At wits end with runny poo! Any ideas?

[ImmyS]

Anyone?

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Only thing I can think to suggest is acupuncture?

No direct experience but I was at a talk where it had been used for colic horses to help spasmodic colic as it helped release tension, so could help the guts work better. It was better explained but I've forgotten the details now sorry!

 

[AmyMay]

Well, they don’t look too bad to me 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Immy-has he had his teeth done recently? the only thing that I would say about that poop is that there are some longer bits of forage in there-a horse vet told me when I was talking about feeding straw to look out for stuff like that as it could be a sign that they arent chewing and digesting optimally. tbh they dont look so bad to me, could just be differences in grass/how much he's eaten-I'd be more worried about small hard poo this time of year.

 

[windand rain]

I thought when you said runny poo it was just liquid no fibre at all which is what happens with the old boy. Those poos looks pretty normal

 

[southerncomfort]

I agree with the others. Doesn't look too bad to me. 🙂

 

[Jill's Gym Karma]

Guts are highly individual organs; think how much variation there is in how regularly humans defecate, and how it can be formed (my partner insists on taping a copy of the Bristol Stool Chart up in his bathroom). Perhaps your horse just has naturally looser poos? They don't look alarming to me, just towards the softer side. I was thinking you meant proper liquid puddles, which are much more suggestive of digestive issues.

 

[Corriegarth]

Completely normal looking. The “runny” one doesn’t even look abnormal.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

It just looks like the difference between when he has eaten hay (2nd & 3rd photos) and when he has eaten grass (1st photo). A grass-fed horse's poos are unlikely to look like 2nd and 3rd.
I think you are worrying unnecessarily tbh.

 

[be positive]

It just looks like the difference between when he has eaten hay (2nd & 3rd photos) and when he has eaten grass (1st photo). A grass-fed horse's poos are unlikely to look like 2nd and 3rd.
I think you are worrying unnecessarily tbh.

My sec a has a similar variation in her droppings each day, they are significantly smaller fortunately, my theory is the looser ones are the wetter grass eaten overnight, early morning and the drier from day time when she also gets a token top up with soaked hay/ chaff, like everyone else I imagined unformed cowpats not partly formed ones.

 

[Merrymoles]

Watching with interest as friend's old horse has same problem, although his droppings are far splattier than those in your pictures. The vet believes he doesn't digest sugar and he is certainly much better on haylage than hay in the winter.

However, he loves bananas so I might suggest to her that he has them more regularly and point her in the direction of this thread!

 

[Red-1]

Sorry for not very pleasant post in the morning but I’m still tackling the poo problem! Currently working through some suggestions be careful to not suddenly change or add things. Nothing’s making a difference, they are still just really variable, it seems no matter what I do!!

Sorry for the pictures but just to demonstrate the variability here’s his poo from overnight.

A couple are like this -

And the rest are like this, or somewhere in between the two.

Don't see a deal wrong with either of those. The first one is pretty normal for a grass kept horse, a bit on the soft side but not as splatty as I was expecting.

Personally I don't like droppings that are too hard, worries me in case they are blocking up.

 

[LegOn]

If you can stick a fork under it - definitely not too bad!!!

The horse I knew - you would be washing it off the walls, it was pure liquid, no form whatsoever!

 

[ImmyS]

Immy-has he had his teeth done recently? the only thing that I would say about that poop is that there are some longer bits of forage in there-a horse vet told me when I was talking about feeding straw to look out for stuff like that as it could be a sign that they arent chewing and digesting optimally. tbh they dont look so bad to me, could just be differences in grass/how much he's eaten-I'd be more worried about small hard poo this time of year.

Hi thank you for suggestion, he has his teeth done regularly, last done around April as he had a chipped tooth. Vet had a good look at teeth and poo when he came and was happy with how everything looked, happy he was chewing and digesting everything well. But will be getting dentist out next month to check on that chip and rest of teeth so will get them to have a good look.

 

[ImmyS]

Thank you for replies. It has reassured me a lot! I know they are not terrible, I think it was more the change that worried as up until late last year they hadn’t been like this and were a lot more consistent.

 

[Goldenstar]

Have you tried a clay based supplement ?

 

[Diddleydoo]

I know they are not terrible, I think it was more the change that worried as up until late last year they hadn’t been like this and were a lot more consistent.

Please don't think I'm trying to worry you further but I'm going to go against the grain here and say I agree with you.

They are not terrible but I also agree, if it were my horse, it would be the change that concerned me. Mine could easily produce one like your first photo now and again but if I started to see that consistently I too would be looking to try and get back to what would be normal for her.

I can't really offer any more advice than the products you've already been recommended but what I would say is if there's something out of balance in the gut, and it's been out for a while, you need to give the products time to work don't change too quickly.

I understand it's going to be expensive to work through all the products on the thread. Maybe it's worthwhile to draw up a list and workout where some of them cross over with ingredients or method. Then at least you won't end up buying/trying something two or even three times under different brand names.

I totally commend you for trying to get to resolve this and really hope you find the product that works for him.



Edit

Another one, but possibly a long shot and not cheap
Eguisin from Forage Plus (mine did better on the SLH than the pellets)

https://forageplus.co.uk/product/egusin-slh-fore-and-hind-gut-support-for-horses/

 

[Lois Lame]

A friend had an old pony like this, she was advised by a vet to give him a banana, in it's skin, once a day and problem solved

I once read on a local forum about giving a banana in its skin (or the scrapings from the inside of banana skin/s) but I can't remember what it was for. I would try it.

 

[Lois Lame]

Sorry, posted twice by mistake when editing.

 

[be positive]

I once read on a local forum about giving a banana in its skin (or the scrapings from the inside of banana skin/s) but I can't remember what it was for. I would try it.

Potassium, more easily given in the form of Lo salt and already suggested by a few of us.

 

[Red-1]

I once read on a local forum about giving a banana in its skin (or the scrapings from the inside of banana skin/s) but I can't remember what it was for. I would try it.

This one made me smile. When it was steamy hot this summer my mare would refuse feed with electrolytes in. I was surprised as she normally only gets hay and grass so you would have thought a feed would be a treat!

I gave her a banana as a substitute and she sucked it all in. So, bananas for summer then!

Now it is not hot at all and we could break the banana habit, she whinnies at her 9pm night check for it. She is very cross if no banana is forthcoming.

The funniest bit is OH, buying a large number of bananas every week from Sainsburys, he says they are for us, but TBH if we ate them all we would likely be ill!

 

[ImmyS]

He is having normal salt and lo salt currently as recommended on here

 

[Butterbear]

I haven't read every reply on here but try Silverlining Herbs. I know a horse who had very severe scours and the owner spoke to Jonny at SLH who recommended something from their range and it worked an absolute treat. I have used them several times over the years with great success each time. The other would be to contact Trinity Consultants for their advice and suggestions, again excellent and used with success. Only try one at a time though so as not to overload the poor boy! Good luck