IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)/ IBD in horses, any experiences?

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ramsaybailey

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Hello everyone,

Occasional poster here, I posted a similar thread in the veterinary section.

Does anyone have any experience, good or bad, with IBS/IBD in horses?

I've got a mare with cowpat poos/diarrhoea losing weight. Probably very gradually for a few months but more so over the last two weeks. Bright in herself and happy eating. We're at the stage of waiting for results back for possible infections (I think salmonella is one) but IBS has been mentioned.

Thanks for reading 😊
 
I had a mare with Inflammotory Bowel disease and was told by Liphook that there had been no successes in treating the condition, this is going back to 2008 so I had her PTS. Afterwards I found out that a mare had survived it at RVC :-(
 
Think I would be consulting someone who takes a holistic approach to horse treatment with particular emphasis on digestive health. It is a complicated area and not many vets do that.
 
I "think" someone on here had a horse with Colitis, similar illness. Im sure it was Princess Sparkle or something like that, I know shes on FB as Diamonds in the Rough dressage, might be worth asking her for any advice, she knows her stuff
 
I lost a pony in 1970 with uncontrollable diarrhoea. Nothing my vet could come up with helped and he deteriorated so badly over a period of about 3 months that i had to let him go. Only about 11 as well. Sometime later I saw a report that the top pony stallion Bwlch Valentino had been lost due to the same sort of thing.

Then in 1990 my 23 yr old section C started with very loose droppings. I had had him from 18 months old and he had always had very solid droppings so I knew straight away there was a problem and had the vet out. We tried everything possible. Tests showed no infection and no worms. It took around 6 months till I had to say goodbye and for most of that time he had a good appetite, just the last few days he stopped eating.

I really hope your outcome is better than mine, such a difficult problem to deal with.
 
Thanks for the responses,
I've contacted diamond in the rough dressage. The prognosis of this kind of thing seems to vary so it's so useful hearing peoples experiences and tips of how to deal with it. Thanks 😊
 
JoannaC said:
I had a mare with Inflammotory Bowel disease and was told by Liphook that there had been no successes in treating the condition, this is going back to 2008 so I had her PTS. Afterwards I found out that a mare had survived it at RVC :-(
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Sorry to hear this must have been awful :(
 
I used to drag hunt with one which had been given a death sentence by Leahust with protein loss and IBD.

I'm sorry, I haven't much idea how she managed him (no grass at all, I think) , but the prognosis was very wrong in his case.

.
 
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My pony had gradual onset diarrhoea at the end of 2018 and then acute colitis twice in January. Steroids and Biosponge sorted him, but I prepared everything for pts. He seemed to recover miraculously and was so perky we joked about pulling him out of retirement, but I always suspected damage to the gut and so when he showed signs of grass reactivity in June, he was pts without delay. There are so many reasons for diarrhoea and antibiotics are actually advised against in many cases. They certainly did sod all for my boy.
 
ycbm said:
I used to drag hunt with one which had been given a death sentence by Leahust with protein loss and IBD.

I'm sorry, I haven't much how she managed him (no grass at all, I think) , but the prognosis was very wrong in his case.

.
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Thanks for this, just checking I'm reading right, did the vets think it was the end but she managed to keep him going?
 
My horse has a diagnosis of ibd. Inflammatory bowel disease. His poos where normal though he could keep weight . He looked like a rspca case. He couldnt absorb the nutrients as his gut wall was double the thickness. He was on steroids for...3 months. It took 6 months for his bloods to come back to normal. It was touch and go for the first 6 weeks.
Feel free to pm me
 
Jim bob said:
My horse has a diagnosis of ibd. Inflammatory bowel disease. His poos where normal though he could keep weight . He looked like a rspca case. He couldnt absorb the nutrients as his gut wall was double the thickness. He was on steroids for...3 months. It took 6 months for his bloods to come back to normal. It was touch and go for the first 6 weeks.
Feel free to pm me
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Thank you, have pmd 😊
 
ramsaybailey said:
Thanks for this, just checking I'm reading right, did the vets think it was the end but she managed to keep him going?
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Exactly. Vets told her to take him home to die, and he was drag hunting two years later when I met him.

So sorry I can't remember exactly how she got him right, though steroids are ringing bell somewhere.

.
 
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ycbm said:
Exactly. Vets told her to take him home to die, and he was drag hunting two years later when I met him.

So sorry I can't remember exactly how she got him right, though steroids are ringing shell somewhere.

.
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Wow that's amazing and also a bit scary!! The vet hasn't said much good about treatment of IBS, and after reading stories on here and elsewhere I keep on thinking that they're a long time dead, it must be worth trying if there's a possibility of a good outcome! Shes not old, and even in this state shes in is still really bright and happy, quite heartbreaking.
 
I Have pm u xxx
Mine was very sick and was
Diagnosed with ibd : he was very sick at leahurst and did not respond to treatment initislly , he was on steroids for 6 weeks andngradually weaned off andnhes never looked back 🤞🤞🤞 2 years ago this was and in full work xxx have messaged u xx
 
racebuddy said:
I Have pm u xxx
Mine was very sick and was
Diagnosed with ibd : he was very sick at leahurst and did not respond to treatment initislly , he was on steroids for 6 weeks andngradually weaned off andnhes never looked back 🤞🤞🤞 2 years ago this was and in full work xxx have messaged u xx
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Nothings come through yet! That's great news about your boy.
What were his symptoms?
 
You could try boswellia. One of mine gets runny poops if allowed too much rich grass. It sorts him out. Humans with ibs use it too, it soothes the gut.
 
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