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Discussion on Very sick horse | |
Author | Message |
Member: Unis11 |
Posted on Sunday, Sep 18, 2005 - 5:47 pm: I have an 5 year old mare who has been sick for a long time now. Vets don't know what is wrong. She aborted her foal in the Spring. She has had acute diarrea for many months which I have been treating with banamine and bute. She was a show horse, but looks like she is 30 years old. She eats and drinks. Now my other horses are starting the projectile diarrea. I lost a colt to West Niles, but this doesn't seem to be the same. She has had this since last Winter. All my horses are getting sick. My well water is below par and I have had two wells drilled. I am scared to death. I have some of the horses in pasture and some in outside stalls. The mare is now also showing signs of strangles which has passed through the ranch. I just read about "bastard strangles" How would you diagnosis this? what about the other 10 horses? Salley |
Member: Eoeo |
Posted on Sunday, Sep 18, 2005 - 6:51 pm: Good Lord, have you had your well water tested? Are you drinking it? Is it giving you any problems? Have you had a vet working on this?What tests on her have you had done? What are you feeding? Prolonged use of banamine and bute will make a horse get ulcers. Could she have had ulcers to start with? You need some diagnostic work done if you haven't already done it. You need more help than we can give you at this point with what info you have provided. EO |
Member: Mrose |
Posted on Sunday, Sep 18, 2005 - 7:11 pm: Sally, you poor thing! My heart goes out to you dealing with this. I was going to ask most of the same questions Little King asked.If you'll look under "equine diseases" -> "strangles" it will tell you about bastard strangles, also. Have you put your mare on either yogurt or pro-biotics? I think it would be worth a try. But, do get some testing done on the horses and water, if you haven't already. Please keep us posted. |
Member: Mrose |
Posted on Sunday, Sep 18, 2005 - 7:14 pm: Also, have you tried giving the mare Kaopectate-the same stuff people use. You can get big jugs of it from the pharmacist. It should help "slow things down" while you are trying to figure this out. |
Member: Sunny66 |
Posted on Sunday, Sep 18, 2005 - 9:59 pm: In addition to the above...My two cents....call your vet and ask them about biosponge - for the diarhea.Also, somewhere on here there is a natural probiotic posted that they swear works great. Good point on the ulcers...however, you don't HAVE to get her scoped, it's very invasive, most vets will let you try the gastroguard without scoping. In 3-4 days you'll either see a difference or you won't. (((Hugs))) -- hang in there... |
Member: Unis11 |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 12:22 am: More than thank you for your quick responses. I will check out the biosponge. I don't think I can sleep tonite and haven't for many nights. I love my horses and would go to the end of the earth for any of them. No vet seems to know what this is. Iread about Colitis X. This seems to match. I willl keep you all updated. I am out here all alone and woould love some support right now. Thanks, God Bless, Salley |
Member: Shirl |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 12:49 am: Salley, in what area do you live? All of us are always here for you, but if you were close to me, (Tucson, AZ) I'd be right there. Don't forget to take care of you too. Love & prayers, Shirl |
Member: Kayababy |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 12:59 am: Salley, you might want to check out Dr. O's article under Nutrition-> Water, Water Quality, and Watering Horses. I know there are places you can take a water sample to get tested,maybe check your local phone book for exact place. (maybe your local government extension office or a private well driller) Best of luck and I know all of us are thinking of you. Hugs. |
Member: Ajudson1 |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 8:08 am: Have your water tested ASAP. If all the horses are showing signs of the same thing, it's something they are all eating/drinking or getting into, or something that is very contagious.On a better note, a friend of mine had a similar problem with a mare she was leasing. The diarhea went on for weeks and the mare was loosing weight and they thought they were going to lose her. Other than supportive care, I don't recall anything special that was done for her and she did recover. It was just an awful thing to go thru though. The mare did eat and drink o.k. the whole time. If I talk to my friend today I'll see what she remembers of the whole ordeal and if there's anything I can add I'll post again. Hang in there!! |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 8:37 am: Your history above is neither consistent with bastard strangles or colitis-x and neither banamine or bute should be used as a primary treatment for diarrhea. Ask your vet what is the reason for this.Your first step should be to go into your profile and fill out the areas involving your horse care and experience. Be sure to be complete and thorough in your answers. What exactly is wrong with your well water? Lastly you should study Equine Diseases » Colic and GI Diseases » Diarrhea in Horses » Diarrhea an Overview. Consider at least 3 good readings and be sure to write down questions about any parts you do not understand. DrO |
Member: Unis11 |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 12:34 pm: Dr. O: I have added my profile for you to review.Ages of my horses will be added later today. I hope it helps.Salley Will read what you suggested thank you. |
Member: Qh4me |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 3:35 pm: Salley,The web site for the biosponge, is https://www.platinumperformance.com/animal/equine/ I have used this on a horse with Chronic diarhea, as well as one with Colitis and had good results with both horses. But as everyone has already posted, I suggest more testing be done to get to the root cause of all the illness. |
Member: Leseb |
Posted on Monday, Sep 19, 2005 - 11:35 pm: I was talking to a friend that had a horse they thought was going to die due to projectile diarrhea. They started penicillin injections two times a day and it cleared up in three days so they felt it was an infection somewhere. Are stool cultures ever done to diagnose the cause of diarrhea? |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Tuesday, Sep 20, 2005 - 8:27 am: Sally we also need to know what you are using to deworm with and would like to know more about the sickest horses environment and feeding regimen. Leslie the article I reference above has information on examination of the feces. I would still like the information on the well water too.Sally I should have included the address for the article on Strangles at Equine Diseases » Respiratory System » Strangles & Streptococcus equi. DrO |
Member: Boomer |
Posted on Friday, Dec 1, 2006 - 4:00 pm: Wow, it's been a year but Sally, how is your herd doing and what was the outcome? |