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Misshana
Silver Member
England
449 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Feb 2011 : 8:24:28 PM
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Any idea what could cause this. She is about 14.2 cob type aged around 27. Started with diarrhoea this time last year. Vet took bloods and various tests but nothing showed up. She is on probiotics by mail order recommended by Vets . We have tried changing diets and she is currently on small amount of 16+, with ossi chaff and few carrots. Have added bit of dry bran on suggestion of Vet but still happening. She has lost a bit of topline this winter but is not thin by any means. Clears up for a few weeks and then starts again. Doesn't seem unwell and is still really up for it when ridden - infact she's livliest of all of them!
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jillandlomond
Platinum Member
Scotland
3586 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2011 : 9:07:16 PM
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| Perhaps her haylage or hay is too rich for her digestive system? My friend's 26 year old gelding had a similar problem last year with haylage. |
    
Borders, Scotland |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2011 : 9:19:45 PM
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| Someone on another thread said carrots can cause diarrhoea. |
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Misshana
Silver Member
England
449 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2011 : 9:25:08 PM
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| Thanks for replies. Don't feed haylage, hay is just off our grazing fields and is not fertilised or anything, so wouldn't think would be too rich but worth considering. Will suggest cutting out carrots. Forgot to say isnt my horse, belongs to friend of a friend. |
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Vera
Membership Moderator
United Kingdom
8652 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2011 : 10:13:19 PM
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| You could try feeding half a pint of natural live yogurt every day. The bacteria can help to rebalance the gut flora but it has to be natural live yogurt. My vet told me to do this with my old girl when she was squitty and it worked for her. |
    
Hampshire |
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phoenixbruka
Gold Member
England
1190 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2011 : 10:41:06 PM
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Pink powder is still a firm favorite for squitty tums, my vet says its just as good as an pro biotic they could preswcribe and does the same job at a fraction of the cost
top spec senior works well for oldies on my yard as it has everything they need for vits mins joints and condition, i have a 26 yr old tb on it at kivery who looks amazing ! p
susie |
   
www.liveryatcordwell.co.uk |
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Mrs Vlacq
Platinum Member
Wales
3776 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2011 : 12:53:31 AM
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I've found molasses and sugar beet can suddenly become irritable to oldies' gut - even fast fibre has beet in it so check your ingredients listing.
Usual suspects - worming, ulcers, stress... but her regime sounds ok. Is she consuming a decent amount of fibre? Grass nuts often do the trick |
    
- V Khazad - V Calacirya & V Sulime - Quarida(L) - V Boogie Knights - V Hamra Tofiq |
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Goldenmane
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4964 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2011 : 07:41:02 AM
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| Am having this with my old shetland at the moment. Blood test fine, am waiting for results of dung sample. Codeine phosphate cleared it up but not cured it. Vet has said could be old worm damage (from before I had her), unable to digest carbohydrate or tumours in her stomach. |
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Edited by - Goldenmane on 10 Feb 2011 08:49:53 AM |
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
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Vera
Membership Moderator
United Kingdom
8652 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2011 : 09:54:02 AM
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As your mare is already on probiotics as recommended by your vet I would not then give her Pink Powder as well (although I have to agree it is excellent).
Agree with Mrs V as well. |
Hampshire |
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gg
Bronze Member
England
202 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2011 : 7:58:28 PM
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I remember many years ago my friends elderly gelding had similar problem she used to feed him charcoal powder. I think this helped bind things together.
Julie |
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Jingo
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3632 Posts |
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Rozy Rider
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4545 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2011 : 11:36:47 PM
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Codeine phosphate helped with my oldie, bran and live yogurt daily,
have you wormed for the Encysted Reds this time...
Sue |
Sue
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Misshana
Silver Member
England
449 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2011 : 08:50:47 AM
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Thanks for all the info. Will try a few of your suggestions.
Teeth done Autumn last year but Dentist due 4th March so will be checked again.
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Timberwolf
Gold Member
England
726 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2011 : 6:28:56 PM
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My old mare had this problem in the last few years of her long life and my vet put it down to just getting old and the gut not being able to digest food as well as it used to. After trying a multitude of suppliments etc I tried Baileys Digest Plus. The instructions say it is for short term use in horses on box rest or long term use for veterans who's digestive system has become less efficient due to age. After being on it for just a couple of days the results were amazing. I only needed to use it during the winter months when she was coming in and on hay and feed whereas when she was out 24/7 in the summer she had no problems.
Jackie. |
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Zenitha
Gold Member
England
1078 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2011 : 6:33:17 PM
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| Have you had a worm count done ? Can sometimes be down to worms. |
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Misshana
Silver Member
England
449 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2011 : 10:20:06 PM
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Had worm count done last year as didn't want to keep overloading her
with wormer if not necessary. Came back ok. Will look into
Baileys Digest plus, not heard of this one before
Thanks so much for all your suggestions. |
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Goldenmane
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4964 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2011 : 06:51:33 AM
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| Forgot to mention I also stopped the bute she was on for athritis. |
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Nicky
Junior Member
Wales
37 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2011 : 07:35:17 AM
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I manage a retirement home for horses so we have quite a few with loose bowels and dirty bottoms........nice daily job cleaning bottoms!
You can put it down to a multitide of reasons...irritable bowels, worms, tumours etc, I add high fibre cubes to their diet which helps bung it up a bit so you could try that,
if it stops when they are out at grass I wouldn't think its anything serious just irritable bowel....
Nicky
www.happyhorseretirementhome.co.uk |
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Topic |
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DIARRHOEA IN OLDER HORSE
