Using pedialyte

Bluebell · Jul 11, 2005

I have a new colt born saturday evening at 314 days. Now i know this is not considered premie for a lot of mares, but this little guy is premie. His mom dripped and waxed for 6 days, then quit for about 5 days and then streamed milk for 2 days before he was born.

To be on the safe side i gave him a total of 16 ounces of colostrum ( in 3 feedings) i had frozen from an earlier mare. He nurses but isn't very aggressive at it. Puffs a lot and is weak in the back legs yet. Oh he moves around just fine but not real strong yet. I know that will come as he moves around and gets stronger but now this morning he had the shooting diarrhea. So i gave him 8 ml of pepto bismol and then he took about 12 ounces of pedialyte in 2 feedings already plus he nursed a bit on his mom too. The diarrhea is not projectile anymore and is firming up some already.

Mare was properly dosed with ivermectin also. My question is what is your experience with pedialyte? How long would you offer it to him? Oh he has some probios too. Sounds like he has had a lot of "stuff" but he is doing better. I have never in 15 years of raising foals had 1 with the diarrhea. Guess my luck ran out! Yes it is in the 90's here. Had the fan on and now they are in a pen with shade and a nice breeze. Any advice?

ChrystalPaths · Jul 11, 2005

You are doing a wonderful job. It's this darn heat for sure. Mom could be beginning her foal heat also. That effects some more than others. If he's fluffy you may want to sweater clip him to cool him off depending where you are. Keeping him hydrated is a good thing but do be sure he isn't getting "full" on pedialyte and not nursing enough. Keep us updated and continue the pepto and probios, he'll come around. If at any moment you are unsure do call your vet...better safe than sorry. AND congratulations on your baby!

Bluebell · Jul 11, 2005

Thank you for your response. I will keep you updated. He just nursed again so that is good news too.

ChrystalPaths · Jul 12, 2005

How is he this morning and does he have a name this little one?

Vicky Texas · Jul 12, 2005

Bluebell said:
Mare was properly dosed with ivermectin also. My question is what is your experience with pedialyte? How long would you offer it to him? Oh he has some probios too. Sounds like he has had a lot of "stuff" but he is doing better. I have never in 15 years of raising foals had 1 with the diarrhea. Guess my luck ran out! Yes it is in the 90's here. Had the fan on and now they are in a pen with shade and a nice breeze. Any advice?

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Hello, Yes you can give the Pedialyte. Give it as long as he has the diarrhea. Our Vet said for our baby, who weighs 50 lbs at 2 months old, 2 oz x 2 a day, but I watch him and If I feel he needs it I will give a little more. With this heat. I just watch him closely.

Yes, it could be foal heat, and the heat. But I wanted to let you, we to have a

foal with diarrhea. Have been battling it for 3 weeks now. Our baby has been to

the Vets over and over. And while we were there yesterday, another man came in. He raises big Paint horses. He said he has 11 foals this year. And only one is down with this. He has been fighting it for 3 weeks as well. I pray you little one does not have it what ever we are battling. Our foal is started it at a month old. So praying yours is different. But I wanted to let you know. So you will watch you baby carefully. You may want to contact your Vet to. Our Vet said he is treating several of these. Still trying to find out what is causing it.

As of yesterday he feels we have a bacteria in his in intestines. We have started him on Metronidazole. Our foal tests showed he is low in protein as well. And he is

very anemic (sp) low blood. So he put him on Lizotinic SA. And we have him on Diarsanyl as needed. This is the treatment for our baby. I am not saying you need these. I am not a Vet.

But we have tried many things for our foal over the last 3 weeks. He gets pepto to, as needed. The Vet did not want us to try the bio sponge yet. With all the others we have tried and either made him worse, or have not stop it. We need to find the why. We are waiting on the test to come back to find the why. I pray you little just has foal heat diarrhea. But please watch him. They dehydrate fast with this heat. Ours is in stall and under a fan. We put him out in the cool of the AM and cool of the Pm. But other then that we keep him in his stall on a hay bed, under a fan and camera. Our baby is playful, you would not know he was sick. He does not run a fever. He just has the diarrhea. Most days it is like cow poop, very watery. We do have days where it is worse. If you need any more information you can PM me. I just wanted you to what we are dealing with, so please watch your little one.

On your baby being premie, we have had those to. Yes, as he gets stronger his legs will get stronger to. Just hang in there. And most of Congratulations a new one. Can't wait to see his pictures.

Best wishes.

Vicky

MeadowRidge Farm · Jul 12, 2005

Congradulations on that little colt! Cant wait to see pictures. Hope he is doing much better this morning. You seem to be doing all the right things. I would bet it was the heat that brought on his diarrhea, but the pepto shuold take care of that. If it continues I would call a vet. If he was born on Saturday, isnt this awfully early for the mare to be coming into her foal heat? Mine usually dont till about 7-10 days after foaling. Corinne

HGFarm · Jul 12, 2005

You can give a bit of clear Karo syrup with mixed with a bit of mineral oil also to give him a boost. Make sure he is cool and OUT of the sun, maybe setup a fan by the stall if it is hot and humid. They have a lot of trouble regulating their body temps when they are new.