Any ideas? Do you recognise any of these symptoms?

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lilaclomax

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First horse presented with liquid droppings over a period of 8 - 12 hours and seemed off colourpoint but is almost back to his normal self 36 hours later (his 'off colour' was put down to being wormed on Friday night and 36 hours of haylage instead of his normal daily turnout). Horse 2 presented by being off colour, not eating and generally colic like around 6 hours after the first horse plus the liquid droppings, 2 others also reported to be 'not their normal selves'. Horse 2 slightly improved now with meds but is due to have a stomach tap tomorrow.
Now my boy is very lethargic and didn't eat his feed, he wanted to go back out but walked as if he was wearing a heavy nappy... My other boy was also subdued earlier whilst out but nothing that stood out at the time.
Is there anything else we should be looking for?
 
i'd be guided by your vet of course, but i'd check water supply, hay or haylage (something nasty in it?), grazing.
i'm wondering about poisoning, or ryegrass staggers.
how are your boys' droppings?
i'd take temperatures, check mucous membranes for signs of anaemia, try to temp with handpicked grass, and get the vet if they don't look a lot better in the morning.
 
kerilli said:
i'd be guided by your vet of course, but i'd check water supply, hay or haylage (something nasty in it?), grazing.
i'm wondering about poisoning, or ryegrass staggers.
how are your boys' droppings?
i'd take temperatures, check mucous membranes for signs of anaemia, try to temp with handpicked grass, and get the vet if they don't look a lot better in the morning.
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Thanks Kerilli, the four horses mentioned are in different fields, one has only had grass, one grazing and small amount of hay, one is on grass and Equilage and the fourth restricted grazing and soaked hay. One of my boys has done a recent loose dropping but it still had definition, Shadow temperature is slightly raised but nothing which would concern me normally... Will check out staggers, thanks.

One other factor could possibly be a new horse although they are currently in isolation...
 
Evelyn said:
Where they all wormed on the same day?

Could it be they have an unsuspected high burden of some parasites?
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No, only the first horse wormed, all the others had low/clear counts...

My boy is almost back to himself again, he had a small amount of snot this morning and was still slightly pale but temperature had returned to normal and he ate a feed. The second horse is now on antibiotics :(
 
What your describing could be an outbreak of some sort, if you cant determine an external agent eg. Haylage, grazing etc. you did right to call your vet for advice.
Check your horses tpr and i'd treat them as an infected group until Otherwise determined by your vet.
I'd take bio security precautions just to be safe to prevent possible x infection does your vet not have any ideas?
Are they sharing any type of feedstuff ? Including hardfeed etc.
It might be worth getting your water analysed as well
 
Just a thought, my mare has been ill recently and she was showing the following symptoms...
She was off, a bit down on day 1,
day 2 showing colic symptoms, so called vet
vet came drenched and gave meds, found a high temp so took blood samples and gave us some bute, twice a day.
blood samples came back, her blood cells were all low, and very anemic.
day 3, very depressed, lethargic, didnt eat, no energy, so on box rest, looked very poorly. Gums very white as well.
day 4, bit perkier, on box rest but eating hay net
day 5 vet came again for follow up blood tests, found to be a viral infection and to continue rest and bute for the rest of the week.


Does any of this sound familiar. Day 5 was yesterday, i was so relieved! As on day 2-3 she looked SERRIOUSLY ill and i thought she would need to to horse-pital. Thank goodness she is on the mend now!
 
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