Posted on Monday, Dec 31, 2007 - 9:52 am:

This newsletter offers a way to keep up with the horse information added to Horseadvice.com without overwhelming your email box. Posted every day or two this newsletter will highlight the new topics and discussions added to the main sections of Horseadvice.com. Note that replies to discussions, and some member's only posting areas are not displayed here. For a complete listing of topics and discussions please visit us at Horseadvice.com.

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding: Bran: Wheat and Rice:
Rice Bran and Omega 6
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Posted by Leilani on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 2:58 pm:
Dr O,
Would you mind reviewing this website article and give me your thoughts.
I feed each of my mares one cup of rice bran daily with their biotin. Thank you. Leilani
http://www.myhorse.com/global/newsletter/myhorse_newsletter_12-18-2007.aspx

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings: Hair and Coat Problems / Itching / Irritated Skin: Scratches, Grease Heel, Dew Poisoning, & Mud Fever:
Scratches Aggravated by Treatment?
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Posted by Jill Marks on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 10:38 pm:
I originally posted in the Lameness area ( December 8 --NQR to lame to NQR and so on...)
My grade Percheron has had mild scratches off and on since I have had him over the past 2 1/2 years. Fortunately the condition has always been relatively amenable to basic treatment and even responds to that old standby, Corona Ointment.
The vet felt that his recent bout of lameness may be due to a small lesion that was located just above the bulbs of his heel on his left fore. She clipped him down to bare skin and shaved his other foreleg as well.
I told her that the local Mennonite (similar to the Amish) harness shop owners had told me to never clip him down completely. They have found that though the feathers can be an aggravating factor, to strip them completely can cause even more trouble. I mentioned this to the vet while she was clipping but she said that this was not the case.
She had me wash him with a antibacterial soap, treat him with oral antibiotics and use a cream that is used for cow mastitis on the scratches.
He is a mess! He is in way more pain now than when he was initially seen. Both front legs are quite raw where he has been clipped. I stopped using the mastitis treatment when it became obvious it was very harsh -- despite being built like a Sumo wrestler he has very sensitive skin. I switched to the Hibitane she had given me.
The weather here has been terrible which doesn't help. We had a snow/ice storm on the weekend and it has been very cold. The forecast is for extremely changeable conditions between now and Christmas -- we are expecting more snow, freezing rain and regular rain.
My horse is so uncomfortable and suspicious now it has become impossible to use a blow dryer on him. I am worried that due to the cold, towel drying will not be that efficient enough to prevent further chapping since I can't rub him any further.
So basically I have gone from one small lesion less than the size of a five cent coin to the entire back of both hooves being covered with raw skin. There is a new lesion of his right, previously unaffected, leg.
I have some Panalog on hand for my dogs. I am thinking of using it on the worst areas and then covering the whole area with Desitin. Based on the weather -- should I bandage? My horse will likely be turned out for a couple of hours if it is not too wet or given some time in the indoor if the weather is too poor.
This situation also raises the issue of how to deal with the vet. The barn owner and I have used this veterinary practice for quite some time, but we tend to ask for the head vet whenever possible. This is a new vet to the practice. Should I call her and update her on the situation? I imagine she would want to know about the outcome, but frankly I am not sure that I want to deal with her again. I was kind of surprised she would clip him so close in the first place -- I know I should have said something at the time. If she had just said to me a week ago, "It's scratches," I would have simply treated my horse the way I always do to clear up the lesion and we wouldn't be in this situation.
However, I understand that she is new. I think this is her first job out of veterinary college.

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Tips and Tricks: 2007 Add New Care Tips Here:
Reduce water freezing
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Posted by Janet Schmidt on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 11:41 pm:
I had planned on getting a water heater for the horses this winter but a few people warned me of potential shocking and as our barn is older I decided to find another way to reduce the ice in my water troughs. I have three horses and they now share one water barrel that sits between the two barn areas under part of the wall. Now I am only filling one trough and they share. What I did was take a 5o gallon blue plastic barrel and lay it on its side and cut the top 4" off approx. We built a small frame for it to sit in so it would not roll over. It holds lots of water and as the horses drink the exposed area size actually changes as it drops. This greatly reduces the amount of ice!! Before I had the water barrels cut in half and as the water dropped it never changed shape and really clung to the sides - not so any more!! Didn't really plan it that way but it seems to work great. I can take pictures if you don't understand my logic! Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday! Janet

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Routine Horse Care: Particular Situations & Procedure topics not covered by above:
Allergies
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Posted by Lea-Anne Lesch on Friday, Dec 21, 2007 - 10:57 am:
I hope this is the right place to post. My mom's friend has a horse that has COPD. She occasionally gets red eyes from allergies and they want to treat it with Boraks (sp?). They would like to know how strong the solution must be to treat this horse and how often to do so?

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding: Fat or Obese Horse Nutrition:
Mare won't lose weight!
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Posted by Erin Lower on Monday, Dec 24, 2007 - 11:16 pm:
Hi all! I discovered this site last week and have been on here non-stop since! I finally signed up with the hope that someone can find my "missing link".
My 15.1hh appendix QH mare (lineage mostly TB, looks 100% QH) is FAT! I recently moved her to a new stable, and before we moved, I had her down to a lean 975-980 lbs (a body score of 5). She has been a fatty her whole life, literally, and I finally put the work into dropping 300+lbs off of her due to mysterious lameness issues. They didn't clear up without the extra weight, by the way, and the source is still mysterious in spite of x-rays, flexion tests, hoof testers, shoes, etc...
She maintained this weight throughout the summer (we have temps of about 20-30 degrees C: 68-86 for the Americans, with deer fly and mosquito populations higher than most places in the entire world - not horse friendly!).
However, this winter, she began to rapidly gain weight! She is back up to about 1100 lbs in spite of a very modest diet; a body score of 6.5-7.
She is down to about 15-20 lbs of medium quality grass hay (timothy & orchard grass mixture), a salt & mineral block, and vitamin supplement. I cannot say exactly how much hay she gets each day as she is turned out with 6 other horses and gets a portion of 2 bales. Only one flake (4 lbs fairly consistently) is given to her when she gets inside for the night. This is the same hay (same provider) as she received last winter during the weight loss process, and the growing season was poorer, so I would assume that the nutritional value is less, if any different.
I have started working her for 30 minutes at a hard working trot through snow (feet sink about 2 feet down) every day, in spite of her lameness. She works hard, and gets quite sweaty in spite of the temperatures which are typically about -5 to -20 fahrenheit or -20 to -30 celsius. She does not tolerate more exercise than the 30 minutes, as her lameness gets worse if she works for much longer than this (even 45 minutes is too much!) I have experimented with a few days a week of longer exercise with poor results, and also with slower exercise for longer periods with ouchy results. She does not improve with bute, and joint supplements (glucosamine, chondrointin, MSM) help to keep her comfortable, but not with hard work.
This feed/work regime has been consistent for the past 2+ months, since it truly started to get cold (and she truly started to get fat). Oh, and I know that each horse has his/her own individual fat areas, but she seems to have little fat covering on her neck & shoulders. In fact, it is almost all on her withers, back, and in between her non-existent ribs. In her neck, shoulder, and hip, she would still score a 5. In the belly/wither - an 8. It doesn't hang, it's just fatty.
She walks through snow (lightly packed in some places, very deep in others) all day while out (about 9-10 hours per day), with a 7 acre pasture for 7 horses. When she comes in, it is into an unheated riding arena that is also not insulated, so it is more or less the same temperature as outside but sheltered from wind/snow.
SO, with all of that information: am I missing something that would easily help her lose weight? I can't work her more (and really, she is getting worked fairly hard as it is, considering the depth of the snow in that arena!) I could cut her hay consumption back inside the barn, but only minimally or she would be without any hay for hours. I could leave her on her own during the day with only 2 flakes of hay, but she would be distressed (hates being alone and there isn't anyone to turn her out with) and would likely hurt herself so that I could not work her at all. It would be difficult for me to find a lower quality hay that would be clean of dust/mould, and I don't think that the stuff she gets now is terribly high calorie. Should I move her to somewhere that she could be restricted in her diet & have a buddy? If I do this, I will not be able to work her daily as there isn't anywhere else close enough to home...
Could she have some sort of endochrine/metabolism problem without any other symptoms than being overweight and sore? No heat, swelling, etc. She also has a great coat and good feet, good teeth...
Any suggestions? Sorry for the horribly long post (and really, who wants to come to Manitoba after my wonderful climate descriptions?)

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HorseAdvice.com: Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses: Behavioral Problems: Grazing Problems:
My horse is lazy, but.....
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Posted by Kathy Young on Thursday, Dec 27, 2007 - 12:05 pm:
My trainer tells me all the time my horse is lazy. Yesterday, we brought her home and put her out in the pasture (the trainer does not have one at his place.)
We got a little concerned when, after about 2 hours, she layed down. She was still grazing while laying there. We got her back up and she walked around for about ten minutes. She then layed down again, but was still grazing!
Is she just lazy, lethargic, or should we have the vet check her out? We never saw a horse do this.
She has no signs of lameness. She has been in training for 3 months. She is 7 years old and we are just getting her rein trained (she is a retired thoroughbred racehorse.)
She only gets about 2 cups of Purina Adult Equine and all the grass she wants. Should we boost up her food or give her something to boost her energy without making her high?

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: First Aid: First Aid topics not covered above :
Mare kicked in head
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Posted by Mary on Sunday, Dec 30, 2007 - 4:43 pm:
Hi, My gelding was finishing his pellets and my mare approached the bowl with her head low as if to share some. She had finished her food first. They are usually really good with each other, but today he struck at her, and his front hoof clipped her right above the eye. She jerked back and was bobbing her head side to side at first for a few seconds only. When I checked her she had a cut about an inch long about an inch above the eye. It was not very deep, and bled just a bit then stopped. We stayed for a bit longer, and she seemed fine. I am just curious if there is anything I should watch for. She is 21 years old. Thanks!

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Care Tips
By visiting our Care Tips section you might learn how to throw away that manure fork and replace it with a hammock! Maybe not, but if you post a great and original tip you can have time added to your membership and we will pick up the tab and that is almost as good.
http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/3/667.html

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Tips and Tricks: 2007 Add New Care Tips Here:
No halter?
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Posted by jojo on Tuesday, Dec 25, 2007 - 9:07 pm:
i have a mini. and she is outgrowing her mini halters practically before i can buy new ones to fit. And i needed to give her a bath BAD!!!
So i figured something in my tack box had to work. just so i could hold her still for awhile.
i got out the lead rope. all cotton. and i got out the trailer tie. the non bungy type. put it to the smallest it would go. the kind that has a quick snap on one end and a regular snap on the other.
i placed the trailer tie over the poll. The one side with the emergency snap tie was attached around the lead rope. so it could move.
The lead rope was then hooked to the other side of the trailer tie. so it went around the nose band.
because the lead rope moved within the emergency snap tie you could loosen or tighten. Almost like a stallion chain would be.
worked like a charm. in a pinch. and i created a halter long enough to give her a bath. and it was pretty comfortable for her. only suggestion is i wouldn't tie a horse like this, but as an emergency need a halter? this worked. i bet it would work for a full size horse too.

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Training Tips
Members, horses not cleaning their own stalls yet? Better yet a little training tip that has made your horses behavior or your riding much improved? Best training tips get published in the newsletter and if your tip is posted you get 3 months added to your membership and we pick up the tab.
http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/7/668.html

Product Reviews
Have you found a great product you can no longer do without or how about a stinker that you want to warn other members about? We will publish the best organized reviews in the Newsletter and if yours is published we will add 3 months to your membership.
http://www.horseadvice.com/cgi-bin/advisor/board-auth.cgi?file=/10/5544.html

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Tips and Tricks: 2007 Add New Care Tips Here:
Solar water heater
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Posted by Erika L on Friday, Dec 21, 2007 - 9:02 am:
This tip comes to us via Ilona, who told Holly, who told me... Check these out! http://www.horsesonly.com/amesco/
I know that many of us have pastures where power is not an option. This is a great idea for those paddocks that are far from the barn! Thanks Ilona!!

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Posted on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 9:07 am:

This newsletter offers a way to keep up with the horse information added to Horseadvice.com without overwhelming your email box. Posted every day or two this newsletter will highlight the new topics and discussions added to the main sections of Horseadvice.com. Note that replies to discussions, and some member's only posting areas are not displayed here. For a complete listing of topics and discussions please visit us at Horseadvice.com.

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: Lameness: Diseases of the Hoof: Coffin Bone Fracture:
Born with Buttress Foot????
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Posted by Jaime Green on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 8:12 am:
I had a western pleasure paint horse come in to my boarding facility as a three year old to be trained. He broke out nicely is now 7 yrs old has 2 ROMS in western pleasure. He has always been sensitive to walking on concrete but once out in the sand arena was always fine. I recently purchased this 7 yr old gelding from my boarders, rode and shown him for a few months, then he started to become intermittenly lame. I took him to my lameness vet, he performed a low block ( thinking it was Navicular) and the horse improved 90%. He x rayed for navicular, found some changes but nothing alarming. What he did find though was large bone fragments in both front feet. He called it buttress foot. The fragments are located at the extensor process P3 so I believe it is a type IV fracture. What I don't understand is how it can be in both front feet. I thought this type condition would be from injury. My vet said it was probably here since birth? They are now causing problems because of arthritis. Even thought the problem is in the front of the hoof he did block out from a low nerve block in the back of the foot so I had him nerved. Still waiting to see the results, only a week out of the procedure and still in wraps.

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HorseAdvice.com: Equine Reproduction: Pregnancy, Foaling, & Neonatal Care: Pregnancy, Foaling, & Neonatal Care topics not covered by the above:
Could this be related to pregnancy ?
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Posted by Lynn on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 12:00 pm:
Hello,
I am new here so I do not know if I am posting this question in the right spot. I have had my mare for 7 months. During this time she has been on a regular worming schedule, and has been seen and treated by our local vet several times. She has some other stuff going on besides what I am asking about.. but these 2 things have stumped both my vet and myself. I have taken my mare 2 times in the last 10 days for a lump on her belly. It has been there since September, but is growing and is now the size of a banana. Before this she has been seen and treated for swelling above her eyes. The lump on her belly is hard to the touch, but the swelling above her eyes feel like soft water balloons. The eye swelling was there when we got her..the swelling is located in that "dip in" above her eyes. 2 days ago my vet was going to try something else for the stomach lump, but he told me of the dangers it could do to a fetus. My husband and I have wondered on and off if she could have been in foal when we got her.. my gut told me to go ahead and have her checked, and she is in foal! He said she is about 7 months along, so this means she had just came into foal right before we got her. My vet wants to palpate her again in 2-4 weeks to recheck. The news of a baby is wonderful, but now I am even more worried. This will however teach me in the future to go with my gut... She is my first horse, and I am new to all of this. Having your own is much much different than helping your friends out .. but I would not trade her for anything.. she is wonderful! I have researched and researched, and so has my vet. I would just like to now if these things could be from her hormone changes now that we know she is in foal? Or, is there something else causing them? Sorry, I tried to make this as short as possible, and still make sense. I am going to try to attach pictures so y'all can see what I am talking about. I am with my mare all the time. I feel like I am tuned into her, and I just want her to be a healthy horse that will be with us for years to come, and now her baby too. She has gotten very moody in the last few weeks.. and now I know why Thanks in advance for any and all help on this. Lynn
OK.. I have tried to upload the pictures, but I must have something not set right, because they will not upload... I am going to go ahead and post, but I have to go to the dentist, and when I get back I will try to upload the pictures again.

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Hoof Care, Hoof Trimming, Shoeing Horses : Hoof Care Topics Not Covered Above:
Recommended bell boots?
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Posted by Gwen Robison on Wednesday, Dec 19, 2007 - 5:47 pm:
Can anyone recommend a durable, yet comfortable bell boot? My tb CAN NOT hold his front shoes. He keeps forging and pulling them off. I think his stride is too big and his back is too short. He did it again today, with a foot of snow in his paddock! The pull-on rubber ones were on a few weeks ago, and he ended up with a mildly infected heel bulb. I think it was a combination of clipping himself, then rubbing with the boot.
Any thoughts on a good set? I am willing to break the bank.

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding: Nutritional Content of Common Feedstuffs for Horses:
Alfalfa pellets
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Posted by jos on Thursday, Dec 20, 2007 - 3:34 am:
At the moment I am feeding alfalfapellets and I do not have any experience with them. The horses seem to like them though. My goal is to put the protein percentage higher and add calcium because they eat oats to. Would the contents in the pellets be the same as in alfalfa hay[listed in the article]? Thanks Jos

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Care Tips
By visiting our Care Tips section you might learn how to throw away that manure fork and replace it with a hammock! Maybe not, but if you post a great and original tip you can have time added to your membership and we will pick up the tab and that is almost as good.
http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/3/667.html

Training Tips
Members, horses not cleaning their own stalls yet? Better yet a little training tip that has made your horses behavior or your riding much improved? Best training tips get published in the newsletter and if your tip is posted you get 3 months added to your membership and we pick up the tab.
http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/7/668.html

Product Reviews
Have you found a great product you can no longer do without or how about a stinker that you want to warn other members about? We will publish the best organized reviews in the Newsletter and if yours is published we will add 3 months to your membership.
http://www.horseadvice.com/cgi-bin/advisor/board-auth.cgi?file=/10/5544.html

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 - 9:26 am:

This newsletter offers a way to keep up with the horse information added to Horseadvice.com without overwhelming your email box. Posted every day or two this newsletter will highlight the new topics and discussions added to the main sections of Horseadvice.com. Note that replies to discussions, and some member's only posting areas are not displayed here. For a complete listing of topics and discussions please visit us at Horseadvice.com.

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding: Water, Water Quality, and Watering Horses:
Cold water brrrr
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Posted by jos on Monday, Dec 17, 2007 - 6:39 am:
My horses have always acces to drinking water one tank with rainwater [which they prefer] and automatic waterers in the boxes. The boxes are open 24/7 so they can go in and out as they wish. As it has been freezing a little bit during the night I crash the layer of ice on the rainwater each morning. Should I add hot water to get it on a warmer temperature? They drink well and do not work[if you don't count being pregnant] Thanks Jos

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: Cardiovascular, Blood, and Immune System: Discussions on Cardiovascular, Blood, and Immune System not covered above :
2 degree AV Block
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Posted by estrella99 on Monday, Dec 17, 2007 - 11:29 am:
Merry Christmas everyone! Not a crisis, just a question. About a year ago, my 17 year old TB had a respiratory something going on. I have had the same vet for (dating myself) 27 years, so he knows my horses very well. My vet has other vets that work for/with him. For the respiratory treatment he didn't treat, his associate did. She's a pretty smart gal, so it was all good. Anyway she did all the normal vet thing, she thought the had gotten a virus, we treated he got better. Here's the deal, while examining him, she said "wow he has a really weird heart rhythm". Now I looked like a deer in the headlights. She said if he was a younger guy, he would probably be at the equine clinic for treatment. Then shortly after that, I lost my 27 year old mare. The TB looks fine, weight fine, eats fine.. a normal guy. So after I got over the loss of my mare, it was also time for shots, so I requested my primary vet be the one to come out. To ask the dreaded question, about the heart beat. I was thinking about the irregular HB, maybe brought on my the high fever from the virus. So OK, I'm not a vet, but like my reasoning. Well my vet was gone to a clinic, so I got his new associate..again another really smart gal. I could barely choke out the question. Prepared to head down the path. She gladly took a listen. I have been taking it really easy with him since I first heard about the Heart Beat problem. She smiled and said well good news. That since he once a race horse, he at one time was a fine tuned athlete, that because they are so fit, their heart eliminates the extra beat. That it is pretty common on TB's off the track. She diagnosed a 2 degree AV Block. She said I can not steeple chase (dang, I so wanted to take up that sport, kidding) Not because he has an AV Block, but because well he's 17. Just asking for a sanity check. Have you ever heard of this? The Hubby said he heard that Ruberto Duran had the same thing. Hey he looks pretty good to me. I am thinking my Primary vet never said anything in all the years because indeed it was common and he knew I would be concerned. I am so hoping so.

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HorseAdvice.com: Equine Reproduction: Pregnancy, Foaling, & Neonatal Care: Pregnant Mare Care and Nutrition:
International Shipping with Pregnant Mare
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Posted by Boomer on Monday, Dec 17, 2007 - 7:54 pm:
IS there any advice you can give me when shipping a mare in foal internationally by air? This is the mare's first foal (she is 4 yo) and she will be 7 months along when she flys. I am hearing that the "danger" zone when transporting pregnant mares are within the first 3 months and during the final 3 months. Is there anything special I need to be thinking about doing to make the journey a safe one for mare and future foal.

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: Respiratory System: Discussions on Respiratory System not covered by the above :
Gutteral pouch infections
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Posted by Deirdra Bragdon on Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 - 12:38 am:
My 3 year old gelding came up with a unilateral snotty nose last Monday 12/10. The discharge was very runny, whitish yellow and stank, a bit like thrush and a bit like strangles. I called the vet and we put him on an antibiotic for 7 days. During the week it got progressivly worse as far as smell and amount of fluid coming from the nostril.The color became more greenish and then back to whitish yellow. His temperature has remained at 100.4, he is eating with gusto, he runs and plays, no depression at all. There are 2 other horses exposed to him that have not had any symptoms of infection. Today, 7 days later, he has mild discharge, a bit more chunky and the smell is much less rank. It was suggested to me that he might have a gutteral pouch infection and I will be having him scoped by Friday if this does not clear up. Being the good internet using horse owner that I am, I have looked up Gutteral pouch infections and am of course horrified. He has not had any nose bleeds or swelling. My vet has informed me that if the antibiotics do not clear this up I will need to take him to a hospital and have the pouch flushed out. We can pretty well rule out strangles here as well.He was pastured for a little over a year, isolated from outside horses, and he is now pastured with his original pasture herd in another spot where he has no exposure to strange horses. Does this sound like a gutteral pouch infection of some kind and what can I expect for the future if it is? Maybe its just a really bad sinus infection? Thanks Deirdra

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Care Tips
By visiting our Care Tips section you might learn how to throw away that manure fork and replace it with a hammock! Maybe not, but if you post a great and original tip you can have time added to your membership and we will pick up the tab and that is almost as good.
http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/3/667.html

Training Tips
Members, horses not cleaning their own stalls yet? Better yet a little training tip that has made your horses behavior or your riding much improved? Best training tips get published in the newsletter and if your tip is posted you get 3 months added to your membership and we pick up the tab.
http://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/7/668.html

Product Reviews
Have you found a great product you can no longer do without or how about a stinker that you want to warn other members about? We will publish the best organized reviews in the Newsletter and if yours is published we will add 3 months to your membership.
http://www.horseadvice.com/cgi-bin/advisor/board-auth.cgi?file=/10/5544.html

Posted on Monday, Dec 17, 2007 - 9:18 am:

This newsletter offers a way to keep up with the horse information added to Horseadvice.com without overwhelming your email box. Posted every day or two this newsletter will highlight the new topics and discussions added to the main sections of Horseadvice.com. Note that replies to discussions, and some member's only posting areas are not displayed here. For a complete listing of topics and discussions please visit us at Horseadvice.com.

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Routine Horse Care: Geriatric Horse: Problems and Care :
Diarrhea and feet problems?
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Posted by Winifred on Friday, Dec 14, 2007 - 4:54 pm:
Hi, I'm new to this club, but looking forwrd to learning from you. My 12 year old paint had laminitis when he was given to me. I've been trimming his hooves regularly and have him on a wedge shoe and his feet are getting better BUT over the past year he has developed chronic diarrhea. Terrible diarrhea, really: watery, lots of farting; I can hear his stomach rumbling when I put my ear against it.
I have had three vets out, neither of which knew what was going on. One did seem particularly concerned, but could come up with no answers. I've tried psyllium, probiotics, worming, everything I've seen mentioned on this site, no help. Right now he's on hay, but is very picky about it, and a senior feed, which he loves. My questions are (1) is it possible that foot problems and gut problems are related? and (2) can I ride him lightly when his stomach is rumbling so and (3)is it a bad thing to give him a Kaopectic sort of solution, that I found at Southern States last week?
I've read Dr. O's comments about "don't sweat it, It's more normal than you think," and I find that very comforting, actually, but am, oh so tired of washing this tail every day, or twice a day, especially now that it's getting cold in Virginia.
I'll just love anything that anyone has to offer.
Winifred
It is hard, hard to wash a dirty tail every day, or several times a day, especially with winter coming on.
Anything that anyone has to suggest will be most appreciated. His name is Buck, and he is a lovely, sweet horse.

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding: Forages for Horses, an Overview:
Lovin' the round bales!
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Posted by Diane Baker-Hallowell on Friday, Dec 14, 2007 - 6:57 pm:
With the hay crisis in full tilt this year, I took the plunge and tried the round bales. The horses LOVE them!!! I LOVE Them! Each bale (approx. 800 lbs.) last 6-7 horses about 4 days(little piggies!) The cost of each bale is $50. The horses don't even want to come in the barn any more for grain. They eat every last morsel out there. So far, I am happy as can be. Only trouble is, my hay guy is going to run out in just a few more weeks, and then I have to find another source until next year. Now that my dealer knows I want the round bales, he is going to put more up for me next season. Anyone in the NJ or PA area know of any sources for round bales? I hate to go back to putting out the expensive kicker bales after being spoiled by the big bales!
Di

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HorseAdvice.com: Treatments and Medications for Horses: Antibiotics and Antimicrobials: Formaldehyde and Formalin Use:
?damage due to Formalin
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Posted by Christopher Dalton on Saturday, Dec 15, 2007 - 12:30 am:
My 18 yr old warmblood has soft hooves due to a lot of wet weather recently causing some mild lameness.The Vet recommended Iodine and Formalin mixture to dry and strengthen the hooves but the farrier strongly advised against this saying it would damage the hooves.He recommended an English product "Cornucrescine Soft & Crumbly Daily Hoof Strengthener"-I don't know what's in it.?Any thoughts

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract: Gastric Ulcers: Gastric Ulcers in Adult Horses:
Long term use of omeprazole
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Posted by awa on Saturday, Dec 15, 2007 - 7:59 pm:
I've been told that chronic, long term Gastrogard (or Ulcergard) administration may have some undesirable effects on the horse's GI system.....are you aware of this? I know the drug omeprazole actually inhibits the production of HCl in the stomach. While an excess of HCl present in the stomach (due to the horse spending long periods of time not eating) can cause ulcers, I'm told the presence of HCl is also a necessary component for the digestion and absorption of protein and other nutrients. Therefore, a lack of HCl over long periods of time would upset the pH balance of the gastric contents, resulting in potential digestion/absorption inefficiencies.
Dr.O--do you think this is a problem at the maintainance dose of 1mg/kg?

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HorseAdvice.com: Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses: Behavioral Problems: Behavioral Problems topics not covered by the above :
Horse sways while hoof trimming
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Posted by Lori on Saturday, Dec 15, 2007 - 9:34 pm:
I have a problem with one of my mares I need some help with. She picks up her feet very nicely, the problem is she is not very patient. Before I have finished 'picking' she pulls her hoof, I hold on and reposition. The other thing she will do is sway, I have her foot securely between my knees and she sways/rocks back and forth. Not enough to pull away but enough to make me glad I have sea legs! She will start this within a few minutes of her hoof being up. She does it with each foot every time. Thanks for your ideas.
Lori

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: Lameness: Lameness topics not covered above:
Fast shallow breathing caused by abscess pain?
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Posted by Imogen Bertin on Sunday, Dec 16, 2007 - 2:18 am:
Just wanted to thank Dr O once more for this site.
Last night returned from Christmas shopping to find my young horse standing back from the stable door panting with her eyes half closed - it was the abnromal position in the stable that tipped me off that something was wrong, as she either eats in a specific place, lies down or hangs her head out of the door normally.
Thought, ok maybe she's too hot from her blanket, or panicking about where her companion is. No, neither of those. Continued to pant and heave. I already knew she was slightly lame but I started to worry about colic or pneumonia.
This was 9 pm on a Saturday night, so if I called the vet it was going to be maybe 4-6 hours before I would see whoever had drawn the short straw and was on emergency shift.
Walked her about the yard, she was eating normally and lame but not dog-lame. Took temperature 102.5 and observed. Still panting but it was coming and going. Cleaned all her feet out, the panting got a lot worse when I went near the lame foot.
Poor thing is, I think, in severe pain from an abscess - the leg which was slightly swollen has this morning blown up quite large but there isn't any wound and the muddy conditions are ripe for abscesses. I did get up in the night to check her just in case I was wrong...
Did not call vet, have put in a call for farrier (ha ha, week before Christmas?) and am soaking the foot to try to give a bit of relief in the meantime.
Horseadvice lets me check I have done stuff correctly (temperature etc. - it was a bit high but the panting was like exercise it was so strong) and the board helps me save money on vet calls, but make the right calls when I need to.
I particularly was relieved by the advice that "if you cannot count the breaths your horse's respiration is probably OK" as I found when I did try to count them it was extremely hard even though her nostrils were flared with the fast, shallow breathing...
Happy Christmas Dr O - just think - as well as helping all of us you are saving your colleagues around the world from unnecessary night calls!
Imogen

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HorseAdvice.com: Horse Care: Routine Horse Care: Geriatric Horse: Problems and Care :
Mare just fell over
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Posted by Diane E. on Sunday, Dec 16, 2007 - 8:02 am:
Dr.O. Flash was out pacing the fence last night as usual when I was bringing their nightly feed. I turned my back to lock the gate and heard thump!
Looked and there she was on her side...she popped right back up and shook her back leg a little, slightly limped into lean for feed and then was fine. It was so odd, I looked where she had gone down (fresh snow) and it wasn't icy or did it look like she had slipped. I don't know if you recall but she is the one with back leg problems, we don't even try to trim her back hooves anymore.
She has been doing wonderfully as far as getting around and if you don't try to pick up her back hooves you would never know there was anything wrong with her as far as stride goes.
She is 28 yrs. old now. Is it possible for her to have gotten a cramp in her hind leg....maybe brought on from wading thru the deep snow?? Does that happen? It was just so strange it worries me a bit. Thanks

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HorseAdvice.com: Diseases of Horses: Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings: Swellings / Localized Infection / Abscesses: Pigeon Fever, Dryland Strangles, & Distemper:
Chest Swelling
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Posted by Charlotte Pinkall on Sunday, Dec 16, 2007 - 8:06 pm:
Three weeks ago my horse developed a large swelling on his chest. I thought maybe he had been kicked or something and decided to just watch it for a few days. When it did not go away after several days I called the vet out. He also thought he may have been kicked or run into something and he had me administer bute and rub a DMSO/Iodine mixture on his chest. One morning several days later his chest was oozing pus and I spent an hour or so cleaning gobs of nasty puss out of what was now an open abscess. I called the vet back and he came and brought an antibiotic and more bute. I gave the antibiotic and bute for 8 days and used hot compresses on the wound which stayed open and drained that whole time. I also rubbed the DMSO/iodine mixture above and below the wound, per the vet's instructions. The wound has pretty much healed now, however there is a hardness to the area that the vet says is scar tissue, and I can feel a hard area above the wound and inside. Today I was visiting another barn and learned about pigeon fever, which is relatively new to this area (Central Kansas). Given that the treatment my horse has been given doesn't match the things I've now read about treating pigeon fever, how much should I worry about the current hardnesses in my horses chest and should I call the vet back?

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