# Low protein Levels - What would you do?



## Weeamigo (14 January 2010)

Hi a bit of a long story but wanted to know what you would do if in my shoes.

I have an older horse at 23 a Shire X.  He had a swollen sheath on Monday and the Blood test show he has a low protein level should be 30 is currently 18.

My vets have advised that basically there about lot's of things that cause this, but only three off these lot's have a change at being treated and only one with an actucal cure.

My question is with such low odd on a complete recovery, would you still take you horse to the vets for two days of (IMO) stressfull and intensive tests?

I am not sugeested we do nothing but that we start him on a course of treatment as if it was one of these three more positive things, which would be a full wormer, a course of steroids and taking him off bute and finding another way to manage his stiffness.. As this would cover all three postives.

And the seeing how he response..  Or would you go for the whole hog and take in him for the full monty of tests just to be totally sure what's wrong, even if after the two days your told he is terminal and cant be helped?

I just don't know what to do, and this has to be what is best for him and not me at thos point....

Thanks for your ideas.


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## cptrayes (14 January 2010)

If all the tests would do is tell you what it is, but not lead to a cure, I would not have them done. I would do the three easy things first and see what happened then.

Let's hope it's the bute or something easy like that.


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## Box_Of_Frogs (15 January 2010)

Hmmm. My horse is 23 and I know I'd want to have a damn good try at getting to the bottom of it before I gave up. I understand what you mean about putting him through the tests but are they so invasive? If they want to scan for example, he'd be gently sedated and would probably cope fine. Why do they say worm him? He's surely up to date in his worming anyway? Take care with steroids as high doses can cause laminitis. I'd sit down with my vets, with a list of all the things you want to ask and have a heart to heart with them. I'd ask what are the tests they would do? How long can you continue to give him a good quality of life? What would happen if you just go the wormer/steroid route - ie would it shorten his life? You'll have tons more things to ask.

Sadly, one of the loneliest times ever in owning a horse is when you have to make such a difficult decision. People can advise and can tell you what THEY would do. But he's your horse and it's still your decision. I find it helps to ask yourself what your horse would say if he could speak. Would he say oi mum, where's my tea? Or would he say I'm tired mum and I hurt all the time and I just want to go to sleep. Only you know the answer to that hun. Thinking of you and your boy xxx


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## Weeamigo (15 January 2010)

Thanks for your replies...

I had a long think and yesterday I called my vet, and I told her everything I was thinking about the fact the stress of travelling him there and keeping him on his own would be quiet bad for him, if all they were going to do it tell me he has a tumour and can't be treated etc..

She was totally brilliant and understood 100% she said that the course of action that have been given was the best that was available medically but it did not in anyway mean it was the right actions for my horse and I..

She said if I was happy for them to do some less exact test they could do them at home..  I was so relieved.  So he is booked in on Monday to have the vet come to him and they will scan his tummy and do as much as they can from there..

I am just so glad I stuck to my thoughts, I want to do everything possible to give him the best chance to recover, but I have to be realistic there is a good chance that all they can do is put him out of pain and if thats the case I want him at home and at peace when that happens...

I will let you know how he goes, but thanks again..


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## Box_Of_Frogs (15 January 2010)

Good decision hun. Fingers crossed that your veteran has many years of life ahead of him still. But if the worst comes to the worst you will know that you tried everything to help him xxx


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## rocky:) (22 April 2012)

My 12.3, 20 year old pony, is low in protein but not serious he isn't eating his hay much and tried haylage and his teeth have been checked. Also he leaves a little bit of his hard feed at the bottom of the bucket. I ride him sometimes but only walking and a little bit of trotting, i am growing out of him and i want the best for his new owner. He has been at the same yard for about 6-7 years. He is himself, used to be really greedy. All he wants to eat is grass. The vet has been out and took some tests and told us that he is worth riding and that he is low in protein. He is on steroids at the moment 60 tablets a day - and probably on that his whole life. I want to get the best out of him before i am too big for him becasue he is a great pony, and i dont want to canter him as i feel bad. He is quite thin but not really thin. I dont know what to do - please help thanks  x


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## vicky86 (22 April 2012)

My horses sheath and all under his belly swelled up a couple of months back, got the vets and they did a blood test and it came back he had low protein levels. Vet thought it could have been a number of chronic diseases including inflamed bowel. I booked him in for tests to find out. The morning of the tests vet came to take bloods then just before I was about to take him vet rang saying bloods were completely back to normal so don't bring him. Vet was slightly flummoxed as said that protein levels wouldn't just recover if it was any of the above. We reckon now it was an allergy and that the protein had leaked into the swellings reducing levels in the blood. It took over a week before swellings completely went. I think this is quite a rare thing to happen but if your horse is showing no other signs of detreoration maybe get this checked, as i know with mine it came from no where!  I really hope everything is ok.


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