Eating poop??!

[Evie91]

Little mare is being treated for ulcers. Scoped six weeks ago, starved for 12 hrs prior, took bed out etc, left in bare stable- stomach perfectly clear of food and diagnosed with grade three ulcers, bleeding.

Booked in to scope again this week, followed exactly the same procedure, noticed not as much poo in the stable in the morning,vet couldn't scope as horse's stomach was full, as if she had just eaten large breakfast. Apparently stomach was full of her own poo- she couldn't be scoped.
Apparently this is a thing, horses can and do eat their own poo. In all of my years of horse ownership I have never,ever heard of this! Dogs, yes but not horses.
Booked in again but will need to be muzzled overnight as well - which is a worry as never been muzzled before!
Anyone else heard of it?

 

[Clare85]

My old boy used to top his bed every night and eat his poo. Always had plenty of hay, water, etc.

Sounds like your girl decided she would eat her poo as there was nothing else available to her. They're very resourceful, lol

 

[Evie91]

That's what the vet said, not uncommon to eat their own poo if no food. I had never heard of this before.
Could get even more expensive if she manages to get the muzzle off overnight before next scope!

 

[Seville]

They also do it to seek out minerals they may be missing. I imported my PRE last October, and he had been here a month when he started doing that. I gave him a broad spectrum vit and min supplement and he hasn't done it since. Good luck with the scope, hope your mare makes a good recovery.