Rosie was off today. Vet says mild colic.

[barnbum]

I was in the barn at 5:30 AM and knew right away Rosie is not right. She whinnied at me, but I knew she's hurting. There's enough manure in her stall, but some is very loose. She doesn't eat the little grain or hay I place in front of her, but she ate every strand from the night. She stands in the back of her stall with her head so low. :-( Temp 101.5, resp 10--normal. I can hear gut sounds with stethoscope and without. I gave her Banamine and called the vet and we decide she can wait till they open rather than have her come right then--since she was quiet, not thrashing, and had meds. I went in to prepare lesson plans for a sub at school... when I went back out she'd eaten everything I left. I called the vet back to say, she's better, so let's wait. I waited 5 hours for poop--I'd called the vet and she said it takes a while for it to get firm after being loose, so if all is normal, she'll be okay. Poop is coming regularly now, but she hardly eats... so I called vet to have her out. She came at 3:00. She said all vitals are normal and she has great gut sounds--she feels it's mild colic and she's turning in the right direction. Now she has GastroGuard just to prevent ulcers from not eating, Banamine for comfort--just for a few more partial doses and only if needed, and ProBios--which I always have on hand anyway. She's been snacking on hay tonight and was almost excited when she knew I was getting her Carb Guard ready. Doc said no grain till tomorrow and just enough hay to keep her busy. Rosie's drinking fine. But, she's just not herself--she looks like she's hurting--shakes her head once in a while. Walks so slowly. I was in the barn at least twice every hour--I forced myself to wait 20 min between visits in checking for poop. I'm going to check her again at 9:00.

The vet made me feel better--and said to keep in touch--but she really thought it was a mild case because her vitals told she wasn't in distress.

I keep thinking there's something we're missing....seems like if the poop is coming regularly and vitals are normal--she should be more perky.

 

[wingnut]

I'm not able to offer any sound advice, but I'll keep you both in my prayers!

 

[Frankie]

Maybe we just worry to much and I include myself in there

. I had one that way, treated for mild colic,,,ended up being a tooth. Not saying that may be it, but it hurt mine to eat, so she didn't and too shook her head, all other signs ok. It was caught when she got nasty smelling breath.

I hope she continues to improve!!

 

[barnbum]

Thanks, wingnut, I'll take it!

Actually, Frankie, I told the vet I wondered if it was in her mouth from the way she was shaking her head, so she checked and said she didn't find any hot spots or anything to send a red flag. She smelled all around her head too--even in her ears.

She said Rosie's doing the right thing to stop eating to rest her belly. I just like my horses to eat hardy.

 

[Jill]

Karla, sounds to me like you're doing things right. Good job dosing the gastro guard along with the banamine -- I think that or ulcergard is a really good idea when treating with banamine.

Horses, just like people, sometimes have off days where they just feel not so great. It could be anything, but as your vet has said, it doesn't sound serious so that's the most important thing.

Do you have cameras set up? We use them for foaling of course, but they come in handy when we're watching one who's not feeling really great. Saves us from running out to the stall to check and doesn't disrupt the horse's rest.

 

[Jill]

PS if you are feeding sweet feed as a routine, I think it's really important to feed hay first let them eat it, and then feed the sweet feed after they hay is buffering the stomach. I think sweet feed first can cause colics and ulcers... (I know she's off grain for now, but in case that offers any insight).

 

[barnbum]

Thanks, Jill. I keep ProBios and administer it whenever my barn bound horses experience a change--like weaning, going for a trip in the van, and with any meds.

The foals love the stuff. I've read wonderful things about Gastroguard on here, so was pleased the doc mentioned it. Wow--$40 a small tube! And I got two. But, for Rosie--anything.

In the morning, the horses get grain first, but the mares only get -1/2 c of Carb Guard, a pellet, and the foals get more Contender, but they have hay in front of them all the time. They get hay first for the evening feeding.

Rosie was munching away tonight!

I'm cautiously optimistic because that half dose of Banamine is doing it's magic. I gave her half a serving. She's drinking great.

I sure wish we had the cameras set up--she was in a stall where one of the cameras was set up! But, we took them down once Mazie and Tucker were a few months old. If this happens again, it'd sure save some trips. But, I knew I worked off that root beer float I had tonight.

The horses are so used to me coming, they never get up when I come through. Tucker lays flat out and doesn't even blink when I scoop up a pile right near him. He sleeps like a... like a boy!

 

[barnbum]

Rosie is back to her ole self this morning.

 

[Jill]

That is good news!!!

My horses are used to us coming out, but they anticipate cookies or something and usually they do get up if they're laying down. The cameras have really come in handy over the years here. Before them, I couldn't really fall back asleep after running out to check and would pretty much lay awake worrying beforehand. Now, i can just roll over and look at the screen, then go back to sleep

If you order shots, dewormer or other stuff online, next time you do maybe check out Ulcergard. It is now available w/o prescription and is pretty much interchangable with Gastro Guard. I think it's about $28/tube. I just keep it on hand for when someone is getting banamine. I also have some stuff (Neighlox?) that's a pink powder that you mix w/ water... I think it's kind of the equivilent of tums for horses but I don't usually use it (relying on the Ulcergard instead).

Just think how many times you wake up not feeling so hot, or your kids have. It's the same with horses, too. Good that you were on top of it and noticed she was off.

Another thing that I've observed over the years that can cause my more sensitive horses to not feel so great would be sudden changes in weather or fronts coming through. It's never a "big" deal, but it effects some of them. Maybe something like that was going on.

 

[Barbie]

Speaking of sweet feed - I had a mare who tended to colic regularly - turned out to be a bad ulcer causing it and she is fine now. Vet did say to not ever give her sweet feed - Safe Choice was what she recommended. No problems since we treated for the ulcer and changed her diet.

Good luck with Rosie!

Barbie

 

[MagicTheMini]

I am glad to see she is feeling better! Just another thought- It is also coming spring, sometimes when mares are getting ready to come into heat they get crampy, which can look like mild colic (or full colic if you have a super sensitive mare). L