Delayed gastric emptying causing impactions

SO1 said:
Just an update to this my beloved NF is being PTS on Friday as he has this.

He is 20 so must be acquired rather than congenital as I have had 15 years only in the last 12 months has he had colics.

He had 4 colics August, October, May, June. The one in June was very bad and I nearly lost him but after walking him through the night he survived. He had had a long period of box rest with controlled walking and we originally thought that it was lack of movement that was causing the problem or getting too hot as he was not full clipped like he normally was. His poos also became very small and firm but we thought that was due to being on course hay and not drinking enough.

The colics in May and June happened when he was on getting some turnout.

After June colic YO suggested we scoped for ulcers. When scoped we found the gastric impaction and it took the vets nearly a week to clear it in hospital using coke and regular tubing.

They found a glandular ulcer.

Came home went on a special diet of grass 7 hours a day, plus 4 meals of one scoop of dengie mollasses free 6.45 2.30 4.20 and 10pm.

Went into vets to rescope and his stomach was full again. Vet said on this diet it should not be full and that they think his stomach not working properly and therefore he is at risk of stomach rupture.

So sadly the vet advised PTS he did not give option of any drugs to help the stomach clear the food more quickly.

I am heart broken he is my best friend and I don't know how I will cope without him. I live on my own and he and the yard are my social life.

However it sounds like others have had more success in managing this.

I think the diagnosis is difficult as it doesn't get picked up on a normal colic exam and they still poo the normal amount.

My lovely boy was not born with this otherwise it would have been picked up earlier so not sure what caused it.
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This all sounds so familiar to Ralph. He was eventually diagnosed with delayed gastric motility which means everything is a lot slower so living out and eating just grass and moving really works for him. His problems have probably always been there but were kicked off when he was on 5 months box rest for a stifle injury, he wasn't moving as much and therefore his guts reduced movement even more. He colicked for the first time ever at the age of 14 and when scoped for ulcers he was impacted, all very similar to your boy. He has lived out for a year and now spends up to 8 hours in a stable during the day and will live out overnight permanently, it works for him so far.
I am so sorry about your boy, it is such a horrible worry and stress for everyone concerned, not to mention a devastating loss. Thinking of you xx
 
That's good news about your pony.

With my darling boy whilst he has not coliced on this diet his stomach was still full so vet said the risk of his stomach rupturing in the night is too high so we have to let him go.

His stomach wall is very thin and stretched due to the impaction which makes the risk of rupture higher.

I do wonder now if he just ate grass if perhaps he would be ok but that was not an option given to me by the vet. He is I suppose almost on grass only having the dengie mollasses free chaff which is supposed to be easy to pass through as sloppy feeds.


mousesmum said:
This all sounds so familiar to Ralph. He was eventually diagnosed with delayed gastric motility which means everything is a lot slower so living out and eating just grass and moving really works for him. His problems have probably always been there but were kicked off when he was on 5 months box rest for a stifle injury, he wasn't moving as much and therefore his guts reduced movement even more. He colicked for the first time ever at the age of 14 and when scoped for ulcers he was impacted, all very similar to your boy. He has lived out for a year and now spends up to 8 hours in a stable during the day and will live out overnight permanently, it works for him so far.
I am so sorry about your boy, it is such a horrible worry and stress for everyone concerned, not to mention a devastating loss. Thinking of you xx
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