Loose droppings - cause and cure?

[JMW]

I have had a 4 year old ex-racehorse since March who came with loose droppings that we just cannot find a cause, or cure for. His droppings are liquid, like cow pats, very smelly and very frequent. Initially he was a little underweight (not bad considering he was a 4year old in training) which made us more concerned about the droppings, but he has put weight on now so it’s now just the inconvenience of huge quantities of liquid poo all the time! Is it just “how he is”? He also can get sore skin under the tail unless cleaned regularly. I did have another ex racehorse years ago who had quite loose droppings and interestingly the same distinctive smell which I immediately recognised in his, but it never seemed a problem for her, as there wasn’t the quantity/frequency.

He has been scoped for ulcers and had a fecal test for hind gut ulcers, both clear. All his worming is up to date, and he has a clear egg count as well. The vet has found nothing wrong with him generally e.g. kidneys/liver. I’ve had his teeth done. It is not a cereal allergy, as he is the same on cereal, hypoallergenic or sugar beet. He currently lives out with ad lib hay whenever in. He is as bad whether in or out, and regardless of the condition of the grass.

First I fed him Sugar beet, but stopped in case the moisture in it was the cause (though the fibre in sugar beet should help.) Next I fed TopSpec balancer for the protein for top line (with chop and Ulsa Kind nuts which are conditioning), then the vet suggested Protexin probiotic gut balancer to address the loose droppings, which I added at the stress dose for a month or so with no effect, but later we found out that TopSpec contains more pre and pro biotics than Protexin! (Of the required type/quality). So for a month or so he was on about 3X the stress dose, still with no effect.

Next we Pink Powder as a different vet had seen good results with that, with no effect.

Now he is back on sugar beet (calm and condition).

The next suggestion is to try Bio Sponge. Does anyone else have any experience with this?

 

[Equi]

How strange. Did the vet ever give a syringe of probiotic to try? Rather than the supplement.

Is the horse generally in a calm mood or are they stressy? Maybe try a fast acting calmer to see if it helps.

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

I have an ISH with similar issues. We tried protexin. Paste and powder. Paste seemed to help a little but not much.

Pink powder I think made him worse.

He definitely gets stressed and that makes him looser

However 6 weeks of Richard maxwells gut health and He is a different horse. Calmer. Solid mounds of infrequent poo. I tried stopping for a few days to see what happened. Back to the cow pats.

My whole family is so invested we still cheer at each poo!!! It's just so minging to clear up. And to keep cleaning his bum and back legs.

 

[JMW]

Have just read other H&H forum threads about Equishure - sounds potentially interesting?

He lacks forwardness on the flat and can be behind the leg, although he is improving all the time and now schools very nicely. He jumps brilliantly, and is forward to jump. Interesting to read about the association between hind gut issues and stiffer right rein; he is a little stiffer to the right but the physio found tightness in his Atlanto-Occiptal joint so it is likely unrelated.

 

[JMW]

How strange. Did the vet ever give a syringe of probiotic to try? Rather than the supplement.

Is the horse generally in a calm mood or are they stressy? Maybe try a fast acting calmer to see if it helps.

Hi, no not stressy at all - in fact a very sensible 4 year old! However, as I’ve just thought to add below, if anything he is lacking forwardness (hence retired unraced!)

 

[JMW]

I have an ISH with similar issues. We tried protexin. Paste and powder. Paste seemed to help a little but not much.

Pink powder I think made him worse.

He definitely gets stressed and that makes him looser

However 6 weeks of Richard maxwells gut health and He is a different horse. Calmer. Solid mounds of infrequent poo. I tried stopping for a few days to see what happened. Back to the cow pats.

My whole family is so invested we still cheer at each poo!!! It's just so minging to clear up. And to keep cleaning his bum and back legs.

Thanks, is it Max-Gut? I’ve just done a quick google. Looks interesting.

 

[JMW]

I have had a 4 year old ex-racehorse since March who came with loose droppings that we just cannot find a cause, or cure for. His droppings are liquid, like cow pats, very smelly and very frequent. Initially he was a little underweight (not bad considering he was a 4year old in training) which made us more concerned about the droppings, but he has put weight on now so it’s now just the inconvenience of huge quantities of liquid poo all the time! Is it just “how he is”? He also can get sore skin under the tail unless cleaned regularly. I did have another ex racehorse years ago who had quite loose droppings and interestingly the same distinctive smell which I immediately recognised in his, but it never seemed a problem for her, as there wasn’t the quantity/frequency.

He has been scoped for ulcers and had a fecal test for hind gut ulcers, both clear. All his worming is up to date, and he has a clear egg count as well. The vet has found nothing wrong with him generally e.g. kidneys/liver. I’ve had his teeth done. It is not a cereal allergy, as he is the same on cereal, hypoallergenic or sugar beet. He currently lives out with ad lib hay whenever in. He is as bad whether in or out, and regardless of the condition of the grass.

First I fed him Sugar beet, but stopped in case the moisture in it was the cause (though the fibre in sugar beet should help.) Next I fed TopSpec balancer for the protein for top line (with chop and Ulsa Kind nuts which are conditioning), then the vet suggested Protexin probiotic gut balancer to address the loose droppings, which I added at the stress dose for a month or so with no effect, but later we found out that TopSpec contains more pre and pro biotics than Protexin! (Of the required type/quality). So for a month or so he was on about 3X the stress dose, still with no effect.

Next we Pink Powder as a different vet had seen good results with that, with no effect.

Now he is back on sugar beet (calm and condition).

The next suggestion is to try Bio Sponge. Does anyone else have any experience with this?

And I forgot, he had a course of steroids in case it was gut inflammation ?

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

Yes Max Gut. Mine also had a course of steroids.

The next step was scoping but he has no symptoms apart from smelly cow pats - but no longer!!!

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

Mine is not outwardly stressed. But was doing cowpats at the slightest thing out hacking etc. Now does 2 huge poos in a 2.5 hour ride.

 

[Wheels]

What is his main forage? Is it hay / haylage / soaked or not?

 

[Goldenstar]

For the sore bum I would wash dry well a towel and use Sudocrem as a barrier .

I would try feeding a charcoal supplement and see if that helps .

 

[JMW]

What is his main forage? Is it hay / haylage / soaked or not?

Out with dry hay when in

 

[Henry02]

Malabsorption?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We always used to feed dry (damp) bran for loose bowels. I know it won't tell you the cause but I would try it in this case.

 

[windand rain]

Sand irritation is possible but unlikely psyllium cured the old boy

 

[P.forpony]

Protexin made no difference at all to my mares chronic cow pats, but pink mash has fixed it completely she had that rather distinctive smell too.
I’ll never take her off it it’s made such a huge difference ?

 

[chaps89]

Has he had a tummy tap for any further diagnostics?
I used biosponge with my mare this year. Not as bad as yours, but it cleared her up in 2 or 3 days and she's been fine since.

 

[JMW]

No, the vet hasn’t mentioned that?

good to hear biosponge worked for yours, thanks

 

[JMW]

Protexin made no difference at all to my mares chronic cow pats, but pink mash has fixed it completely she had that rather distinctive smell too.
I’ll never take her off it it’s made such a huge difference ?

Pink mash? Is that bran mash?

 

[chaps89]

It was several years ago now but my old boy was colicking a bit, losing weight, loose droppings.
He was scoped (clear), ultrasound scanned which showed nothing remarkable and had a tummy tap (I think, but could be wrong as long time ago, but small amount of fluid is drawn from the stomach/digestive system) and that showed he had protein losing enteropathy (treated successfully with steroids)

When my current mare had issues earlier this year the vet (different one) did suggest it as an option so I'm presuming it's still a thing but biosponge was our starting point (after I'd tried diet changes, protexin etc myself) and as I say, that did the trick so didn't need to explore anything further thankfully.

 

[P.forpony]

Pink mash? Is that bran mash?

No I steer clear of bran, nothing particularly beneficial in it and the calcium phosphorus ratio is way off.

Pink mash is a keyflow feed, fibre based with pre and probiotics. More expensive per bag than other feeds but much less expensive than supplements. Mine only needs a balancer cup before soaking in each feed to do the trick ?

 

[JMW]

No I steer clear of bran, nothing particularly beneficial in it and the calcium phosphorus ratio is way off.

Pink mash is a keyflow feed, fibre based with pre and probiotics. More expensive per bag than other feeds but much less expensive than supplements. Mine only needs a balancer cup before soaking in each feed to do the trick ?

Interesting thanks, I’d never heard of it!

 

[Esmae]

Horseward Gusto. Heard good things about it.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

No advice, but we have a new horse on the yard and he has exact the same issue! Very weird.. apparently been like it his entire life.

 

[Henry02]

Horseward Gusto. Heard good things about it.

Do you mean gggut

 

[Esmae]

Do you mean gggut

GG Gusto. Made by Horseward. I've had other products from Horseward and they all seem to do what it says on the tin. If you follow..... I have heard good things about this product.

 

[Henry02]

Gusto is a respiratory supplement. How is that likely to help with loose droppings?

 

[Esmae]

Gusto is a respiratory supplement. How is that likely to help with loose droppings?

Apologies, had a brain freeze. I meant to say Yeasty Magic. Same company.

 

[dixie]

If he was mine I’d be treating him as if he had hind gut issues. To start with I’d try Physllium.

 

[AFB]

I had a pony which had liquid poo as soon as he was excited or stressed - Global Herbs Black Salt used to clear it up brilliantly, it stinks to high heaven but doesn't seem to cause issues with palatability , and it's cheap so worth trying.