Side effects of a scope?

Random stranger here

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Hiya, just as the question states really. Main thing is can a scope cause ulcers from the starving? And is there any side affects that come from either the scope itself or the starving, sedation etc?
Tia
 

poiuytrewq

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My own and the many we get done at work have all been fine! The only worry i had with my own was that i felt so mean not feeding him! As above though its essential and as your paying for it to be done you may as well get the best picture possible!
Mine had very obvious shavings in his tummy!
 

Tiddlypom

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If the horse is scoped first thing in the morning after a small early evening haynet then the ‘starving’ needed is minimal. I left my mare in at the vets overnight (she was already there for a workup) and they do the scopes early doors before the horse has much time to think that it is hungry.

She was grand - and no ulcers found.

If the vet is coming to yours to do the scope request an early visit.
 

poiuytrewq

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My tip would be to keep an eye at all times, I got to the vets and they popped him in a stable whilst they finished setting up and he started eating the pro bed!!
Yep, hence the shavings in mine's tummy. Maybe paper or just mats might be a better idea! I had no idea mine would eat his bed!
 

poiuytrewq

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No me either, he is normally a fussy eater! Luckily it wasnt so much we couldnt go ahead and see what we needed to which turned out to be an ulcer free stomach anyway
Ah that's annoying! We did scope mine as until we looked I had no idea he'd eaten any. It wasn't much and he did have visible ulcers, it wasn't like the vet had a job to make them out.
 

SEL

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If the horse is scoped first thing in the morning after a small early evening haynet then the ‘starving’ needed is minimal. I left my mare in at the vets overnight (she was already there for a workup) and they do the scopes early doors before the horse has much time to think that it is hungry.

She was grand - and no ulcers found.

If the vet is coming to yours to do the scope request an early visit.

That's what we did with mine (at the yard). They were due at 9am so she got her haynet at 6 and as she'd finished it by 9pm there was no food to take away (thankfully as that was when she was still a very food anxious youngster). My YO dived in first thing to take out her water and although she was annoyed she didn't get breakfast she wasn't as worked up as I expected. I think she was generally not feeling well so perhaps she understood we were trying to help.

One very nasty ulcer but very inflamed stomach as well. No shavings!
 

Random stranger here

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Yep, hence the shavings in mine's tummy. Maybe paper or just mats might be a better idea! I had no idea mine would eat his bed!
So would it be worth actually giving a horse no bed if they are scoped? Mine have 24mm thick, spongy rubber mats. These are just questions for the future, as there was a conversation about a scope causing ulcers, so I just thought I'd ask. I also didn't think a horse would eat their wood shavings. It's nice to be prepared. As for my horses tapeworm test he needed 30 mins of no food and drink, so we put him in the tack room 🤣. He has auto water drinkers and bed so just to be safe i sat in the tack room with him.
 

Birker2020

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I'm sure I've read that there is a very small risk of colic due to distension of the stomach with air, but I'm sure that can be prevented by giving an injection before hand.
 

poiuytrewq

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So would it be worth actually giving a horse no bed if they are scoped? Mine have 24mm thick, spongy rubber mats. These are just questions for the future, as there was a conversation about a scope causing ulcers, so I just thought I'd ask. I also didn't think a horse would eat their wood shavings. It's nice to be prepared. As for my horses tapeworm test he needed 30 mins of no food and drink, so we put him in the tack room 🤣. He has auto water drinkers and bed so just to be safe i sat in the tack room with him.
Well maybe if you can yes, I was chatting to my vet recently about scoping mine and she suggested taking the entire bed out for a night and just leaving mats. Partly because mine are on straw so I’d have to empty it anyway but she said not to bother getting shavings for both reasons.
I don’t think I’d be throwing away a stable full of shavings though if a horse was already on them! Too expensive!
maybe a muzzle might work?
 

ILuvCowparsely

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As per other thread where I posted this.

hmmm - would think carefully if i were in your shoes, my boy went in for a scope and found his ulcer's. He then went for a second scope and it caused a really bad colic, so bad they phoned me on route to practice in horsebox and told me to turn round as he was coliking.

Two months late he colicked again ( prob results of second scope, )really bad one = RVC = surgery and then was pts. Be wary if he has to have a second one to check up.
 

Random stranger here

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As per other thread where I posted this.

hmmm - would think carefully if i were in your shoes, my boy went in for a scope and found his ulcer's. He then went for a second scope and it caused a really bad colic, so bad they phoned me on route to practice in horsebox and told me to turn round as he was coliking.

Two months late he colicked again ( prob results of second scope, )really bad one = RVC = surgery and then was pts. Be wary if he has to have a second one to check up.
Oh God, I'm so sorry. I'll definitely bear that in mind if I ever get mine scoped
 

daydreamer

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Mine went to the vets the other week to be scoped. They put him in a muzzle overnight and he got it off (if I had known I could have told them he would). They scoped him in the morning but he had eaten loads of poo so they had to starve him for the rest of the day and rescoped at 4pm. Very stressful for us both. I had to do an sos to a friend to come and pick him up as we’d missed our pre-arranged transport. The vets told me there was a possibility of him colicking so I spent a few hours with him and he was very unsettled for about 2 hours.
 

cariadbach10

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My Arab bled quite heavily during one of his three scopes, but they do have narrower nasal passages. I wouldn’t scope again, if I’m honest.
 

Snowfilly

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Most I’ve known via work have been fine. A couple of bloody noses / scratches / general discomfort One mild colic from the being hungry and one very severe colic from the scope itself which was horrendous to hear about and I’m glad I wasn’t there to see, eventually pulled through after a night in the hospital.
 

Sossigpoker

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Mine had a notable nose bleed after one of his scopes so just be prepared for it by having lots of absorbent things around to mop it up.
 

Zoeypxo

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Mine has been scoped i think 4 or 5 times. No issues apart from a small nose bleed.
She stayed at the vets who provided a large stable with nice thick rubber matts and no bedding so she couldnt eat it
 

lauragreen85

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My horse had a awful nose bleed it was awful, another horse shook his head for two week weeks after, another ate his bedding and started to colic! I no there is probably hundreds of horses scoped daily with no problems but I dont do it anymore. we just use ponease for treatment instead now. I did rescope each horse we had used it on and their ulcers had gone so I just use it without a scope now, my vets happy with this too as she knows how traumatised I was.
 

HorsesRule2009

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Don't think there's really any effects from the scope/starvation or sedation.
Just may be easiest to muzzle if there's 1 available to stop them eating bedding/ own poo - it's amazing how many do this!.
It seems harsh but if you arrive at the vets and the stomach is full they can't scope
 
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