Caecum and gut microbiome help

[Bramley95]

Hello, I am looking to see if anyone out there has had a similar experience and might be able to give any advice!
It is a long story so will try to keep it brief.......
My horse (19 year old gypsy cob/total princess) was diagnosed last August with right dorsal colitis, treated with sucralfate and misoprostol until December when the ultrasound scan showed his gut wall thickness had returned to normal and we starting to put weight on. Along with the treatment, he was taken off long stem forage and switched to short grass by day and a mix of Simple Systems Haycare and unmolassed beet by night (in stable) fed using slow feeders.
He seemed to be on the mend but then had to have two courses of antibiotics (doxycycline, 10 days followed by Trimediazine, 28 days) - this obviously wiped out his microbiome despite also feeding Equine Premium Gut Balancer and yoghurt.
Since then (antibiotics finished end of March) he has been really up and down. I have tried other gut balancers and prebiotics (such as Equinutritive).
He will start to improve under saddle and be keep and charging about as normal one day and then uncomfortable and unwilling then next.
Two weeks ago he had a bout of gas colic but recovered quickly. Droppings are normal (size, smell, amount etc).
Currently out 24/7 on a grass track, he gets 3kg hay in a small holed net at night, hung from a tree so it slows him down! He gets a small meal twice a day of A&P Veteran Light.
He is n/P1 for PSSM but this doesn't seem to be affecting him at the mo (fingers crossed).
Have started yesterday on Equinectar as have run out of ideas as to why he is so up and down :-(
Has anyone had an experience like this and had any success?
Please do ask questions as i could put much more info here but didn't want to write a huge essay!

 

[SEL]

Antibiotics can really knock out the microbiome.

Equinatural are my go-to herbal company for support and Carol has great blends but it takes a while sadly, especially as yours has already had gut problems. The grass is particularly rich this year so are you sure the PSSM isn't an issue? My PSSM mare is sluggish and uncomfortable even in a muzzle.

 

[Bramley95]

Thank you - i hadn't come across them and so will have a look! His muscles have been lovely and soft and he hasn't been doing the usual PSSM symptoms but will keep a close eye on it, my vet has said the grass is all over the place this year because of the bonkers weather and that probably isn't helping him

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Whenever mine have had antibiotics or been unwell I put them on Global herbs restore for a few weeks then I use a gut balancer.

I've heard good things about Trinity consultants products they do a few for the gut.

I used a gut product from natural horse supplies for my horse after he had colic and I found that really good, I can't remember what it's called but it has slippery elm, yea sac and a few other things.

 

[paddy555]

this is purely around the gas colic situation. I had a serious colic problem a few weeks ago. Longer story but the horse had never really passed wind. He also appeared to have longer term gut problems. (not the same as yours it is just the gas bit I am refering to)

we sorted the colic and he passed gas, so very much gas. He was so much better for it. Next day I rode and he was so much better than he had been for a long time. Then he stopped passing gas and I started wondering if/how I could deal with the gas situation. So I started him on activated charcoal (equimins, progressive earth and I'm sure there are others around £20 a packet) Since I started that he has passed gas in the normal manner daily and his riding is so much consistently better.

It is just an idea which is quick and cheap to try. Charcoal can affect the uptake of meds. so you have to separate it. I use charcoal in the morning and give supplements in the eve.

I had also (before the charcoal) severely restricted his grass he is on a sort of track, changed hay to timothy haylage.

For mine the charcoal has made so much difference consistently. Yours of course may be different so it is just an idea.