When to worry about runny poo??

[ImmyS]

Horse is a 15hh cob, 5 years old and the picture of health. Shiney coat, great barefoot hooves, good weight. He seems happy and chilled both in the field and on the yard. He is not girthy at all, happy to be tacked up and nice and forward but relaxed ridden.

He is out 24/7, strip grazed and has access to hay which he picks at. He gets a token feed of a handful of nuts and chaff with his equimins advanced complete mixed in.

For the last 7/8 months, so through the winter as well he’s started to get runny poo. At first as it was in the winter I thought he maybe lacking something nutrition wise hence starting him on the equimins it seemed to help for a week or so but then reverted back to runny poo. Since then it has been on and off, where some weeks would be better than others. I would say he poos a normal amount, not gassy, colicky or bloated at all.

Some poos are more solid than others but they’re never properly formed. Varying from semi formed to complete cow pats. He was wormed in the spring but plan to egg worm count him this week just to rule them out but I’m not convinced they would be the problem.

All the horses are on the same management and they all have very well formed poos. He’s the only one runny.

I’m aware that ulcers could be a cause and would be willing to scope if necessary but as he is completely asymptomatic otherwise I am reluctant to go down that route unless needed. I’ve ordered some protexin to try.

Have previously tried things like activated charcoal and brewers yeast but these did not help.

Any suggestion/experiences welcome before I go down the vet route?

 

[Fiona]

Protexin worked wonders for our elderly loan pony who prior to its introduction, had to be washed daily and covered in pig oil and Vaseline to stop her skin being sore...

Normal poos...

Fiona

 

[Pinkvboots]

I use easi gut from natural horse supplies or yea sac got my last bag from progressive earth, one of my horses has a sensitive gut so his droppings can be inconsistent I find these help, Easigut has yea sac in it along with slippery elm marshmallow and a few other things and I find it really does sooth everything, the yea sac is what I will use for more of a maintenance when his not that bad.

 

[ImmyS]

I use easi gut from natural horse supplies or yea sac got my last bag from progressive earth, one of my horses has a sensitive gut so his droppings can be inconsistent I find these help, Easigut has yea sac in it along with slippery elm marshmallow and a few other things and I find it really does sooth everything, the yea sac is what I will use for more of a maintenance when his not that bad.

Thank you for your suggestions. So you wouldn’t go down the investigative route just yet?

 

[Pinkvboots]

Thank you for your suggestions. So you wouldn’t go down the investigative route just yet?

If his healthy and not showing any other signs it could just be an imbalance but it might be worth speaking to your vet about it.

My horse had a liquid after the droppings at random times but seemed fine and wad healthy vet said just keep an eye on him, he did get colic a few months ago his never had colic in his life I have had since he was 2 his now 15, it was an impaction so once he was better they worm counted him and did bloods, he was worm free but was showing an infection somewhere so he went on antibiotics then 're tested and he was clear, I did suggest scoping but vet didn't think it was ulcers but I thought it may have been hind gut ulcers you can't scope for those and he offered me the treatment but he didn't think he had those either.

I did change hay supplier after the colic as I was feeding a very light haylage but was not happy with the quality, his just on soaked hay now which I think has made a difference I haven't had any liquid since the change but did put him straight on the Easi gut after the colic and so far his been fine, my vet does think he may have had a virus and didn't drink enough water which caused the impaction, one reason why I soak his hay now is also for that reason.

If your worried I would speak to your vet but it won't hurt to try a supplement.
Sorry for the essay!

 

[Shay]

Dry bran. Low tech, cheap. Effective. It must be dry not wet - wet bran has the opposite effect! And if you feed for more than a few months you need to supplement limestone flour to balance phosphorus / calcium.

 

[ImmyS]

If his healthy and not showing any other signs it could just be an imbalance but it might be worth speaking to your vet about it.

My horse had a liquid after the droppings at random times but seemed fine and wad healthy vet said just keep an eye on him, he did get colic a few months ago his never had colic in his life I have had since he was 2 his now 15, it was an impaction so once he was better they worm counted him and did bloods, he was worm free but was showing an infection somewhere so he went on antibiotics then 're tested and he was clear, I did suggest scoping but vet didn't think it was ulcers but I thought it may have been hind gut ulcers you can't scope for those and he offered me the treatment but he didn't think he had those either.

I did change hay supplier after the colic as I was feeding a very light haylage but was not happy with the quality, his just on soaked hay now which I think has made a difference I haven't had any liquid since the change but did put him straight on the Easi gut after the colic and so far his been fine, my vet does think he may have had a virus and didn't drink enough water which caused the impaction, one reason why I soak his hay now is also for that reason.

If your worried I would speak to your vet but it won't hurt to try a supplement.
Sorry for the essay!

Thank you really helpful! He seems totally happy and healthy and all other ways which is why it’s a bit strange. I’ve had him a year and thinking back how poos have never been very solid like some, but it’s certainly got worse.

Because no other symptoms I’m thinking a possible PH imbalance. If I don’t see a difference within a couple of weeks on a supplement then I’ll get onto the vet and have some bloods taken.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Dry bran. Low tech, cheap. Effective. It must be dry not wet - wet bran has the opposite effect! And if you feed for more than a few months you need to supplement limestone flour to balance phosphorus / calcium.

Just what I was going to say!

 

[QueenT]

As a rule of thumb runny poo is always a matter of concern in horses... Feed and nutrition wise you have already tried a lot, so I'd probably give the vet a call. Maybe a full investigation is not necessary, but I'd at least hear what they think

 

[ImmyS]

As a rule of thumb runny poo is always a matter of concern in horses... Feed and nutrition wise you have already tried a lot, so I'd probably give the vet a call. Maybe a full investigation is not necessary, but I'd at least hear what they think

Thank you, vet is coming out on Monday as definitely need to rule out anything underlying. I’ve been back and forth as it seems to improve and then get worse again. And he just looks and feels so well, but yes exhausted other options so vet out to examine and run some bloods.