At end of my tether - constant colic

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ginadrummond

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Hello I wonder if anyone can help or has experience of this. My TB broodmare, brought from battery type racehorse breeding farm appears to be getting colic on a weekly basis. We've loads of snow here, and when I called the vet the first time, he thought she'd eaten snow. Since then she's done it at least 5 times, generally recovering fully after about an hour. Each episode appears to be more severe and last just that little bit longer. Luckily today, I'm on a snow day as my school is closed. She's still feeding her foal, and is also losing hair on her face. She cribs constantly and is pretty miserable most of the time, doubtless from her hellish life before. It was my intention to breed this year and let her keep the foal for a year like this one but I'm wondering whether I should PTS (she's 15 and bred 8 foals). Its a difficult decision. She's a very poor doer so wouldn't be useful as a companion. I've never PTS a horse before and wouldn't have a clue how or even if you are allowed to do it. I'm off to check her now but wouldn't be able to do this on a normal day.
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I certainly wouldn't breed from her if she has colic so often and is in poor condition! Sounds like the poor thing needs some tlc and be allowed to relax and just be a field ornament for a while. Can you not wean the youngster off so she can build herself up a bit?

I would definately discuss her future with the vet. Being PTS might be the kindest thing if her future looks bleak. Good luck.

ETS just reread your post - is this serious? Apologies if it is but you do sound a little 'green' to be taking on this mare.
 
Thanks for quick replys. I let her keep the foal as they were always ripped off her at 4 months from battery farm. I think that because she was in 24/7 that she's really struggled with this horrendous winter (aberdeen). I had thought that I would let her have another one, keep it for a year again and then let her go. I certainly wouldn't consider selling or loaning her. She's come so far, you couldn't lay a hand on her when she came and she's really affectionate now which makes it harder still.
 
I can see where you are coming from but she sounds pretty exhausted already so maybe give her a couple of months of tlc and maybe make a decision then?
 
Wean the foal asap. Give the mare a chance to see if the colic episodes reduce. Get some weight on her and some grass when it comes , she may then be a different horse. No more foals!!! I have just weaned my 8 month foal as mare was looking so poor. Filly has been off her mum at night for about 6 weeks and off completly for a week now and the mare in that time has gained 40 + kg.
 
What are you feeding the mare?

I have experiences with a couple of colicky horses who improved (e.g. no more colic) when they were put on to a diet that excluded all grains - e.g. no mixes, no balancers or suplements wiht wheatfeed.

Also we found Linseed meal helped - it provided a fair amount of mucilage and that seems to soothe the tract.

For good diet advice go to the UKNHCP website - they are obsessive about food content and have lots of info.
 
I cannot comment from a breeding point of view as that is not my thing but would agree with others that weaning the foal will give the mare a better chance of improving her condition. I would not breed from her this year, let her have some time off and build up her strength.

From a colic point of view I have a TB gelding who repeatedly had colic attacks even after surgery. We now successfully manage him on a sugar free high fibre diet. Interestingly a few weeks ago he needed some bute, the only way to get it into him was to syringe it in mixed in some molasses. Even the small amount of molasses watered down was enough to upset his gut.

There is a product called Coligone (developed by H's Mum, another forum member) that works particularly well. The horse I mention above will only every kick his door if he has tummy ache, a dose of coligone normally sorts him out. Obviously you still need to monitor the horse and take veterinary advice but it is an excellent product to have in the first aid box. The website is http://www.hbradshaws.co.uk/ Give Kate (H's Mum) a call, she will be more than happy to talk to you about the product and how it works.
 
I echo the sentiments about "letting her" have another foal - I don't think it sounds fair on her right now.

Please be careful about weaning this foal, it can affect the mare's mood hugely to the point of depression (and I wonder if the mare is already depressed from her behaviour described). That won't do her condition and welfare any favours at all.

Remember that change is stressful, so her mind and poor body will be completely shell-shocked. Crib biting isn't always a sign of present stress, it can be past, and allowing it can help her to manage her own stress levels.

Is she happier in than out? Is it possible to give her free roaming access to a stable and field so she can choose? If she lived a number of years inside a stable, she could well still be conditioned to prefer 4 walls and be uncomfortable (kind of like agrophobic) in the big wide world.

Just a few thoughts. Hope you can work with your vet, a behaviourist etc to get her sorted.

SMID - I can't help but feel the OP would be better off going to a qualified nutritionalist - specialists in that area -rather than a foot care practitioner who has also studied nutrition.
 
Thanks for all this. Certainly food for thought, she looks really happy in her field eating haylage. She definitely prefers being in though. They used to herd them in with tractors in the course weather (most of the winter) so she could well be agrophobic. I've had her 2 years though and haven't seen her like this. She gets spillers mare and youngstock feed. She isnt in bad condition, is well covered, probably a 2 on the scale but difficult to assess as has had so many foals. I could easily wean after the snow goes. Foal 8 months and very independent. I was trying to be kind to her by leaving her with it (she killed her last one accidently by galloping over it when turned out which is why they sold her as she'd done this before which is hardly surprising given the regime)
 
would definitely look into ulcers as a cause.

with the cribbing, unable to keep condition etc she seems like a prime candidate for ulcers.
 
I had TB mare that collic'd repeatedly and I ended up loosing. She crib constantly like yours, had had only one foal.

Echo what the others sat re weaning, not breeding again this year and looking into the amount of sugar in her diet.

Just out of interest what was she last wormed with and have you had a worm egg count done recently? I can't remember precisely which but I think it maybe red worms that can be attributed to repeated colic like you describe.
 
Hi Ginad,

Try Coligone - my elderly gelding coliced every day or two for approx 6 weeks last year - only mildly but was also contemplating pts.

If he was not in such fab nick for his age and had no colic history (apart from one very mild attck the year before) in 20 years I decided to give him every chance I could.

The change in him on coligone is absolutely incredible, he is back to his old self completley, gained weight, is cheeky - he is just fabulous (29 years old) he managed to tow my mum down the field and get away from her on Sat - normally would be cross about this but its just nice to know he is back to his naughty self!

I will never take him off coligone, since he has been on it he has had no colic at all.

Try it - really - it sounds like your mare may have ulcers or some other mild gastric discomfort...

Also I would deffo not put her in foal again until her condition improves and I would get the current foal weaned asap.

Coligone can be bought here: http://www.hbradshaws.co.uk/

Good luck
 
Ive had a horse who suffered recurrent colic every time getting worse & bouts closer together, it turned out to be Ulcers that where the cause. He didnt show any other symptoms.

If possible could you move this Mare onto Hay?? If she did have Ulcers Haylage will without a doubt make them much worse if she has them, & you would have more of a problem during this time of year when there eating so much of it.

Could you also try her on something like U-gard, Coligone, Acid Ease or Neighlox. NeighLox being the best for Ulcers.

Is the Mare Insured??

The fact she's cribbing constantly & suffering recurrent Colic really could be a huge indicator to Gastric Ulcers.

I would not even think of breeding from this mare until you can get a diagnosis. Has your Vet considered Ulcers?

Good luck, i personally wouldnt consider PTS until i had investigated cause. If it did turn out to be Ulcers there easily treated & managed.
 
I echo the ulcers theory. I'd also not be breeding from her anymore. Lord knows how young she was with her first pregnancy and how her body has suffered as a result. I also don't believe in breeding unless you know just what you are going to do with the foal in the future, and both parents are decent quality. The world is full of badly put-together "think I'll have a foal out of my old neddy" types which eventually go for peanuts at the local market and end up in dog-food. All babies should be planned and wanted!

The breeding set-up sounds like the equivalent of a puppy farm - disgusting.
 
What a sad story. It sounds like you've done a good job so far rehabilitating her to as she's affecitonate now!

it also sounds like you're doing a good job of trying to work out what's best for her lifestyle wise, but as it sounds like this is all stress related (form herr past) as well as all the veterinary care of course could you try contacting the Natural Animal Centre? they are amazing at rehabiliating stressed out horses and looking at how altering management (e.g. using stable herds etc). They have a really high sucess rate wiht that sort of thing and often work out things that others would not notice, which can really help. They have many behaviourists who work with you and may be able to help you to relax her a bit.

Poor mare - good luck with her, it sounds like you're doing a great job to keep trying and that she's lucky to have fallen into your hands. keep us updated!
 
Thank you. The ulcers idea would make sense and explain why she makes these amazing recoveries with no help whatsoever. I can't wean the foal yet because there's about a foot of snow and I only have 2 field shelters. Heidi is exceptionally well bred and her last foal (by ID) is quite outstanding. I had presumed the cribbing had got worse because she isn't in foal this year but perhaps not. I will get some coligone and research ulcers. Have vet coming but not expecting anything useful from him. He referred horse to Edinburgh for dental problem and it turned out he was just capping. I really hope it is as simple as that. I would have to be honest, I brought her to foal from, nothing else so she really wouldn't have a job unless doing this one. My other mare due to foal April 6th is a different matter as she can be ridden. I don't have to put her in foal this year - wouldnt want to send her away like this anyway. I really think this awful harsh winter hasn't helped as they haven't seen a blade of grass for about 3 months. Interestingly I'm liverying an eventer who is recovering from a tendon and he isn't coping that well either.
 
OMG - lightbulb moment. These bouts have only started since I began feeding warm sugar beet with winter feeds. Not sure what the significance of sugar is - does it irritate the ulcers?
 
My mare used to absolutely fizz up with any sugar beet - I knew if she'd accidently been given some as that night she would be spooking and napping like a crazy beast
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It's certainly worth knocking it on the head - my vet won't allow any form of beet on his yard as he thinks it's a massive contributing factor for colics!
Kate x
 
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would definitely look into ulcers as a cause.

with the cribbing, unable to keep condition etc she seems like a prime candidate for ulcers.

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ditto this!!
 
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