Spasmodic Colic - poorly beast :(

[Queenbee]

Please keep him in your thoughts this evening xx He is feeling very sorry for himself. I opened up a small bit of extra grazing for him last night and he has gorged himself today. Luckily I finished work early because I have had a cold and went there on my way home at 3pm, he was stood in the field and didn't walk down, didn't touch his feed or hay but just stood there rumbling and gurgling away... gentle walking, 3 poo's, vet has now been out, meds have been administered. Still lots of noise and generally looking uncomfortable and unhappy... come home for food and then going back to him.

How long should I leave it before I call the vet if he doesn't improve?

The vet said normally improvement within 2 hours.

Please cross you fingers for my baby boy xx

 

[Mule]

Fingers crossed I suppose you could ring the vet if he hasn't improved after 2 hours. I'll be thinking of him xxx

 

[Carrottom]

Poor boy, hopefully he will be brightening up when you get back. If no improvement after 2-3 hours I would speak to the vet on the phone, rather than leaving it late into the night.
Fingers crossed for you.

 

[milliepops]

Fingers crossed I suppose you could ring the vet if he hasn't improved after 2 hours. I'll be thinking of him xxx

this is what i would do. Hope he bounces back by himself x

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Keeping things crossed that he's more comfortable when you go back, I'm another that would check in with vet if no change after 2 hours x

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Everything crossed that hes feeling better when you get back up. If not I'm another that would call vet after 2 hours if no better xx

 

[Sandstone1]

Hopes he's feeling better when you go back.

 

[southerncomfort]

Sorry to hear this.

Hope he's feeling better very soon.

 

[SEL]

How's he doing?

 

[Foxychops]

Fingers crossed for him. I would just ring the vet anyway and give them an update.

 

[Queenbee]

Hi guys, thank you for the replies. A tentatively positive reply. Vet left at 4.30, I left at 5.30, he was still looking very sorry for himself, uninterested in food and just generally awful, but he hadn't tried to go down in his stable since about an hour before the vet came so I dashed home for a change of clothes and some food and coffee.

Returned to the yard at 6.30 to a very different Ben, calling, banging his chin on his stable door asking for food, not sweaty... far more his normal self. No pinched face and a lot less rumblings. He hadn't done any more poo's but had already done three between 3pm and 4.30pm so I am not overly fussed about that.

I gave him a small amount of hay in the net which he instantly started to eat (YAY!!!) and stuck around for an hour just watching him and chatting with my friend and her daughter who gave him a good groom.

All is Looking positive but I will be going up about 9ish to see how he is a little while after having eaten the hay.

I rang and updated the vets and also checked with them what to do regarding the hay as they had advised to give him a small net (50%) of his normal ration if he wanted hay. Problem is he is on a very big bed of very nice straw which he won't hesitate to eat and no one wants impacted colic! So, spoke with them about this about half an hour ago and they agreed that should he continue to look good I should fill his net up.

I daren't say he is out of the woods but everything is looking as positive as it could look.

Thank you x

 

[Cinnamontoast]

That sounds very positive. Mine was low grade colic (for days!) the other week, I was back to the yard at midnight after calling out the emergency vet and a 9pm check. Lots of buscopan/painkillers and taking of temperature/counting pulse/respiration. Such a worry, aren’t they?

 

[milliepops]

Sounds good QB, hopefully he'll be right as rain now then. Such a worry when they are poorly.

 

[Queenbee]

Thanks guys, there were a lot of positives to be had, thankfully I was there at 3pm and not 5.30 pm as I normally would have been. Gentle walking in hand did help him and he passed 3 decent poos (only a horse owner can know the joy this brings!!) He did get sweaty with the walking but when checked neither temp or heart rate were particularly elevated. And now he is eating, I just need to be sure this doesn't cause a backward step. He will be staying off the grass tomorrow. I am going to play it extra safe!

 

[Mule]

Hi guys, thank you for the replies. A tentatively positive reply. Vet left at 4.30, I left at 5.30, he was still looking very sorry for himself, uninterested in food and just generally awful, but he hadn't tried to go down in his stable since about an hour before the vet came so I dashed home for a change of clothes and some food and coffee.

Returned to the yard at 6.30 to a very different Ben, calling, banging his chin on his stable door asking for food, not sweaty... far more his normal self. No pinched face and a lot less rumblings. He hadn't done any more poo's but had already done three between 3pm and 4.30pm so I am not overly fussed about that.

I gave him a small amount of hay in the net which he instantly started to eat (YAY!!!) and stuck around for an hour just watching him and chatting with my friend and her daughter who gave him a good groom.

All is Looking positive but I will be going up about 9ish to see how he is a little while after having eaten the hay.

I rang and updated the vets and also checked with them what to do regarding the hay as they had advised to give him a small net (50%) of his normal ration if he wanted hay. Problem is he is on a very big bed of very nice straw which he won't hesitate to eat and no one wants impacted colic! So, spoke with them about this about half an hour ago and they agreed that should he continue to look good I should fill his net up.

I daren't say he is out of the woods but everything is looking as positive as it could look.

Thank you x

Great news x

 

[Hollychops]

Good news. Glad to hear he is feeling better.

 

[MrsMozart]

Every very tightly crossed he continues to improve lass.

 

[JFTDWS]

Poor chap, glad he's seeming more himself now xx

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Glad to hear he's on the mend.

 

[ycbm]

Whew. Hope all's normal tomorrow.

 

[Spottyappy]

A worry you didn’t need right now, I’m sure.
Hopefully, he has turned the corner and will be back to his usual self tomorrow.

 

[Queenbee]

Just back from checking him, he is grazing nicely on his hay and has had a good drink of water - yay! He is quite put-out that he doesn't get a hard feed and certainly let me know it! Eyes are no longer bloodshot and no sweat... all seeming very positive, still a little uncomfortable in his tummy as when I touch it for any period of time he responds with a little half hearted swipe of his back leg but to be fair, I wouldn't expect him to be 100 percent yet. Just conscious that he is packed full of warm fuzzy meds and that he may not feel so well when they subside... anyone know how long they keep working for? Antispasmodic & painkiller injections? No more poo but will pop up around 2 am and check him, meantime YO will duck her head in when she goes to give her girl in the neighbouring stable her night time net.

 

[Shilasdair]

Bute and buscopan aren't that strong, and wear off in around 6 hours.

 

[Mule]

Just back from checking him, he is grazing nicely on his hay and has had a good drink of water - yay! He is quite put-out that he doesn't get a hard feed and certainly let me know it! Eyes are no longer bloodshot and no sweat... all seeming very positive, still a little uncomfortable in his tummy as when I touch it for any period of time he responds with a little half hearted swipe of his back leg but to be fair, I wouldn't expect him to be 100 percent yet. Just conscious that he is packed full of warm fuzzy meds and that he may not feel so well when they subside... anyone know how long they keep working for? Antispasmodic & painkiller injections? No more poo but will pop up around 2 am and check him, meantime YO will duck her head in when she goes to give her girl in the neighbouring stable her night time net.

Glad he's improved, I don't know how long the medicine works for.

 

[Queenbee]

Thanks Shills, been so long since I have had a horse who needed bute and don't know if I have ever had one need buscopan.... so that would be in about 45 mins then... might be worth popping over around 11/ 11.30 then just to stop myself worrying

 

[Shilasdair]

Yes, I'd check him around midnight, and then go to bed.
If they are going to properly colic, they generally do so THROUGH the drugs anyway as they are so mild. If I were you, I'd keep him off the grass tomorrow too, or ration it though (strip graze?)
Hope he's ok.

 

[Queenbee]

Thank you Shills, that is reassuring, I know things are seeming positive but I am so tense and worried and your words have gone some way to relaxing me I will leave it till midnight x

There is no way I am letting him out tomorrow, thank god he loves his stable! This has taken me quite by surprise, I know that I gave him extra grass today but they had already grazed on it a few weeks back and it wasn't a huuuuge amount either... little hog seems to have just stuffed himself full He will be in tomorrow and I will be pulling that fencing back in and only leaving a tiny tiny bit! x

 

[Queenbee]

Just got back in from the beast... he had done another poo!! There were still some rumblings and the odd half arsed swipe at his tummy but he was in good spirits and trying to groom me, not hot or exerted. Rang the vets just to see what they wanted to do and apparently the buscopan they use should last to the morning and the metacam for 24hrs. She was very encouraged by his progress and while I was on the phone he did yet another poo... way flippin hay!!! Then he went straight back to eating. Going to check on him at 6am, thank you all so much for your words of support, you have kept me sane! x

 

[Mule]

Just got back in from the beast... he had done another poo!! There were still some rumblings and the odd half arsed swipe at his tummy but he was in good spirits and trying to groom me, not hot or exerted. Rang the vets just to see what they wanted to do and apparently the buscopan they use should last to the morning and the metacam for 24hrs. She was very encouraged by his progress and while I was on the phone he did yet another poo... way flippin hay!!! Then he went straight back to eating. Going to check on him at 6am, thank you all so much for your words of support, you have kept me sane! x

Brilliant. That sounds very good.

 

[Queenbee]

Brilliant. That sounds very good.

Thank you! Here's hoping he continues in this manner! x