On colic watch now!

[hopscotch bandit]

My poor horse who has been on box rest since sunday with an abscess has now gone down with colic. Been doing every thing by the book to avoid impaction including giving small sloppy feeds, walking her out for 10 mins at night hand grazing minimal tufts of grass, giving wet hay, rugging appropriately, etc, etc. Now lying down in stable calmly thank goodness. Vet on the way. Decided to rename her 'Money Pit'.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Oh dear, they do like to worry us, don't they. I hope your horse is soon comfortable again

 

[millikins]

Best wishes to you and your horse. Daughter's horse colicked yesterday evening for no obvious reason and we had a midnight call out for vet. She seems over the worst today but it is such a worry when you can't identify a cause.

 

[ycbm]

Fingers crossed for you.

 

[splashgirl45]

hope all is well, they are such a worry....

 

[racebuddy]

Oh know not
Good let us know how u get on xxx

 

[hopscotch bandit]

All fine thank God. She had bute in her tea as requested by vet who did the abscess visit. As she colicked about 30 mins after that was eaten the bute had kicked in a little by the time the vet arrived. Buscopan and internal exam and everything was fine, her vital signs good and no sign of colic. On the plus side i asked the vet if she thought she could have shoe put back on and she watched her walk up and said shoe could go back on Friday and for her to go out tomz with poultice as better for her to be moving around than on box rest any longer. Hooray. But puzzling why one minute she is shovelling tea down her and next minute she is refusing to eat hay, lying down, muzzle tight and clearly uncomfortable. Nothing changed in feeds. I guess with colic sometimes you never get an answer......feel such a fraud. I wonder if they think i have Munchausens by proxy. Lol. This isnt the first time shes made an amazing recovery after vets been called. But i wouldnt say i panic either and call the vet on a whim i assess and keep an eye first. I know her well enuf by now.

 

[splashgirl45]

what a relief, really pleased she is ok....

 

[Leo Walker]

Its always best to have them out and moving with an abscess. If you have a plastic feed sack you can cut the corner off to make a waterproof "boot" for turnout.

 

[ester]

I don't find it particularly puzzling, change of routine to stabling is a regular contributor to colic?

Not sure on the need for box rest either, much better wrapped up and out.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

I don't find it particularly puzzling, change of routine to stabling is a regular contributor to colic?

Not sure on the need for box rest either, much better wrapped up and out.

Yes I realise that change of routine can contribute to colic, especially impaction colic due to the lack of movement which I why I tried so very hard to prevent it in the first place! What I am talking about finding puzzling was the sudden onset of the colic and she was fine eating her tea and had as much enthusiasm as normal, but just literally minutes later went down with colic. She has never presented like this before, this is why I am puzzled at the sudden onset.

But the vet said that with the abscess she should be on box rest, initially 7-10 days but then when he spotted the abscess draining said 3-4 days. This has always been the case with any of the horses at this yard that have had abscesses, first line of treatment is to keep them in, on dry bedding and this has been the case with her before when she had one about 8 years ago. I work from 7-3.30pm so cannot supervise turnout as she can't go out until the others go out which is usually around 9am so I can't to the yard and put a plastic bag over her foot and I'm sure none of the staff would want to faff with this. In any case she would have worn through this by the time she goes across the yard, down the concrete track and across the field into the paddock! Last night I made sure I applied extra tape to the bottom of it but expect it will be through by the time she comes in. We used to used old thick socks as well in the 'olden days' lol.

 

[ester]

It's kind of why poultice boots were invented, I have an old oversized cavallo simple which does the job well.
Not sure why anyone would want to supervise turnout?

 

[Tiddlypom]

I'm another who is surprised that your vet recommended box rest for the abscess. Turnout for abscesses is best, and definitely for an elderly colic prone horse (you have previously posted on the forum about your horse's tendency to colic). The movement also helps the abscess to drain more quickly.

A few ways of protecting the draining abscessed foot for turnout.







This is a Cavallo simple boot as ester mentions above, they often turn up cheaply second hand. They are fine for up to 12 hours turnout per day. I have never known it move, twist, rub or be pulled off.

 

[ester]

TP have you had a preference between the crocz and the cavallo? I did gaffa tape the drainage holes in the cavallo as it was super wet and muddy when we had an issue but I'm not sure much would have got in anyway.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

It's kind of why poultice boots were invented, I have an old oversized cavallo simple which does the job well.
Not sure why anyone would want to supervise turnout?

Supervise turnout - i.e. put a plastic bag over her foot and turn the horse out. Sorry I didn't explain myself well. Lets not split hairs please. I'm sure you understand what I mean.

 

[ester]

No I didn't understand what you meant! I thought you meant being there for the duration of turnout in the field to keep an eye on the horse!

 

[hopscotch bandit]

No I didn't understand what you meant! I thought you meant being there for the duration of turnout in the field to keep an eye on the horse!

No I'm not that sad.... yet! I have to go to work to pay for the vets 6 bed house, private pool and tennis court.

 

[Leo Walker]

You use the bag to cover the foot but it doesnt go up the leg or anything, so it can be on all the time. Similar to TPs first picture. I've had horses living out in a field that had a stream through it, so boggy areas, and they are fine like that. I do quite like the look of the crocz though!

 

[ester]

I have seen a couple of crocz in use, I think they are a handy spare, especially for horses that are a bit sore/not usually unshod etc while saving the plastic bag.

 

[Tiddlypom]

TP have you had a preference between the crocz and the cavallo? I did gaffa tape the drainage holes in the cavallo as it was super wet and muddy when we had an issue but I'm not sure much would have got in anyway.

The Cavallos are fine in dry conditions, but as you say their 'drainage' holes work both ways in the wet . So the crocz (which have now been renamed, think they're called vet striders or something) would IMHO be better in the wet.

 

[ester]

I did use a rubble sack inside the cavallo for a bit too. Useful info that they have name changed!

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Will definitely turn out from now on. Farrier coming tomorrow afternoon to refit shoe.

 

[Shady]

Glad your horse is ok HB. Colic is so horrible and I don't even have an equine vet here to help me. I came on here and soon realised I had made some mistakes which I now won't do again. Thankfully mine was ok too.
I also remember the first time one of mine got an abscess and I just wanted to dose him up with pain meds and shut him in his box he looked so sorry for himself. I actually didn't realise back then that it prolongs the recovery. Out is best, even if you feel a mean mummy!
Don't think I would like a combination of the two at all. xx

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Well just got cost from vets for call out for abscess and colic £375 total. And £20 for putting shoe back on by my own farrier which I was a bit surprised about as he only lives 3 miles away, I pay £75 every five weeks on the dot for shoeing, if I forget to leave a cheque its pushed through his letter box before the day is out, the horse is always impeccably behaved for him, I never call him out between visits and he always gets a chocolate box at Xmas! And he is passing the yard on the way home!

 

[AandK]

My horse has had a few abscesses over the years and he never stays in once the shoe is off and poultice is on (and he is out 24/7). They are best out moving around as it helps encourage the abscess to drain.

My farrier always charges me £20 to put the shoe back on as well, just because your farrier is close to you doesn't mean he should do it for free! You should still pay for his time.

 

[Michen]

Well just got cost from vets for call out for abscess and colic £375 total. And £20 for putting shoe back on by my own farrier which I was a bit surprised about as he only lives 3 miles away, I pay £75 every five weeks on the dot for shoeing, if I forget to leave a cheque its pushed through his letter box before the day is out, the horse is always impeccably behaved for him, I never call him out between visits and he always gets a chocolate box at Xmas! And he is passing the yard on the way home!

Why should your farrier not be paid for his time? He’s running a business, not a charity.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Why should your farrier not be paid for his time? He’s running a business, not a charity.

This above.

It's not as if it's a lost shoe due to being pulled off in the next day or so after shoeing, when many might well refit if you have it, for a very small fee.

He had to attend to refit a shoe that was taken off on medical grounds.

Glad horse is recovering.

 

[Lurfy]

I have used IV fluid bags over the poultice and then duct taped. These bags were given to me by the vet and worked really well. I do like the look of those crocz though.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

Why should your farrier not be paid for his time? He’s running a business, not a charity.

He charged a friend for putting the shoe back on her horse and she wasn't a client and he charged her £20.00. As it happens he hasn't taken the money but I've left it where I said I would as he is out tomorrow to shoe him anyway so will see if he takes it then. I quite agree that he should be paid for his time but I would have thought £10 would have been sufficient in all honesty. He is a good farrier so I don't want to fall out with him over this.