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This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Gastric Ulcers » Gastric Ulcers in Adult Horses »
  Discussion on Are frequent small poops a sign of GI upset?
Author Message
New Member:
jones

Posted on Sunday, Nov 1, 2009 - 10:31 pm:

Hello DrO.
I have poop questions.
My 10 year old gelding is on a regular deworming and sand colic preventive and he is fed Bermuda hay and a bit of alfalfa twice a day. At night he gets alfalfa pellets soaked with water mixed with his vitamins/supplements at night.
I have noticed that the last few months he will frequently poop a small amount, walk around a bit then will poop a small amount somewhere else. This happens throughout the day mixed with occasions of pooping larger piles also.
He is other wise acting normally.
My neighbor thinks that his poops don't look normal. They are not ever tight "road apples" but rather large clumps that break apart when they hit the ground (he is 15.5 hands) This has been his normal for the 3 years I have owned him.
Can either of these poop issues be a sign of a GI issue?
New Member:
jones

Posted on Sunday, Nov 1, 2009 - 10:59 pm:

I forgot to add, he does yawn at times also, I notice this mostly in the evenings.
Thank you.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 2, 2009 - 11:06 pm:

Hello jones,
The long term presence of the frequent passage of moister feces is essentially a description of chronic mild diarrhea. However there are many healthy horses that have stools like you describe. So are you looking at a early onset disease process or our you looking at normal is not something I can ascertain.

Without any other clinical signs and if it is not worsening it is hard to be too worried. When is the last fecal been run and was it run after the prepatent period of the previous deworming had run out? For more on this see Horse Care » Worms, Deworming, Parasite Control » Overview of Deworming.
DrO
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