReplyDeleteEverything very tightly crossed for Jazz. Will be thinking of you tomorrow morning.
ReplyDeleteCassie
The heartache our horses cause us - none their fault. All we can do is the best we can do for them and that is what you are doing. More hugs.
ReplyDeleteOh no! I was enjoying the constant improvements and was on edge of seat wondering if he got tempis yet. then this. I am so very sorry Caroline
ReplyDeleteOh bloody hell.....fingers crossed that this is just a blip
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