would you call the vet

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figgy

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my horse has been having trouble eating hay went to vets last week for more tests , anyway he has to be on two pain killers a day to help him , well this morning a had a gut feeling something was not right so went out at 5am to find him rolling and looking at belly and dipping wet in sweat, i notice he had been quidding half the night , so i put him in the paddock for some grass as he hadnt eaten much last night got him back in took temp 38.3 he had no gut sound , put him back out 30min later back in, a little gut sound temp38.1 put back out and was just looking at him he was pouring the ground a bit then he did a poo then went off eating, just been out again and 4 poos from 5am he looks a little down, what would you all do.

Thanks xx
 
If there is any doubt in your mind about him you should call the vet. A forum isn't really the right place to ask as we can't see him. You know him best.
 
YES!!!

The problem might well be his teeth - if he can't chew hay properly and is swallowing it un-masticated it would certainly lead to colic.

Either way he needs checking out professionally.
 
Yup I would definately! Puts your mind at rest and maybe able to give him a muscle relaxant!
If there is any temp over 38 and colicky symptoms you should definately call!! Good luck, hope he's ok!!

ETA I'd have phoned at 5 if he was rolling and dripping in sweat!
 
Sounds like colic to me. Now I am one who will call vet no matter what, but if he is pooing he is probably over it now. I would definitely keep a close eye, and at least phone vet for advice if not get him out.
FDC
 
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figgy said:
my horse has been having trouble eating hay went to vets last week for more tests , anyway he has to be on two pain killers a day to help him , well this morning a had a gut feeling something was not right so went out at 5am to find him rolling and looking at belly and dipping wet in sweat, i notice he had been quidding half the night , so i put him in the paddock for some grass as he hadnt eaten much last night got him back in took temp 38.3 he had no gut sound , put him back out 30min later back in, a little gut sound temp38.1 put back out and was just looking at him he was pouring the ground a bit then he did a poo then went off eating, just been out again and 4 poos from 5am he looks a little down, what would you all do.

Thanks xx
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sound like colic to me so , yes, call your vet NOW!
 
ok just called vet and he said just keep an eye on him as long as he is picking at grass and not showing signs of colic anymore then hopefully i got it in time and to leave him out over night so his getting grass going though his system . thanks for your advice x
 
Queenbee87 said:
Oh, I always thought you were meant to remove all food sources? May be wrong though- been a while since I've dealt with a horse with colic!
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yeah i thought the same but horse had a little colic with the snow and phoned vet he said grass would be the best thing for him i think its only because his not eating hay .
 
confused with colic you always take all food away eating or not??? Well thats what ive always been told by vets from different practices to take away anything she may eat and keep her in.
 
You really should of called the Vet when you found the horse in such distress & pain.
It sounds like you have been EXTREMELY lucky but the horse will need monitoring carefully with your vet informed!!

If the horse is struggling to eat hay have you looked into Hay replacers??
 
In normal cases you'd take food away incase it's impaction colic and you make it worse right? In this case as I understand it the horse was likely colicking from having no food due to being unable to eat hay, in which case eating may be the best thing? Probably wrong, not had much experience with bad colic.

OP, can't he stay on the grass 24/7 if he can't eat hay? At least until you've found out why he cant eat hay.
 
I've had 2 horses so far with colic, one a few years ago was a 10 year old mare, I got told to turn her out as she was clearly far worse in, she was given a muscle relaxent injection though and was way happier turned out.

Last winter my welsh cob filly who was 9 months at the time had 3 bouts of colic in 2 weeks, on that occassion i was advised to keep her in, again given injections, but I was never advised to take her hay away. In fact I have never been advised to do that with either of them, nor ever heard of anyone being advised that.

So I find it all a bit odd if others are being advised to take away all food sources????

But in the case of the OP, I'd have had the vet out, colic can turn life threatening so quickly, my filly showed early signs and within an hour she was in such a serious condition the vet's worry was plain to see, thankfully she pulled through. Colic is one thing I will never take any chances on, its vet out as an emergency call out everytime x
 
PonyIAmNotFood said:
In normal cases you'd take food away incase it's impaction colic and you make it worse right? In this case as I understand it the horse was likely colicking from having no food due to being unable to eat hay, in which case eating may be the best thing? Probably wrong, not had much experience with bad colic.
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I thought this, however my vet asked was he eating last time my horse coliked, I told her I'd removed it, and she asked why and told me to give it to him.... But I would always remove it before speaking to the vet to be on the safe side...

OP might be worth having a look at redi grass or something similar? just a thought :)
 
Queenbee87 said:
Oh, I always thought you were meant to remove all food sources? May be wrong though- been a while since I've dealt with a horse with colic!
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I always remove food but maybe that is just old fashioned. Sounds like there maybe different ideas? Could be for different types of colic need different ways of being managed? Cappy gets a bit of gaseous colic in spring and autumn when his routine changes. I have heard of people giving straw but Cappy won't eat it. I would be generally interested to know what other people do.
FDC
 
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My ex employers (wont say who but quite famous over here!) when dealing with one of their colic cases told me to keep her in and take away food. Then 24 hours later they were panicing as she hadn't poo'd! :confused:

I'd take food away at first, but wouldn't leave them too long with an empty tummy.
 
hot bran mash and a buscapan tablet has always worked for me, oldfashioned but has worked for me.

To the OP - please please please in future call the VET immediately, dont ask for advice on a forum.
 
My horse when he had colic didn't want to eat, after the vet had been and treated him I was told to walk him around after an hour, he dragged me to the grass obviously feeling better. He advised me to give him a bran mash and small haynets little and often. The next day treat as normal. I would always get the vet out colic can become life threatening very quickly.
 
I, too, would call the vet immediately for a suspected colic.
I have, in the past, been advised to put a horse out to grass as soon as it has passed faeces as wet grass helps to move things through. We have usually been advised to give a warm bran mash.
 
Why wait 4 hours and why on here. I lost a colt many years ago, with twisted gut, I was told by vet after he had seen him, not to worry, keep an eye on him for an hour, should be alright. I was at livery and took the vets and livery yards owner at their word, stayed an hour and he got worse, so rang vet, both he and livery yard owner said not to worry. Had to take him to Potters Bar at 2am in the morning, they operated for twisted gut and put him down a week later. If I had kicked up a fuss, maybe just maybe , we would have gotten there sooner, and the outcome better. Must admit I lost my faith in my vet at the time and moved stables when I could. Colic I never ever take lightly.
 
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