What do these symptoms say to you?

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maddielove

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Okay, I am determind to get to the bottom of whatevers causing this kerfuffle with my mare as it's gone on too long.

September time she displayed a huge change in character, stopped catching, super grumpy not enjoying being ridden/grithed. Vet out said her guts were very overactive. Put her on hay as opposed to haylage. Her stomach was tender to touch, kicked out when brushed or touched.
The change from hay to haylage helped, stopped her guts making the most awful noises. Still sensitive to touch her belly, happier to be ridden all seemed fine.

She then coliced and needed surgery and has coliced twice since for pretty unknown reasons (we think she coliced before due to eatin something frozen/being left without water due to it freezing (temperatures of below -10) Her stomach is still very sensitive.

Throughout she has been very bloated, sometimes looking like she was in foal!

Any thoughts, I have something lingering in my mind as to whats going on. I'm getting her hair tested to see if that shows anything up.

Thanks in advance
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Em x
 
probably not much use at all but i know of a mare that had to be operated on due to colic, it turns out she has a reaction to sugar or something like that. she also has a bloated stomach.
 
Has the vet tried to check on blood pressure, and if possible test the flow to the intestine|? if her guts are not working properly, as in peristalsis is not happening to the rate it should be might cause these symptoms too......

so it might be an idea to ask about maybe using gut motility drugs or something like that?

Hope she does not colic again! good luck
 
Sounds interesting L_N, if there was a problem with peristalsis would there be a change in droppings? As they seem fairly normal? Though did go through a phase where she was pooping big time (still normal formation) but this passed.

Thanks though
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If you think your mare may be intollerant it would be well worth talking to a lady called Ellen Collinson, google her for her website and her contact details, she helped me loads with my very poorly gelding.

Her diet ideas are very old fashioned but as she said to me horses never really suffered with these digestive problems years ago when we used to feed straights.

I followed her plan, and it meant for the first time in 3 years of being poorly my horse could relax and get better. (when the stomach hurts 24 / 7 they can not relax at all).

Her contact number is 01572 787 822

I hope your horse is feeling better soon.
 
You beat me to it AL - was going to ask if there was any possibility she could be pregnant. But they would have detected that at the surgery. How old is she hun? Is she the horse in your sig? What was the colic surgery diagnosis? Did they find a totally normal gut or were there changes visible? From a totally lay point of view, I would be very suspicious of an on-going gut problem, where appetite and droppings remain unaffected. Has your vet done a blood workup looking for raised enzyme levels, liver function, abnormal protein levels? There's more things in the horse's abdominal cavity than just the intestines and stomach and with normal appetite and droppings, I'd investigate other things, if only to rule them out. Has she lost weight recently? I would honestly consider asking for a referral to a top quality horse hospital for a full work up. You need to get to the bottom of this, like you say x
 
Sounds like an intolerance to me, which is causing symptoms like Irritable Bowel Syndrome in people (I have it and have similar symptoms). Not sure if there are any documented cases of IBS in animals, but might be worth a chat to your vet.

I think you're on the right track, by cutting things out. I think the common intolerances are sugar, cereal, and particularly barley.

Have you heard of Simple Systems feeds? They're supposed to be really good - very natural and "old fashioned" way of feeding, nothing hidden in them. Could be worth a call to them (don't have details to hand, but I'm sure they'd come up on a google search). I haven't used them myself, but friends have, and rave about them.

Hope she doesn't colic again and you get to the bottom of it quickly
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I will go against the flow here.....ulcers.

Symptoms (aside from the colic) sound exactly like a friends mare last year. She was so violent and unpleasent there was talk of actually PTS. Vet came and scoped her and found ulcers. Within two days of being on medication she was a changed animal.

The vet wanted to prescribe Gastroguard but insurance wasnt in place to pay for this so she went straight onto Coligone which has basically saved her from the bullet.

I would suggest, if you havent already, getting in touch with H's Mum (on here) as she developed and markets Coligone. Given your horses history with colic as well as the behavioural issues it could well help.

Website here.....

http://www.hbradshaws.co.uk/
 
I have been thinking ulcers myself and the vets touched on it in November. I have been thinking about it for a long time.

BOF - She turns 15 on the 1st of April, thats her in my sig.
We put off a blood work up as she's terrified of needles, but if it has to be done then it will be.
Surgery did not appear to show up anything nasty inside, just a severly distended gut pressing into her lung cavity. I had thought about fatty lumps but they did not notice anything.

Thanks guys
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I'm no expert on this...but one of our liveries horses started colicing regularly - at least 3 times a week and it went on for over a month (they'd had the horse 4 years no previous problems what so ever)

Had the vet out each time each time vet had no explanation - horse seriously uncomfortable, stomach sounded like thunder.

Then we had a different vet out who listened more carefully to her chest - turns out she's got a mild respiratory problem similar to human asthma and the high winds we're been having had made it hard for her to breath and made her stressed (even though she didnt show it) and so caused colic...

Turned out in a more shelterd field and put on ventipulin - no more colic!

I'm not suggesting your horse has this, but maybe worth a thought!
 
Thanks inchy, the vets did say when she was operated on she reovered so well as her heart ad lungs were very strong and fit so I don't think thats an issue, very interesting though!


To all those who suggested intolerances. I am 99% sure it can be ruled out as it seems now that carrots have been cut out it is very sugar and cereal free. I seem to have unintentionaly done this!

I have a tub of coligone ready to be ordered
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