Wits End with Colic and more colic

EJJ999

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Vet has pinpointed that horse is gassing on the grass. We have had a Rossdales visit where it was a combination of impaction, gas and inflamation. He is prone to being constipated anyway.

But since being home a few weeks it keeps happening. (Just gas). He is now only going out twice a day for an hour each and only having reduced amounts of soaked hay. He is the most relunctant farter.

He is on vets probiotic to help the stomach enzymes build up but even after an hour he is bloated.

Activated charcoal has been suggested but I am told that stops them farting so I don't want that. Vet wants to continue with probiotic and twice daily grass visits.

Maybe just feeling sorry for myself on constant colic watch. And exhausted.

This is his first spring at this yard so hoping it will settle.

Anyone had similar?
 

SEL

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There are some fairly strong opinions about the equine gut Biome test but your horse is one I think would be really interesting to test. It might not give you answers (it's all a bit new) but something could pop up that would help your vet. In the grand scheme of vet bills I don't think it's that pricey either.
 

EJJ999

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There are some fairly strong opinions about the equine gut Biome test but your horse is one I think would be really interesting to test. It might not give you answers (it's all a bit new) but something could pop up that would help your vet. In the grand scheme of vet bills I don't think it's that pricey either.

That's interesting stuff. Thank you.
 

Follysmum

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You might think I’m bonkers but I have one that gets really gassed up on grass, I reiki him regularly and this helps tremendously with releasing gas( makes him trump loads )
My vet did give me that funny look when I told him what I had been doing, even he said it obviously works/helps so carry on.
 

dilbert

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I’m having similar issues with my lad.

Things to check for -

Ulcers
Worm burden (including tape worm) and resistant worms
Sensitivity to grass (my lad is worse following rain / when grass is flushing etc).

My lad is having a scan soon for irritable bowel disease which I think is typically treated with steroids but there are also lots of herbal treatments which can help. The biome test as someone else has mentioned is also meant to be good and I think can indicate bacterial issues in the gut?
 

Peregrine Falcon

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I do feel your pain. Had 4 vet visits (2 out of hours) recently the 1st being spasdomic colic. I had to watch her monday evening for several hours as she wadn't quite right again. We've done wec, wormed, had fluids stomach tubed, blood tests.

I'm now thinking hind gut issues or as dilbert has mentionned ibd. I have spent a lot of money and she's not insured. It is frustrating as you want them to be well and pain free. I hope you get to the bottom of things soon and your chap settles. On the reading up I have been doing brewers yeast is supposed to be very good, is found in many of the supplements and was recommended by a previous vet.
 

sychnant

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I had one like this, recurrent gassy colic for no particular reason. I added spearmint to her feed, and she never coliced again after that. Simple and cheap, but might be worth a try?
 

Orangehorse

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As a way out suggestion I was going to say mint. I had a pony that used to "pass wind" relentlessly, and I started to put mint in his feed as I was also giving him magnesium oxide for his feet, which isn't all that palatable, he didn't think so anyway. After a few weeks of giving him mint I realised that his stomach seemed completely quiet. I got mine from Progressive Earth, it is human grade and comes in a big bag.
 

Twohorses

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I had a horse colic nine times in less than 12 months. He was 25 and had been with me since he was coming three.

He ended up having strangulating lipomas. He was metabolic so already being fed a bland-no grain diet. The vet gave him six months. I put him on Succeed and kept him on it. The colics stopped right away and his precious soul lived 2-1/2 more years.
 

3OldPonies

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Could you have him checked for lymphoma in his gut. TBH, I'm not sure how it's done, but one of my much missed old boys had it and it went undiagnosed right up until it totally blocked his gut. He had the same gassy response to new grass, and it was mentioned by me to the vet everytime they saw him for anything, he even had a couple of rectal exams and they didn't pick up on it. I'd hate for any other horse or pony to go through what he did in his last hours, so maybe it's worth an ask?
 

scats

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I had a sports horse who would get spasmodic colic at certain of the year- every September was one such time. He ended up being hospitalised and having lots of tests. He was found to be intolerant to sugars that appear on certain grasses at certain times of the year. This would cause a build up of gas in his hind gut and cause the colic. We had to remove him from certain fields, by a process of trial and error really. He did also develop hives, which was a warning sign that he wasn’t tolerating that particular grass.
 

atropa

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I really feel for you. I have one that is very prone to gassy colic on grass. Last year was my first summer in three years of owning her that I managed to keep her out on a huge grassy field like a normal horse, with a combination of muzzling and bringing in for a couple of hours during the day. I'm doing the same this year and hoping it works again. I pay really close attention to the weather - when it's mild and rainy is when the grass is richest and most likely to cause her problems.
It sounds like yours is worse than mine though so I'm probably no help :\ You also need to keep a close eye on their feet - mine has ended up with toxic laminitis in the past due to bacteria in her gut dying off during colic episodes. Good luck.
 

EJJ999

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Thank you all for your suggestions. Certainly some options to think about.

He hasn't had colic before this yard and I suspect the grass is a bit rich for him. Previous yard had tatty sort of grass.

He is so far (fingers crossed) managing 2 x 1 hour sessions out a day and soaked hay. Does appear still bloated a little too much for my liking (does wet/soaked hay make them appear bloated?). But he is perkier now than he has been for a few weeks.

He is a cheeky horse and gradually stopped being so. He is now stealing hats off people's heads when they walk past.

So maybe he had been building up to his for a while. Trail and error I suppose.
 

Twohorses

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Soaked hay did NOT have a bloating effect on my IR horse but anything is possible.

My other horse however, had what I called "cow bloat" and gas so bad a few years back,mI thought he would explode.

The traditional vet did not have any answers for me.

My equine vet/chiro said my horse was "full of crap" and his digestive system was not right.

She put him on an herbal product from Dr. Xie called "Phlegm Fat". The horse stayed on that for two months. That was two years ago and he has been fine ever since.

I truly do not suggest the herbal route in your horse's case. If the bloat doesn't go away, however, his colic issues subside, and your traditional vet isn't helping in the bloating regard, I might seek out a hollistic vet who is well versed in Chinese medicine and herbs.

Hopefully, in your horse's case, it's just going to take time for the digestive system to return to normal after all those colics:)

He may also develop ulcers after all this:(
 

HBB

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They are such a massive worry. I have a pony that had frequent recurring gas colic, every 2 -3 weeks. He was already on a low sugar/starch diet and nothing was helping him, I was at my wits end too. After a lot of research I put him on Equishure and the difference in him is impressive. It has been 5 months since his last bout of gas colic and I now have a very comfortable forward going pony.
Good luck x
 

Goldenstar

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My horse presented like this .
What we found was hay made him worse so we kept to haylege and he needed to fed wet Bran .
The horse turned out to have two tumours growing on his bowel .
 

HorsesRule2009

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Hi,
I know you say your not keen to try charcoal but I know a few different horses that were getting bouts of colic and since being on the charcoal they haven't had any further problems.
Could be worth a go
 

AGray825

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My mare had two bouts of spasmodic colic in two months (the second presented worse than the first so I started investigations quite rapidly... just in case)
We had her scoped and found both mild gastric ulcers and inflammation in the hind gut that were getting irritated the more work we were doing. Gastric ulcers are now treated and basically clear and the hind gut inflammation is currently being medicated for.
As a precaution during investigations I have her a high dose of Protexin Gut Balancer and after the second colic it *touch wood* hasn't happened since. I refuse to take her off the gut balancer now, even after treatment, as I fear she's possibly quite a sensitive tummied girl (stressy Section D.... what can ya do!)

I wouldn't say Protexin is the only way to go (it's just the one that's worked well for me).... but I would definitely think about putting yours on a general high-spec gut balancer, especially if vets have suggested that rich grass is the probable cause
 

EJJ999

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My mare had two bouts of spasmodic colic in two months (the second presented worse than the first so I started investigations quite rapidly... just in case)
We had her scoped and found both mild gastric ulcers and inflammation in the hind gut that were getting irritated the more work we were doing. Gastric ulcers are now treated and basically clear and the hind gut inflammation is currently being medicated for.
As a precaution during investigations I have her a high dose of Protexin Gut Balancer and after the second colic it *touch wood* hasn't happened since. I refuse to take her off the gut balancer now, even after treatment, as I fear she's possibly quite a sensitive tummied girl (stressy Section D.... what can ya do!)

I wouldn't say Protexin is the only way to go (it's just the one that's worked well for me).... but I would definitely think about putting yours on a general high-spec gut balancer, especially if vets have suggested that rich grass is the probable cause


Sadly he was already on this. !!

Fingers crossed. He has responded well to 2 hours a day and finally looks less bloated. He is so much more playful again.

I think we missed so many warning signs.

Can I ask - can they test for ulcers in the hindgut? Surely the scope doesn't reach that far?
 

AGray825

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Sadly he was already on this. !!

Fingers crossed. He has responded well to 2 hours a day and finally looks less bloated. He is so much more playful again.

I think we missed so many warning signs.

Can I ask - can they test for ulcers in the hindgut? Surely the scope doesn't reach that far?

I believe they did a separate blood test for it while she was in for gastric scoping, as a precautionary test because I'd said she was still feeling slightly uncomfortable under saddle (it was under insurance so I basically just told them to do whatever tests they needed.... dangerous to tell a vet to do but I do trust them)
I can look up my invoice breakdown when I get home if you wanted to know exactly what they tested for in regards to her repeat colics
 

Pinkvboots

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Sadly he was already on this. !!

Fingers crossed. He has responded well to 2 hours a day and finally looks less bloated. He is so much more playful again.

I think we missed so many warning signs.

Can I ask - can they test for ulcers in the hindgut? Surely the scope doesn't reach that far?

They do a blood test and a stool test but some vets will just give you the treatment if they suspect the horse has them.

One of my horses got colic for no real reason his never had colic and his 15 years old, his droppings can be inconsistent as it watery, I did suspect hind gut issues and he was on protexin but someone recommended Easi gut from natural horse supplies and I think it's made such a difference to him his gut seems much more settled, I also feed him soaked hay now whereas previously I fed haylage and I think the hay is much better for his sensitive gut.
 

Lucky788

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Fennel is another thing to try & I use brewers yeast too both cheap and I think have helped.
I also soak hay (just for half an hour) as feel the moisture helps - no idea if it does, touch wood we haven’t had another episode with the above :)
 

ILuvCowparsely

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Vet has pinpointed that horse is gassing on the grass. We have had a Rossdales visit where it was a combination of impaction, gas and inflamation. He is prone to being constipated anyway.

But since being home a few weeks it keeps happening. (Just gas). He is now only going out twice a day for an hour each and only having reduced amounts of soaked hay. He is the most relunctant farter.

He is on vets probiotic to help the stomach enzymes build up but even after an hour he is bloated.

Activated charcoal has been suggested but I am told that stops them farting so I don't want that. Vet wants to continue with probiotic and twice daily grass visits.

Maybe just feeling sorry for myself on constant colic watch. And exhausted.

This is his first spring at this yard so hoping it will settle.

Anyone had similar?

had a few here on gassy colic, can you use a muzzle???

also try this it really works on any colic but great on gassy colic

https://pro-equine.com/products/colikare


Pro-Equine Colikare is a highly palatable, fast-acting liquid supplement designed to absorb intestinal gas and quickly help a horse feel more comfortable. The peppermint particularly helps reduce gassy build-ups and makes Colikare taste good! Colikare is ideal for horses prone to a grassy stomach or who react at times of stress. Colikare can be fed daily or only when needed.

Many horse owners like to give Colikare at times of lush, spring grass or autumn 'grass flushes', or when their horse is stressed or has a change of routine, or may have eaten his bedding. Colikare works fast to disperse gas and relax stomach muscles. Colikare also contains fennel and marjoram, herbs traditionally used for wind-sucking and crib-biting.

Colikare is supplied in a twin-top, easy-measure bottle. If fed daily, a one litre bottle lasts over 3 months.
 
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