Gut balancers

[Mosh]

Hi guys,
It's a subject done to death I know but looking for some digestive support/gut balancers.

Bit of a backstory:
30 year old mare, had impaction colic 17th/18th December which required 2 x sedation, 2 x buscopan, 2 x pain relief and 1kg salt mixed with 8 litres of water and then an additional 8 litres over 18 hours.

On the 12th she was lightly sedated for her teeth (few sharp points and bits worn down but had all her teeth still)

She has recovered since then but had a a few days of sloppy poo. Not uncontrollable diarrhea and she had control when she did have a poo.

We then had a very more days of solid poo but last night has started back having wetter poos.
Was wormed this morning with equest pramox.

She is fed: rowan and barbery fibre mash, thunderbrooks chaff (the only one she will eat!) With bosweilla, turmeric extra (linseed, vitamin e included) and has been on this for some time. She gets pony nuts as an extra. She is fed ad-lib hay and is out on grass in the day time. She is drinking well, looks bright, happy and opinionated! Happy in her ridden work.

I'm looking for something to support her digestion but conscious I don't want to firm everything up too much as don't want impaction again as we did nearly lose her in December.

 

[Jambarissa]

Very hard to think what might be causing it. She's older so could well have problems related to that.

I've been on a fws mission since October, nothing cured it but I think it was probably something they were eating in the (huge and varied) fields, prob sycamore leaves.

Anyway, if I was you I'd start with a protexin quick fix syringe, 5ml twice a day. I don't rate the ingredients much but it appears to work well. It is just pre and pro biotics so I wouldn't expect it to block her up. I find it fixes them fast but temporarily. Good for after worming.

All of the gut supplements are some mix of pre and pro biotics, clays to sooth and bind and psyllium husk to dry them up. I'd def avoid the clay in your situation, psyllium draws water but also helps relieve constipation so may be a good option?

If you're too worried I think I'd try something like marshmallow root, it just lines and sooths the digestive tract rather than trying to do anything to the poo.

Years ago I had a mare who was forever getting mild compaction colic, equimins colease worked very well. I've no idea of the ingredients but it's still available so worth getting in on stand by if you think it looks OK.

Hope she gets better soon, sounds in great nick for a 30yo.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Pink Mash contains Protexin and is a good starting point. Maybe mix a dried grass chop through it to give it some texture and bump up the fibre content. Quite possible the combination of medication, sedation and wormer has upset the gut. Adding a variety to her diet will help to establish gut flora, just as it does with us. Chopped carrot and swede, soaked hay cobs, sugar beet etc.. I wouldn't reach for anything containing grain, but that's just my personal choice. You can spend a fortune on binders and over the counter preparations, but if you can sort things out through diet, hopefully the effect will be long lasting.

 

[SpotsandBays]

One of my horses has always had softer poos than the rest. They weren’t sloppy but you could tell they were his rather than anybody else’s (they were also a lighter brown).
I added brewers yeast to his diet and they are a much healthier colour and consistency now. Darker and more solid (but not like bullets solid if you know what I mean! Just healthier)

 

[Mosh]

Thanks guys. I will go and have a look at the tackshop tomorrow and see what they have. Bit softer today but more normal. She is very sparky in herself! And still being cheeky now (she has out herself in the stable and is demanding that she has dinner right now!)
Picture of her 5 days after nearly dying!

 

[LEC]

I have mine live on a gut supplement as found it works for them. I use either Max Gut Health Plus or Feedmark.

 

[meesha]

I tried gut soak but put it in speedy mash fibre
Had the opposite effect and poo was more sloppy but fairly sure that was the mash not the gut soak......