Pax

Mari has graciously shared her information here on the blog.  Thank you Mari!  The entry below was initially posted on the Yahoo DSLD-Equine Group.

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Guest Post

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Greetings Everyone,

Horse in question:  Pax.  Age 13 as per neck freeze brand.  Ex-trotter and then former Amish buggy horse.  Free adoption from woman in Goshen, NY who rescued Pax from Nickerson's kill pen in Unadilla.  Has always been a complete pasture ornament, after his arrival here.  He has been on MSM since his has been here. 

When Pax arrived at age 9, despite his elongated rear pasterns, he was full of pep and vigor.  He loved to voluntarily run in the pasture.  In the last two years, he has steadily been declining at a slow rate.  At first, I thought he had innocuous windgalls or osselettes, due to his racing career and trotting on pavement as a buggy horse.   Now, I suspect he has more serious problems. 

In May of 2008, he began to limp on his left hind leg.  I attributed this limp to a possible strain as it was a very wet spring with slippery ground.  Because the limp did not subside, after a couple months, and he was also developing a roached back, I had him examined by an equine vet from the Wisconsin Equine Clinic and Hospital, which is about 1-1/2 miles west of me.  Her diagnosis was his limp and roached back was caused from his over-extended pastern ligaments.  She pointed out Pax was also losing muscle mass in his same left hind quarters.  I was skeptical about this because I had another elderly horse with a slightly roached back, but she was 29.  She said Pax would never live to a ripe old age; one day he would lie down and not be able to get up.  Treatment:  keep Pax on MSM, period.

Pax no longer holds his head high; he no longer even trots.  Currently, Pax is on MSM's regimen and also on 1/2 mg of bute twice a day, along with Gelusil to avoid any gastrointestinal side effects from the bute. 

I am here because of a dear friend who recognized Pax's symptoms as DSLD.  His rear legs appear exactly as the photo on your home page.  I am enclosing three attachments.   One taken after his rescue from the kill pen and two taken shortly after his arrival. 

Thank you for reading this long introduction.... 

Blessings,
Mari  :)