Found the cause of William's illness.

H

henryhorn

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Devon UK
www.narramorehorses.blogspot.com
The lab has done more tests on all the samples and eventually come up with ecoli 125, a nasty thing that affects the kidneys, it's obviously found in poo and I reckon was washed into the water supply in that field after all the downpours we had around that time. It lives in ditches apparently.
Next door have a septic tank but well away from there, but there are other farms on that line as we are downhill where we live, so water could have been washed from that direction.
Or it could have come from the other water supply by the same method.
The field they were in wasn't overgrazed at that time either so I doubt they picked it up from themselves.
It does make my theory of the two foals being the only ones to use one of the water supplies work, but that doesn't help losing the first foal.
Will post pics of William later on the blog, right now C has gone out to take a recent one, the Vet just called as he was passing (that man is a star) to see how he was looking, and apart from wanting to take a blood sample soon to check his kidneys says he looks super. (you'll have to see from the pics).
I think we will fence off one water supply the low down one as the access to that stream can get muddy, and hope the other one is the "good" one.
I do feel happier having got some sort of diagnosis, and in later years will at least be aware of it may happen again.
Just as an afterthought the vet and I walked into their field this morning (William has been out for two nights now) and there on the floor appeared to be a dead foal.. We both had a sharp intake of breath, but as we got nearer Rocky twitched an ear... He was asleep in the sun! What a relief.....
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Give me half an hour to post a pic on www.narramorehorses.blogspot.com
 
He looks so much better. You must be relieved to have found a secure diagnosis. Gosh - what a nightmare for you all.

LOL at the playing dead. Foals love to do that, don't they?
 
Im not sure if that is good news or bad!

Good that William is getting better.
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Good that you have identified the cause and if it happens again at least you know what you are probably dealing with.

Bad that you are still not sure where it has come from!
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At least William is still continung to improve. Look forward to seeing the photos later!
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That is good news, so glad you have found something at least you know what you are dealing with now. And its fab that william is doing so well
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I am still in awe of the care you gave to William, and of course the Vet's commitment, too. It is a sort of relief to have found a probable cause, and if you can take steps to help it recurring, that is good. It will always be at the back of your mind though, from now on.
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William looks fantastic now; what a difference! Your heart must burst every time you see him!
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So glad to hear how much William is improving.

Good that you now know what you have been dealing with, and I hope in the future it doesn't affect anymore fo the foals.

Naughty Rocky trying to give you all a scare!
 
Wow, I bet noone was expecting that! Just shows what a strong little chap he is to come through that. I wish him all the best for his future!
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wow just read and gone to blog an amazing journey poorly little foal been on, last image look much much better. I do hope it will not have lasing effect on foal life,
Will you you have to give anything to help or will body total recovery or be pre-sensitive to this bug again???
 
HH, he is looking such a picture. You'd struggle to believe that he came so close to not making it. He is a real testament to your strength and commitment to see him pull through, and to your great vet as well. I'm sure William knows how special he is.
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He looks so much better, great news and very uplifting glad you have some sort of answers i appriciate i wont change anything from the past but gives some understanding i hope, just happy to see William looking so much better
 
Good news indeed. He really does look as though there has never been a thing wrong with him
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. The question is, had the vet known it was e-coli 125 from day one, would the filly's outcome been different?
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It doesn't help her, but might help others in the future if they have the same problem to suggest e-coli 125 to the vet as a possible.
 
The filly went down much quicker than he did, and the difference was within hours William was on a drip and receiving anti biotics. She sort of went quiet and started losing her hair, so it was a while before she actually showed how sick she was with diorrhea starting. Now we take their temps with a digital thermometer at the first sign of trouble.
I think had we caught her sooner it would have been the same story, but I don't think I could justify spending almost £1700 on another foal..
They have been filming Countryfile round here all week (a farm 1/4 mile away, and they had lambs that suddenly lost all their wool at the same time as the foals got ill.
Their fields are above ours and the same water runs through some of them.
The lamb died they showed on tv, so I wonder if the cause was the same...
We've been fixed to the tv watching as the vet they use lived in one of our cottages, the scenery is all round here and even the chef they have on my husband met a while ago!
The other foals seem healthy and I am fairly certain this was caused by the wet weather making the approach to the stream muddy down a narrow path, and leaving puddles which the foals probably drank out of whilst their dms drank at the actual stream. We won't be using it ever again, but what a hard way to find out the hidden dangers there.
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he looks so well all things considered
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Glad you found the cause too - let's hope you don't have anymore problems
 
He looks so much better. Again well done to you and the vet for not giving up on him. At least you have a diagnosis now but as you say a terribly hard way to find out the dangers lurking in a stream.
 
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