Colitis

[Sparkles]

Best way to go, what to feed?

Horse been in for about 6 days now, vet rang straight away as was literally pooing liquid and all weight gone overnight [The day previous, was a fat happy 2 y/o...but had escaped out of his field as gate had been left not tied, into a very lush headland/wheat field.] Was put back in his field, other horses were fine, he seemed fine. Next morning, was a mess.
Anyway, vet called straight away, said to take him off the grass and put on just a small amount of hay/straw and lots of water and see how he was in morning.

Horse seemed brighter in the morning, but still very very loose, had vet look at him, advised to just stay on hay and maybe think about getting some pro-biotic yoghurt down him till he settled down. And worm with ivermec based wormer to double check that [even though, is up to date from that point as regularly jabbed and wormed. Joy of a traditional for you.] So he was wormed with a panacur [I think don't quote me on that]

Kept him on just normal hay to eat, and he seemed brighter and firmed up a little bit over the next day.

Got him some pro biotic yoghurt on Saturday and started adding it to him. Today, he is much much worse again suddenly. Listless, tired, not moving hardly [unsure if it's triggered lami...I wasn't present when the vet was out earlier so not sure what was said etc] but still eating hay fine, but was thirsty and has been drinking fine [3 large buckets filled each day and most being drunk].


I'm sure the vet's advised where to go to next with owner....but I just wasn't there earlier and won't chat to her till tomorrow, so just thought I'd post on here for anyone with any miraculous advice on what to do/feed/add etc from here, as one very very poorly horse currently!

 

[Dizzydancer]

Has the vet not given anti biotics?
Its a nasty illness when the two i know had it they were give strong anti biotics and anti inflammatorys then kept in with hay.
Get vet back out. What's temp like?

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

If it is indeed colitis this needs treated ASAP and most likely in a clinic. It is a very high possibility horse could have a lami episode. Google a horse named Paynter. He just came through a colitis bout in horsepital and he did suffer lami. I also know of another horse that was worse and as a final last ditch effort they gave the horse sour buttermilk. The vet said the reasoning was to have some sort of bacteria acting in there. Something like that.

At any rate, you need a vet to see your horse ASAP. If it is colitis you really need treatment started.

Terri

 

[Tarbs]

I know it's not the same but I had a dog who suffered from colitis and he would get bouts from time to time. They manifested in diahorrea that had mucus in it, lack of appetite and bloating. It was always a trip to the vet who treated him with antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. I also gave him probiotics by Protexin which lessened the boas. Anyway, they also make a gut balance for horses which I have been giving my laminitic horse for about three weeks.

It definately made a difference with my dog so I will continue to give it to Henry as a "just in case" measure. His lami was caused by weight bearing as he had a cast on the other leg but I'll try anything now to try to get him right again.

Good luck.

 

[Sparkles]

Thanks. Temp is normal.

Nothing was given to him other than pro-biotics added to him to encourage good bacteria again, as to start with he wasn't 'awful', just very very loose and did have dramatic weight loss in comparison to how he was the day previous. To keep an eye on him, keep him in off the grass on hay and call out again if needed and go from there. He was getting on better, it wasn't till today that he went back to really loose and lethargic.

Like I said, the vet has been has been out again today, I just wasn't in at work earlier so don't know what has now been done/being done, so just wanted extra input that's all as I'm not back in till tomorrow and will find out what's what no doubt.

 

[haras]

This doesn't really sound like true colitis to be honest, but more like some kind of colicy thing.

Colitis is a severe gastro-intestinal upset and causes very odourous loose faeces, a very high temperature and an extremely poorly horse.

My mare had this in January this year. She has previously had colic surgery so it was very worrying. Her temperature went up to 41, maybe higher than that. She wouldn't eat at all, was given a lot of antibiotics and was overdosed on finadyne at one point, when we'd got to our last ditch effort to save her at 4am one day. The vet tubed fluids and electrolytes into her.

For several days she would only eat grass and then picked at hay and high fibre cubes. It was touch and go for a while and several weeks before she had the all clear. We don't know what caused it, but suspect a dodgy batch of haylage. Shes now on permanent pink powder and she only has hay, not haylage.

If you suspect colitis, you need a vet immediately.

 

[Sparkles]

A vet has been out today. Last week, when he was found like it, he was bought in under vets instructions, given just hay. Vet then came out, and horse had perked up, wasn't 'as' tucked up as previous when we'd bought him in and eating and drinking more happily and his poos were not as loose/liquid as they had been. Temp was normal again. Vet wasn't too worried due to this, and diagnosed it was just a mild form of colitis from the xtra protein surge from the day previous escaping into the headlands, and just keep him in on hay, get him a pro-biotic and he should pick back up when his gut settled again, but to call him if anything digressed. Pony was picking up again quite happily since that first 24 hours, up until today [6 days on from when he was originally bought in] where he's suddenly gone today, back like how he was at the start, but now looking sore on his feet.
Pony is at work, I wasn't there today, which is why I don't currently know what's happened/ing with said pony as I was not present when the vet came back out straight away for him.
I just wanted info on here to what people have done for any of their experiences with colitis, as I'm curious as to what different things could be done, in case of any 'out there' ideas, should the vets have trouble with him at all, as trust me, I do understand the relevance of how urgent both colitis and lami are, and I wanted to have any extra ideas there are to try, should all else have been done/tried after treating him. I just like to have all options open, as you never know what others have gone through and found to work perfectly with it, or equally, have been a waste of time to do etc.

Thankyou.

 

[mynutmeg]

The thing that worries me about this is the weight lose - it sounds horribly like grass sickness of some sort to me.
I think from your description I would be aiming to get the horse to a horspital for IV treatment etc to keep hydrated if the diarrhoe is that bad and that will give the horse the best chance of survival and recovery through whatever is going on as well as the vet hospital having the expertise and experienced to diagnose and treat. If I'm reading right this isn't your horse but I would recommend this to the owner.

good luck and I hope he gets better

 

[Chestnutmare]

It certainly doesn't sound like Colitis to me, my lad had this came on so suddenly he was a lami anyway so was always carefully monitored.
Vet came out treated for colic as showing colic symptoms, gave codine tabs, finadyne he was off all feed and hay, wasn't drinking properly at all became very weak over night temp went sky high, heart rate soared through the roof too, so obvious pain.
He was admitted that day to horspital intensive care where he received round the clock treatment, still showing no signs of improvements, was picking at feed bran mash type, hardly drinking was on iv fluids anyway, fynadyne and something else, can't remember the name of it (have it all on his reports still at home), he was picking up slowly, then shot straight back downhill fast he had terrible odema's on his back end and through his chest, he looked awful and was breaking my heart seeing his so so poorly.

I sadly lost him after a fight to save him his heart rate at one point was 108!!! poor boy so I very sadly with a heavy heart had to call it a day.

I do hope yours manages to get the treatment but doesn't sound like colitis.

wish you all the best sending lots of vibes for neddy

 

[kirstykate]

Get a few tubes of Protexin Quick fix, much better than Yoghurt. Hope your pony is better soon. and Charcoal may help.xxx

 

[millitiger]

It really doesn't sound like colitis- if it was, I imagine the vet would have him down at the clinic asap.

Millie had colitis when she was a 4yro and in 36 hours went from 100% healthy to very, very close to death.

She was on intensive care with a drip, stomach tube and 24/7 nursing for nearly 3weeks.
Then another 2 weeks in the 'normal' ward at the equine hospital before she was allowed home.
Took 6 months out at grass before she looked like herself again.

I would want the vet back out if I were you OP and get some proper tests done- have they done bloods, taken fluid from stomach (taken through stomach wall) etc?

 

[LynH]

One of my horses had colitis two years ago it was like colic that kept coming and going with severe Diahorrea. She went downhill very rapidly and within 24hrs was in the hospital with a tap in to drain fluid and IV painkillers, sedation and fluids. She was in agony and unable to eat for days. They fed her a special feed which looks very chalky and then gradually introduced Alfa A and sugar beet to help bind her droppings. It was touch and go for a week before she could eat hay etc again. When she came home she was so thin but I kept her on Alfa A, sugar beet, haylage as well as antibiotics, protexin, charcoal(Happy Tummy) and metacam for the pain. She also got a jugular thrombosis where she had a catheter in for 6 days, thrombosis is common with colitis and it took months to reduce.
She was lucky to survive and I honestly wanted to pts at times as she looked so ill. Colitis is horrible and very serious so if it is colitis I would get the horse to a clinic ASAP and get the bloods checked every two or three days for a few weeks afterwards as they can revert very quickly.
Ongoing I have kept her on Happy Tummy and Protexin and she is still only fed Hifi and sugar beet.

 

[racebuddy]

Hi how's ur horse today any change ? Improvement ? X

 

[maccachic]

Seems odd that a vet would rcommend yoghurt, when horses over one are lactose intolerant, so wouldn't be doing his guts much good at all.

Dehydration is a concern too? Might be time for a second opinion.