The TIER Message Board: Wanda & Liver Problems

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Wanda & Liver Problems

Posted by Gail-TIER on 2/28/2009, 9:04 am
71.95.59.153

These are indeed scarey times. It seems we just cannot catch a break! We just lost Jake on 2/22/09. It was heartbreaking for me and his companions. During Jake's illness, another of our older rescues (Wanda) seemed to be not feeling well. The weather has been whacky and some of our residents water intake has been less than desireable. I've added Redmond Salt to their diet and it seems to have helped with the water consumption for everyone. Everyone except Wanda.

Wanda came to us a year ago. She had been abandoned along with several other horses at a property that had "supposedly" been an attempt at a Therapeutic Riding stable. The people moved and left these horses. New property owners new nothing of horses and eventually the situation was made known to several in our community. Horse people came together and brought the horses into their homes. These were all older horses. One with Cushings, one that was lame, one that was blind in one eye and then there was Wanda.

Wanda is a huge black & white Tennesee Walker. She came to us after beginning rehab at a concerned horseperson's property. These wonderful folks could no longer keep her and she was brought to TIER.

Wanda is quite comical with a "Who Me?" look about her. It was hoped that once she had been fully rehabbed, we would be able to place her in a forever home. Due to her strong willed nature and being a little fiery, it hasn't been easy to find her a home as the majority of potential adopters we get are looking for that 'broke to death, go on down the road, bombproof' horse. (I wouldn't mind having one of those for myself!!) Wanda just didn't fall into that category and needed an owner with experience.

Previously, her water intake was up and she had been urinating quite a bit and I suspected IR or Cushings. Then, the frequent urination & excessive water intake tapered off. She then seemed back to normal.

I noticed she wasn't finishing all her feed. She had absolutely no interest in pellets and was not eating all her hay. In turnout, she flags her tail and flies all over. She then began an obssession with salt. We have a tub of Redmond Salt in the arena and the horses will eat a bit and go on about their business. Wanda was different. She would eat salt for quite awhile and I would have to pull the tub out when she was turned out.

This behavior just wasn't right. Sometimes she would finish her hay and other times she would leave quite a bit. I had her teeth done, and the Vet did a CBC. Results were not good. Liver problems.

Vet recommended low protein diet and grass hay. We normally feed an Orchard/Alfalfa blend, but Wanda would only nibble at this. I have tried Bermuda hay and then went on to Timothy hay. She would eat a flake or two and then decide she didn't care for it. We purchased low protein feed and she does eat some of this. Sometimes she eats it all and other times she does not. Water consumption is down despite adding salt to her feed.

When I fed her this morning all her hay was gone and most of the pellets from the day before. But......it seems that she has lost a lot of weight over night!!

I've read up on liver failure and it seems there is a slim chance of a good outcome. With our recent vet bills for Jake, donations being low, the emergency fund being depleted, etc. we are in a position where euthanasia & removal will "break the bank".

We have never had a horse with liver problems before and I'm not sure we are doing her any favors by continuing to hope for a turnaround.

Has anyone had experiences with liver problems that they were able to rectify? Or, are we looking down a dead in road? The poslsibility of losing another of our rescues in such a short period of time just has my head spinning.

IF there is a possibility of restoring her to health we welcome it. Vet told us this could go south in a hurry or she might even go on with managed care.