Encouraging News

Pie and Drifter had a visit from our vet/chiropractor today.  She did neurological exams on them to check their progress - they're on day 15 of their treatment for EPM - they've completed the full 10-day paste treatment with Oroquin-10 (decoquinate plus levamisole) and are now 5 days into their 90 days of feed supplementation with a lower dose of decoquinate.

The bottom line is that both boys are greatly improved - in fact I've noted sustantial improvement even in the past 5 days.  Pie now does the turning test in both directions without any difficultly, and crosses over with both hinds, although the reach on the left hind is still slightly reduced - this is a big change even from last Sunday, when he still had some difficulty with his left hind.  His backing is also improved - he uses both hinds equally and can easily back straight.  And his spinal nerve responses were dramatically improved - in fact in certain areas he was hypersensative, which apparently isn't unusual as the nervous system recovers from EPM.  He was his cheerful, inquisitive, interactive self again too, and was running and bucking in his paddock this morning.

Drifter is also doing very well - his crossing tests are very close to normal - there is still a very slight delay with the right hind, but his left hind is moving very well - it no longer toe drags and there's no swinging out.  His backing is greatly improved - he lifts both hinds well and there is no pulling/dragging backwards of the feet.  He does have somewhat reduced spinal nerve reflexes generally, although this is also likely to improve.  The only downside of Drifter feeling better is that he is very feisty, wanting to bite and play, which is a good thing but makes him somewhat more challenging to work with.

Both horses also had normal responses when the vet tried to put one hind foot behind the other - both horses resisted and wouldn't put their hinds in that abnormal position, whereas both had had abnormal responses before - Pie had left his left hind behind his right hind indefinitely, and Drifter had difficulty correcting his hind foot placement.  They both clearly know where their hind feet are and are able to control where the feet go.

I couldn't be more delighted - it's clear the treatment has made an enormous difference and that both horses are greatly improved.  Now if the weather and my schedule would cooperate, we could do some riding . . .