My colt's impaction colic

[~Lisa~]

Robin- dont let anyone make you feel bad about your decisions. Your right surgery is not an option for everyone and success rate is not that wonderful anyway .

You did all you could and in this case you were blessed and it all worked and had it not you would have known you did all you could.

I personally think the key is IV fluids and am very grateful my vets will allow me to run them myself once they do the catheter.

Anyway you did the best you could for your horse and he pulled thru I am so happy he is ok and have a friend who did the same thing with her mare and she also survived. I have had friends and myself have done colic surgery on a horse who didnt survive.. No way to tell the outcome of any of these things all we can do is the best with what we have and hope and pray.

 

[user 488]

Yep, I agree. Surgery is just not an option for everyone. You did everything you could and thankfully it all worked out. Don't ever judge until you have walked in that person's shoes.....which, of course, you can never do. Bless you both for doing everything you did to save your precious little guy!

 

[targetsmom]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience (all of you). This is how we learn. I am glad to hear your colt is better and hope he continues to improve.

I have had my own experience with colic surgery (twice) in my big horse Target, with a good outcome. In his case he had no chance of survival without the surgery because the tissue was dead. But in different circumstances I made the decision not to have surgery on an aged Arab gelding, and Target won't get another one. Not easy decisions to make, I know.

 

[AnnaC]

Just wanted to say well done to both of you and to thank you for posting in such detail

The funds for any type of surgery are not readily available to most of us during this difficult financial time, therefore sharing our ideas and experiences may one day help save another little life.

So glad your little colt is recovering well - hope the infection in his neck will soon clear up as well.

Anna

 

[MindyLee]

Im glad your little guy made it! CONGATS!

Its good to hear that Im not the only one who believes in enemas too.

 

[REO]

Thank you all for being so sweet!

Believe me, we wanted to take him up North right away Wed night when I knew he was impacted after the first enemas came out clean. But it's not something we decided, it was that we couldn't.

I don't care if I have to stand on my head and turn blue to do something for my horses. I'm not proud, I'll do whatever it takes. They're my babies!

We're going to let him out for a few hours to excercise and visit with his buddy! He enjoys that.

Thank you all for sharing! I guess I'm no longer a closet enema user! LOL and it's good to know I'm not the only one.

Karrel calls me the enema Queen

 

[Miniequine]

Reading your story was a bit upsetting.... thank you for sharing. You must have been going nuts.

I hope your little man continues to recover.. your information just may help somebody someday.

Vet costs can be staggering... and have ruined my show plans for most of this year.

let us know how he is doing.

Do you think some gastroguard is in order? or some stomach soothing stuff?

Just curious.

I hate colic and founder!!!!

my little stallion Little John coliced a few months ago.. don't know why.... but I did keep him very hydrated.. and still make is food soup! Actually.. all mine eat soup twice a day! slurp slurp! LOL

~Sandy

 

[rockin r]

Firstly, let me say I am very happy yout little colt pulled thru! I know you personally. And I have seen first hand what you will do and do without to take care of your babies. Secondly, Why did'nt you tell me about this????!!!! You know Art and I would have helped in any way we could....Don't shut me out because of my health...I'm always here for you Sista!

 

[wildoak]

Good job!

I've done it both ways - have done surgery on a few who would not have survived otherwise, have lost one to colic and have saved a few with patience and lots of fluids. I've done it all from the front end LOL and with IV's, but I'll add enemas to my arsenal next time. It's tough waiting it out and watching them hurt but keeping them hydrated really pays off and it's got to be easier on the horse in the long run.

Jan

 

[Ridgerunner]

Holy cow, Robin, what a nightmare! You did good,girl! I've done enemas a couple times myself! Although I worked on the other end, too! Gave warm water and mineral oil every hour. Looong story, but my filly is an 8 year old now! I'm so glad your little man's better! As for the infected IV sites, we had that with a mare a few years ago. She had a bad dystocia, and was at the vet clinic for a week, being flushed and getting IV's. When she came home her neck looked HORRIBLE! Doc said just let it drain, and clean it with warm water a couple times a day. It healed right up!

Thanx for being brave enough to share what you did with the rest of us!

Melba

 

[Mona]

YAY!!!! WAY TO GO ROBIN!!! GREAT save! So glad your little man pulled through for you....you done good!

 

[REO]

You can imagine that even after he passed that THING on Saturday, he didn't feel well. He was up more but slow moving. My fear was that his intestine there had started to die or something so I was in "wait & see" mode. Each day he seemed to get a little better. I decided today to let him and his mom out for a few hours with the others to stimulate him. Well!! That lil booger pestered his buddy, teased the fillies, hid from his mom and ran all around with his tail plummed over his back! We had huge smiles watching him! Yesterday he pooped once, today at least 3 times! My gorgeous boy is going to be fine!!!

T, I know you're there for me!

Honestly, when I'm in nurse-mom mode, it doesn't occur to me to talk to anyone. I told no one, just ran my butt off caring for him.

I love my forum family!

 

[Marty]

REO what a terrible ordeal you had! I'm so sorry you were put through so much. You saved that baby by using your head and experience and that is awesome. Thanks so much for sharing your story. It may just save another horse. CHEERS and best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery.

 

[sedeh]

I'm so glad to hear he's doing better!! You did a great job saving him. Colic is so scarey, I'm glad to have more tricks in my arsenal against it!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Witts Mini Horse Ranch]

When I first started reading your post, I was thinking the same as T..then I remembered you are like myself..so worried. trying to figure out if this works that works...remenbering all that you have learned from experience and been told. Your mind and heart is all on one thing saving your baby.

You remember I just went through this with Rita..she was tubed several times and didn't pass it..which I felt was making her more miserable. By the grace of God, my vet not giving up and Rita's will to live she is still here. BTW when my vet was talking surgery, he said 1000.00 much better than some..but still more than my husband was willing to go in debt for...and I don't think Rita would have survived the surgery.

And yes I always have the fleet in stock in my cabinet...one of my colts had gas colic back in January and mylanta did the trick..my vet thought I was wacky..when I told him about it. It works for me when I have gas cramps.

I am so happy for you Sis, all your efforts paid off! (((HUGS))) Love you!

BTW which baby was it?

 

[Mandy-RRM]

REO, I just want to say thanks for posting this. Even though it was a couple of years ago, it might well have saved my filly's life today, who is only 5 wks old.

Long Story Short- The two vets we called couldn't come through for us without surgery, but your shared experience did! We knew to give banamine (we give IM), and an enema, but I did not know that it was ok to give enema's frequently. After two days, we saw her POOP tonight! My Mom had to tell the vet she wanted him to give mineral oil orally because it worked for you.. and we might have a chance. She was rolling, grinding her teeth, standing odd, shivering... she looked horrible!! We didn't need IV's thankfully, but just oil in both ends, and a few shots of banamine. We also gave Milk of Magnesia to help her stomach, because the vet said the banamine would be hard on her. I think it might have been gas... I know it wasn't burrs... but I wouldn't find anything wierd in any poop. She was distended though.

Anyway, now that I've gone on.. I am so grateful to this community. I don't post alot, but I read alot! I consider myself to be experienced, I feed calves for a living, and have had minis for 8 years, but I was almost clueless here, in fact I was walking her while my Mom read this and said; "Quit walking her, REO says let her rest!

She's still on camera, and still not quite her stubborn, tough girl self, but I think we will get there- thanks to your post!!

 

[REO]

YEAH POOP!!!! I'm so glad!!!!!

Thank you for letting me know my post helped you. You made my day! Feel free to email me updates on how your girl is doing. [email protected]

I know what I had written sounded simple. But I spent all that time WITH him. I carefully syringed water and nutrients into him. I held the IV bags and gave him the IVs he was supposed to get. Kayro syrup so he wouldn't crash. I kept him going. I did Not just go out and give him enemas. I took care of him day and night.

I remember now, the day before the blockage came out, when I'd given him enemas, some seed looking things came back out with the clear water. I think the water I was carefully putting in was softening & starting to break up the end of the blockage.

And no, I don't walk horses with colic. If they lay there relaxed, I want them to relax as much as possible

The colt never got sick again. He grew into a gorgeous young stallion!

 

[SampleMM]

Oh Robin, what an ordeal for you and your colt! I swear by the enemas too. One of my favorite fillies coliced this summer and even though the vet was involved, I swear if I hadn't given her 5 or 6 enemas she wouldn't be alive today.

PS-- My vet says to keep them quiet and still and in their stalls so I gave up the walking thing years ago.

 

[REO]

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Not very often, but a few times through the years our mare Lady gets bad gas colic. She blows up like a baloon and is in great pain! With her I give her Banamine to cut the pain so she'll relax (can't fart when you're uptight.)

Then with the adult Fleet enemas I give about 10........and stand back! Soon she is walking around sounding like a loud Harley! Then I give her 10 more and she does it again. You can see her sides go down. Then she's fine again.

They don't hold much water and I do it slow and gently. Been doing it all these years and it's gotten us through colics!

I use plain warm water. I don't use soap! If you've ever had soap up your bum, you'd know it burns like as if you gingered them so I don't do it.

 

[Sue_C.]

Had a mare with impaction colic a few years ago, what worked for us, was tubing water into her every hour or so for 12 hours...that was what finally ended a week of heck. I don't walk them if they are quiet, but WILL walk them if they are going down to thrash. It is much better to walk them to prevent thrashing, then allowing them to thrash and perhaps twisting a gut.