Scouring foals - yeurgh. Teeny question please.

[Enfys]

Toss up between Veterinary and Stableyard as to which would be most appropriate. SY won, so apologies if anyone thinks this should be in Vet.

I am grateful that Isabella is only tiny, trying to scrub the backend of a bigger foal single-handed would have been a bit more difficult

The bucket was only upended once, and I've had to change from top to bottom since said foal decided it would be a super idea (revenge) to wipe her bum all over me!

Anyway, I digress, Isabella is scouring big time, like a little hippo spreading it around with her tail

I know why she is scouring and am not particularly worried as she is fine in herself, and not sore, but I would like to ask what, if anything, other people:

a) wash them down with other than plain water? and
b) whether you put any cream or disinfectant on afterwards?

As always, Thankyou

 

[Maesfen]

I have that pleasure to come when I can at last catch the wildcat!

I use warm water and Hibiscrub but a gentle shampoo would also do the trick although you must wash it off, also don't make anything too strong else it could burn their little botties!
I also use a cream after but whatever I have to hand, zinc and castor oil, Protocon, Vaseline, Sudacrem, Udder Cream, things like that but I just smear it on not rub it in, things tend not to stick so much after that.

 

[AmyMay]

We do the same as MFH_09 - and essentially coat their little bums in vasaline or the like.

Good luck, hope it stops soon. We had a terribly poorly foal last year with scouring.

 

[Enfys]

Thankyou both, MFH I hope you manage to catch yours soon

Amy May, I had one a few years ago that scoured dreadfully and ended up on a drip in the end because she was so dehydrated, worrying things foals aren't they?

Well, I've just been to wash the poor little lass off again, dry her and cream her backside, washing and drying went fine, she just sort of sighed and stood there. The cream was a different matter

She knocked it out of my hand and then plonked her little foot right in the brand new tub of zinc ointment and took off around the stall wearing it like a sticky boot!

 

[Maesfen]

Was she looking at her feet and like the Clarks' ad' boasting of "New shoes?"!! I did laugh when I read that, sorry!

 

[AmyMay]

Naughty baby!

 

[Tia]

Yes I would wash her down and then put some cream on; perhaps zinc based. I'd be careful with using Vaseline because of the intense heat we are having right now.

Incidentally, the Ivermectin worked a treat for me; Cloud was wormed with Ivermectin about 8 hours after foaling and Legacy never did get scouring. I was told this but hadn't heard of it before so was a little sceptical.....however I needn't have been as it worked.

 

[amandaco2]

wash down and use vaseline or similar.anything greasy to protect the skin basically.
i wormed shantih for westeri and beyonce never scoured

 

[Enfys]

I will remember the worming thing, Lola was done about a week before she foaled, perhaps I should have waited until afterwards.

Thankyou.

Tia, is it getting hot up there with you? I know I moan a bit about us being so open and usually having a breeze, but right now, it would be unpleasantly sticky without it.

 

[amandaco2]

i did pig before just after she foaled and i think i did beyoncethe foal) with strongid at 4 weeks(may have been 6 weeks!)

 

[Tia]

It's 27 degrees celsius up here but we are really lucky that we are up in the hills so there is still a lovely breeze here - we always have a breeze LOL!!

I wormed Cloud within 30 days before foaling and then again approximately 8 hours after foaling with Ivermectin. All the top breeders who keep horses on my farm told me that so long as you worm the mare within 12 hours of foaling with Ivermectin then you will not get foal scouring.....they were right! Good tip to bear in mind.