Help, I think my horse had a stroke

[Kozalyn]

Three days ago my horse started acting funny he was standing in his feild and he looked like he was disorientated and had a hard time standing up straight. He would stand still and then he would stumble like he was about to fall over. He didn't eat any of his hay all day or drink any water [he usually drinks five or more buckets a day] The next morning he ate his grain but didn't eat any of his hay from the night before and he only drank a quarter of his water bucket. I had the vet come look at him and he thinks it was a stroke. We gave him hay to see if he would eat it and we realized he can't reach his head all the way to the ground! He would bend his neck to try and get it but his nose can't go down any further than his chest. The vet said usually do that if they have broken thier withers but his withers are fine. When we hand fed him the hay he ate it without a problem I'm sure he was happy to finally have some! We now have his hay in a hay net so he can get to it and he is eating pretty well but he is still not drinking much. I don't know what to do about his neck though, I don't know if its temporary or permanent. He is an older horse in his early twenties so I don't know if its something to do with his age. If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated.

[galadriel]

If your vet thinks he had a stroke, then that sounds like the probable cause. This does sounds neurological in some manner; other common neurological problems are things like EPSM, EPM, and also things like West Nile virus or Lyme disease. (brief webpage with several neurological disorders: http://www.ruralheritage.com/vet_clinic/epsmlookalike.htm)

Did your vet have any advice?

It seems to me that with people, stroke victims usually regain what use of their body that will come easily within a short time. Maybe you could do a web search on strokes, and see what you might be able to expect.

Good luck with him--I hope he recovers well and quickly.