Please could i have some opinions - Also in New Lounge (sorry)

[VixieTrix]

Firstly I'm sorry this is so long, but i am very worried
Blue is 22 years and generally healthy. A few days ago he had some diarrhoea, just moderate. I gently cleaned him up every day and applied sudocreme once a day. I phoned the vet and he mentioned the sudden change in temp and frosty grass, so i continued putting him in at night and wrapped him up warmer.
It was not amazingly better but getting there, then today i have just got home, his bum is looking much better, but his poos are so much runnier and runny poo ALL down his back legs!!! I cleaned him up again, changed his rugs (we had rain today) gave him a fuss, and left him, I didn't think there was anything else i could do for the moment. I am going to phone the vet for an appointment for Fri or Mon, but does anyone have any advice at all??
Nothing about his diet had changed at all!! Unfortunately i have not been able to keep him on the same batch of hay due to shortages, but this has been ongoing all winter it is not a recent change at all. He has happy hoof, garlic, equivite, donkey chaff, linseed and a small amount of build up cubes. ALWAYS the same amount as i always make his food. I did begin to lower the build up cubes, but this evening he was VERY tucked up so i think they need to stay the same. I have made sure he has no carrots etc etc. Apart from this awful diarrhoea, he seems happy, eyes bright, coat as normal.
I'm so so sorry for the essay I am just very worried and was wandering if anyone has any advice at all please? Thank you x

 

[Milanesa]

Sounds like he may have a virus or eaten something that has not agreed , how is his worming schedule? Perhaps get a worm count done. I would get vet out as he could get dehydrated and more poorly if matter is not resolved.

 

[misst]

Our elderly (28yo) mare does this sometimes. Several samples have been sent over the last 6 years or so but nothing comes back of interest. She is grey so probably has melanomas but the vet does not thing these things are to blame. She thinks the pony just has a bit of an elderly bowel!

We wash and cream her when it is bad. Codeine is very good for stopping it but you need to be careful not to give too much and cause impaction, we have it down to a fine art now. We feed haylage due to my daughter having an allergy to handling hay, this is of course not ideal but again, the vet does not think it is to blame. She has the diarrhoea in summer, spring and winter and autumn and we have not found any obvious pattern though she is better on long rough grass than short grass. She has a balancer but to be honest it makes no difference. We have tried probiotics and yoghurt and every other remedy known to man and vets! The only thing that works is a short course of codeine. She then is usually ok for a while.


She is wormed regularly and we have had her 16 years this year so it is unlikely to be due to worms. Again, vet thinks it is not worm damage. She has never been off her food or had any signs of colic.

Sorry for a long reply, but jsut wanted to say maybe your lad is like our old girl and just has a "funny tummy" sometimes. I hope he is ok anyway.

 

[DifficultMare]

Your horse may have picked up a virus or an infection. My friend's elderly girl had the same problem last winter, she was given antibiotics and some sort of tonic (sorry can't remember what!), she also started her on Equine Answers 365 supplement which can be used as a conditioner as well as just a balancer. The poor old girl lost a lot of weight and had a runny tummy on and off for a few weeks but luckily had made a full recovery by the summer and has (so far anyway), been really good this winter. It might be worth getting your vet to do some blood tests to try and find out what's causing the problem.

Fingers crossed for you that it's nothing serious.

 

[amandap]

Assuming it's not watery poos or pooing loose very frequently I'd look at dietary sugar overload first. I'm afraid that means soaking hay. I'd ditch the happy hoof, and cubes and the garlic as well. Add yea sacc and possibly some activated charcoal granules. Do this for a few days and see what happens. If good then look to reviewing his diet for low sugar ingredients only. Happy hoof doesn't cut it btw. I use rinsed speedibeet as a carrier. Don't over rug him, it's unlikely he is actually ill (infection) unless diarrhoea is watery or frequent. If you are worried do get the vet. Here's a link from LucyPriory's blog about how sugars affect the gut. Don't dismiss it if he doesn't fart btw. that is just one possible symptom. http://barefoothorseblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/managing-your-microbes-or-how-to.html
I have constantly different hay supplies and tbh it's a nightmare unless I soak it all for a couple of my lot. Hay and grass can have very high sugar levels.

Here's a link about garlic. http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/nutrition/feeds/eqgarlic528/

ps. Have a read of the thin soles thread on vet for diet ideas.