Need to Vent. Many colics, no answers

[candycar]

I am at my wits end. My little RockE (8yo geld) is having regular bouts of colic. Mild to severe. Have had many vets out. He's been tubed and oiled a couple of times. Had one impaction in 2016 (that probably started it all).
We have even taken him 100 mi to Rood & Riddle in Lexington KY (Nov 2018). Had scope of stomach, ultra sound, all blood tests, all poop tests + for blood in poop, and xrays. My feed program is supported by all vets seen. Teeth floated 2X a year. Wormed regularly. Has been treated for ulcers during most colics (no hint of one showed up on exam). No sand in poop. The only thing Rood & riddle came up with is something in colon, maybe sand (xrays) and some worms(he was due for worming anyway).
Treated for sand and wormed.

He has been colicing almost every 2 weeks since Sept 2018. Sometimes 1 day with mild symptoms, resolved by next day with no meds. A couple of times bad with meds for 3-6 days. Today it's another bad one.

I have 3 other minis that have shown no signs of anything amiss, they all get the same feed on the same schedule. I have logged and charted all unusual happenings in our setting and routines and cannot for the life of me figure out what is going on and why..

Thank you for listening and anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Cayuse]

I am sorry that you are having to deal with this. My first two thoughts are 1. Is he on feed that contains soy and 2. Have you tried probiotics?
I have had a couple of minis that had digestive issus that improved when I took them off their ration balancers that contained soy. Trial and error led me to believe they were soy sensitive.
Have you tried feeding a completely different diet (with vet input of course) to see if it is somehow food related?

 

[chandab]

Looks like he's been treated for and/or ruled out stomach ulcers, what about hindgut ulcers? Hindgut ulcers and diagnosed and treated differently than stomach ulcers.
What is their exact diet? All the details, please. What? How much? How often? Are you able stockpile hay? [How much? and how long does it last?] Or, do you buy smaller amount regularly from a feed store? I do realize you are working with very good vets, but sometimes someone outside sees with fresh eyes.
Have you had major weather changes? Or, even the area where your hay is grown? We've had drought conditions the last couple years, and it's wrecked havoc with our hay quality and quantity.

 

[candycar]

His feed consists of local mixed grass hay (this year grown next door, same as our pasture), weighed for his size split up into 4 feedings a day, 2/3C timothy pellets, Remission and ground flax 1Xaday, pasture 1-1.5 hr a day depending on season. I have added more probiotics lately, the Remission already has them. His stool was checked for hindgut ulcers, negative.
Everyone else is fine! It's just him that's having problems and we can't figure out why!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Have you tried PREbiotics? I had a horse that colicked when the weather changed. Very scary. I started him on prebiotics and had no more trouble. I also feed some alfalfa every day. Sure hope you get it figured out. Poor guy.

 

[goatkisses]

I'm sorry you are going through this. Have you and your veterinarian team discussed water intake and possibly moistening his food? You probably have gone over all of that. I have a mare that colics with weather changes and she has ulcer-related issues and my little girl isn't a big water drinker.

 

[MindySchroder]

There is a page on Facebook called Equi-Biome. The gal that runs the page has been doing amazing things for horses and their gut health. It sounds like you have a gut imbalance that is the root cause. You will need to feed the good bacteria in the gut to help with that. She also has an all natural supplement that has been helping so many horses!! It's pricey and has to be shipped here from the UK but it sounds like you are spending lots of $$ trying to diagnose and treat something that isn't getting better. Maybe it's worth a try? The group is closed but if you want to join please message me over on Facebook and I'll try to get you on the page!

Here is a link to her website: https://www.equibiome.org/

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I get my prebiotic from Dynamite. It is pricey: $65 for a quart. But a capful is the dose and it lasts a long time. I don't use it all the time, just for a new horse that might be unthrifty, or my older horse if he is having a bout with his arthritis and needs extra banamine. I am convinced it cured a horse I had that colicked when the weather changed. Of course, the OP horse may have something terribly wrong, such as a section of dead colon.

 

[Cayuse]

I hope he is doing ok today. I know this is "out there" and R and R would've probably discovered it, but is there any chance he was a cryptorchid and the retained testicle was left when he was gelded? Sometimes that can cause abdominal pain, so I have been told. I just thought I would mention it even though its a long shot.

 

[Zergling]

I know it seems overly simple but do you know if your boy is drinking enough water for his needs? Can you isolate him and monitor his intake?

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Interesting article I read today about Barometic Pressure and colic.

https://equimanagement.com/articles...pJvV_sXA74X2Ukhlqg8J1ad2_LFmsKkcLz0Selu_pnVQo

 

[goatkisses]

I had a Thoroughbred 30 years ago that was a weather colicker. It was really difficult for him.

 

[madmax]

I am at my wits end. My little RockE (8yo geld) is having regular bouts of colic. Mild to severe. Have had many vets out. He's been tubed and oiled a couple of times. Had one impaction in 2016 (that probably started it all).
We have even taken him 100 mi to Rood & Riddle in Lexington KY (Nov 2018). Had scope of stomach, ultra sound, all blood tests, all poop tests + for blood in poop, and xrays. My feed program is supported by all vets seen. Teeth floated 2X a year. Wormed regularly. Has been treated for ulcers during most colics (no hint of one showed up on exam). No sand in poop. The only thing Rood & riddle came up with is something in colon, maybe sand (xrays) and some worms(he was due for worming anyway).
Treated for sand and wormed.

He has been colicing almost every 2 weeks since Sept 2018. Sometimes 1 day with mild symptoms, resolved by next day with no meds. A couple of times bad with meds for 3-6 days. Today it's another bad one.

I have 3 other minis that have shown no signs of anything amiss, they all get the same feed on the same schedule. I have logged and charted all unusual happenings in our setting and routines and cannot for the life of me figure out what is going on and why..

Thank you for listening and anyone have any suggestions?

Did the vets investigate that he may have an enterolith? When those stones move in the gut it is painful. Since he is showing colicky symptoms every 2 weeks perhaps feeding him warm bran mashes 4 days before the 2 week period. He also may have allergies to the feed that the other horses do not. If it was my horse I would take him off all feed and supplements and give just hay for a while. I had a horse that we had to feed him only crimped oats plus hay and he kept good weight and health with that routine.

 

[Zergling]

Interesting article I read today about Barometic Pressure and colic.

https://equimanagement.com/articles...pJvV_sXA74X2Ukhlqg8J1ad2_LFmsKkcLz0Selu_pnVQo

Thanks for posting that. I never knew there was a link. I assumed more instances of colic in winter to be associated with less water intake due to cold or frozen water. I also thought that maybe they are more prone to dehydration during the winter since the humidity is so low. I've noticed that even I as a human have to drink more because the low humidity seems to suck the moisture out of my body.

 

[KellyAlaska]

I had a mini that had a severe colic episode followed by a second and then he foundered. Turned out he had eaten a blister beetle in my hay that tore up his stomach. We ended up having to euthanize him but check your hay well for blister beetles. I will only buy 1st or early second cutting hay now. The other horses were fine unfortunately he was the unlucky one that found a beetle. While the beetles prefer legume hays they can be found in grass hays as well.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Kellyalaska, so good to see you post! I, too, had a blister beetle episode. Luckily mine turned out all right. I did not know they could be in anything but alfalfa.

 

[candycar]

Rock E UPDATE: Well, after a very hard time since Nov 18, We still have no real answers. His colic episodes became more frequent (every 10 days) with the two in Feb being real bad. Rood&Riddle got their CT machine up, and I made an appointment for 11 Mar. He started another colic as I was making the appointment! Got my reg Vet out the next day(yesterday) He said if we get him there now while he is colicing they might be able to see what's going on. I found a "shipper" to take us to R&R right away.
After ultrasound and much discussion we decided to do exploratory surgery. THET DID'NT FIND ANYTHING!!! except some thickening of his right ventral colon, which could be from all the Banamine he's had. Now they think it's a "gut motility issue" and could be controlled with "management changes". I don't know yet what those will be.

I'm waiting to hear from the Vet this morn on how he is doing. He can probably come home Monday.
I think I'll change his name to Rocky Road or Rocky Roid.
Here's a pic of the little guy

 

[chandab]

What a sweet looking guy.
Hope you get definitive answers and instructions to help your little man.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Whatever you find out should be helpful for all of us.

 

[Willow Flats]

Awww. Praying for healing for him. What a hard thing he has been going through. Both of you!