Devastating, Lost a Foal to a Gastric Ulcer ?

[tagalong]

There is also intussuseption (telescoping intestine)--that is rather common in young foals and can cause intense pain. Just one possibility. A necropsy would have been good, just so you would know what the exact problem was.

I would lean more towards something like that - and the gurgling you described does not sound like an ulcer but more like a rupture/tear of some kind - as would that intense pain. Without a necropsy, we can only guess. For all you know, he could have had a congenital defect that caught up with him.

I am so sorry you lost your little one...

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Actually we have had experience with this back in 2002 when we were fairly new to minis. Our very first baby ever also had ulcers at 40 days old. We were told that around this age babies shed the lining of their tummies and most foals you would never know but some dont handle it as well. OUr baby was very similar to yours she presented with alot of pain rolling and feet in the air. First vet called thought it was a minor colic and medicated for that which is the very worse thing that can be given for ulcers as it aggravates the problem. By the following morning she was worse and I called a different vet who after examination decided she should go to the clinic so she did but by this time she wasnt eating They were taking her to surgery to try to fix the ulcer when they lost her on the table. So yes a baby that age can have ulcers. We did a necropsy to be sure and sure enough she had quite a sizeable ulcer.

 

[Ellen]

I am so sorry. I will have you and Poco in my prayers. We have a little one battling ulcers now. He is our first colt with this issue, but we almost lost a stallion to it several years ago. Heartbreaking. I remeber watching him. Since then everyone in the barn is on GUT and Dac Digestive Aid. I know supplements are a pain, but sadly they make me more comfortable.

I am so, so sorry. God Bless you.