Suckling having a hard time with BM's

[ruffian]

I have a suckling foal that is having a hard time pooping. He strains and strains, even flopping down and panting while it's coming out. i've given him a couple of enemas, and it helps that particular BM, but I noticed that a couple of days later he's right back where he was. After each Bm he immediately pops up and nurses.

Any suggestions?

 

[MindyLee]

I use Phillips for people use on my minis that have hard time pooping or gets constapaded. Works great and has even saved my older horse's life.

just a suggestion

 

[chandab]

Could he be a bit dehydrated, so his poops are dry, and therefore difficult to evacuate?

I honestly don't know, but this is the first thing that came to mind.

 

[Sandy B]

How old is he?

I had this exact problem with our mini filly this year. She was a porker eating mom's hay and grain at a early age and her poops were like hard goat turds(small marbles) and she would grunt and groan and push so hard. I gave her like 10cc of mineral oil for a couple days in a row and enemas and even stuck a lubed gloved finger up there to make sure all was clear. I mad sure she had access to water too. I then began wetting the grass/alf hay I fed so it was really wet and the pellets and grain I fed were soaked to be a mash. Within a few days it got much better (moms too) and I continued this until she was weaned and actually still wet her hay as I do all my small guys.

 

[REO]

Seems like many sucklings love to lick dirt! Have you seen him doing it?

I also like to mix some Citrucel (Or any one of those types) and slowly syringe it into their mouths.

If you're gentle (as I know you are) nothing wrong with enemas. They work for mine.

 

[Matt73]

How old is he? After passing the meconium Levi strained to have normal bowel movements; his anus was particularly small. I gave him enemas for the first week and then he started going normally on his own.

 

[Tab]

I know this is gross, but I noticed my little one had some dry manure and straining and I just went in the house, filled a syringe with olive oil and injected a little into his bum - gently. He finished evacuating and went and nursed. It seemed to have done the trick by lubing his bowel without really giving him the urge to evacuate. Sometimes it is an issue with youngsters who are tasting a little bit of everything in their stalls and pasture.