Sick horse

[inmaboben]

Hi all, my horse is currently under veterinary supervision however I wanted to see if anyone had any personal experiences.
He started dropping off weight end in the beginning of April. He started to appear more sick (very skinny and profuse diarrhoea) so I called the vets out. He started on steroids and some gut binders and had a poo sample taken. He tested positive for C- Diff so was on antibiotics. Fast forward a week he seemed to be getting worse. Vets then suspected ulcers and we did a scope. Showed a few ulcers around grade 2 and his bloods showed quite low albium. he is now being treated for ulcers and still on steroids for his intestines however is still appearing quite unwell. Has anyone experienced anything similar?

 

[olop]

Sorry to hear about your horse. I’ve had never ending problems with low albumin levels in my boy but I think I cracked it a few years ago and haven’t had any problems since!
Vet diagnosed him with irritable bowel and I’m very careful about what I feed. If I notice any weight loss or any change in his behaviour I get bloods done straight away. He would go on a short course of steroids and be right as rain again. As I say I’ve managed him with diet. Another cause of it is worms so you could also check for that. IBD is normally quite serious in horses but touch wood I think I have sorted it as haven’t had problems for a few years now.
Hope yours gets better soon x

 

[inmaboben]

Sorry to hear about your horse. I’ve had never ending problems with low albumin levels in my boy but I think I cracked it a few years ago and haven’t had any problems since!
Vet diagnosed him with irritable bowel and I’m very careful about what I feed. If I notice any weight loss or any change in his behaviour I get bloods done straight away. He would go on a short course of steroids and be right as rain again. As I say I’ve managed him with diet. Another cause of it is worms so you could also check for that. IBD is normally quite serious in horses but touch wood I think I have sorted it as haven’t had problems for a few years now.
Hope yours gets better soon x

Thank you, he has had worm counts etc all seem fine. It Just seems never ending. Thank you for your positive experience!

 

[Indieanna6]

My mare dropped a load of weight and had terrible diarrhoea last May, she had tapeworm - I presume they have tested for tape?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would run blood tests for tape and encysted worms a heavy burden can make them quite unwell.

My friends horse had similar symptoms to yours and she had a heavy encysted red worm burden.

 

[inmaboben]

I would run blood tests for tape and encysted worms a heavy burden can make them quite unwell.

My friends horse had similar symptoms to yours and she had a heavy encysted red worm burden.

I’m not sure which other blood tests were done, he’s extremely vet / needle shy so it’s quite tricky. Thank you - will look into this

 

[Indieanna6]

I’m not sure which other blood tests were done, he’s extremely vet / needle shy so it’s quite tricky. Thank you - will look into this

A tape worm test can be done with a saliva test, I do one when I do my usual worm count tests, I think it can be picked up on bloods also though.

Encysted red would need to be a blood test.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

Grass sickness??

 

[holeymoley]

My thoughts are grass sickness too.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Could it be something his eating in the field he shouldn't be.

 

[rextherobber]

Can you get his abdomen scanned?

 

[Birker2020]

I know of a horse who had low levels of albulmin which was thought to be caused by malabsorption which in turn caused a low level colitis. He lost weight very quickly, vet was called and he was diagnosed.

I can't remember what the treatment was but he went on to make a full recovery.

 

[Birker2020]

Is there any update OP?

 

[inmaboben]

He seems to finally be getting better on steroids and ulcer treatment!

Is there any update OP?