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RIP Truman; Potomac Horse Fever Takes Another
Topic Started: Sep 9 2011, 05:17 AM (334 Views)
DairyQueen2049
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DRAGON BREATH. DRAGGIN' BUTT
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Truman, my friend Karen's 18 month old Appy gelding, was lost to PHF last night - well, 2:30 am. She planned her mare's breeding carefully, he was a handsome devil and she's the best of owners.

She caught it early, she raced him to MI STate U - they did their best. And lost.


I'm just so heartsick for her.
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stephjm
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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RIP to Truman. How heartbreaking for your friend. :(
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jillincolorado
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You're BANNED!
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I am so sorry DQ :( My condolences to your friend.
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Indy
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You're BANNED!
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:no:
RIP Truman :candle:
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Witchy
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You're BANNED!
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I am so sorry.

I just started vaccinating for that two years ago last fall, when we had an outbreak here in NE Pennsylvania. Before that I didn't even think it was something I had to worry about.
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DairyQueen2049
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DRAGON BREATH. DRAGGIN' BUTT
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My old mare Rita had it - in like 1995. I had poked her for it in 94 and 93. Her titer count was the highest ever in MI at that point. I took time off work and stayed with her 24/7 and just flat got lucky with penacillin and hand feeding her - and watermelon.

Truman was getting fluids, he was on ice all four legs - he foundered and his systems shut down.

Horrific.

And yes, he was vaccinated against it.
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goodhors
We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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So sorry to hear about your friend's young horse. Our youngest horse, 4yr old, had Potomac on the weekend before Labor Day. She had loose poop in stall while harnessing the Pair to work in aisle, which I put down to her being in season and on pasture grass. We worked the Pair of horses for about an hour, and she was pooping liquid by then. Called the Vet who treated her with Tetracycline(sp?) for the next 4 days. Also tubed her with water to make sure she was well hydrated.

We evidently had a very mild case, though dull she never quit eating and drank pretty well with the addition of salt in her grain, electrolytes in her water. Started on Friday PM. Vet "thought" it was Potomac, but symtoms were possible for other things like Salmonella, so we kept her inside over the weekend to not contaminate the fields. Put her stall cleanings into the woods for dumping. Changed stall bedding 3 times a day. Stalling let us keep up on what she ate and drank, did some hand walking too. Husband was sure it wasn't Potomac, since what he had seen was all the worst type, horses dead in about 6 hours despite all measures taken.

Results of tests confirmed Potomac on Monday, also said her protein levels were very low. We changed her feeds around to provide a LOT more protein in her daily feeding. She started perking up on Monday, which Vet was real happy about. About Mon. the poop ceased looking like wet puddles as she got began to get fiber back into her digestive system. Heck, we were ecstatic when the poop looked like cow pies on Wed.!!

No one else got sick or even went off their feed. Vet says new disease transmission method is horse ingesting dead insect bodies. Bugs carry the disease now, live or dead, not only the snails blamed in the past. Not transmitted horse to horse.

Vet said she has treated several Potomac cases this summer, works around Lansing, up US 27 and over to us. Sounded like they didn't lose any, but forgot to ask specifically on that. Husband was surprised when diagnosis was Potomac, we were thinking more along some plant being the cause of illness. Waterloo area is notorious for Potomac and losing the horses, didn't present like our horse. Guess maybe we just got a less severe strain of it than other folks, noticed it fast enough that she didn't reach the bad stage.

She was not vaccinated. We gave up on the PHF Vaccine because the horses lost from Potomac WERE ALL VACCINATED!! The vaccines can't keep up with the disease changes, so pretty much wasted money to us.

Horse is feeling pretty good now, out grazing again. Have to take blood in for another protein test Monday, make sure her levels are back up to normal before doing anything with her. Using her with low protein levels means the body will steal muscle tissue to enable her to work. NOT a good thing. She is enjoying the introduction of Calf Manna, Alfalfa pellets and Alfalfa hay to her diet when she is in the barn each day! Test will tell me if I am successful or need to change her diet again.
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LoriO
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We're on a bridge, Chaaaaaaaaarlie!
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I worry so much about Potomac, West Nile and EEE. My mare had such a bad reaction to a vaccine a couple of years ago that we only vaccinate now for Rabies and that is it. I hate not being able to protect her with the vaccine but I have to worry about the vaccine that is supposed to protect her possibly killing her...can you say catch-22?!!
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headlesshorseman
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You're BANNED!
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OH NO...that's horrible...

HH :lonely:
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MissBri
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But, I don't care - it's 5:00 somewhere
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I am so sorry DQ hugs to all involved.
So glad to hear of successful recoveries
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MissBri
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But, I don't care - it's 5:00 somewhere
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I am so sorry DQ hugs to all involved. :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
So glad to hear of successful recoveries :clap: :clap: :clap:
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