Foals poop...(sorry! LOL)

[wildoak]

Glad to see an improvement

. I noticed the bit of blood too, maybe just from straining? The big glob of mucous concerned me, so glad to see things looking at least more in the direction of normal. I don't know that this is something you'd want to do on a baby, but just for the sake of information sharing - we had a very impacted mare who was not responding to mineral oil, etc, and the vet tubed her with epsom salt/water. When it worked its way through, I have to say it was explosive - but it did save her life.

Keep up the good work, and keep us posted.

Jan

 

[backwoodsnanny]

dear Mona

The last posted pic looks the best yet I was wondering also if she has any ulcer symptoms as in excessive interest in the water bucket for example as sometimes an ulcer can also slow things down especially when I saw that little speck of blood. So glad you got a vet to at least look. Sounds like your were right on in your assessment. Continued prayers that all continues to go well. I agaree its so funny that we all can at points in time be so estatic when the poop is right after an illness. I especially wanted to mention the ulcer since I lost a baby at 40 days old several years ago from one. The first signs I saw was her great interest in the water bucket and lack of poop. If these antibiotics are strong ones that you are going to try then she probably should get some ulcer guard or equivilent along with them as they can be so hard on a babies tummy and intestines. Just a thought. prayers for continued success.

N ita

 

[Mona]

WOOHOO!!!! I think I'm safe to say that this can be my final update!! She has had 3 poops today in about the last 11 hours! One at about 11:00am, one between 5:00 and 7:00pm and another now between 9:00 and 10:00pm!! That is only 3 or 4 hours since the last one, so I bet she is out of danger and will now be back to normal! I have the feeling it may now go to the extreme opposite end of the spectrum, since her mom should be coming into her 10 day heat. I noticed tonight the colt had the squirts, and am guessing that is why. He is just 3 hours older than this filly.

THANK YOU EVERYONE!! It really does help to ease a person's mind knowing you have a support system in place when you go through things like this!

 

[Margo_C-T]

Great news, Mona! Sounds like things are definitely much better!

Just a few more thoughts I've had, based on past experiences....first, that the last pic you posted appeared pretty fibrous, as if she'd been taking in hay? I have had several over time that were very 'mouth-oriented', VERY early on---one colicked, had to be treated for that AND for ulcers(bedded on straw; from then on, I put straw OVER shavings, left it in place for only a week or less after foaling); the other impacted so seriously that he needed surgery for the impaction(what they removed was a combo of all types of hair--body, mane/tail--and fibrous material---hay/bedding)--both at very young ages! Babies like these are the 'type' to get themselves in trouble because they are compelled to try everything out with their mouth! When they have no teeth, or very few, and simply don't know how to chew properly, it is especially dangerous for them, IMO.

I have used ranitidine to treat for ulcers at a young age; also, had several that I (on vet's advice) began giving psyllium to, using a dose syringe, pancake syrup(NOT water, as psyllium will 'gel' BEFORE you can get it into the horse, and that needs to happen AFTER!)---and a LOT of patience and willingness to get messy...when they were very young---but it did seem to work. You may just want to spend some time observing her, to see if she seems to be the 'try everything with my mouth' type.

Again, SO glad to hear things are doing better...Great Job!

Margo

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Dear Mona

I am so glad to read this update today. YAY Continued prayers for continued improvement but again let me say Thank you for sharing as sometimes we all may have a time when a vet cant come on a moments notice and your situation always reminds me how very lucky I am to have a vet available at all. Great Job Girl !!!!!!

 

[Mona]

Thanks again. Margo, I think that this might be her problem. Yes, before this happened she was in a stall heavily bedded with straw, and had access to mom's hay as well. I took it all up, leaving NOTHING on the floor for bedding at all, and fed mom in a muck bucket hanging high enough that the filly could not get into it. That said however, mom would sometimes bang the tub around tipping it out, or sometimes dumping some on the ground. I have, a few times, found chewed up pieces of hay on the floor in a little wad. I thought maybe it was from the mare to begin with, but later thought maybe it was the filly chewing it up and spitting it out. Maybe that IS what got her into trouble, and she IS one that has to mouth/taste everything...from me to the walls of the stalll!

I do not trust shavings even worse than I do not trust straw. I have never had trouble with straw ever, in the past 15 years that I have been raising minis. I am more scared of them impacting on shavings than straw. (I have heard of it happening)

It looked like overnight she only had one poop, so I am going to keep treating with the mineral oil until she starts having regular, normal bowel movements.

I do have ulcer guard here to use if need be, but she isn;t showing any outward signs of having ulcers, or do you mean I should I give it as a precautionary measure?

 

[Margo_C-T]

Mona, as I understand it, Ulcerguard is the 'preventative', and Gastroguard is the 'treatment'. I've never used either; have only used ranitidine, so can't really say. However, if it were me, I'd probably just keep doing what you're doing(with the oil, per vet's instructions--after all, HE'S the one with the intensive training!), and keep on keeping an eye on her. I wouldn't 'treat' with anything like that unless/until I had more certainty that ulcers might be an issue. At her young age, I'd be hesitant to add anything else that 'goes into' her system, unless you had several specific symptoms, AND the vet's go-ahead.

You've done everything you should, taking the bedding up, trying to limit her access to hay as much as possible...maybe try some safe stall toys for her? Jolly Ball, used plastic milk jug w/ a few rocks inside(lid on tight, checked daily to make sure it hasn't cracked, etc.), even a small rubber tub, etc... some will make use of them, some won't--but babies NEED to move around, have SOMETHING to do with themselves, burn off some of that youthful energy!

With the 'mouthy' sort, I recommend using the psyllium---I'll contact you privately about that, because it would take too long to type it out!

Margo

 

[user 488]

Good new Mona! You need to get some rest!

 

[Mona]

Well Margo, I checked, and I guess it is GastroGuard I have anyway, not Ulcerguard. I have added some toys to her stall, and had her out for a bit again this morning, and will maybe put her back out a little later. I have to do them in shifts...her and the other mare/foal. I had them all out this morning and this filly is too brave, and Mom was more interested in eating hay than watching her child, so the filly went running over to the other foal and his mom, and she went after the filly!

So I had to put one pair back into the barn for safety. I'll do a shift change later to get her out a bit again.

Here are pics of 3 piles of partially chewed hay I found on the stall floor that I mentioned I keep finding. I think this is the filly doing this with pieces of hay she picks off the floor from her dam eating and dropping it down there. I am thinking the filly since there are still long pieces sticking out the sides of the more chewed areas of each clump.

So Margo, you are most likely correct on your thinking she is one of those "mouthy" foals!!

 

[HGFarm]

I would make sure mama's teeth are in good shape and she is not the one throwing out wads of hay.

Sounds like you are on the mend now and your problem is past! YEAH!! And yes, only horse folks are so glad to see poop! LOL

I knew that hair was not in the poop, just wondered if that might have been the reason for the initial blockage? It would have been hard to tell, but can be a problem and do know folks that have lost foals from it when they colicked- didnt know til the autopsy was done. I have spent hours grooming horses during shedding and the hair just keeps coming out! The foals can still get a good bunch of it inside. I usually shave my mares from mid way down when they are due to prevent that, but our weather has been SO up and down this year (was 39 degrees two mornings ago with a high of 60 and today will be 75 and Sunday 95!!!) that I did not shave any this year. Good thing!

Anyhow, another note... I use shavings for bedding but put a layer of grass hay over it. That way if anyone feels the need to munch anything, there is soft grass there. Works better than the straw and is a much softer bed. Did use just grass hay before but the shavings are a bit more absorbant underneath.

Sounds like you are good to go now Mona! You are such a good mama!!! Hope it dries out for you soon - I just hate the mud. Glad we dont get much here.

It's normal for the other mama to chase the other's baby away. If she is not an evil mare, the foal will quickly learn what the signals are to 'go away'. Sounds like she is quite in inquisitive little gal and going to be independant!