Any experience of bowel infections??? URGENT

neddynesbitt

neddynesbitt

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My lad was admitted to Liphook on new years day with an undiagnosed illness.

He had a high temperature, was very dull & listless and not eating or drinking. To add to the stress, he would not at first allow the vet to take his temperature (he has been through hell when it comes to vets
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) so she had to sedate him.

As soon as she removed the needle from his neck he went into full respiratory distress
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it was awful as he gasped for breath & was collapsing in front of us. I really don't know how but the vet, myself & my friend managed to hold him up somehow.

He soon deterioated more & the vet said we had to refer him as all the labs were closed for holidays & she didn't want to risk sedating him for more tests anyway without an oxygen tank as his reaction had been so severe.

After a nightmare drive in snow & ice (not recommended with a trailer!!) we eventually got him there.

Initial blood results showed he had a severe infection but they were unable to locate where.

Also his fluid from around his intestines showed signs of white blood cells & protein but, his lungs were wheezy so the infection could have been there as well.

They rang me today to say he is much brighter (is on IV antibiotics and Metacam rather than bute as it's kinder on the intestines)

They have scanned his lungs and they are clear so they have discounted this theory and have concluded so far that it must be a severe infection in his bowel.

The scan of his intestines showed no abnormalities as did the internal scan.

He is in isolation in case he is infectious but I am totally stumped as to how he could have got this
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all his field mates are ok and due to having no saddle (been waiting for new one for 6 weeks) he has not been ridden or left the yard for at least 2 months

None of the other liveries have left the yard either (not even hacking) so how has he got this.

I would be so grateful to hear of your experiences so I can try to get my head round this.

I know for definite that he is there until at least Friday as he needs antibiotics until then
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You haven't had a duff lot of haylage have you hun? Poor quality haylage that has been cut very close to the ground can hold soil which in turn can harbour the organisms that cause botulism.
 
Like Box of Frogs my first thought was botulism - although I'd have thought with it he might have had loose droppings.

What a complete nightmare for you and I'm sorry your having such a rubbish start to the year. Hope they can get to the bottom of it quick and he's on the mend and home with you very soon.
 
Botulism was the one thing that occured to me too. Although I'm sure if it occured to us it would have occured to the vets.

Horses do get inflammatory bowel disease; both as a result of ulcers or worm burden as well as spontaneously. But you said there was no sign of physical abnormality. Equine Infectious Anemia cuases significant bowel problems - but isn't common in the UK

He's in the best place. Liphook are great. Keep in contact with your insurance company and let us know how he goes.
 
DA thanks for the vibes he certainly needs them bless him.

BOF no he is on dry meadow hay which is even more confusing isn't it?

I know you are going to think I have totally lost the plot now but do you think he could get it directly from the soil?

Although all the other horses are ok, we are on clay and with the awful weather we have had, combined with the boys playing lots, we don't have hardly any grass left.

When the boys have finished playing
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they do get their heads down to eat & I must admit it's surprising because it doesn't look as if there is much grass at all, so that's why I wondered if he was picking at grass that has maybe got soil on it.

I did ask if it could be anything he had eaten but at this stage they really don't know & are still doing tests BUT his liver is 100% normal which is good news.

Now I have the dilemma of do I visit or not because he tried to run after me when I left him there. The nurse was holding him in the treatment room & as soon as I walked away, he whipped round and was coming after me. I felt so guilty as I had to slam the door in his face as we had such trauma trying to get him into the room in the first place.

You must think I am mad but when he was at Newmarket, he went berserk when he saw us and was so pleased to come home that I don't know whether visiting him will upset him and make him think he is coming home this time only for me to leave him again
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Yes it could be something in the soil, depends whether the paddocks are cleaned out each week and if it's churned up. and yes stay away it could hinder his recovery if he keeps getting stressed out seen you.
 
Thanks for all your replies, unfortunately due to the wet it is VERY churned up & we are unable to get a wheelbarrow through the gateway let alone across the field so we only poo pick the summer field.

There is NO WAY one of the other liveries would even consider poo picking in the winter. She has 2 geldings and it's all she can do to even come up to do them in this weather
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!!

They are all wormed regularly & were wormed before they went into the winter field in the middle of October.

Johnrobert, thanks that is my instinct to stay away but they must think I am so mean not visiting him when all the other owners probably do. I agree that he will definitely get stressed seing me so I will stay away & hopfully have a happy reunion at the end of the week (fingers crossed)
 
When my Gelding was at rossdales for a week, We could phone at anytime to see how he was doing and that kept my mind at rest or I'd have been walking the walls at home. Best of luck and many healthy vibes
 
Having waited all day very nervously for an update on my lad, I eventually got hold of the vet at 7.15pm. I don't blame them as they have been exceptionally busy.

Anyway the latest is that he is still poorly but responding slowly to treatment. He no longer has blood or protein in his droppings and they are normal today. Also the worm count is negative

However, when admitted to Liphook the protein levels in his blood were 800 but they are now down to 750, I was alarmed however to be told that they should be below 100
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He is still not eating that well & is picking at his food but at least it's an improvement from not eating or drinking at all.

To be totally honest they do not really know exactly what has caused this but said the most likely source is bacteria picked up from the ground.

He is still on metacam & antibiotics & although he is improving, when he is near to needing his next dose of drugs he is appearing to look quite poorly again.

He has such bad luck (not wishing this on any of the others) but it always seems to be him
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He was so very stressed after spending a week at Rossdales that I had vowed never to put him through the trauma of going to horsepital again BUT, I never expected this to happen, I was thinking more along the lines of not putting him through surgery for his hind suspensories.

I had to give him the chance, he is such a character & it brings a tear to my eye when I think how he still neighed at me even when he felt so ill & how he chased after us when we left him there.

Keeping a watch on the weather, vet said if all goes well he can come home Fri/Sat but looking at forecast if they are right I'm not sure I want to risk towing in that!!

It was horrendous towing him over on Saturday when we only had a dusting of snow but lots of ice, a couple of times the trailer slid a bit & at one stage I nearly burnt the gearbox out on the car trying to get up a very steep and incredibly icy hill. All my warning lights came on and I had to sit for 5 minutes to let the transmission fluid cool down, not what you want when you have a very sick horse on board.
 
I'm so sorry to hear about your lad's poorliness - he's really been through the wars hasn't he? Is he still improving? I remember what a nightmare you had with him last time he was there, so hugs all round.

Wishing him a speedy recovery xxx
 
I used to work at Liphook and believe me they won't think badly of you if you stay away. With him being in isolation the best thing for him is peace and quiet. Obviously the more people who go in with him the bigger the risk of spreading the infection. If I were you I would keep in touch by phone and trust them to look after him. It is a brilliant hospital and you can be sure he will be getting all the care and attention he needs to get him home ASAP.
 
Ronaldo too thanks for the vibes, yes Rory really has been through hell & back and this is one thing I really didn't expect. B****y typical that he has just come sound & now this
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How is Ronnie doing?

Happy Horse, thanks for putting my mind at rest. I spoke to the vets last night & again today and they have terrible snow as well as us, so I doubt I will be collecting him Saturday even if he is better.

The latest is that he is doing well & will NOT let them take his temp, so if he is arguing he must be feeling better
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The protein level in his blood is down to 400 now so lets hope he carries on this way bless him.

It seems so odd to be without him
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