WLS
Well-Known Member
Can anyone tell me why and how a completely healthy one month old foal would have ulcers??. We have been breeding and raising foals for 17 years; I had lots of sick babies over the years, but never one like this. Our little Poco was fine on Saturday afternoon, a very spunky little colt, by 8:30 pm. he was down and seemed to have a mild colic. We gave him some pepto and a mild shot of Anafen, have done this several times before. We had just put the mares with foals in a new pasture about 3 hours earlier and I was SURE he must have ate too much or maybe a weed that was not good. With all the rain this month, the grass has been so plentiful. So I was sure he had a gas colic from over eating. How much grass could a small month old baby eat anyway?
I watched him through the night and he seemed to be improving, then about 4:30 am. he got worse, I called the vet and he arrived about an hour later. Said he was sure it was ulcers and gave him a shot and some meds for ulcers, with instructions for more meds .........so I thought he would be fine. By 9:00 am he is getting worse, and Vet #2 now arrives, not sure what he has. Tried to tube him with no success, and gave him more meds for gas colic. By 3:00 poor colt is really suffering, now he is dragging his back end around and trying to nurse but the pain makes him just drop to the ground. The most devastating sight. Now you can hear fluid in his belly when he tries to roll. Call the vet back and he says he will do some research, vet calls again says it could be a ruptured bladder.? Vet admits he is at a loss as to what is wrong with this colt. Finally, I suggest he make a third trip and we do an ultrasound of the abdomen. The poor baby is in such pain it is just heart breaking. Vet now thinks it is probably a perforated gastric ulcer and he is too young and weak for surgery; so we opt to put the little guy to sleep. WE will never know for sure what happened to our spunky little Poco, but at least now is free from pain. And I hope NEVER to see this again. I still think the fresh pasture had something to do with his illness. Does anyone have any ideas what would cause this.?
I watched him through the night and he seemed to be improving, then about 4:30 am. he got worse, I called the vet and he arrived about an hour later. Said he was sure it was ulcers and gave him a shot and some meds for ulcers, with instructions for more meds .........so I thought he would be fine. By 9:00 am he is getting worse, and Vet #2 now arrives, not sure what he has. Tried to tube him with no success, and gave him more meds for gas colic. By 3:00 poor colt is really suffering, now he is dragging his back end around and trying to nurse but the pain makes him just drop to the ground. The most devastating sight. Now you can hear fluid in his belly when he tries to roll. Call the vet back and he says he will do some research, vet calls again says it could be a ruptured bladder.? Vet admits he is at a loss as to what is wrong with this colt. Finally, I suggest he make a third trip and we do an ultrasound of the abdomen. The poor baby is in such pain it is just heart breaking. Vet now thinks it is probably a perforated gastric ulcer and he is too young and weak for surgery; so we opt to put the little guy to sleep. WE will never know for sure what happened to our spunky little Poco, but at least now is free from pain. And I hope NEVER to see this again. I still think the fresh pasture had something to do with his illness. Does anyone have any ideas what would cause this.?
