It's About The Horse

becdubie · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 2:29 pm Post subject: Bubba's INFECTION

Toward the Feb, I started to notice that Bubba was getting less energetic, not playing with the other horses much, just "off". I chocked it up to a long, winter...we're all so ready for witner to be over.
But he started to loose weight and mid March one day, he wouldn't eat.. and was standing off by himself hanging his head. I called the vet who said he had a case of Gas colic, gave him Bantamine and said to keep him off feed for the day, walk him etc.... I did all that and he was back to eating as normal but still would show signs of discomfort off and on...not drastic and not long lived... Like in the morning he would be back to his normal self but in the afternoon again I would see him standing off by himself, hanging his head acting lethargic his flank area gets very tight and I can hear him girgling from 3 feet away sometimes. I changed his feed to just good quality grass hay from the Grass/Alfalafa mix we had been feeding him. And stopped giving him his Grass/Alfalfa pelelts suppliment. I was to try to get weight back on him.

Normally I wait until May for their spring worming, but decided to worm them all a little early this year...thinking maybe he has worms. Last Thursday I wormed everyone with zimecterin gold. Sunday we were hit with a huge snow storm, I was clear across the country traveling for work and Bubba was in a bad way. Shivering hunched over and in a lot of pain, my husband called the VET, who once again said it was Gas colic, gave him bantamine, and said to keep him off feed, or very light feed for 24 hrs and give more bantamine if he gets poor again.
So Bubba has had on again off again problems all week. I got home yesterday evening and he was obviously in some pain. I took him out for a walk and it was like dragging a tank behind me at first but after he got moving he seemed to loosen up, then Pooped. His poop is normal, nice round solid apples, but he grunted quite noticeably when he pooped. After pooping he just stood very still with his nose to the ground for a few seconds. Then after that he seemed to feel better. Wanted to munch grass and would follow me walking in a more relaxed manner.
I fed him about 2-3 lbs of grass hay, then he started to act all lethargic and in pain again. His flank area gets really tight and I can hear him girgling (which I know it's good to hear the gut sounds). I gave him Bantamine and he relaxed......I went to bed and tossed and turned all night, while the snow piled up....UGHHHHHHH!!!
4am I truge out through our new foot of snow to check on him...he is bright eyed and looking really, really good. Standing normal...not hunched over, not hanging his head. Looking to be in better spirits than I've seen him in several weeks.
So I'll call the VET today and have them do a fecal test to check if he is wormy and find out what else I can do to prevent this....but has anyone here delt with this situation? Any words of wisdom?

Thanks
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-Becky
There is more than one right way!

thelmanelle · Member Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 3253

Our friend down the road has a TWH that just had gas colic. I told him banamine and the vet to oil . They waited on the vet. The horse would not eat. So I said give him a beer mix with Gatorade ( 1 quart or gallon) add molasses to favor and fill to the top of a 5 gallon with water.

2nd bucket, give salt water.

3rd bucket offer plain water.

4th bucket, offer apple juice (1 gallon) fill to top with water.

If he drinks and acts better great, if not call vet.

He drank, he pooped. Acted better. That night, acted bad, so they took my truck and trailer and drove the dirt roads for about 30 mins . with him...he pooped after he got off.

The next morning, still colicky. They finally called the vet and had him oiled.

I said, it either he is worth saving to you or letting die and buying a new horse? People!

Gas colic hurts! 2nd time I have seen it and the first time, I had a vet out at 2 a.m. I was actually beating the horse to keep it from rolling and laying down. I hated it. But, it saved the horse's life and it wasn't my horse. Someone drove off. left it tied to a trailer and said, "Watch that horse, he acts like he don;t feel good."

The owner was coming to get him the next day and he'd had a dead horse tie to a trailer over night hung by his halter from gas colic. I still get mad about that one. Have to forget it.
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A Good Apple Pie. II Corinthians 4:16-18

becdubie · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 6:18 pm Post subject:

Yike.... those are scary stories.
so far so good today with Bubba.

I'm just wondering....why all the sudden he would start having this problem. Could it be that the Hay we got this year has WAY more alfalfa than grass? Same supplier we have been using for 4 years, but the alfalfa seems to be taking over his field. Next year we will buy from someone else whose field is Mostly Grass.

But could that be it? I can't get any answers from my vet...he just says, "some horses re like that". I've got a call in to my neighbors vet....thinking I'm gonna be vet shopping here pretty soon.
_________________
-Becky
There is more than one right way!

becky b · Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 11:29 pm Post subject:

My TWH gas coliced about 2 or 3 weeks ago. He has done this several times. Every time we get a lot of rain followed by sunshine the clover pops up like crazy. The vet said that the clover is sweeter than the grass, so they love it but it causes gas. This horse in particular is one of those horses that can survive on air, he stays overweight year round. I have to manage his weight by moving him to the dry lot, or stalling him part of the time. Well you would know, he is the one that is ALWAYS hungry! If I don't pay close enough attention to the weather patterns and move him or stall him he will gas colic. I called the vet out the first time he did it, she gave him a banamine shot, said there was no reason to oil him. So now when this happens I call the vet to alert them to be on stand by, and to let them know exactly how he is acting, they tell me to give him a banamine shot and call them back in a hour, usually within an hour he is fine, then the whole no grain for 24 hours, etc, which only upsets him more. I am getting better at guessing when we have had enough rain, sunshine, warmth, etc, to know when to move him around or put him in the barn. Even tried a grazing muzzle last summer, and he absolutely hated it, spend hours rubbing it on trees until he finally got it off. Said all that to say that you are probably right in thinking that the hay mixture is a little different than it normally is and it has something in it that is causing him gas. Every horse is different, I have a paint mare that can eat straight clover and never colic. I have had her for 14 years and she has never coliced. My TWH colics easy.

thelmanelle · Member Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 3253

Not even just a horse, but as a person, I am really a sticker to what foods I can handle. Horses are the same, except they don't have the choice we do. If such and such upsets me, I quit eating. The horse is different and will eat it and founder, colic, etc.

So we are the care takers. I have easy keepers and then, a couple of thin boys. I have to separate during feed time.

I hope you get a better hay. I know it can be scarce.
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A Good Apple Pie. II Corinthians 4:16-18

learningthedance · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 3:27 am Post subject:

Is there any chance that he has an ulcer?

Omeprazole might be worth discussing with your vet or at least asking him about.
_________________
Elise

"Some people are always grumbling
because roses have thorns;
I am thankful
that thorns have roses."
Alphonse Karr

becdubie · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 3:41 am Post subject:

Elise, thanks for suggesting that. I just read the symptoms of stomach ulcers.... Bubba is displaying all of them. I'll bring this up to the vet tomorrow morning for sure.

becdubie · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:26 pm Post subject:

The Vet brought up the possiblity of an ulcer or persistent Strongyloides when I talked to him this morning.

I will begin treatment for the ulcer today and the worms in a couple days...the clinic had to order the meds.

Hope this gets him feeling better, I hate seeing Bubba in pain. Last night after he ate....and the colic set in again...I could see the pain in is face. He got a dose of bantamine.... Poor boy.

This morning he seems to be pretty relaxed though, enjoying the sun. But that's pretty typical...he seems better in the morning, but by evenign he is in pain again.
_________________
-Becky
There is more than one right way!

CoolsLadyInRed · Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 4:30 pm Post subject:

Poor boy. You are doing everything you can. Hang in there.
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beth

Clarissa · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:18 pm Post subject:

Becky perhaps he’s got entrolyths. When he is given muscle relaxants for colic the entro’s wouldn’t hurt so much but after a while the muscles would tighten around them again causing much pain.

If you don’t know what they are, entrolyths are caused mainly by undigested mineral supplements, mostly containing calcium.

They do show up on xrays usually. They can be in several organs.

Also there’s just plain sand or dirt that gets in there too. Try a few doses of slippery elm powder which becomes quite mucilaginous & ‘scoops up’ the sand or dirt in the lower parts of the gut & help it pass out.
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becdubie · Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:54 pm Post subject:

No Clarissia, I've never heard of that. Intersting all the things you learn when you have a sick horse. So does the Slipery elm do something different than Psyllium husks?

I haven't had to give him Bantamine since Friday night, and Bubba appears to be feeling a bit better although he is still very lethargic, not interested in doing much but standing around.

His posture was much better this morning though, not hunched over and was even trotting a bit when Angle was pushing him around when I went to feed this morning.
His appetite is good,......so maybe the gastroguard is already starting to work....I donno, just pray that we are on the right track.
_________________
-Becky
There is more than one right way!

Clarissa · Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 3:57 am Post subject:

becdubie · Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 1:30 pm Post subject:

Thank you Clarissa....I'll study those articles.

I talked to another vet yesterday, she confirmed we are treating what she would treat. So I'll stay the course with the Gastrogard and do the pancur power pack, as soon as it arrives....probably early next week.

i've got Psylliumhusk powder on order, and will look for slipery elm. Going to go look for some peppermit leaves in town today - I guess that will break up gas bubbles.

Bubba seems to be improving(I think) but he is still very low on the energy level..I took him out for a little walk yesterday...nothing strenious and he just sort of mopes along behind me...not even interested in the horses next door running around like maniacs.

Normally he would get a little amped up in that situation.
During our walk, he would slow way down and sort of grunt like he had to poop...but acted like he didn't want to cuz it hurt. Finally after we got back to the barn, he went in the stall and pooped....I watched him...his face winced he squited his eyes almost as if he was straining to get a blockage out and he pooped a nice healthy normal pile. Then afterwards stood very, very still with his nose to the ground and kept turning his head as if he was streching his neck... So it seems he is in most pain right before, during and right after pooping.
Oh this is tough....I hate that he is feeling poor.
The Vet is coming out on Thursday..... I'll be looking for a second job.
_________________
-Becky
There is more than one right way!

thelmanelle · Member Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 3253

Some people will feed Metamucil or sand colic type product to help with the passage of dirt/sand in the intestines. I hope your horse is better.
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A Good Apple Pie. II Corinthians 4:16-18

becky b · Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:46 am Post subject:

Oh poor baby. I hope and pray he will be much better soon.