Meaning behind frequent stomach noises?

tashcat

tashcat

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I am interested if any of you have been told about or have any thoughts about horses with loud bellies!

My boy has a (what I believe to be) a naturally loud digestive system (not due to hunger!) and I've never really been concerned by it. However I have heard lots of conflicting evidence about it - some people claim that it's good for a horse to have a loud stomach, and others seem to suggest other things.

I am asking mainly because my 22 year old good doer has had loose droppings on and off for about a month. It hasn't been as bad as cow pat consistency, but bad enough for me to want to keep an eye on him - every time I come close to calling the vet for advice, his droppings are back to normal, and I wonder if I'm being too sensitive or over thinking a minor issue.

He has had a few tummy troubles in the past (at Christmas last year he was uncomfortable and 'bunged up' - potentially early signs of colic) which the vet came out and treated. Thankfully he recovered fully and has only had the odd mild tummy complaint since. Bloods have been taken on a separate occasion, and nothing has come back. I've put it down to his age, and have resulted to keeping a close eye on him.

So do you have any advice or experience on rumbly tummies? It's always interested me, and I wonder if it's at all related. And if you have any suggestions for the loose droppings issue please share!
 
fuzzle said:
Limestone flour is the same has oink powder but is a fraction of the cost!!! £2.oo kg from thunder brook herbs!! xx
Click to expand...

Do you mean Brewers yeast? as limestone flour is calcium.
I use pink powder for one of mine and she seems to do well on it. It does have brewers yeast in it but it also has all the important vitamins and minerals in it too.
 
My boy was diagnosed with hind gut issues earlier this year and his really loud, constantly rumbling belly was one of the things that first concerned the vet. It sounded really angry and he was obviously uncomfortable. It's one of the things I have to monitor to make sure he is OK. His other symptoms were weight loss, loose droppings and intermittent footiness/LGL.

I was told that gut noises are good but not when really loud and nearly constant.
 
Depends on the horse. I have one that grumbles a lot. and one near silent unless you press head in to listen (Which doesnt go down very well!)

As long as its not a tinny, POP indicating 'too much' gas - I'm happy.
 
My horse has very loud noises when he is colicking. Everyone used to say that he was fine as his gut was making noises and implied I was worrying about nothing but I know only too well that its as dangerous to have a 'rumbly tumbly' as Winnie the Pooh would say, then it is to have one that isn't! My vet has told me that previously.

But its a case of 'know your horse'. If a rumbling stomach is normal for your horse then I wouldn't worry. If it is not normal and you can hear it ten stables away then you know you have a possible problem and that your bank account is about to take a serious battering :)
 
Thanks for all your replies :)
Think his noises may be natural, but next time I speak to the vet I'll make sure.

Scarlet - there could be a possibility what you have mentioned could apply to my boy as he does have the loud tummy and loose droppings, so I think I'll look a bit closer into that thank you.
 
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