Misdiagnosed colic

Spartu

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Hi all. I have had some really strange issues with my horse lately, and although things are relatively under control, I need to consult you. He is a perfectly healthy 10 year old TB, quite heavy built, not a typical TB, and a bit fat, but he is built that way, always has a little belly. He was in normal work, and after a resting day in the pasture, I took him to lunge him. And he appeared a bit off, not lame, but kind of depressed, crooked. So I left him and planned to rest him for a few days. Day after that happened, BO's wife tells me his poop is not firm, not diarrhea, but obviously soft, and like cow poop, if you understand. We agreed to call a vet if he continues to have bad poop. In the meantime, I see him not finishing his dinner and lying down. I get him up, call a vet, and he pawed a little, and stretched, rump up, front legs forward. Vet gave him colic medications, and he had similar symptoms day after, lying down, soft poop, his blanket was a mess from rolling. That night I stayed until 4 in the morning with him, dead worried. He was eating his grain quite normally, hay too, but not himself and leaving some hay. Vet gave him like 3 different medications, probiotics, and no idea what else, and he was his normal self, and got normal firm balls when pooping for 2 days, and he got the same meds on the 2nd day.. Yesterday he was left in the pasture at 12.00 PM, and was normal until like 3.00 PM, then he lied down for 2 minutes, and got up, and then he did it 2 more times, no rolling, just lying down. We took him inside, and he peed, and lied down again.. Got up on his own after 20 minutes, and was neighing like he does when sleeping, short weird sounds. And he pooped. Then he was normal for 1 hour or more, and lied down again.. He did not want to get up when I opened his box, but when I took a lead rope, he did it, just seeing me wave it. And then I watched him for another 5-6 hours, he ate normally, pooped twice, drank water. Vet was there in the meantime, gave him antibiotic only. His hooves were cold, no increased digital pulse. Vet was out this morning, took his blood, and he will inform me about the results. He is currently normal, pooping, eating, cold hooves... He never had a similar thing happen to him, and I'm really worried.. He's alone during the night only, and I stay there until almost midnight to watch him. Vet says that he might got a cold on Monday, because he was in pasture then, without a blanket, and it was a bit cold during evening hours, and he rolled in mud... Please share any stories, comments or advice. Thank you and I'll keep you informed. <3 <3
 
Why di you say it was mis-diagnosed colic? Sounds like he's colicing to me, he's certainly in some discomfort and it sounds gut related, my guess is the vet is going down the right testing route.
Have you wormed for encysted redworm? That would be my first guess
 
I have certainly seen a stabled horse who was cold display classic colic symptoms .
But something is unsettling this horses gut and like the Mule I would want to rule out worms .
You need proactively seek the answer .
 
Colic is a symptom of something going on in the guts somewhere, it's not a diganosis. It can be brought on by many, many reasons including food/pain/distress/bacteria/virus/worms, since your horse is displaying many colic symptoms but for no immediately obvious reason, I'd be happy your vet was going down the testing route to get to the bottom of what's going on.

What's your horses heart rate/temperature at? Both can be really good indicators of pain levels.

Hope your horse makes a full recovery.
 
Could it be something like a urinary tract infection? An old horse of ours got that and had similar symptoms. He needed anti-bs. As a human I can tell you it makes you very restless and uncomfortable!
 
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