Recurring colic - caused by clover?

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Racingchick

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Hi

My 21 year old mare keeps getting mild colic - although tonight she was awful and got the vet out. By the time the vets (yes been out more than once or twice!) get to her, the finadyne I've given her has kicked in and she's ok. They alway say stools are fine, colour ok, gut movement ok etc etc.

I've done 5 days Panacur Guard last month and I've got to do her with a Praziqantel wormer tomorrow incase it's tapeworm. I've been told that they can scan her abdomen if it happens again; bloods won't show much; could be a lipoma but I'm not prepared to operate as she's my baby and I've had her 17 years and it's not the right thing to operate on her at her age.

So my question is have any of you had experience with excess clover causing colic? She has a muzzle on as my field's full of it and I daren't take it off until it's eaten down. We left the field until now to graze down as it would have been to rich in the summer/autumn. Farmer just won't spray it off! I know you can get photosynthesization from clover, but do you know if it causes a poisoning of some sort? Although there's plenty of it, she's not compacted, it's always just gassy if anything. Wondered if she's getting a build up of some chemical it produces?

Thanks for any replies.
 
Racingchick said:
Hi

My 21 year old mare keeps getting mild colic - although tonight she was awful and got the vet out. By the time the vets (yes been out more than once or twice!) get to her, the finadyne I've given her has kicked in and she's ok. They alway say stools are fine, colour ok, gut movement ok etc etc.

I've done 5 days Panacur Guard last month and I've got to do her with a Praziqantel wormer tomorrow incase it's tapeworm. I've been told that they can scan her abdomen if it happens again; bloods won't show much; could be a lipoma but I'm not prepared to operate as she's my baby and I've had her 17 years and it's not the right thing to operate on her at her age.

So my question is have any of you had experience with excess clover causing colic? She has a muzzle on as my field's full of it and I daren't take it off until it's eaten down. We left the field until now to graze down as it would have been to rich in the summer/autumn. Farmer just won't spray it off! I know you can get photosynthesization from clover, but do you know if it causes a poisoning of some sort? Although there's plenty of it, she's not compacted, it's always just gassy if anything. Wondered if she's getting a build up of some chemical it produces?

Thanks for any replies.
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Clover can be toxic to horses but this is alsike clover and this is grown in america and I don't think it grows over here.http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/forage/alsike/alsike.htm

However I know that red clover that grows in the UK can cause ataxia if eaten in large quantities and I believe there is a link to horses that consume large amounts of clover can get colic yes.
 
With recurrent colic in a 21 yr old horse, I'm afraid clover would be so far down my list of possible causes that I would ignore it. Has she been tested for Cushings? Is she a grey? Any unexplained weight loss? Liver function ok? Teeth ok? Company and plenty of turnout? Have you tried her on Coligone? Brilliant stuff! Good luck x
 
As box of frogs says, I'd be looking at the more obvious stuff first. Is she out 24/7 with her muzzle on? If so, is she happy to drink with her muzzle on? Dehydration can be a cause of colic; as can frosty grass. Not sure how cold it has been where you are. Are her poos normal, is she otherwise eating normally?

Also, did you give her IV finadyne before the vet saw her? I think it's a POM isn't it - presumably your vet knows you are giving it to her therefore? I'd be a little cautious. My mare had repeated colics earlier this year, and the vets were happy for me to self-medicate when I was sure the symptoms were identical to previous ones, but I used oral metacam. If your mare was presenting with different symptoms to normal, or was worse than normal, I'd be very cautious about giving NSAIDs before the vet has been, as it may mask a worsening condition.

FWIW I found buscopan the best thing for my mare, and we ended up giving her human buscopan (oral tablets, about 10-15 iirc) and a ride in the trailer if I was sure she had just a repeat gassy colic. But she had an underlying condition so we sort of knew what we were dealing with. Also, I'd immediately take TPR, check gums and listen to gut sounds to reassure myself there was movement, and no shock.

Good luck with getting to the bottom of it, colic is horrendous, especially when it becomes recurring.
 
Thanks guys

No, all other indications ok - no frost; gums ok; water fine; out in day in at night; yes drinks with muzzle; etc etc.. and finadyne paste - which vet gave me and told me to give!!

Had vet out again on Friday and Sunday - thought she was dying on sunday - I'm not over reacting - I run a TB stud farm and know my stuff!

They can't find the matter. Now giving her a praziqantel wormer incase tapeworm, but nothing has come out yet!

Only gets a handful of high fibre mix and was getting colic in the summer when no cereal in diet at all.

I'll investigate the coligone tho.

Thanks.
 
for maintenance I cannot recommend enough Protexin - Gut Balancer. Amazing stuff. I have the liquid coligone for when he sgtarts to show symptoms or for a routine change (in at night to out at night etc).

Both are fantastic products.
 
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