Suddenly Incontinent Gelding...

SaharaS

SaharaS

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Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this..my 15yr old TB gelding has suddenly (this am) started looking incontinent. Had him for years 2002 ish and he's never done this before, just that there have been several things recently something is niggling me about him..I gave him his feed & hay this am & even while eating there were little splashes dripping..I heard them then started taking more notice & it was every half minute or so even while eating & he occasionally did a little back leg fidget(like us girls might-you know when you absolutely bursting & frozen & trying to hold). He normally won't wee while he eats and had already wee'd by the look of his box. He normally does the tip toes thing and very neat not splashing himself..but today the dribbles just kept on coming. He had let it down & i had a good look, nothing seemed out of the normal, clean, nothing looked stuck..I had originally thougth he may have been playing with himself (sorry! you know they do!) when the first couple of splashes happened)but it went on for over an hour. I stayed in box or outside in earshot/sight so he could behave as he felt ok...finally he had a proper wee and tiptoed in position to do it..Drinking & eating normally tho he had left me a lovely present in his water bucket so a surprisingly big wee considering he hadn't touched his water much because of it over night. he had more dribbles after. going to see what he's doing this afternoon & keep an eye on him....any similar experiences much appreciated:confused:
 
I would suspect and infection and would get the vet out as these things can turn quite nasty. In the meantime it'd be useful to get a urine sample
 
I too would be calling the vet out; may well be an infection but I have seen a similar presentation with a horse with squamous cell carcinoma (horse is fine after surgery).
 
I did ring the vet but struggled both times to get past the receptionist/nurse. She said if drinking don't be overly concerned...(:eek:???WTF) my initial worry was kidney stones or something which is why I tried calling back but she is like one of those dr's reception dragons that will try treat you to safeguard her precious doctor!:mad:
 
Ask the receptionist/nurse if she is willing to take responsibility for the health of your horse.

I would advise persistence to get through to a vet.
 
I agree, sounds like he's got some sort of infection. Try the vets again - the receptionist is not a vet therefore shouldn't have any right to stop you talking through your concerns with the vet.
 
oh..few other things i would like to mention...generally he's a healthy boy..only had colic once due to groom doing their breakfasts at 2pm on newyears day:mad:. He came out of racing and has been with me since, has always been prone to a messy bottom tho having tried numerous things over the years, have just decided (on vets advice) that some horses simply are like that.(tho it didn't sit easily with me) some of you will remember his episode a month or so back when he reared & started totally out of character trying to strike at my face (in hand). His mane over the last 12-18 months has become curly tho doesn't show as badly since I pulled it recently(stupidly as I can't monitor is as well so regret tidying him up) August 2010 I had to have his best friend pts for what we now think was equine atypical myopathy. He's not been right ever since. He has also been prone to choke for the last 3 years-vet shrugs at thisit has cleared every time without needing the vet though i did mention it when I received the shrug. Thats pretty much him. oh and 17hh chestnut gelding (obv) teeth have been done too.....mostly all incidental tho vet's common response is shrug...and this is not just one practice....just before anyone yells at me, am not normally a paranoid 'call the vet as he sighed' kind of person and have excellent first aid experience & capabilities etc & am happy to treat most things up to the point that i know when i do need to call the vet..just that the vets near me are not the sort I'm used to:-(
 
oh...most importantly he had a horrible episode of shivers & uncontrolled shaking a while back to which yet another now ex vet shrugged at...he was presenting mild colic symptoms & neurotic behavoiur too after a strom(he'd been in)the muscle tremors were awful. 1st vet did not attend and by the time I'd found a second vet out he had stopped doing it)this was much the same as the signs my filly showed before I lost her to grass sickness..now you can see why I have been feeling niggly about him but no vets seem to be overly phased by any individual signs. am on hold again trying to be put thru:mad:
 
I'd insist on speaking to a Vet and a visit. Check his temperature too before you ring. Apart from an infection it could be some sort of blockage.
 
Your vets seem to shrug a lot:confused: and have unhelpful staff.

Has the horse had bloods tested recently, he could have some liver damage or an infection that is causing ongoing discomfort.

Have you considered cushings, the first real sign mine had was of excessive drinking and dribbling urine at times.

Something is going on and you need a vet that you have confidence in to come out and give him a proper examination.
 
still waiting fro my vet to call back...but have spoken to my nice vet back home in Sussex...seriously considering a trip home with him to mums so they can do everything...sensible vets down that way that call back & don't shrug! Vets have stated till now(shrugging ones not sussex ones) that cushings tests & bloods not necessary despite them being specifically called out to do bloods after his rearing episode. they just don't seem to want to do anything so am having one last try in this area for any sensible sounding ones -my old vets in sussex I was with for 15 years are more than happy to stable him there for a few days if needs be so I'm thinking somehow purely for peace of mind from vets I trust...we might be heading home very soon. very frustrated..thanks for all your help x
 
Hi my tb went the same-all dribbly and unable to pee properly and acting a bit strange and then i noticed a funny lump on his penis when it was relaxed and hanging out (he wouldnt allow me to clean it) i gave him his feed to distract him and i peeled off the lump from his penis and OMG a hole appeared and a "bean " the size of the palm of my hand came out of the hole!!! .he could pee fine after that and after a frantic phone call to my vet was assured it was fine!!!:eek:
 
Sound almost like it could be a nervous system problem, taking into account his previous problems. Might be totally unconnected. I'd go with the sensible vets, nothing more frustrating than someone who just won't listen to what you're saying; it's not like they're doing it for free!
 
SaharaS said:
I did ring the vet but struggled both times to get past the receptionist/nurse. She said if drinking don't be overly concerned...(:eek:???WTF) my initial worry was kidney stones or something which is why I tried calling back but she is like one of those dr's reception dragons that will try treat you to safeguard her precious doctor!:mad:
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My initial though was kidney stones or infection
 
I would agree with others - could be an infection, a bean/blockage or a neurological problem. Either way you need to either get a second opinion or get your existing vet to take things more seriously. Then get a new vet anyway. Retained urine can cause all sorts of problems. And as for the receptionist - it isn't her job to say whether you need a visit from the vet or not, just make a booking for you.
 
In a lifetime with horses, I've seen urinary incontinence (dribbling) twice! One was in a pony who had a bladder stone bigger than a tennis ball (I assisted at the Op. to remove it!) Basically, because of the stone, the pony was constantly feeling an urge to wee - even though there was very little there.

The second was in a pony who'd been stuck in a river bed - with water over his withers - for at LEAST 2 days. He couldn't wee - so his bladder got fuller and fuller and he suffered a partial paralysis of the mechanisms that stop them being dribblers! That pony recovered over a period of about a week.

Given the array of symptoms your chap has shown, I'd either be calling in current vets and telling them their future (which would include a complaint to their governing body!!) or DEMANDING a referral to a good equine hospital for diagnostics.
 
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