I'm at my wit's end

I am not actually giving her Epsom salts but apparently a tiny bit of Epsom salts in her food should make her drink more in very cold weather which is what started all this in the first place. I've also had some brilliant tips for adding flavours to the water to also get her to drink more.
Note this is only for really really cold weather when the pipes are frozen and we have to resort to tubs in the stables. Even though we were using warm water to keep them full, she still didn't drink enough or rather the amount she normally drinks.
Needless to say I'll be watching her like a hawk in freezing weather from now and and I'll also be adding the flavours to the water to make sure she drinks enough. Knowing my luck she'll drink too much and then have other problems. :p
 
Another update.
Vet rang from horspital yesterday to let me know Ruby was ok to go home. Colic free for 4 days.:D:D She is on 3 different types of medication - gastrogard for the stomach ulcers, para.....(something) for the small bowel infection and a light painkiller.
Went to collect her at 21:00 last night only to discover she had started colicing again at 19:45, precisely the time we set off to go get her. They knew we were coming but didn't get a chance to call and tell us not to bother as they got 2 emergency colic patients in and were still busy with them when we got there.:(:
Different vet on duty and he carried out another rectal exam and then scanned her. It was fascinating to see and he explained everything really well, pointing out all the different organs. We could actually see the bowel working :) What was apparent on the scan was the thickness of the intestine wall. In some places much thicker than others and he took measurements of these. Apparently, and if I remember this correctly, the wall should be 0.3mm (average).
Ruby had one measurement of 0.4 and another of 0.66. Definitely a thickening in the wall.
So.... She is now on prednisolone to see if this will help with the infection as the other medication wasn't touching the infection and she is there for at least another week. If this doesn't help then they are thinking of opening her up to have a look see if they can find anything.:eek: This frightens me as it is so invasive.
I must admit on the way home, I did have a few tears. I hope to God that this helps. I am beginning to think that she's not going to come back.:(:(:(:(:(
 
Keeping everything crossed , there's so much colic about , I've never known so much this year !! Keep
Us updated thinking of you. Xx
 
Thanks everyone for your support. She's been ok today. We just playing a waiting game to see if the steroids work.
Definitely an emotional rollercoaster ride :(:(
I hope the next update will be better. It's about time for some good news.
 
sorry don t know if this helps as you have said colic symptoms no apparent cause Not all horse s exhibiting signs of abdominal pain will be suffering gastrointestinal colic other painful conditions can cause similar symptoms I knew a horse that very like yours stood stretched out he had bladder stone s Did vets test urine sample If you can on net read FALSE COLIC IN HORSE S better than me trying to explain and very interesting Iworry about you and Ruby and hope she gets better soon
 
I wish I had better news. :(:(:(:(:(:(
I had a phone call from the hospital this morning - Ruby had a major colic attack last night resulting in more scans, investigations etc. It appears that the steroids aren't working.
They are going to try and adjust the amount of food she eats, ie. little and often as well giving her the medication but if in the meantime she has another major attack they need to know if they can operate immediately. Trouble is they don't know what exactly they are looking for.
The vet has given me 3 scenario's. 1 - they open her up and they don't find the cause, 2 - they open her up and what they find can't be repaired 3 - they open her up and they can repair/remove whatever they find.
She's also only covered up to a certain amount by the insurance and that limit has almost already been reached. I don't care about the money but I do realise that a certain point in time you have to be realistic and stop. I don't think we've reached that point just yet. If she has a chance then I would like to give her it.
Am I doing the best thing - I don't know. On her good days she is the old Ruby, on her bad days, it tears me apart to see her in so much pain. It seems to come in 4 day cycles. 4 days good then a couple of days of attacks, then 4 days good again. :confused: They are giving her a muscle relaxant when she has the attacks and this settles down the spams almost immediately. :confused:
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what this may be so that I can give the vets other avenues to explore as they are running out of options? Please read the whole thread to see what we already know. I am hoping that someone out there has some information, however tiny, that can help us solve this. :(:(:(:(:(:(:(
I am going tonight to see her. Her breeder who is a friend and is also my former yo is also going with me.
I'm still at work, though I'm sitting here with red puffy eyes and keep bursting into tears thinking about this.
Please everyone, your vibes worked with Serena2005. Ruby needs ALL your good vibes to get her (and me) through this.
 
I'm sorry I can't suggest anything but just wanted to send Ruby all the good vibes she needs. This must be devastating for you.

If it's any comffort, our pony had colic surgery and she came through it 100%. Her symptoms weren't the same as yours though, just a one off colic attack.
 
Sending some vibes your way, it it so hard to know what to do for the best, especially when they have a good day.

When you say feeding little and often are they talking about hay or hard feed? just trying to think of anything, is she drinking well now as I know she was not at one point, could it be some form of food intolerance?

I hope you can get to the bottom of it soon, it is so difficult when the symptoms are unclear.
 
@ be postive - they have put her on a hay replacer in pellet form. Drinking is not a problem.
We (and the vets) have also thought about food intolerance but this doesn't to seem to be an issue. I will mention it again to them.
 
There must be a trigger to these spasmodic attacks. Sorry I have nothing more productive but I would like to send my best wishes to you and your mare. Must be really hard for you (((((hugs))))))
 
micramadam said:
@ be postive - they have put her on a hay replacer in pellet form. Drinking is not a problem.
We (and the vets) have also thought about food intolerance but this doesn't to seem to be an issue. I will mention it again to them.
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Is that supposed to be easier to digest than hay? it may be but I would have thought soaked, or maybe it is, feed would be best with some sort of access to forage 24/7 but they may have tried that.
The 4 day cycles are strange there must be something there if it is that regular it is unlikely to be a coincidence by now.

Talking through with as many people as you can may really help, keep asking questions and you may find the clue you are searching for, good luck.
 
Have they looked at the bowel using a scope from outside ie looking putting the scope through her belly so they can look around the cavity and see the bowel from the outside.
I saw a case at a vet talk where repated colic attacks where being caused by the horse having an unusually large space close to its spleen which was allowing the bowel to flip over , the vets simply stitched the bowel to something( I can't remember what ) to prevent it happening horse made a full recovery.
 
I don't have anything else to suggest.

I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you and your mare are going through this, it is clear to us all that you love her very much. Stay strong and sending vibes yours and Ruby's way xxxx
 
Just come back from the hospital. When we got there Ruby had just started with an attack. They have moved her into a huge box with camera's so that she is watched 24 hours a day. The attacks are really unusual. They appear to be spasmodic. When they happen she stretches her hindquarters neck head and body out as far as she can. The spasms last between 5 and 10 minutes. In between these she is bright and alert and wants to eat. By the time we left she was calm and no spasm for 15 mins.
I feel a little bit better after talking again to them but is a case of wait and see. They say that the new diet regime will take a few days and in the meantime she is still on the mediction apart from then painkiller which was being counterproductive. The prospect of an operation is still looming but is the last resort. Her urine will be tested tomorrow for bladder stones. The walls of the small intestine are still inflamed in places but in the meantime we are trying to exclude all other possibilities.
If at the end of the week there is no improvement and we go for the operation and nothing conclusive is found and the colic attacks are still happening, it is time to decide what is best for her. I can' t let her suffer she doesn't deserve that. She has also lost quite a bit weight over the last couple of weeks. Luckily she was a little on the padded side of healthy ;);)
My OH was there with us tonight and he was a bit shocked to see how she was. He is not at all horsey but he said she really didn't look very well. He hadn't seen her for a few weeks and noticed the weight loss immediately. He also remarked that during the attacks how dull her eyes were. All the life went from them.
Vets will ring me again in the morning to let me know how she is.
I haven't prayed properly for years but I will be tonight.
God in heaven, bless my darling Ruby, make her well so that she can come home to me. She is not yet ready to cross the rainbow bridge. She wants to see her son achieve greatness, to gallop once more in the sea and on the beach, to meander aimlessly through the woods and to play in the fields with her friends. But most of all she wants to come home to those who love her.
 
micramadam said:
God in heaven, bless my darling Ruby, make her well so that she can come home to me. She is not yet ready to cross the rainbow bridge. She wants to see her son achieve greatness, to gallop once more in the sea and on the beach, to meander aimlessly through the woods and to play in the fields with her friends. But most of all she wants to come home to those who love her.
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Amen.

Talk about make me cry!!! Wishing you all the luck! Bring this lady home ((((((((((vibes)))))))) and some Zeusy love too cuffs <3
 
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