Sick Colt...LONG story

[CyndiD]

[SIZE=10pt]Mona, I will jump in here, a friend had a colt a few years back that was similar in actions. I don`t remember if he had a fever or not tho....[/SIZE]

She put him on gastroguard and kept him on it for several days...it was ulcers...and the vet we use did not prescribe it, a trainer suggested it, so she figured it was worth a try. He would seem so listless and slept all the time, no playing or the usual foal antics. He survived..and turned into a nice colt!!

 

[Miniv]

Mona,

I would check out what Bonnie said....... His actions also confirm it. He's in pain or discomfort. And he's fighting an infection. I'd get him on antibiotics ASAP..... and help him with some bottle feeding......

Good luck, my friend.

MA

 

[Mona]

Thanks again everyone. I am, and will continue doing my best for this colt. I gave him a low dose Aspirin. Also gave him his first shot of the PenG. Not sure how much I actually got into him though, as I tried giving it in the butt muscle and he darted forward and I saw some of the meds squirt out of the needle into the air. I SOOOOO hate to be sticking him with a big needle. :no: Does anyone know why Penicillin cannot be administered orally, like people take? Is there any reason(aside from it working slower) that it cannot be given in the mouth??

BTW Bonnie....you might just have something with that about his neck. Not sure if I have him fearful because of the fluids under the skin, or if it is indeed a sore neck, but he wouldn't let me give his PenG shot there.

 

[qtrrae]

Mona,

I'm so sorry to hear about your little colt. I do hope he begins to improve. Sounds like you are doing everything possible.

I know you are getting lots of suggestions, Not sure if this would help but when we had a colt with septic ill (quarter horse) the vet said there was NO hope. I stayed in the barn with him all night and continually syringed children's pediolyte into him (only 6 cc at a time) by morning he was up on his feet. He survived and turned into an awesome little gelding.

Hugs and prayers for you and your precious baby.

 

[Debby - LB]

Mona I have experience with that marching symptom you speak of, that and the teeth grinding are ulcer symptoms. Ulcers from stress or worms.... don't know, but do know those symptoms you describe. I'll pray for the little fella. I hope he continues to improve.

 

[hairicane]

Best of luckwith him!

 

[Mona]

:aktion033: WOOHOO!!! I just got in from the barn again, and I am soooooooo happy to report he is showing the most improvement I have seen since yesterday afternoon!! He was awake for the longest I have seen, has been STANDING on his feet for the longest I have seen, and what REALLY put a smile on my face, is that he was even doing a few laps and bucks in the stall!! That gives me such hope! At least for now! If it is false hope, then so be it, but at least it is looking a little more optomistic right now. Oh, and his temperature came down one degree. I know it's not much, but one is better than none! THANK YOU all so much for your tyhoughts and prayers! Looks like it just may be helping!!

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Also, I would love to hear from someone with experience with giving the antibiotics by mouth?? Will it work, even if it works slower, or is there another specific reason for injecting it?

 

[Beccy]

So sorry to hear that your wee boy has not been well Mona, but that he is feeling a bit frisky sounds hopeful. Prayers that he will continue to improve and be 100% really soon.

 

[Miniv]

Mona,

The only antibiotics I know that you give orally are SMZ's (Sulpha)......sorry.

MA

 

[Joyce]

Mona, I feel so sorry for you and your new little colt. Must be terrible not having a good horse Vet around.

From what you have described and some of the things my horses have gone thru, I'd say it's an infection or ulcers. Both would cause the symptoms you are describing. I know you are working your heart out doing the best you can and I'll pray that he makes it. Could you possibly get in touch with a Vet Hospital here in the states; like Tufts University in Massachusetts and talk to a Vet over the phone and explain symptoms and the fact you only have cow vets in your area and perhaps they could put you on the right track??

Milk of Magnesia is good for treating ulcers and the aspirin is good for the fever.

Joyce L

 

[lil hoofbeats]

[ fever is a sign of infection, and should be treated with antibiotics. PCN is and excellent choice, make sure it is Pen-G (not PCN with Benzathine added) give 5cc in the muscle twice daily. Amikacin can also be used along with the PCN. This combination will cover about 90% of all bacteria that can cause infection in a foal. This will cover gram negative, and gram positive bacteria. We have used Baytril along with PCN with success. we give O.25 cc of Bannamine as a fever reducer, and that in general makes them feel better, and will help them want to nurse. If you are concerned about ulcers with this medication, you can use pepto, or gastrogaurd to protect the stomache. With infection in foals, you must be aggressive, and treat early for best results. If you suspect a sick foal treat immediately! Dont wait for your vet to come out, a foal can be healthy and playing at 2 PM, and be dead by 6 PM due to septicemia. Bacteria multiply very rapidly! Ringers are great for dehydrated foals, if you can get a central line placed, by your vet, you can give 150-200cc every couple of hours, and this will help them to stay hydrated. Diahrrea is a common SYMPTOM of septicemia. Best of luck, and i hope to hear more good news on your next post!

 

[Mona]

[ fever is a sign of infection, and should be treated with antibiotics. PCN is and excellent choice, make sure it is Pen-G (not PCN with Benzathine added) give 5cc in the muscle twice daily.

Yes, it is PenG I have, but my vet told me to give only 1.5cc to him once a day for 3-5 days. That's quite a difference in dosages??? Maybe there are different strengths??

 

[lil hoofbeats]

[]

Yes, it is PenG I have, but my vet told me to give only 1.5cc to him once a day for 3-5 days. That's quite a difference in dosages??? Maybe there are different strengths??

Pen-G, each ML containes 300,000 units of Procaine penicillian G, it is a safe anitbiotic, and 1 and a half ML is just not enough, when a foal is sick, it is not given as a profalactic, it is used to treat infection. we have several large animal vets in this area, and all have recommended at least 4 cc, and most say 5cc TWICE DAILY(yes they know it is a mini foal) you must give it twice a day to maintain the levels in the blood stream. If you only give it once a day, when the levels drop,( the bacteria that was resistant, will take a hold, and multiply. then you will have more of the bacteria that was resistant to the antibiotic that you were useing in the foal. Think of this in a bell curve. It is paramount that you maintain an even level in the bloodstream for ANY medication to be effective in fighting bacteria. Using an antibiotic that treats gram positive, and Gram negative will usually cover most infections. You will not have time to culture, then treat, so you really dont know what the cuprit is.

We have treated many septic foals. One thing we have learned, is never to take a wait and see approach. If you wait, the next thing you usually see is a dead foal .

Some people, and some vets may think this is overkill, Maybe it is.... but not to the foal you save!

Best of luck, and our prayers are with you

 

[Black Magic]

I'm gonna sound wierd here... but our dog vet is soooo good with mini horses. If he doesn't have an answer, he'll call the horse vet, and get to know what he needs to help out. I just love the dog vet for our minis. Yes, we still use an equine vet, but for emergencies, the dog vet is the best! Our equine vets are really busy with full size horses, and our few minis, just don't take priority in their schedule. But at the dog vet's.... our herd is #1 in his practice!

The dog vet, does the fecal floats, and emergency stuff. One time, I wanted our dog vet to check on a mini... he's a small guy... and hubby had the truck out of state, and I was here in Fl. So I opened the back door of the car, the guy jumped in the back seat and off we went. Everyone has to wait at the dog vets.... well not our horses... lol... and the visits are soooo very cheap.

I think you need a cathater inserted in the neck for fluids for your little guy, and give cold IV fluids to help get his temp down. I'd be checking on the specific gravity of your guy's urine, to see how bad it is. Also, I'd be putting him on his mama to nurse like every two hours to see if that helped.

What about an NG tube??? You can get a really small one from the dog/cat vet..... so you can milk and give it to him, without him having to work for it.

I'd call all your dog vets... see which one, has been around horses.... and go see him.

God Bless..... your baby is in my prayers.

Lynn W

 

[DebiM]

Mona, you've had lots of great advice as well as different things it could be. Bringing that temp down 1 degree is a big deal. That puts him at the high end of normal. I'd keep giving him low dosage aspirin or Banamine. With our last sick foal she was extremely septic & 6 months old. Our vet also treated her with Generic Gastroguard as a precaution as well as Pen-G. It was touch and go for a few days but she made it. Being a fellow dog person as well I understand abt your inserting the fluids under the skin. We almost lost a puppy in our last litter who broke a leg then got an infection & dehydrated. We would have to give him so much under the skin that he'd almost look like a little ball!

On your antibiotics watch for diarrhea caused by them. Especially if your vet prescribes the SMZ's. We've found them to cause diarrhea pretty regularly with the young foals.

Good Luck with him Mona......sounds like he's already coming up for you!

Debi

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

Mona, I just wanted to say that I hope your little colt continues to improve.

 

[Jill]

Mona,

Reading through this, I was really happy to read he'd had good improvement! I hope that continues!!! I do not know about the PenG by mouth, but I've used Tribressen (sp?) antibiotic paste before on sick horses, and have had fast results. Also SMZ's, of course.

Jill

 

[Four__Aces]

I havent read through all the posts so someone has probably already said this -

I would suggest your foal has septicemia (blood infection) that commonly turns into joint ill - the listlessness and fever are very typical signs. As it develops swelling in the joints often begins. Usually starts at a few days old and is harder to treat the longer you leave it - generally only a 20% success rate. We had a septic foal last season and she ended up pulling through after 10 days in the horse hospital - 2 x plasma transfusions, antibiotic IV's and joint flushes galore. Your vet is talking rubbish by saying you are doing all the can - get onto a decent vet who will actually treat the foal - take bloods to look at white cells, nutraphils, IGg levels, cultures etc. etc. and then treat with antibiotics - standard penicillian usually wont do the job. Our foal also looked to be improving a few times and became bright with a low temp and then the fever would bounce back - infections can be pretty resistant.

I hope that he is doing fine and you have it sorted - like I said I havnet read through the post - but if not please get the bloods etc. ASAP - they go downhill very, very fast.

 

[Marnie]

I'm so sorry that you're having troubles with your new little one. At least one degree down, you must be doing something right, I'll be thinking of you and hoping to hear better news in the morning.

 

[Mona]

WOOHOO!!!! GREAT news!!! The little guy seems to have improved a lot! :aktion033:

I went to bed about 1:30, setting my clock for 5:00(I wanted to let him go a longer span), set the clock, and woke up about 6:20! I forgot to pull the button out on the clock!!

He is much livlier, alert, eating well, Mom has good milk(I gave her some Domperidone too, just in case!). His temp is down almost another full degree now, to 101.2!! Things are definately looking up!! NOW I can say I am optomistic that he WILL pull through this! Hope I am not jumping the gun, but I have a good feeling about it!! YAHOO!!!! Hope he continues to improve until he is 110%!

Thanks so much to everyone!!

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