Dolly update

[harveydales]

I haven't posted here in ages so thought I'd give a quick update starting with Dolly. It's been a real roller coaster of a year with her so far! Any thougts/advice/similar experiences welcome! Sorry this is so long!

Back in late May Dolly came down with laminitis. Dolly is 18 and has been overweight with a crest for most of her life and it has always been a huge battle to get her to slim down. It was an unfortunate set of circumstances - the grass started growing like crazy after a very late start and we had fencing contractors in May so I couldn't move the ponies to their summer plot in April, when I normally do. Finally moved them late May but had to leave them on too much grass for 2 days to allow the big tractors access, after which we reduced the area. But it was too late. One morning Dolly was moving slightly stiffly so I paniced and got her in. All 4 digital pulses were raised so I was 99% sure it was lami. The vet didn't get to me until late afternoon by which time Dolly was mush better. I was the 3rd lami case that day! I was told I had caught it very early and she should be back to normal within a week. All that week she was fine and you wouldn't have known anything was wrong.

Then I made a huge mistake. I turned her out for a couple of hours because I needed the stable to check Harvey over because I felt he wasn't quite right. Dolly went all marish, leaping about and squealing and ended up crippled again. So immediately got her back in and stabled for 2 months! She had a lot of setbacks followed by improvements and we reached the point where she was fine again. I got her some amazing hoofboots for lami which have been a Godsend - Easyboot Clouds. SHe was instantly comfortable once in the boots. Luckily Dolly has really enjoyed being stabled. In fact every one has commented on how they've never seen her looking happier! But it has been very hard work for me.

After 2 months we were at the point of moving her to the field shelter and giving her a tiny area of mud to potter about on when, last SUnday, I came down to find her very depressed and suffering with diarrhoea. Got the vet straight out and she was extremely concerned. Heart rate, temperature and breathing fine but she was dehydrated. The vet reccommended we take her to Oakham (our nearest Equine hospital which is 2 1/2 hours away) because she could go downhill very quickly and that would be it. I couldn't take it in because my gut was telling me she wasn't that bad. Anyway, the vet started ringing the hospital, I went to try and ring Dolly's owner and Ali and her boyfriend took Dolly to hose her down as she was covered in poo. Apparently as soon as they hosed her she made a miraculous recovery. We all dithered for ages and decided not to rush her off to Oakham but monitor her for a few hours. Huge thanks to ALi, Darren and Tanya for their support

Dolly continued to improve and has been fine in that regard since. ALi and Darren helped me move her to the field shelter and mud paddock. We will never know what caused Sunday's episode but we suspect it was heat related, particularly if she has cushings, which we suspect. They won't test her for it until she is over all of this as stress will give false positives.

Then Wednesday, after I'd picked her feet out and treated her for thrush (which she has after standing in for so long) she went all depressed and wouldn't move again. I was out competing with Harvey so Ali and Darren kept an eye on her. SHe was depressed for a few hours and then was fine again. I was thinking the worst and people were telling me we might be coming to the end but I still didn't feel we were. My gut is telling me this is thrush making her sore and it has improved over the last 3 days. Dolly's owner visited on Thursday and was amazed to find her looking so well and cheerful, better than she has done in years!

This is a photo of Dolly taken Sunday just 3 hours after she was "at death's door":



Sorry this has been so long. Any thoughts appreciated.

[mickey]

Poor Dolly Is her coat very thick? Just thinking of one of my friend's mares who has cushings, she went very listless and quiet and she was worried the end was near but we also had a hot spell that year and she asked me I'd clip her- within 24 hours she was a different mare. She had to be careful and watch the weather as she also couldn't really cope with being cold either but she's doing much better now as she's had her pergolide dose increased- she hasnt even needed clipping this summer

[harveydales]

That's interesting, Emily. Dolly seems to have a normal coat but the fact that she changed the minute she was cooled down sounds similar. I've never experienced this listless, depressed symptom before but then I've never had a pony with Cushings before. I will be a lot happier once she is tested.

[dusty]

Poor Dolly sending lots of feel better vibes for her.

[Fi]

Poor Dolly :-(

Old Sam has Cushings, he has been a bit up and down in the past, but not to the extent that Dolly has. He also seems to struggle with temperature control, his coat is thicker than it ever used to be bur not the typical long and curly coat.

[tinkerdorisalison]

Sorry to hear about dolly, Hope she continues to improve.
Doris has not been too great either this year, I don,t think she will ever live out properly again.
They were all out last night, on a bald track down to the bottom field which we are strip grazing, came this morning, and tinker looked a bit slow, coming in , went down and some theiving b&&stard has stolen my electric fence! Not just the two electric boxes, but all the posts and tape too. So they had been on the grass all night

[harveydales]

Oh no, Alison, that's awful. Can't type what I would like to about the thieving **** and really sorry to hear about Doris. It's early days with Dolly but so far so good. We've been told to start walking her out in hand and checking the following morning for raised pulses. If pulses OK then we are to continue. Ali has this week off work so hopefully we can make a good start on getting Dolly going again.

[maggie]

Poor Dolly, hope she keeps improving. When our old Peigi got Cushings, her first symptoms were depression, lethargy and grumpiness. Her coat seemed normal at first, not long and curly, but it was quite thick. She had a chest and belly clip and seemed happier.

What absolute b@$tards Alison, hope Doris is ok.

[harveydales]

Well the good news is that Dolly's Cushings test results came back yesterday and she is absolutely normal, not even borderline much to the vet's and my surprise. Maggie - Dolly has been showing exactly the same signs as your Peigi. We now have no idea what caused the diahrroea episode but she seems to be on the mend now and the vet has told us to start exercising her. We've now walked her out 3 days running which she enjoyed and has been fine. We are to start a little trot in hand now so fingers crossed.

[dalesnfellfan]

Just caught up with this, pleased to hear Dolly is on the mend it must have been very worrying and hard work for you Pam, it's certainly been a funny year for weather and grass, I have had mine on very little grass and have fed hay all summer as I felt the grass was much too rich for them. I do tend to panic now about Emeralds gut.

I can hardly believe someone stole your fencing Alison what ba**tards

[Debbie]

I read avidly through Dolly's post and thought much the same, that it can be early onset of Cushings. Even though her test came back as 'normal', you might want to do the test again in late Sept/October. As it is triggered by the shorter days, I've read the Fall and Springtime tests give the more accurate readings. for me it's only hearsay as I've thankfully never had to care for a Cushings firsthand.

Nancy with Knight on here had Topaz. Topaz had some genetic issues and I know Nancy had her on Pergolide for most of her life. Still Topaz was a cheeky girlie and lived a very long life despite the Cushings issues. Maybe if you email Nancy, she can give you some better feedback?

As for Tinker and Doris having their electric fencing taken ~ UNBELIEVABLE!!!! I hope their fingers fall off