25/11/2024
What do you have to lose?
In the past week I examined 3 high level horses in three different disciplines (one an Olympian). All 3 horses have "Shivers" clinical signs with one having "Shivers" and Stringhalt clinically. All 3 horses had deteriorated to the point where the trainers/owners were questioning quality of life and euthanasia in one. Two out of the three horses were unsafe (even tranquilized) for the farrier to trim their hind feet.
All three trainers competing at the top level asked their personal and Olympic veterinarians about myself (Audrey DeClue, DVM) having a treatment and treating horses with "Shivers" clinical signs. All Veterinarians associated with these horses stated that it was pretty much "BullS- -T" stating that a paper was published that proves Shivers is caused by a cerebellum lesion. I must remind everyone that this paper was based on 5 horses and never repeated. How is this science or logical? It has become the gold standard of equine veterinarians opinions regarding horses with "Shivers".
Last week I treated two of the three horses. One of the horses was also sleep deprived and collapsing. This horse three days after treatment, is now lying down and catching up on much needed REM and sleep. The trainer and family that owns the horse are thrilled. The second horse is younger and doing great a week after treatment. The farrier was able to get his hind feet trimmed today without tranquilization.
What do you have to lose?
There are no other options for these horses. "Shivers" clinical signs is extremely painful for the horse (think of sciatica) because it is constantly being zapped every time it moves! This IS a quality of life issue for your horse. And if your horse has "Shivers" clinical signs, IT IS PAINFUL!
The real reality that I have come to in the last week is that my own profession has put their own personal bias's, opinions, judgements, and ego's above their patients and above science and logical thinking. If you are a veterinarian reading this....do your own research, think for yourself and do the right thing even if politics are involved! Silence is complicity.
What do you have to lose?
Will you allow your horse to continue to suffer?
Gold standard research was done by DeClue Equine in 2018 showing the before and after treatment 49 days apart using three-dimensional kinematics. It was published in a Pilot Study and this same information and videos below was presented at AAEP in 2019. The same kinematic machines used at the National Institute of Health and professional athletes around the world.
What do you have to lose?
Will you allow your horse, or if you are a veterinarian, your patients to suffer and live a painful life?
There is a treatment that works. The gold standard in research (kinematics) shows that it works.
Below is a young horse, same horse in all, that was treated for his severe bilateral "shivers" clinical signs.
What do you have to lose?
Everyone should always put The Horse First!
