Field kept horse STILL scouring. Help please.

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myhorsefred

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I posted on the 27th August to say that my horse had started scouring. You were all really helpful and suggested pink powder and live yoghurt. I've been giving him these.

Spoke to my vet a week ago and he isn't concerned. Said it takes a while for the pink powder to kick in, and just keep his routine the same and keep the pink powder coming.

No improvement in horsey, still scouring, but no worse. Horse is bright in himself, shiney coat, etc. Just still scouring loads. Like cowpats.

Spoke to vet yesterday again, as I am getting quite concerned now, but again, vet does not seem overly worried at all. Says it is the grass, and he is obviously sensitive. Horse is a heavyweight cob, who you think would be not sensitive to anything! lol

Agreed with vet that I would call on Monday if no improvement and he will come and see him then. Obviously if he gets worse over the weekend, I will call vet straight away.

I am worrying.

Is it common that horses scour for two weeks, just because of september grass? (I should say that horse is on a smallish fenced off paddock, and isn't on lots of grass, as he is a good doer.)

Sorry for longwinded post. But I am worrying now.
 
There are a few things you could try to stop the scouring, some more drastic than others.
1. Stable him and feed hay and water only. This is the traditional cure for diarrhoea and it does work, but your cob may not settle in.
2. Reduce his area of grass - electric fence him into part of the field or muzzle him.
3. Give him more fibre - a slice of hay twice a day, or a chaff feed like HiFi Lite.
4. Give him access to a salt lick - this is important as he may be losing electrolytes.
5. Worm him - make sure he has been wormed against both encysted small redworm (Equest or Panacur 5 day) and tapeworm (Pyrantel double dose)
6. If none of these work, then you may be in the realms of testing him for disease - blood tests, etc.
I hope he recovers soon.
S :D
 
does he have a temperature?? could be a virus, but more than likely just the grass, there's a new flush and laminitics are being affected by it. One of my lads has swollen legs which the vets put down to change in grass protein levels. Agree with above to give him electro salts to replace any that's lost, and ensure he's always got plenty of water and keep up with the pink powder/live yoghurt. Also check for clover in the field, if the grass has all been eaten down, it could be that he's eating more clover than he was, which is quite rich? agree with shils about stabling, muzzling and worming to try to stop it.
 
Hi, thanks for replying.

I've been bringing him in in the days and giving him haylage, just to give his tummy a rest from the grass and also to keep fibre moving through him. (Same haylage he has had before, so not new to his system.)

He has an automatic drinker in the field and his stable, so constant water. Will add some electrolytes though.

I've not been riding him since he started scouring, so he's not sweating at all. The vet said its ok to ride as he's quite bright in himself, but I just didn't want to ride him if he's not quite right. Poor thing.
 
does he have a dust allergy? if not i'd be inclined to change the hayledge to hay for a few days/week and see if that helps too. Whilst in might not be a change it is still richer than hay.
 
Thanks shils and competition diva. Think my reply crossed with yours as I was typing to be positive. Wish I could type quicker!!

Shils - I have haylage, but its very dry haylage, more like wrapped hay really. But I could get some hay easily to try. He has a salt lick in his stable and a big lick in his field too. Size of his fenced paddock is about 20m x 30m. Yes, I'm thinking blood tests are the next thing. I know he is wormed, as i've kept on top of his worming programme. Think blood tests will put my mind at rest really.

Competition diva - no he doesn't have a temp. Its thrown me really, as he looks so well in himself.

thanks again.
 
Another old remedy ,bran, as dry as possible,just enough water to stop it being dusty,for several days,I would keep up the PP and yoghurt.Dry hay may help.
 
Competition diva - thanks, yes I think I'll get some hay tomorrow and try that. If he clears up, then when i put him on the grass again if he starts scouring again, then at least I know its the grass changing, and not serious illness. Also the blood ttests will rule out illness. I tend to worry til I know what

Worst thing is trying to work out what it is. At least once you know if it is illness, grass etc you know what you're dealing with and manage things accordingly.

thanks.
 
Get him off the grass if poss totally,and just feed hay. Have one who does this and has been v ill with it. Vet just calls it enteritis now, but he has to be fed dry hay,pink powder and fibre nuts to avoid having an attack. It can take him months to pickup should he get affected. Touchwood,now we know more about managing it,we usually can avoid it becoming too severe. If left, he scoured to such an extent, the stuff came out of him jet propelled,and woah betide you should you be in the way!
He is now managed by being fed hay all year and having strip grazed paddock with only v tiny amounts of fresh grass or none if it has rained,as sugar/carb content changes and upsets him again. Throughout the bouts,he will usually eat but when became v ill couple of times in past,has refused to eat and has lost tonnes of weight.
The dry hay seems to dry the gut up and usually works quickly when he's had an attack.
Fingers x'd your boy is more straightforward and recovers quickly
 
Spottyappy - thanks very much. I will definately get him in and give him only hay and fibre nuts. Then reduce his paddock to a small area. Its 20m x 30m now, but will reduce it further. thank you.
 
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