Saturday, January 14, 2017

Just Shoot Me Now

Where to start....

It's been a roller coaster week.  Ben was feeling OK once the gabapenten kicked in for him.  We started him on the minocycline on Wednesday.  Thursday, he felt awful, but I think it was the antibiotic making him feel sick.

Friday morning, I spoke with the vet again and we decided that Ben would need to show some real improvement by Monday or he needs to either go to Cornell or I need to make a decision that I really don't want to make.

By Friday night, he was feeling somewhat better and I began to have some hope that the antibiotics were finally starting to help.  I do think there is some genuine improvement, but I am rather hesitant to call it that because we have been in this cycle where it looks like he gets better, then he crashes and ends up worse then ever.

He is finally off the banamine and on bute instead, which is much safer for him.  I am taking that as a good sign.  Today, he is moving around and his appetite and interest in life are back, although he still has a lot of joint and muscle pain.

***

Then.....I went out this morning and found Ramsey standing in the exact same spot Ben was in two weeks ago with most of the same symptoms.  The only difference is that Ramsey has a fever and Ben did not, at least not by the time I checked.  I could have missed a mild fever in Ben that precluded his symptoms because donkeys do not show signs of fever the way other animals do.

Ramsey's symptoms are much milder than Ben's were, it is not a holiday weekend and I have the right drugs on hand and started him on them immediately.  I am very hopeful that he will respond faster than Ben and get over this in a day or two.

***

We still do not know what is causing this.  The fact that Ramsey is now sick raises the specter of an infectious disease.  However, they have had no contact with other animals and I never go anywhere, so where did it come from?

I still think this is likely Lyme disease.  Two years ago, they all got Lyme disease at the same time.  I see no reason why it wouldn't happen again.

The symptoms I see in Ramsey are:

  • Sudden fever
  • Chills with hard shivering even under his blanket
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Withdrawn, depressed aspect
  • Loss of appetite
Treatment: Banamine controls the pain and brings the fever down.  Minocycline to treat the infection. 

Ben's Treatment: Bute for pain and inflammation, omeprazole to treat ulcers caused by two weeks of banamine, gabapenten for chronic pain, minocycline to treat infection. 

My treatment: Someone needs to book a room for me at the nearest psych ward.



17 comments:

  1. Kris, I am so sorry. I'm praying for you, now!

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  2. Oh golly, you poor things! guess that answers the question as to whether the vaccinations you gave the others last year (a year or so ago I think?) would still be working. I do hope it at least makes Ramsey's bout milder. As someone who has lyme disease (and I never think you are rid of it, only in remission) I know how your guys are feeling. It sucks! Fingers crossed that the girls dodge it and that the boys feel better very soon.

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  3. No helpful words -- just virtual support and the hope that all will be well for you and your sweet herd.

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  4. Oh no. Will put everyone on the prayer list tomorrow. Yeesh :-(.

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  5. I sure hope there is some improvement soon so you can all catch a break.

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  6. Kris - well, that's just awful and you are once again rising to the challenge. Makes me shudder. Sending you ALL my most positive thoughts, hopes and best, warmest wishes! Following your posts for news ....

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  7. Oh no. I can imagine how difficult this would be. If not lymes is there any any chance that they were exposed to some toxin in the feed or hay?

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    1. There is always that chance I guess, but Ramsey seems to be responding very quickly to the antibiotic and Emma and Tessa are so far fine. The water is the same water I drink and their feed has not changed in months. Thanks for the suggestion though, I am looking at everything.

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  8. Oh no. You're doing what you can. I hope that whatever it is, that the donkeys improve soon and that the pain symptoms cease!

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  9. Oh, I am so, so sorry. It is so hard to understand, harder to watch. If anyone can win, you can. I pray for God's wisdom and Grace for you and yours.

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  10. Oh no.. hopefully the meds will kick in and make them feel better soon. Can't imagine how hard this is on you. Sending you hugs and prayers.

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  11. For some reason this all makes me think of a dog we saw in the clinic with leptospirosis. I've been looking up articles and they mostly concentrate on eyes and abortions, but I just found this blog post. http://www.barnmice.com/m/blogpost?id=1773158%3ABlogPost%3A23685 I haven't read it all yet but I wanted to share it with you right away, just in case. She says symptoms of lepto are similar to Lyme.

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  12. OK, well I read the blog post and all she wrote about us Lyme. Has your vet mentioned lepto at all? Did kidney and liver function look OK on the bloodwork? This dog I knew had terrible joint pain, fever, no appetite. Which isn't to say it would be the same in horses, but I think it can be.

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    1. I guess lepto could be on the list, but nothing shows up on Ben's blood work. So far, all the tests have been normal. Kidney and liver function are fine, blood cells are all fine, electrolytes fine....

      I think treatment would be the same either way.

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  13. I'm so sorry this is happening to you and your beloved boys. These kind of setbacks are hard to take. Everyone says stay strong and we must. In a similar situation and hopeful your outcome with meds and excellent care prevail. They have the best Mom. Positive healing thoughts.

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  14. Have you considered a different tick borne illness? My thoughts specifically would be Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The symptoms are exactly what you have listed. It is becoming very widespread. When I was first diagnosed (2009) it was so rare that I was literally a red stick pin on the state map of Missouri. Now it is common here in southern Missouri, and the Dr.s are not sure if it is that prevalent, or just being correctly diagnosed more often.

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  15. this is very weird. Hope you get it all figured out.

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