TWENTY DAYS TO GO
I am KICKING myself. For goodness sake. Ace was given steroids into his back. They have left his back and his back pain has returned. What took them away from his back? His blood supply by any chance? What is a known, and serious, risk of steroids in the blood, so much so that the vet warned me about it before she did it?
LAM. IN. I. TIS
Oh yes! Ace never got his ulcers back at all. The steroids leached more quickly than usual out of his back ( why can't he just be NORMAL for once!!!) and have set his gut off with the first signs of laminitis.
In addition to that, I have noted already that he was lying down more again. And that has stopped, so it was pain from his back making him do it agan and we will know that as a symptom in future. I also thought that I had been imagining that his stride was not as free when I turned him out, but that was back to normal this evening.
Basically, because it should have been impossible for him to be back in pain less than four weeks after the jabs, I have missed a number of micro-tells that would have won me the poker game much earlier.
I haven't ridden Ace today because it started to rain and there is no pressure to do it, but Radar and I had a great hack this morning before it started. At first he was a bit slouchy and I thought he might be ill. Then I realised that he was sulking because I had a pelham back on him after hacking in a snaffle this summer and knew I could control him. I sent him on and then he was chomping at the bit like normal :-)
C
AT this rate you are going to have to start your own detective agency specializing in horse behavior issues. Apparently, Ace continues to run his own unique metabolism.
ReplyDeleteTwenty days is not that long with a new adventure and discovery each day, actually! Wonder what's next on the medical agenda?
As for Radar, I guess he was starting to think he was actually in charge. Poor boy. You've deflated his ego. *G*
Popped it with a pin Jean :-)
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I did warn you about Lami. Horses with constant low grade or ultrasensitive to changes seem very prone to steroid reactions. I'd also watch for hock changes.
ReplyDeleteIs it possible to put him on a mast cell stabilizer? It tends to help gut mediated inflammatory responses. Especially those that may be immune related.
What on earth is a mast cell stabilizer???
ReplyDeleteHow would the hock changes present themselves? This picking up of his hind feet when birthed and/or mounted is new since the jabs.
C
Steroids can cause degenerative joint changes and remodeling. It's rare, but similar to spavin.
ReplyDeleteMast cell stabilizers are new research. Mast cells are the immune sentinels, when theyre irritated or upset they dump hundreds of different chemicals resulting in an inflammatory response - most well known is histamine1-4. The gut is a repository of mast cells that dump mostly histamine 2 and 4. Ranitidine works by blocking histamine 2, omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor that stabilizes mast cells to a point so they arent as easily riled up and allows the immune response to settle.
Mast cell activation problems have been implicated as the primary cause of laminitis in horses, as well as quite a few immune conditions in humans. In particular, irritable bowel disease, aseptic ulcers, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, anaphylactic diseases, bone marrow diseases and even migraines. The cells can hijack almost any.system, infiltrate brain tissue (to the point of causing schizophrenia and.bipolar like syndromes).
Mast cell stabilizers keep the cells from dumping when bothered, and are drugs like Singulaire, and cromolyn sodium (used for gastro presentations).
The link between mast cells and laminitis is new, but it's a very promising line of research. Perhaps one of the drugs can be used on horses? If he's at the.end of what can be used otherwise, maybe it will help.
I am on several of these drugs, as the mast cells are damaging my.bone marrow. The next step for me is Gleevec. Chemo.
Ignore random periods. My phone keyboard is a pain
Thought I.should mention, cromolyn sodium comes in aerosol form (for respiratory immune response) and in fluid ampoules (gastrocrom) and capsules (nalcrom) for gastro presentations. Mast cells classically affect the cardiovascular system in kind of a systemic allergy. They are seriously affected by emotional stress, diet, and physical stress.
ReplyDeleteI can go into anaphylaxis just by being pissed off seriously enough.
His body is quite stressed, and this immune reaction can cause EMOTIONAL anxiety as well by triggering the sympathetic system when they fire. In humans it can go trigger>anxiety>rage>pain>gastro and immune system flip the hell out.
If you want more on the research I can find email me, or Google mast cell activation syndrome, mastocytosis and mast cell laminitis.
Just found on Google there IS a mast cell stabilizer in horses used as primary treatment for chronic laminitis with.systemic effects. It's injectable, called laminil.
ReplyDeleteWow, some of that makes so much sense with Ace and what is happening right now, and all of it is fascinating, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI believe laminitis is only used. t the moment in active laminitis cases and might still be in a 'research' type phase. Someone emailed me about it a couple of weeks ago but I didn't know it was a mast cell stabilizer.
I've got him on omeprazole and Bute and there is no sign at all of any effect on his feet, just his gut and his emotional stability, both of which are getting a lot better, so I think it's about all I can do for now.
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Laminil not laminitis the first time.
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