Filly makes ‘miraculous’ recovery from atypical myopathy
The owner of a filly who made a “miraculous” recovery from atypical myopathy wants to share her story to help raise awareness of the condition.
Dartmoor-based Dannie Williams’ coloured cob, Khaleesi (Kallie) and rescue pony, Bella, were found seriously ill on 6 December.
Two-year-old Bella was so bad that Dannie thought she was dead when she discovered her lying motionless on the floor in her field.
Kallie, also a two-year-old filly, was standing completely still and was not interested in food.
Dannie’s vet, from North Park Veterinary Equine, was called and at first they the vet believed the horses might have colic, but they were not showing the typical signs.
After urine and blood tests it was discovered that both horses had atypical myopathy.
Thankfully Bella’s condition improved quickly and she soon returned to good health but Kallie deteriorated and she was put on a drip.
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By 8 December she could not stand.
Dannie and her friends manually turned her every six hours and hand-fed her, desperately hoping her condition would improve.
After 10 days Dannie decided that moving Kallie out to her field may encourage her to stand.
She was sedated and carefully pulled out to the field on rubber matting using a tractor.
Kallie remained lying down for another three days and Dannie began to question whether it was fair to keep her alive.
“It has been two weeks and she was skin and bone and she had pressure sores on her hip, shoulders and face,” she said.
“I wondered if I had done the right thing by keeping her going.
“The vet was going to come out later that day (21 December) and I rang to ask him to bring the injection to put her to sleep.”
However, that afternoon, while Dannie’s sister was sitting in Kallie’s field, she finally stood.
“It was a very emotional day,” said Dannie.
“We were all crying our eyes out. If it had been an hour later she wouldn’t have been with us.
“It was pretty miraculous. I still get tears just thinking about it.
“It was absolutely incredible, but I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.”
Kallie has since gone from strength to strength and Dannie is planning her show season.
“She is doing amazingly and she has put on all the weight that she lost,” said Dannie.
“You couldn’t ask for a better pony, I have such a strong bond with her.”
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The horses are no longer turned out in the same place, as Dannie believes sycamore seeds had blown in from a tree next to the field.
“I would like to thank North Park Veterinary Equine for everything they did — they were out three to four times every day,” Dannie said. “I can’t thank them enough.
“I have been surprised how many people haven’t heard of atypical myopathy when I’ve spoken to people after what happened.
“It spurred me on to share Kallie’s story.”
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.