Mocko colicked - at the vet's now

[suz]

Well, went to the barn friday morning (I board him) and he was covered in shavings, which he never is. So i immediately thought something may be wrong, like colic due to rolling. he had 1 pile of regular poo in his stall.

anyways, i turned him out and started my chores.

I check on him periodically and noticed he was down and rolling a couple of times and biting his sides (which could either be mosquitos or tummy ache) - so, am concerned again...

anyways, he came in on his own after about 1/2 hour, which he never does (i always have to go bring him in).

i put him in his stall with some good timothy hay (not the crappy pangola he usually gets) and he just nudged it around which he never does - he loves the timothy. then, he layed down.

okay - that's it. i called the vet. I then walked him around, although he wasn't too keen on walking. vet finally got out there. he had a slight fever, not very good gut sounds, head hanging low, lethargic. so vet gave him banamine and then oiled him (which I really didn't want him to do, as oiling seems to always make him worse, but they said that's normal protocol).

so, i walked him a bit, put him back in his stall (at the vet's) with no hay, just water (which he didn't want), watched him a bit and went home for a bit.

came back out a couple hours later and he seemed perky. i i gave him some bran mash which he ate up like a man! (i added a couple ranitidine to it, but don't know if he actually ate them.)

then, just a bit later after eating, he starting moping again and laid down. AGAIN- i called the vet and she said to bring him out. so i did. they did blood work, and the major thing was a low white blood cell count. he was hydrated - surprisingly-. she told me that low white blood cell counts indicate infection and tummy irritation. so she gave him some gentamycin (sp?), some electrolytes, and some powdered ginger.

I then walked him more and put him in the stall for the night. no hay. tried some bran mash - didn't want that after a couple bites. seems like after he eats, he gets a tummy ache. he nibbles grass lightly.

next day, saturday, gut sounds, but still not great. same symptoms. more treatment as above. i walked him, tried to have him drink some water and gatorade - didn't help. but he is on free pasture and some timothy hay which he is enjoying!

today - sunday - called vet. mock's gut sounds are much better - about normal (thank God!), had 4 poo piles (but not the oil yet). vet said he might want to oil him again. i said to hold off as it seems whenever he is oiled, he gets worse. and he IS passing poo, so why oil him again? is keeping up with the same gentamycin, ranitidine, electrolytes, etc. i'll go out today and see him. vet wants to keep him overnight tonite to make sure he's okay. i sure don't want him home until he is back to normal, as I can't watch him 24/7. (don't even want to see the vet bill!)

SO, my question - HOW CAN I GET HIM TO DRINK WATER so he doeesn't have to keep getting tubed? i tried the gatorade - brought him some water from the barn that he's used to - but still no luck. Any suggestions???? He needs to drink!! He usually has no problem drinking....

Sorry this is so long.....

Thanks for listening

 

[bluerogue]

I've heard mixing some apple juice in the water can get them to drink a bit more. Have you talked to your vet about ulcers? I had a colt that was acting the same way Mocko is last year after an injury caused uclers (well, the banamine for the injury did).

 

[Marty]

Wow Suz what a time you've been having.

Suz, just an idea for you would be to check on your timothy hay just to be sure it's not coarse. I've had some straight timothy down there and man it was as thick as straw. It's been a bad hay year in a lot of places and even some of my orchard grass is much more coarse than it should be so I am sprinkeling it down with a hose. You can also try that to help hydrate.

Also, one reason I do feed sloppy wet soaked beet pulp is to help keep a horse hydrated.

The University of Florida also is now suggesting that this helps eliminate sand in the gut so

I learned to use this stuff and love it

I know feeding bran was popular to do down there for years and years, but I quit feeding it about 15 years ago as I found it not productive whatsoever. So now I make beet pulp mashes and in the horrible heat waves I soaked it in Gatorade instead of water. You might try that.

Another thing I do when a horse is colicy is never put him in a stall. I prefer to keep him out to stay mobile so things inside of him can function easier than if he was locked up

 

[suz]

I've heard mixing some apple juice in the water can get them to drink a bit more. Have you talked to your vet about ulcers? .

yes, i did ask about ulcers. he told me he didn't have a way to check for ulcers.... i might try some apple juice to the water and see. thanks

what i can't understand is... if he is pooping, how can he have an impaction??? makes no sense to me... that's why i was thinking maybe ulcer, but due to the low white blood cell count, they are telling me it's an infection which they are using gentamycin to treat it. and an infection can cause belly aches.

one vet also called it enteritis that he may have?

 

[Magic]

I was thinking the same thing as BlueRogue was-- it could be ulcers. Having ulcers makes a horse not want to eat or drink. Maybe you can ask your vet about it?

I sure feel for you and Mocko, will be keeping him in my prayers, good luck and keep us updated ok?

Whoops, sorry, I was posting the same time you were, Suz.

When I've had a horse in the past that I suspected had ulcers, I just started her on Gastrogard. Expensive, yes, but not nearly as pricey as for a big horse, and when she was almost immediately feeling better (it took about a day or so) then I knew I was on the right track and kept treating her with it.

 

[suz]

Wow Suz what a time you've been having.

Suz, just an idea for you would be to check on your timothy hay just to be sure it's not coarse. I've had some straight timothy down there and man it was as thick as straw.

This timothy is kind of thick, but like you mentioned, it's very hard to find some soft hay. I think I'll wet it down from now on. How much water do you use to "soak" the hay?

It's been a bad hay year in a lot of places and even some of my orchard grass is much more coarse than it should be so I am sprinkeling it down with a hose. You can also try that to help hydrate.

Also, one reason I do feed sloppy wet soaked beet pulp is to help keep a horse hydrated.

i've been reading alot about beet pulp on this board. how do i use this? but, doesn't it tend to make them gain weight? he sure doesn't need to do that. i finally have him looking pretty good.

Another thing I do when a horse is colicy is never put him in a stall. I prefer to keep him out to stay mobile so things inside of him can function easier than if he was locked up

he now is in a very nice run-in at the vet's (wish I could board him there!) he doesn't get much turn out where i board due to the heat, very floody property now, and the nasty mosquitos! i do turn him out when i go out there a couple of times a week, and i think the bo turns them out awhile at night (weather permitting).

I was thinking the same thing as BlueRogue was-- it could be ulcers. Having ulcers makes a horse not want to eat or drink. Maybe you can ask your vet about it?

I did suggest starting him on gastrogard (he was on that another time for possible ulcers a few years back when he colicked), but he said that he's already on ranitidine.... ranitidine doesn't treat the ulcer, does it? i think it just helps you feel better.

I sure feel for you and Mocko, will be keeping him in my prayers, good luck and keep us updated ok?

thanks

will do

Whoops, sorry, I was posting the same time you were, Suz.

When I've had a horse in the past that I suspected had ulcers, I just started her on Gastrogard. Expensive, yes, but not nearly as pricey as for a big horse, and when she was almost immediately feeling better (it took about a day or so) then I knew I was on the right track and kept treating her with it.

 

[Floridachick]

A horse can very well have an impacted Secum and still poop plenty normal. We lost a Percheron to an imapcted Secum. He pooped the entire time

The large intestine just bypasses that area of impaction, but that area turns neurcrotic and dies off. Its really bad when that happens. Have you tried GasX? :no:

 

[tagalong]

Please do not give him bran mash until AFTER you see evidence of the oil coming through - all you may be doing is building things up behind the impaction - if that is what is wrong....

 

[Jill]

How is he doing this afternoon?

 

[Mona]

Hope Mocko is feeling better by now. Keep us posted!

 

[Gena]

I hope he is feeling better this afternoon and your vet has a better idea of whats wrong...

 

[ClickMini]

Sending prayers for your little guy.

 

[Marty]

he now is in a very nice run-in at the vet's (wish I could board him there!) he doesn't get much turn out where i board due to the heat, very floody property now, and the nasty mosquitos! i do turn him out when i go out there a couple of times a week, and i think the bo turns them out awhile at night (weather permitting).

I understand completely. It's hard down there in many areas on a horse. My horses were inside so much it was insane but could not be helped. They wanted turn out time so badly until they hit the field then would come banging on the gates to get back in. I have so many friends moving north of there these past years just to make it easier on their horses. I hope he's going to feel better soon!

If you ever looked up some pictures of anatomy, you would be shocked at the length of instestine and how some food goes here and other goes there and you'd be able to understand in that maze how easily it can be for a horse to get impacted.

 

[suz]

Hi everybody.

Thanks for your prayers and good wishes! I think they are working!

I went out yesterday afternoon to see him. He seemed to be perkier. Although, he has been laying down (cow style the vet calls it, not doggy or on his back) which concerns me a bit. Vet asked me if he usually does this and I have not noticed this except for on Friday when this all started. Do any of your horses lay down, front legs tucked under, like a cow? Maybe he's just decided this is better than standing! ??

Anyways, his gut sounds had improved, he ate the bran mash and drank a little water WITH apple juice (thanks for the suggestion!) and is eating hay and grass like crazy. Plus, when I took him out to eat grass, I took off his lead rope and he trotted away, like, catch me if you can! and it WAS a little game to catch him, so I think he's on the mend!

:

No temperature since Sat. morning. He's still on his gentamycin (antibiotic), ranitidine and electrolyte tubings (yuck) to keep him hydrated.

However, he STILL has not passed the oil which was given to him about 2:00 friday afternoon. that concerns me a bit... wouldn't that mean he is still blocked up some where?

I'm going out this morning to see how he is doing and if we can bring him home tonite. i just don't want to do anything prematurely....

 

[billiethekid40]

My horse lays like that (cow style with legs tucked under) all the time. I've never thought twice about it cause he always looks happy and comfortable when doing it. He does it a lot this time of year, when the weather is cool but sunny, he likes to sun himself, but doesn't stretch flat out and sleep like he does all summer in the heat.

Glad to hear he is feeling better today! praying for some oily poopies for you!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

SEnding light and prayers. These firkids sure do give us a work out. Keep up the rantatidine (sp) or ask your vet about carafate/sucralfate (I know folks I'm a broken record)

 

[suz]

Well, so far so good! I went out to visit him today and the dr was going to send him home tonite (as he FINALLY passed the oil!), but there was some mucus in his poo, so he wants to keep him over nite to observe and make sure everythings okay.

He still doesn't seem to be drinking. So, I brought him some more apple juice, mixed a little of that with a little water and he sucked it down! Even tried drinking out of the apple juice bottle! I loved to see that he was drinking, but I don't want to have to rely on the apple juice just to get him to drink.

I was thinking maybe the reason he wasnt drinking was because he doesnt have his salt block nor his grain and has free-choice grass 24/7 and some bran mash - maybe he's just not thirsty! could that be?

Other than that, he's eating great and returning to his frisky self!

: So, we'll see.

I keep suggesting some gastrogard, but he doesn't want to give it. so, i don't know....

he does still play a bit in his water.... that's not a good sign, is it? that's an ulcer sign if i remember correctly...