Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2014 15:28:35 GMT
I feel a bit stupid for posting this, but is it normal to for a horse to have an upset stomach / diarrhea after switching from one round bale to another?
I ask because this seems to be what is happening to Benny. It is all the same type of hay, from the same field, that the BO's grow and bale themselves. I have looked at the hay and haven't found anything that makes me question the quality.
I have been looking at putting him on a digestive aid to help things a little bit, but I want to know if it is fairly normal for this to happen or if I should be more concerned about it.
I can't remember this happening with my previous horses, maybe Benny just has a delicate digestive tract? |
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Post by lorddaxter on Nov 7, 2014 16:19:37 GMT
Ira gets that sometimes too, sometimes he even licks it!
Vet didn't seem too concerned but I was, I guess it depends how long it lasts?
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nhg
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Post by nhg on Nov 7, 2014 16:40:38 GMT
Yes, that can happen easily. Just a little bit of something extra or different and it bothers them a bit.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2014 16:47:45 GMT
Ok, I guess with all that has happened I am having 'helicopter horse mom syndrome'. Glad this is not a big deal.
It usually lasts between 3 days to a week, and he doesn't act colicky at all, but one girl did ask me what was wrong with his stomach, and it got me thinking a little bit that maybe something was going on.
Will probably be putting him on the digestive aid anyway as I don't think it could hurt at all. At the moment I am leaning toward "Grand Digest". Has anyone fed it before? Or supplements you have had success with?
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Post by horselady on Nov 9, 2014 1:17:06 GMT
I was not concerned until you said it last from 3 days to a week. assuming that is how long a round bale might last?
is he on any other grain or additives. for a short help use pepto bismal. large doses of it. a huge syringe about 50cc every day for 3 days and see what happens.
and just out of curiosity i would give him some other hay just to see what happens. i wonder if there is alfalafa in those bales.?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2014 4:43:46 GMT
The bales are an alfalfa brome mixture, more brome than alfalfa. I would say probably a 60-40 ratio.
Benny and his pasture buddy get the bale to themselves. It normally lasts about two weeks. He just got a new one yesterday. Today when I had him in he pooped 3x. One was good, one rather loose and one that was mush. I was actually surprised that his first one looked fairly normal.
He is currently on 4 cups of rice bran and 1 cup of canola oil.
I will try the pepto tomorrow and see if it helps.
He still seems normal in every other way, eats well, excited to have his rice bran, no sensitivity on his sides or belly, good gut sounds. Not sure what to think.
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Post by horselady on Nov 9, 2014 20:05:05 GMT
HMMMM not sure what the rice bran might be doing. i know rice is for loose poop, but the bran i will have to look into that. i would eliminate the the oil for a couple of weeks and not give canola oil. and when you start go with corn oil instead and use 1/2 cup. that might be your problem way to much oil.
"remember that GREASY hamburger you ate at the corner burger joint how it made your stomach all noisy and hours later you got the results" same thing perhaps is happening to him.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2014 23:10:49 GMT
I will try cutting back the oil in his diet. I am trying to think back to when we moved from the other barn, I don't think he had any issues there with the hay. That being said, the hay there was not as nice as the hay he has now. I will see if I can find some corn oil as well. May I ask why you suggest it over canola? I have been doing a lot of googling lately in regards to the different oils and their benefits and downfalls, and am interested to hear your perspective  Does it have to do with the Omega levels? Canola is prevalent in my area, but I shouldn't have too much of a problem finding corn. |
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Post by horselady on Nov 11, 2014 2:05:43 GMT
here is what i found on canola oil. sounds scarey but it does get recommended so if you find you want to continue with it than proceed carefully authoritynutrition.com/canola-oil-good-or-bad/on the other hand corn oil is just that . processed oil from corn a natural food for the horses and easy to digest. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 2:50:16 GMT
Bumping this up. I have slowly eliminated all oil from Benny's diet. He has been completely oil free for about a week and a half now. I have also slowly reduced his grain. I am in the process of making an appointment for a vet to come and take a look at him. Poor boy is still having frequent (4+ times in an hour and a half) and very loose movements. I am washing his tail, bum, and back legs daily.  He has always had a good appetite, eats and drinks well. Has been gaining weight, but had plateaued a bit recently, but is still at a decent weight. Always has good gut sounds and no outward sensitivity. Decent looking coat, would like to see him a bit shinier, but he is not dull either. No change in demeanor, I am not sure what to think, but I feel bad for the poor dude. I am starting to think perhaps he has ulcers? I know this is a common issue wit OTTB's, although he really didn't spend all that much time at the track. I don't want to start an omprezole regime until I can have a vet see him. Any thoughts on what I can do to help him until I can get a vet out? (Hopeful early this week) Still looking into probiotic and gut support supplements, but don't want to start him on anything new until I have a better idea of what is going on. |
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Post by mustangsavvy on Dec 15, 2014 3:43:06 GMT
I would wonder about ulcers. My friend horse had some similar issues and it turned out to be ulcers. I would also run a fecal. Poor kid! I don't really have any ideas though of stuff to do until you get the vet out.
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Post by lorddaxter on Dec 15, 2014 13:29:09 GMT
Not really, I'd wait till the vet had been, easier for him to see him at his worse so to say, sorry he's still having this issue, quite worrying:(
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mistersmom
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Post by mistersmom on Dec 15, 2014 14:07:34 GMT
Have you tested his poop for sand? Let us know what the vet thinks.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 18:34:43 GMT
Vet will be out Wednesday morning. I will be having her test for sand and run a general fecal.
I agree that the vet needs to see him without any potential interfering factors, but I do feel bad for the poor guy.
I have his tail braided and up so it stays a little cleaner.
I was thinking about maybe putting some Vaseline on his dock, bum and hind legs, but worry about things like PH balances and the fact it is a petroleum product.
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Post by horselady on Dec 16, 2014 1:50:15 GMT
You should put something on his legs to keep the hair from getting stuck with poo and protect his legs, i use petroleum jelly or baby oil or veg oil even. anything to make him confortable. remember to mention to vet the last time you wormed him. and if he has any change of feed or supplements. also check for fever tomorrow and perhaps wed. am so the vet will know a history of temp. they do worry us. if after all this i have heard that rice is good for soft stools. i used it and was amazed how it worked in a short time.
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Post by Shelly on Dec 16, 2014 6:25:57 GMT
I didn't read many of the comments but someone recently told me that in a hay field bales can sometimes vary. If your farmer's fields have hills or anything like that then the more wet or dry areas can grow slightly differently. Also when seeding it may not always be the same concentration put down everywhere if that makes sense.
I also feed my horse a probiotic. Sheldon had chronic diarrhea this summer and it went away after he got his teeth floated. An easy way to check if their teeth needs floating is by checking their poop and seeing how long the strands/hay bits are. If their teeth aren't doing the job right then you will see longer pieces (over 1inch long).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2014 20:53:48 GMT
Vet was out yesterday. I was not overly impressed with her. Basically gained no real insight into what might be going on with Benny. She pulled some blood and collected some stool, so hopefully we will be getting results back from that soon.
In the meantime she gave me a gut supplement to start feeding him. I am not expecting to see much change if any, as it appears to be largely herbal, and have not have good luck historically with herbal treatments.
We checked his teeth as well and they are ok. Not sharp, will probably need to be done come April, but I will have them done before just incase.
Looking into getting a second opinion from another vet as this one did not actually seem that interested and spent a great deal more time visiting with others around the barn then she did checking out Benny.
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Post by lorddaxter on Dec 18, 2014 22:20:55 GMT
Ugh, I hate that, was it a young vet, I have started asking for the vet I like, not possible in an emergency usually but for appts I insist:)
If I were you I'd go for a second opinion too
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Post by Deleted on Dec 19, 2014 2:20:00 GMT
She was young. I was really underwhelmed, but being newish to the area I called that clinic based on the recommendation of others. I have a few other clinics in mind, will be making some calls tomorrow.
Benny is not particularly keen on eating this herbal stuff. I can't blame him, it stinks to high heaven. He is a picky eater as it is. He ate it tonight, but he wasn't thrilled about it, took him almost twice as long as it normally does.
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mistersmom
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Post by mistersmom on Dec 19, 2014 13:39:12 GMT
It never hurts to get a second opinion and it will be a great opportunity for you to get to know the vets in your area and find one you like when you can do so calmly and not in an emergency.
The clinic I use has at least 4 vets. They are all great and nice and I would happily use any of them in an emergency but for non-emergency appointments, I ask for my favorite (he's oh so dreamy...). Actually if the emergency is during normal hours, I ask for him as well - if feasible.
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Does it have to do with the Omega levels? Canola is prevalent in my area, but I shouldn't have too much of a problem finding corn.
