Big belly!

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Hazel and Arnold

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Hello, My 16 year old arab gelding has been very underweight recently because he has been diagnosed with Summer Pasture RAO but suddenly he has developed a huuuuuuge belly! He is still skinny everywhere else but his belly looks massive. Any ideas please??? Thanks ever so much x
 
Well, I've done a worm count a week or two ago and there were no eggs. Also, we moved to a new yard a month ago and the grass is soooo much better than at the last yard but he's been eating it very very slowly because he's been in such a lot due to his allergy which is worse on the grass. So I've been managing his respiratory problems and he is much better now so he is only coming in during the day every other day (hope that makes sense) but the grass in his paddock is pretty much gone now so he's only getting the last bits. It seems a bit weird for it to be happening now to be honest! x
 
My TB mare used to have a big belly. With changes to her diet of restricted/no at times grazing, feeding soaked hay along with decent balancer her belly is now normal. I had resigned myself to it being her and had been told it was probably a foal belly.
The belly loss crept up and I only really noticed in retrospect but I think is due to her gut working properly due to dietary changes. I also fed yea sac for a good while as well. Incidentally she also used to loose weight in winter but no longer does. She is never rugged btw. She is also yarded in a herd when grazing restricted with barn access so she can move all the time.

Another thing to consider is Cushings.

ps. Worm counts don't show, tapes or encysted redworm. Another related thing to check is her teeth.
 
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My tb (aged 19) gets a huge belly in the summer. He's always had it and looks pregnant at times. No worms, teeth are fine etc. all I can do us bring him in off the grass for the day in the summer, and when he's really huge soak his hay.

It's going to get worse as we've just had to retire him.
 
My mare has copd and developed summer pasture RAO last year, she had been retired the previous winter due to arthritis (she is an old girl). Her belly became quite distended and I think it was two things. Firstly her abdomen dropping due to her abdominal and back muscles becoming weaker, and, secondly due to the increased respiratory effort, she sort of built up muscles on the sides of her belly.

Nothing helped our girl at all and it was only toward the end of Sept that she stated to pick up. We decided that as soon as she started showing signs this spring we would put her down as we couldn't give her any relief, she needed to be out for her COPD but in for her SP RAO! Any hoo, this year - no problems at all! Possibly due to the fact we had no rape near us or the cold spring and late flowering season. Hooray, just keeping my fingers crossed for next spring.
 
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