A Question for vets, chemists or anyone medically minded

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In here rather than vets as more traffic and it is a bit of a longshot.

My horse, recently returned from hospital following an op, has been put on 5gms daily potassium iodide to help with reducing the fibrosis in his fetlock.

He was dehydrated when I got him back last Thursday evening, he has picked up but not drinking anywhere near the amount he was before he left. I did not start giving him the potassium iodide until Monday as I was trying to get him drinking and eating properly before giving him any extra meds, he is on danilon and antibiotics, he has now stopped drinking, in the last 24 hours he has not taken any water apart from what he gets in his feeds, he is getting about 2 gallons this way, possibly a little more as I am gradually increasing feeds to try and compensate.

My question is, after that ramble, can the potassium be the cause? I have googled and it seems it can affect the salivary glands, my vets want him on it but if it has the effect of stopping him drinking surely his kidneys are more important than his leg, which is doing well.

Any ideas or experiences, I am getting more worried, even though he seems bright in himself the lack of fluids must start to take its toll soon:(
 
Sorry no help with regards to potassium but when my boy wouldn't drink I dropped a little apple juice in his water, slurped it all up by morning, could maybe encourage him to start drinking. If not speak to your vet, as your right dehydration will soon start to take its toll.
 
My friend has used potassium iodide several times with her gelding and has never mentioned any problems with dehydration / not wanting to drink.

It has got very cold where I am since Monday, could it be he dislikes very cold water?
 
I should have put in my OP I have tried everything, juice, horse quenchers, mint tea, warm water, sugar beet, apple bobbing etc etc, phoning vet in the morning, again, just thought someone on here may have experience or knowledge of the potassium as my gut tells me it is not helping, gut instinct is not proof though:(

Thanks for your suggestion:)
 
shellonabeach said:
My friend has used potassium iodide several times with her gelding and has never mentioned any problems with dehydration / not wanting to drink.

It has got very cold where I am since Monday, could it be he dislikes very cold water?
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Thanks, thats good to know, as for cold water I have tried it warm but here in the south west it is not that cold, hardly a frost today and no snow:D
 
I've never used potassium iodide so I can't give you any personal experiences of it, but I have been following your story and I realise just how terribly worrying this can be when they won't drink enough water, or in your case no water :( All the suggestions are ones I'd have tried too and apart from rehydrating via IV I don't know what else you could try apart from suitable veggies and fruit (if he's allowed them). So with that said, I'm really rooting for him and hope that something clicks soon.
 
Spring Feather said:
I've never used potassium iodide so I can't give you any personal experiences of it, but I have been following your story and I realise just how terribly worrying this can be when they won't drink enough water, or in your case no water :( All the suggestions are ones I'd have tried too and apart from rehydrating via IV I don't know what else you could try apart from suitable veggies and fruit (if he's allowed them). So with that said, I'm really rooting for him and hope that something clicks soon.
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Thank you, it is just so frustrating, I feel like I am treading water, he started drinking more then stopped once he went onto this potassium iodide, it seems a tiny amount but if it can help his leg what can it be doing to the rest of him?
At the moment he is fairly hydrated by all the feed but this is not sustainable for long:( Anything is allowed in my view, barefoot diet out the window, farrier checked him today, there are no signs of stress laminitis so fruit and veg are being given along with full fat sugar beet and various other banned substances;)
He is actually eating really well and has not lost weight.
 
Can he not just eat huge quantities of sugar beet to get the water into him? When using it as a partial hay replacer for one with bad teeth, I was feeding one 3 gallon bucket daily with no ill effects. That's only half scoop sugar beet, the rest is water. I'm sure you could feed two buckets daily if you wanted, as long as you cut down hard feed if necessary so he doesn't get fat.
 
Sloppy feeds and apple juice or ribena in buckets of water to drink. I have no idea what the cause is, but hope your horse recovers very quickly.
 
Not heard of the potassium problem before but just wanted to suggest mint sprinkled into the water (dried mint) or garlic oil dribble. Also is he allowed access to a normal salt block? These things may help him drink.
 
cheeryplatypus said:
Not heard of the potassium problem before but just wanted to suggest mint sprinkled into the water (dried mint) or garlic oil dribble. Also is he allowed access to a normal salt block? These things may help him drink.
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amandaco2 said:
You could feed fast fibre slop to him several times a day....;
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moana said:
Sloppy feeds and apple juice or ribena in buckets of water to drink. I have no idea what the cause is, but hope your horse recovers very quickly.
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Thanks for all suggestions:) he is getting loads of sloppy feeds and eating them well, new thread started as he has drunk this evening so things looking up:D
 
Dunno whether its similar but when mine had potassium bromide in feed he wasn't drinking as much either and I rang the vet as he kept stretching as if to pee and then just standing there as if he couldn't pee. Kept doing this several times overand eventually pee'd.

Vet said she had occasionally heard of it doing this but not that often
 
lyndsayberesford said:
Dunno whether its similar but when mine had potassium bromide in feed he wasn't drinking as much either and I rang the vet as he kept stretching as if to pee and then just standing there as if he couldn't pee. Kept doing this several times overand eventually pee'd.

Vet said she had occasionally heard of it doing this but not that often
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Thanks that's really helpful, he has been doing the same especially just as I bring the feeds round and after I change his dressing, he is still slightly dehydrated but his pee is not dark.
I will get onto my vet in the morning and possibly the hospital as well.
 
Just a bump in case there are any clever people on here today:D

My vet has agreed it is best to stop this treatment to see if it is the cause, most other possibilities have been totally ruled out but not impossible there is something else going on, he was away for 3 nights and not all procedures may be on his report, damage to his mouth has occurred but this seems to be healing where visible, there is no reason to suspect any throat injury he was operated on standing not under general so should not have been tubed.
 
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