horse drinking for england.

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skydancer

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Hi,
Over the past couple of days i have noticed my horse drinking a lot more water than usual - i dont think she is ill,shes fine in work and all other ways just seems to be drinking rather more than usual. Am i being paranoid?
 
Maybe... The weather has been warmer than normal at a time when their coats are growing.
Try cleaning out the trough in her field too incase she's not drinking from it there.
Is she weeing the same amount? If so, probably doing her drinking in the stable (assuming you stable her)
However, if it continues get her liver checked as drinking and weeing can be signs of liver damage, and also horses with Cushings can drink and wee alot too - I'm sure it's neither of these by the way :-)
Maybe ring your vet and ask what a horse can drink on a normal day to put your mind at rest
 
Have you checked the water trough in your horse's field? If it has run dry or sprung a leak that might explain why your horse is drinking more when she's in. Just a thought.
 
In addition to what Millimoo has said, has anything in her diet changed? New/different food might be saltier or drier causing her to want to drink more. Drier haylege or a change from haylege to hay would do the same.
Has she got a new salt lick?
 
Scrap the liver comment, shed be off her food - sorry, have a pony with Cushings who has reduced liver function which were monitoring and I'm getting my symptoms muddled. Cushings comments still stands though
 
she is 14 and she is out 24/7 apart from when she comes in once a day to have her tea tacked up and worked. Normally. she doesnt drink in the stable but tonight she drank in her stable and then straight to her water in the field?
 
It could be the weather, but keep an eye on her as it could be kidneys or cushings, if animals start drinking more than they usually do, take notes for a few days,if she's still drinking loads ring vet, also is she in a field where there is an oak tree
 
millimoo said:
Scrap the liver comment, shed be off her food - sorry, have a pony with Cushings who has reduced liver function which were monitoring and I'm getting my symptoms muddled. Cushings comments still stands though
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Nope, not necessarily. Had a horse with a virus and he had (thankfully temporary) high liver enzymes as a result. Horse never once went off his food! :)

Drinking a lot makes me think kidneys. If you're really worried, and it's nothing obvious like a problem with the field's water, then I'd get the vet to do a blood test and put your mind at rest.
 
Cushings is more prominent in 15+ horses but they can get it earlier. It's not really anything to over worry about. If she has it, which the chances I've been told are about 1/6 in older horses.
 
if she is drinking excessively then i would suggest a blood test in general, and a cushions test. there is no age limit to cushioniod horses. test liver function, kidney function and ACTH levels, (tho most horses will have higher han average ACTH due to the autumnal changes). you really would be best to discuss this with your vet.
 
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