Poorly Foal with Virus Colic??? Help??

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tanglefooted

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My 7mth old filly (still with dam who is fine) had been having tummy aches, and after calling the vet out twice and two colic injections (suspected spasmodic colic) she was no better and a blood test was done...she had no temperature, heart rate normal, passing stools but high white blood cell count, so diagnosed as a virus

Two days of antibiotic injections in her bum (and my toes squished to a pulp!) an no improvement, though I expect it to take 48 hours plus to take effect fully.

I could be worrying about nothing, but have never heard of a virus causing stomach cramps in a foal, and wondered if anyone else has had the same...or knows what it could be.

The weather is awful with us at the moment, but my gut instinct (pardon the pun) is telling me to get her scanned as soon as I can feasibly manage it and see what's going on...just an over-protective mum I guess!

All help/suggestions/tranquilizers greatfully recieved!

I'm keeping rescue remedy in business at the moment!!!!!
 
I have dealt with two foals with a virus that gave rise to colic symptoms. Bloods showed nothing untoward but both foals quite poorly.

In our case it was good nursing, a vigilant eye and a couple of vitamin shots to give them a boost. Never had a proper diagnosis from the tests done but both recovered but it took around 2 months before they were truly "well" in themselves.

We also looked at our worming programme at the time and don't think that was an issue but may be worth a look. Sorry can offer no more comfort but viruses and foals take their course and a surprising amount of time for recovery and symptoms to go. One other thing, both foals had swollen lymph nodes particularly under the gullet but was not rhodococcus or anything like that.
 
What is the foals worm status? has the vet taken a sample to wormegg count? I do hope the foaly improves soon.
 
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weirdly my 27 year old mare had a virus approx 2-3 weeks ago, she showed symptoms of colic when i arrived in the morning, i was expecting the worst, give her age. but when the vet arrived and listened to her guts he said it didnt sound like colic inside or feel abnormal when he did an internal. he checked her temp and she had a raging temperature??? he gave her some iv antibiotics and also some ventipulmin as he wasnt keen on her lung sounds. he came the following three days and gave iv antibiotics. she made an amazing recovery within three days was back to her normal self. he said the symptoms may have been down to her system almost shutting down as the virus had caught hold very quickly, she had appeared perfectly normal before the previous evening, eating and drinking normally.

lets hope your foaly improves and responds well to treatment, best of luck and let us know how you get on
 
Thanks for all the advice and support. We have wormed her regularly since birth, but that did cross my mind. The vet said to wait till after the antibiotics to look at that.

Hopefully with the care she's getting and some luck she'll be fine.
 
Please do a worm count (its not invasive and quite cheap) plus get your vet to do a blood test for tape worms. We lost our mare in august to colic and have an 8 month old foal that has undergone surgery. We wormed to the book and always have!!, they can't confirm what caused her colic as they only found inflamation and odema when they opened her up, but she has been better (apart from complications with the wound and needing another operation soon) since the op.

When she was operated on her worm count was only 4, but we've since lost one of our oldies and have one with a high worm count. We poo pick daily and have a poo vacuum (not the sweeper type) and still haven't managed to eradicate them fully. (now testing for ivemectin resistance and looking at getting sheep)

I know it could be something else, but since our foals herniated and today had to have it stitched up and I'm on colic watch - again :-( soall I can say is keep watching and get her scanned asap, keep her hydrated - difficult with freezing weather plus if she is bunging up a bit, then put some bran in her feed (before anyone says, don't feed for long periods of time but helps lubricate the system!)
 
Thanks so much everyone.

Just to update you, the vet has given us some antibiotic injections, and now some paste (as she was getting tricky to jab) and she seems to have picked up really well.

I will get a count done, though I am also making sure that the wormers are mixed to treat all varieties of worm.

We are working with the vet who is going to take some more bloods after xmas, and hope she recovers fully soon.

I asked down at the tack and feed shop and a lady there had had the same happen to her mare. It was a virus that had caused colic symptoms.

I'm still keen to get her scanned, just to make sure there are no obvious abnormailties.

Thanks again for all your help
Happy Christmas
 
Pleased to hear she is picking up :)

Antibitoics dont kill viruses, I wonder as to your vets reasoning for giving them- perhaps (s)he suspected a secondary bacterial infection?
 
TheMule said:
Pleased to hear she is picking up :)

Antibitoics dont kill viruses, I wonder as to your vets reasoning for giving them- perhaps (s)he suspected a secondary bacterial infection?
Click to expand...

Yes, I wondered that, but I'm sure he thought the virus had caused a problem in her gut..i'm assuming by problem he meant a secondary bacterial infection.

She hasn't picked up as quickly as I would have expected for something purely bacterial, and the vet says it can take a few weeks to bet back to normal.
 
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