loose stool

Miniature Horse Talk Forums

Help Support Miniature Horse Talk Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

KAYO

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
123
Reaction score
0
Location
INDIANA
I'm kind of at wits end....my weanling colt was foaled Jan. 26th, we weaned him at 3 months after he had had loose stools for about a month (off and on) he was treated with probias twice daily and we were able to keep him from having the explosive type problem.

I had read on LB that someone had had a foal that was having trouble with it's mothers milk and that they had the same type problem. After several stool samples, d worming for parasites that didn't show up in the samples, and considering that possibly he was having a problem with his mothers milk and/or hay (our hay stayed really green over the winter) we weaned him. Our vet said to go ahead and wean since he was eating so well.

The problem seemed to get a lot better, he had kind of had loose stools once in a while and when that happened we put him back on the probias.

He'll be 6 months old this month and starting yesterday the problem came back. Not "shooting" diarreah, but loose. He seems to feel great, plays and eats really well.

We started him on Compete as a baby, and recently changed to a new feed. The protein is the same, 14%, but this new feed is a sweet feed. He also gets beet pulp (has since he was really young) and the usual suppliments, horse shoers secret, black sunflower seeds and regular d worming.

I ordered the biosponge that I've been reading about and should get it tomorrow in the mail.

Has anyone had this problem? Yesterday and today was pretty warm, maybe he was a little stressed from the weather, but he has been clipped.

We've hauled him to two shows without any problem at all.

Maybe I'm over worrying, but could he have a colon problem?? Or is the hay the bad guy? What if he can't tolerate hay?? He needs the roughage and I realize he's getting some from the beet pulp.

Any input would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Kay
 
Does your foal have access to a mineral or salt block? I've had problems where I'd forget to take the salt or mineral block out of the foals reach and that will cause SEVERE diareah......
 
We keep salt/mineral blocks in thier turn out area so he only has access while he's out playing and I've never seen him over use them. The vet seems a little lost on this too, he says to keep doing what I've been doing, so more probias and then we'll try the biosponge tomorrow. Thanks for responding...
 
I had a foal just like this last year. We were at our wits ends. Finally we took her off alfalfa/grass hay and put her on grass hay only. It cleared immediately. For some reason she was sensitive to the alfalfa. Now I have fed alfalfa for years and always will but for some reason she couldnt handle it. Now as a yearling shes back on alfalfa and does fine. My vet felt it could have been something else in teh hay upsetting her. I would remove the salt blocks though. they always cause diarrhea in foals.

also please re consider sweet feed. a complete feed is best for weaned foals like equine jr
 
You might try putting him on Metamucil. That has worked very well for me in the past. Do you have much sand in your pasture - he could have some sand and that would do that.

Good luck.

Barbie
 

Latest posts

Back
Top