COLT in Trouble...Please help...

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Bellas Babies

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Sylvania, Ga
About 3 days ago, I found out year and a half old colt laying on the ground in the barn late in the afternoon. He was wet under his neck with sweat. (He still has a pretty good bit of his winter coat, we have brushed him and brushed him- his sister had the same trouble of not loosing hers for about 2 years) Anyways... I assumed he got hot and I immediatly got him water began trying to get more of that fur off, and gave him food. He ate and drank great- We walked him, he used the bathroom fine... Acted a little slugish, but ok... 4-5 hours later put him back out to pasture.

Next morning he was up acted fine, fed him, etc. That afternoon- down again. Did the same thing with the exception I decided to bathe him to try and get some more of that fur off. He would stand and eat grass, feed and drink water for hours right by my side, then its like his back legs get weak and he just falls from the back end. Got him back up and stayed with him a few more hours and stalled him by himself. Checked on him later in the night-up and ok.

Today- Went out in the morning and fed him he neighed and acted a little spunky... so I opened his stall up so he could get out a little by himself. This afternoon I find him outside laying down with all legs spread under him- and there were marks where he had been trying to get up- very weak- I pick him up and get him water and food- he wanted the food ate a few bites and then went to the water. He put his whole head in the water up to his eyes and sometimes over his eyes probably a dozen times (never seen a horse do this??). We figured he was trying to cool his self off. Stayed up for the three hours we were out there did fall one time like tripping over himself but no more after that...

History: He is very small (60 pounds) and 1 1/2 years old, wormed him again 3 days ago just for good measure. (Since we got more of the fur off he does look a little thin in the hips, but hasa round belly) We have no vet around here- probably 60 + miles, any help or firection would be appreciated... Just don't know what else to do- Is he lacking something?? Anemic?? Any help is truely appreciated
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(sorry this is so long)
 
You need a vet no matter how far away.
 
There is no way any of us can truly help him without looking at him, and it sounds like you desperately need to give him iv fluids to give him a chance... PLEASE throw him in a trailer and drive him to a vet!!!! He's been Sick far too long to wait....
 
Poor baby, I agree with others, he needs a vet and fast. Hope all ends well!
 
Agree he needs a vet ASAP ..60lbs is there someone that can help you....do not let him put his head in the bucket like that...he's going to drown...maybe hes too weak to even lift his head out of the water. IMO I wouldnt be giving him any foods until you see a vet tonight. Do you have any electrolytes, gatorade maybe a bit of that before you transport him tonight...will your vet meet you somewhere.
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:pray
 
Take him to the vet. Just put him in you car if you have to. Could be heat, neurolgical? I am not a vet.
 
You need a vet ASAP. Too many possibilities to speculate, but if his hips are thin and he has a round belly he's not getting enough nutrition. It's hard to tell sometimes with winter hair, but that's not a healthy profile. Has he been dewormed? Hair not coming off this late says maybe he needs to be..

I'd be trying electrolytes and maybe some Karo in a pinch just to give him a boost until the vet sees him.

Jan
 
He has been wormed with zimectrin gold- I really feel it is the heat, but I am going to take him to a small animal vet in the morning- Maybe he can help or direct me to someone that can...
 
He needs to be seen by a vet A.S.A.P. or you may loose him. He sounds very underweight to me being only 60lbs, being hippy and probably a protruding backbone and big belly sounds like he isn't getting the nutrients he needs. It can be very hard to judge if they have full hair like that. If he's wormy that's not good at all and sometimes deworming them can cause even more problems if they are very wormy. Only a fecal test can point out if he does have worms or not. Check his Capillary Refill Time, it should show how long it takes for the blood return to the tissues in the gums. First of all their gums should be nicely pink, not pale or blue, press your thumb against his gums for 2 seconds and it will leave a white mark, the color should return 1 or 2 seconds if not he may be in shock. If he is dehydrated a good test is to pinch the skin on his neck and it should flatten back in no time, if the skin stays pinched and doesn't flatten very fast then that means he's dehydrated. Check his temperature, check for gut sounds, look at how fast he is breathing. Do all of this and then call your closest vet and it will give him sort of an idea at what he may be dealing with. This doesn't sound good, could be malnourished, the heat could play a huge part of it and may be dehydrated on top of that, and for him to just go down like that it could be neurological. Have you given him any vaccinations?

I agree please watch him closely when he is drinking the water, he can not be dunking his head like that and I would also would avoid giving him much food until you talk to the vet, if anything just some loose hay, without knowing what's going on he could possibly choke.
 
We have very hot weather here in southern CA... It's often well over 100... I've never seen a horse have those sort of problems, ever, even when dehydrated from a workout. And certainly not for days or an extended amount of time.

I hope you're on your way...
 
We did vaccinate him in January with FluVac Innovator. I hate to think that he is malnutritioned ;0 He didnt look so thin with the extra fur, but my hubby and I think the others might not be letting him eat very much??? Of course, that was never our intention and feel awful!!
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He is only 20-22" tall- He is very tiny!
 
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Well you won't know unless a vet looks at him... A blood pull will tell a lot... If he is indeed malnutritioned (which how the heck can we even know without running our hands on him?) he may have organ damage or something.

Please don't assume the heat or lack of food... If the horse hase been showing symptoms for days there is something wrong.
 
I believe you said this started about 3 days ago? And you wormed with Zimectrin Gold three days ago? Take him to a vet NOW and make sure you mention all that he has been doing and what and when you wormed and gave shots with and when. Please don't wait, it doesn't sound like he should be waiting until tomorrow. If he is thin you can deal with that later but right now he needs a vet ASAP. I have only seen one horse dunk its head in water like that and she had a raging fever and was showing neurological signs because of the fever. PLEASE don't wait
 
Nobody knows, quite a few of the things that you are saying sound odd to me. He needs to see a vet like everybody else is saying. Bloodwork will tell you if he is fighting infection, dehydration ect and how his organs are doing, he could be having a hard time with the dewormer. he needs more help than people on here can give him because we cannot see him, feel him ect if this was my horse I would be on my way to the vet!!!
 
Your on the board right now, how is the colt and has he been to a vet yet?
 
Poor little baby, wow that is tiny'!!! Like the others have said I would be getting him to the vets immediately or if that is not an option right this instant call them!!!! Have you called them at all? One of the other ladies said some good advice, on listening to gut sounds, checking temp, checking dehydration etc, please re read her post she has given you very valuable info here. It sounds very very odd! N not really like ulcers please at least call your vet n do the tests that we have suggested then let us know what you hear, feel see... It's so hard but poor little man I really hope he will improve for you
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Yep, get the vet.

Have you been worming him regularly? Not sure if its the same with horses as ours are always up to date, but one of the first goats we bought had scourers so we gave her a dose of drench and she died the next day. We found out from the vet that if they're totally infested you should only give them smaller doses more frequently till you get on top of the worms or it will make them very sick or be fatal. That's the only thing that comes to mind but you really need a vets opinion asap.
 
Zimectrin Gold is a very powerful dewormer, and would for sure mention to the vet. He could be small because he isn't getting enough food, they won't grow if they aren't getting enough nutrition. The hair can really fool you, thats why you see thin cases especially around the winter time when they have their full coats you can't tell without running your hands thru them if they are getting enough or not. If he is having ulcers its because of the stress his body is experiencing, but the symptoms don't point to ulcers, but I won't be surprised if the vet doesn't put him on some type of ulcer medication. Right now its out of your control and needs professional help, please take him to an equine vet.
 

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