FOF Pony with Intermittent Diarrhoea.....

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buzyizzy

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We are waiting for worm count to be confirmed. Just recently his tummy has been fine, then last night it was squitty again. He's quite nervy at the moment, and really doesn't seem to have found his feet yet. We have been taking them out for hour long slow hacks and he's really quiet. We have a fair number of bridleways we can use and today we had a short canter across a field, and he just lolloped along, not needing encouragement, but not whizzing off either. He's looking old quite suddenly:(
I did also think the reluctance to behave like an idiot might mean he's in pain too. Anyway, will see what happens vis a vie the worm count and take it from there. ,any years ago, when he was about 8, he suddenly went very low, and he's been terribly poorly a couple of times in his life, but today he whinnied when we arrived. We left them in this afternoon after the ride, to see if he will rest. He's also very farty! Do you think some pink powder would help?
 
I wouldn't feed PP to a nervy pony. We fed it to a pretty steady mare whose behaviour when hacking deteriorated. We stopped feeding it when we realised that it was making her feet very sensitive. Her less than steady friend was even worse!
 
My only experience of a squitty bum was caused by rank and rich haylege. Went through my poor lad like a wire brush! I swapped to hay and he firmed up. What forage is he on?
Also, are there such things as pre-biotics for horses? When we adopted our kitten, he was a very squitty kitty as he'd been hand reared by the rescue people. The vet gave us a paste, which recolonised his gut with all the good bacteria and his little bum was much improved! Maybe worth chatting to your vet?
 
He's on hay which is quite low quality as he's also had laminitis a few times when fed too rich haylage/grass. He had just the one again last night. I spoke to my trimmer and she suggested a liver tonic. I'm going to buy Restore when I can, but I've bought him some milk thistle powder which he had last night and in his breakfast today. Apparently it works quite quickly and I should notice a difference in a few days. Must admit he was happy to go out this morning, despite the foul weather, which is a good sign. He's still not right, just seems to have aged a lot recently. My trimmer also suggested to stop the speedibeet as it can block the uptake of the minerals I'm feeding him, so I have. I don't want to try too many things as once, but I'll certainly look into the suggestions above as well. If there's no improvement by Tuesday, I'll have a chat with a vet. Problem is that it is such a big practice, it's difficult to speak to one who knows him. I shall try tho. Thanks for all the suggestions, very helpful:)
 
May be ulcers. My pony showed very few if any signs and when scoped, was found to have grade 3 ulcers and in a great deal of pain. Yours sounds to have a few of the classic symptoms so may be worth investigating
 
Two days ago I noticed that after a three day break, he'd done another one overnight. Then yesterday he was very farty when we brought him in and as we brushed them off before riding, he did another one. They are happening more when he's being prepared to ride, but he's happy when ridden and yesterday Eve when we went out for an hour's roadwork, he easily kept up with my chap, which is very unusual and good to see. Daughter said he's been more perky the last two rides, so I don't think he can be in any pain. He doesn't object to being girthed up either and is clearing all his food at night. Behaviour wise, he's normal now, not so stressed out, plus we had worm count done and he was clear. It's a mystery, that's for sure.
 
Protexin is really good for the gut, however this has been ongoing for a while so I would ask the vet to come out (choose a vet who you have dealt with in the past).
Keep notes about the symptoms, anything other than the scouring and wind, obscure things like any itching, yawning, unsettled behaviour or just anything whilst you are watching during the course of the day
Just ask the vet to give him a check over and have a FBC and full liver function test

Its a process of elimination with the vet call out, in the interim could anyone be feeding any titbits? Any change in hay suppliers? Different paddock?

I had one many years ago that if I got the lorry out or travel bandages out she would scour but had no other symptoms, this was pure excitement as loved going out and would load herself

I hope things improve soon and you have your answer, I hate mysteries with mine
 
Definitely Protexin, its completely cured our really squitty loan pony, her poos are 100% normal now, at the start we had to wash her tail and legs every couple of days...

Fiona
 
My mare well the first one had this but her souring went on and on for months and never go t to the bottom of it. (I lost her)


I would (in your position) call the vet and do bloods and complete health check, I would not feed him anything different before you call the vet as if there is an underlining issue it could be aggravated by feeding other strange things he is not used too.

There a several reasons for diarrhea

Changes of diet
to much haylage
to many carrots
gut embalance
to rich grass
sickness
new hay
rancid feed
Salmonella spp
Clostridium spp
Salmonellosis
Antimicrobial-associated diarrhea
Clostridium difficile
C. perfringens
Potomac horse fever (Neorickettsia risticii)
cyathostomiasis (massive infection of small strongyles)
equine proliferative enteropathy (Lawsonia intracellularis)
Noninfectious
Carbohydrate overload
Antimicrobial-associated diarrhea
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Ulcerative colitis
Sand enteropathy
Inflammatory bowel disease
scellaneous toxins

When To Call The Vet

• If diarrhea is profuse and watery
• If the horse is acting depressed and/or has a fever
• If there is colic
• If soft manure persists more than 3 days
• If horse was losing weight before the diarrhea started.

I would contact your vet and do some tests, in the mean time make sure he drinks well and keep on a bland diet
 
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I've spoken to vet, who pretty much brushed it off. Didn't really give me the chance to explain properly :( but as they have their vaccs being done next week, I can chat to the vet who comes out and hopefully he/she will be more understanding. Vet I spoke to has said to give them both Pramox even tho his worm count was clear, as he said it's the wrong time of year. I was aware it might be, but as it has been so mild, I thought it might be worth a shot. Pony is well in himself, so I'm gonna hang on till next week. He's had no changes in diet, this odd poo has been going on since September, same diet all summer and all winter. He has hay ad lib and no treats, carrots are a no-no due to sugar content, pee is a good colour although his skin doesn't ping back as well as I'd like, grazing is non fertilised old pasture. He's had ad lib in the winter for two years now without any reaction. My only thoughts are a) could it be at the previous place he's eaten something he shouldn't have and it's upset/damaged his liver or b) is it just the change in yard, although the poos stopped when we first moved and only restarted later on. He's been eating the hedgerows a lot lately. Maybe I should keep him in for a couple of days and see if they stop. That might narrow down what could be causing it. Sorry, I'm rambling. :)
 
Vet probably means dose him for encrusted red worm due to the time of year.

I don't think you are rambling at all, if I have a mystery my vet knows he will come out to an A4 size sheet of paper of symptoms and a few emails or photo's thrown in (He is probably thankful it doesn't happen very often) but he is always supportive and if I have a gut instinct something is wrong then as far as I am concerned there is

Your vet really shouldn't brush you off, you are around this pony all the time you are sensing something is not right and need a decent vet who is not patronising to you and above all listens, are these equine vets or a large practice of vets who deal with a variety of animals

I hope when the vet comes out for jabs next week he/she is a little more patient and understanding
 
I wouldnt give pramox wormer to horse that was not 100% healthy I would hold off on that in fact I won't use pramox on my horses at all a friend almost lost her horse after having it so be careful, it's not the right wormer for this time of year anyway equest is the right one for now but if you suspect he has a worm burden any wormer can have a dramatic effect, I would worm count before worming and put him on a gut balancer like protexin and see if it helps with the loose droppings if not I would get a vet out, if your current vet is not giving you the help and support you need get another that will.
 
Well, we left them both in all weekend, but rode them as normal. Turned out for a few hours on Monday, back to normal routine from Tuesday and since last Thursday we haven't had one squitty poo. We think he's been eating the hedgerows which have a lot of small ash trees which are of course a laxative. So, since they've both been out, they've been sticking to the grass and they've been fine. He's also looking a lot better too! Another mystery solved ��
 
Well that is good news

About 20 yrs ago I had a welsh cob whose muzzle became awful, bright red scabby mess, my vet and I were baffled, run tests and tried various things to no avail
We both walked the paddock and couldn't see anything to cause it whilst grazing, it was an ongoing mystery
Then a very old farmer arrived one day for a coffee and chat, whilst I put the kettle on he wandered past the stables and the mare stuck her head out, very calmly
he said *Oh you have hogweed growing somewhere, that will be hogweed causing that*

Sure enough there was a patch of low growing hogweed tucked in the very corner of her paddock

You learn something new everyday, what may upset one horse may not have any effect on any others
 
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