Crossroads

Through conversations with fellow boarders regading Francesca's mysterious symptoms, I learned of diseases called EPSM (Equine Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy) and EPM (Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis). EPSM is a genetic predisposition to fail to digest sugars and starches from grains properly in the horse. EPM is an infection of the central nervous system of horses. The protozoa is transmitted through droppings of its host, the opossum. The horse becomes a carrier through ingesting the droppings while grazing. Francesca displayed certain symptoms of each disease.

We first tried to rule out EPSM by changing her corn/oat mixture over to Re-leve, a low-starch, high-fat pelleted feed. After a week, there was no change in her behavior or weight. Granted, a week isn't a very long trial period but the barn I was at wasn't set up to accommodate special feedings for pasture horses so I was limited in what I could do. My gut told me that we weren't on the right track.

I went ahead and had Francesca's blood tested to see if she was a carrier of EPM. It came back positive, which meant that the next step was to bring her to the vet for a CSF test - an invasive, stressful and expensive procedure. The spinal tap would, in theory, indicate whether or not S. neurona antibodies were present in her spinal fluid. But it's not a totally reliable test, since false positives have been known to occur due to a transient immune response after exposure to the protozoa. Francesca's test came back negative. I was both relieved and frustrated. I knew that the likelihood of recovery from the EPM wasn't great, but I was also hoping for a diagnosis at last. Now I wasn't sure which direction to turn.

I was so sure that Francesca had EPM that I decided to keep her on the low-starch, high-fat diet just in case the test had been wrong. But this meant moving to a barn that could accommodate her special needs. So, for the third time in five months, I moved Francesca to a new barn. The only constants in her life were me, and now Hudson, the gelding in her pasture with whom she had bonded. His owner, who had become a friend of mine while at the barn, moved with me for her own reasons. I think Hudson helped make the transition easier on Francesca, and I was grateful to him for that.

The new barn was a small, privately-owned facility with a beautiful and quiet setting that better suited Francesca's (and my) needs at that point in our journey. There, she was on a customized feed plan and had a smaller herd to contend with for hay and shelter. I phased out the equine behavioral lessons. Francesca's life became about eating and de-stressing. Her feet were starting to improve with the barefoot trims, which was one positive wave in a sea of negatives.

Occasionally, I would bring Francesca in to the indoor arena to let her roll, or lead her up and down the driveway for exercise and to try to connect with her in some way. Over the next few weeks, she made noticeable strides in both her behavior and body condition at the new barn. Although I still didn't have a diagnosis, I was taking one day at a time and celebrating the small victories.