Spasmodic Colic - help please

[_daisy_]

My friend called me on Thrusday night worried about her horse. I said to call the vet if she was really worried about him, so she did. Friday morning I get another call for the update. Vet diagnosed Spasmodic colic and put it down to the haylage. So farmer changes bale of haylage and a new one gets opened.

Another call tonight. Shes back at the yard waiting for another vet as hes at it again. Hes getting really nasty in the stable and the vets say theyve got a lot of emergencies on, so god knows when the vet will turn up.

So ive talked it through with her and she says theres nothing changed in his diet apart from it raining! Hes been wormed but not that recently. The fields were fertilised about 7weeks ago, no change in his riding patterns etc.

Would this seriously make that much of a difference to her horse? I said I thought it was the grass but hey im not vet!

 

[Dougie]

could be the grass, all this rains making it grow

 

[_daisy_]

well thats what I thought but hes not on 24/7 turnout and its never bothered him before. I was wondering if its something to do with the choice of fertilizer or the fact that the YO doesnt enforce a correct worming policy?

 

[Dougie]

could be a whole manner of things. worms could be the cause, so could any number of things. what age i horse?

 

[Emma27]

i think the grass could be the culprit if the fields have just been done and its been raining a lot causing a sudden growth spurt, has the horse been on the field the same amount of time as before it was done?

 

[_daisy_]

I have a feeling hes 13. He was in poor condition when she bought him - he was a hireling. Shes done really well with him in the 4/5yrs shes owned him and he looks amazing.

 

[Gingernags]

Mine has a tendency to start with colic symptoms if she gets really stressed out - usually if she's off to a show and is all plaited and polished and she winds herself up.

I bought some coligone of H's Mum on here and its been great. If she starts pawing and looking at her stomach, I give her some coligone and it seems to settle her every time and wards it off.

Might be worth a try while she figures out the cause. Would be well worth giving H's mum a ring - the number is on the website - as she had a lot of problems with her mare and colic from grass - hence her developing the product.

Just google "Coligone"

 

[Ninfapaola]

My mare sometimes suffers from spasmodic colic/gassy colic, but since I've given her a scoop of Protexin Bio-Premium a day it seems to have settled down.

 

[kcgibson]

as said above, colic can be caused by all sorts, worms being a particular culprit. Once they've had colic they are prone to further bouts so need to try to find the cause. I would worm the horse and i guess having a routine would help to try to regulate what he is eating.

 

[Ferdinase514]

I think it is most likely to be the grass growth. The recent rain has started it growing properly and if it was fertilised 7 weeks ago, during the dry spell, it really would have started growing this week.

Finni is very prone to colic from Spring and Autumn grass and is on restricted turnout.

A horse at my yard was poorly with spasmodic colic on Thursday too.

 

[_daisy_]

Just to let you all know the update.

The 2nd vet that came out thinks its the grass not the haylage that has upset my friends horse. he has however taken both bloods and poo samples for checking. He has said she did the right thing about muzzling him for the last few days but also he thinks that it could be rye grass that has upset hhis stomach.

So shes going to wait till the results come back before she does anything like worming him. Hes going to be on bran mashes for a few days but vet has said to carry on riding him (slightly easier than he was being ridden though) So ive got my fingers crossed that its all sorted for her and that he doesnt have anymore bouts. Thing is the YO moves the horses fields as soon as they are eaten off so unfortunately he may be muzzled for quite some time.

Thanks for all your advice

 

[Taboo1968]

Only just caught up with this (sorry) and it sounds dreadfully familiar to me! My horse is doing exactly the same..... and has never had colic before! Now we are on attack number 7 being last saturday!

Ginger mare suggested the coligone, which is the route I have gone down and I have to say the syringe paste is absolutely fab..... within 20 mins he was back to his normal albeit grumpy self!

Now when he shows signs of colic, I lunge him for 10/15 mins..... then give the paste, then free school him as all he needs to do (pardon the expression) is fart!

Definately worth a try and a lot less expensive than a vets call out!

 

[_daisy_]

thank you - i completely forgot about Coligone (sorry H's mum) ill let her know straight away)