Foal update

henryhorn

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 October 2003
Messages
10,500
Location
Devon UK
www.narramorehorses.blogspot.com
He is no worse this morning but no better either, he is making attempts to suckle but not very good ones so I am off out with a bottle once the mare has finished her own feed, there is a limit to how much glucose you can give them or it stuffs other organs.
He now has a port stitched in his neck (see new pic on blog) so at least we can give him some fluids when needed if he won't drink.
My wonderful vet came back again at 11pm to give him two more lots of fluid, then I spoke with him earlier and he is getting ready to go to his surgery (on his day off I suspect) to look at the samples himself to see what he can find.
I checked on the foal through the night and he was mostly asleep standing up.
The dam is a bolshy beggar and isn't relishing being away from the herd, but the stallion is two doors down so she isn't alone.
This foal smells horrible like calf scour just as the other did, and has identical symptoms, so what the hell is the cause?
Once I have him fed I'll clamber into that next door field and try and see for myself, but surely if it was something like lead the others would have been affected too? (two more foals in there at the time)
We also have a back lady coming today who whispers have it can talk to the horses. You may laugh but if she can ask him or his dam, we may get our answer.
We used to use Julie Dicker before she passed away and miss her so much in cases like this, I know of one when she said giardia in the water and was proved right!
This person has never told me of her gift however so it will be up to her to see if she offers..I don't feel I can ask outright.
Oh well off to make a cup of tea then see if he will have another drink.
No point at all going in with his stroppy dam whilst she is eating, she swung round and almost knocked him and me flying a minute ago, once she has eaten she may calm down.
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(((((henryhorn and mare and foal)))))


Was just reading your other post and blog. I'm so sad for you and can only imagine the desperation you must be feeling.

Wishing you all strength and a quick and positive outcome.
 
Oh Sue, I have only just read your other post, what a terrible time for you all. Fingers crossed your excellent vet will find something today. As far as the back lady (whisperer) goes, I would definitely ask for her help, you never know. Do you know of a good homeopathist who could come out and advise?

Sending all the healing vibes I can muster hunni xxx
 
Glad to hear he is no worse and what a great vet you've got there. Please, please ask your back lady for help - it's an opportunity there for you to sieze - I am sure you can be tactful in your request. A gift is there to help.

Have you looked up C parvum - seems to be associated with cattle but transmits to others.

Best Wishes
 
HH, is your vet giving your foal antibiotics???

I tell you why, we had one of our foals go downhill very quickly this year. We noticed him quieter, then he had terrible scour, off the suck, really high temperature and was sleeping standing up a lot. We got bloods taken and nothing much was found, but our vet gave us a new antibiotic new on the market.

It was in the injection form and we gave it twice a day - it was called CEPHAGUARD IV IM 4.5% 30 MLS - he was give 2 mls in the morning and the same at night. We also gave him DIARSANYL 60ML to stop the diarrhoea. We also had him rugged up with one of the thermal rugs from the Breeding Supplies website (see BBMAT).

Anyway the results over the space of a couple of days were amazing and we put it down to the stuff we were injecting and also for clearning up the diarrhoea.

He is now fit and healthy!! Go and ask your vet...........it may be something different to what we had but anything is worth a go!!

There is no harm in asking your vet, but the symptoms sound so much like our lads. Just a shame I did not come on here last night to share this with you, as only read your posts this morning.

XXX
 
Well no change is better than downhill so I am pleased to wake up this morning and read this.
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Let's hope the back lady comes forward. Even if just a fresh set of eyes and a fresh load of ideas is bound to be a help. (fingers crossed hey)?

Thinking of you. This must be so frustrating I wish I could help.

Hugs to you all
 
OMG!
*Off to look at earlier post*

Sue, what on earth.. which foal is this? I do hope you get to the bottom of this. I was so upset to read about Diva last week.
I will pm you later too, sorry havent forgotten just hopeless....

Please keep me updated.
HUGS and vibes.
 
Hope the foal starts to respond to treatment and the vet finds out what is causing it. I just want to add to what some others have said, DO ask the back lady if she can help by asking the mare or foal what is the problem. There is a code of ethics that applies to horse whisperers, unless specifically asked for help in this way she will not offer advice. You have to ask for her horse whispering services.
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Otherwise wherever she went she would be giving out statements about the various horses she sees and their owners may not want, or believe in her ability, and she would just be causing trouble for herself.
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Thanks. I think that's what he has given him already, the name sounded the same.
He is rugged too with a polypad underneath for extra warmth.
We have just stomach tubed him with loads of milk, and he is rehydrated with the fluids and glucose, plus the anti biotics, bicarb to help his acidity etc. The tube was easier than me syringing down for ages, as he can't grasp the technique of sucking on a latex teat.
If the anti biotic isn't this one I will check with my vet later when he revisits.
The scour is not like normal, more sort of apple green colour and the smell is horrible, it's coming out in poo shapes not liquid.
The symptoms are identical to the filly that died, but we are hopeful we have caught this chap in time.
The vet is still on the route of some bug but the labs are closed and his search hasn't found anything significant.
His temp has been low not high and he too is sleeping standing up.
I plan to feed him every hour via the syringe, and hopefully by the end of today he should be strong enough to drink from the mare again.
Many thanks for the advice, and to all the people who have so kindly pm'd me, I will reply but at the moment haven't time..
 
This foal is William (Music Man) out of the chunky chesnut mare of the two sisters.
Absolutely smashing foal...Elegant, substance, floats along.. wouldn't you know it..
No-one could be fighting harder than our vet, last night was his night off yet he came out twice to us, left a meal out with friends the second time and was here at 8am today.
I have suggested every obscure cause known to the internet, and each time he has patiently explained why it can't be that!
Cross your fingers, that is such a lovely foal....
 
Sue, I am so glad that he's still in there fighting, and I'm sending all the positive vibes I can muster that you can find, and treat his problems.

Come on little man, keep going!!

Bethxxx
 
I hopeless at things like this, never know what to say, but just wanted to let you know Im thinking of you and praying you can save this little one.

DMXXX
 
I really hope you all get to the bottom of it, you vet sounds fab. If it something travelling from next doors cattle/calves I don't think it would necessarily affect all the foals - a complete shot in the dark just thinking back to when a virus went round our dairy calves in mild wet weather. They scoured, were generally listless, lost their ability to suckle and then died - not all were affected. may have been coccidiosis (sp?) but was never confirmed, and they were tested for lots of things. Just a thought thats all.
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GL HH.
 
QR -

HH I am so sorry to read of this. What a dreadful time you are having and it is so sad for all involved. I have no words of wisdom I'm afraid, I just hope that the vet can figure out what is wrong and find out the cause.

Very best of luck,

Tia x
 
OMG I feel for you. I have had 3 foals this year all go down with something that really all it was put down to was an infection of some kind. 2 went to the vet hospital and one was in for 4 days another 2.5 weeks and a third I must have caught really early and administered fluids by syringe every half and hour and gallons of Pepto Bismol. The 3rd foal started looking off at 7.00am in the morning and had stopped drinking etc but by 11.00pm that night he was suckling from his mum again.
Symptons were lethargy, the runs and dehydration. We were lucky that all survived but the one that was in hospital for 2.5 weeks has to be bottle fed now as mum's milk dried up.
I really wish you lots of luck and hope the little one picks up.
 
Sue, If he pulls threw I want to put down a deposit on him - not sure how, but im going to try.
He looks smashing in his pics, i remember the mare now
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I have everything x for you guys
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Oh gosh, I really really hope he manages to pull through.

The vet sounds like an absolute star, you must be lucky to have him.

Hugs and best wishes to all of you.

Isabelle
 
He couldn't be in better hands I'm sure. Hope he hangs on in there, won't be for want of trying and hope you find out what it is that's making them so ill
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