kooky
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 181
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Post by kooky on Dec 30, 2006 20:39:52 GMT 1
Hi all. I'm in a bit of a dilema....there is a horse on my yard (2 yr old) that has the most terrible, smelly, liquid beige poo I have ever seen (and I mean liquid - it can fly 2ft out of his a**e across the stable). He is full of wind and seems very lethargic and generally 'dull'. He has been like it for about 6 weeks and the owners seem to think it is the grass causing it.
Now, he was last wormed in Sept with equimax. He is fed barley and bran and has 2 (!) slices of hay per night and is in from 3pm till 9am.
The owner is the yard KIA and although a few of us have tentatively offered suggestions when asked (call the vet being the main one), KIA just shrugs it off and does nothing.
So meanwhile, horsey is scouring badly, omitting dreadful, violent and very very frequent wind, and even squirts this vile liquid out whilst laid down so its all over his rug etc. The smell in the barn is horrific and the poor horse is suffering.
What, if anything, would you suggest? This just isn't fair on the poor lad and he is so obviously suffering.
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Post by specialsparkle3 on Dec 30, 2006 20:51:27 GMT 1
KooKy, if it wasn't you posting this I would say it was a wind up This poor horse is ILL, it needs a vet pronto, in fact I'm amazed it isn't dead if this has been going on for 6 weeks. It shouldn't be on bran, shouldn't be on barley and 2 slices of hay may do a 2 yr old 12.2 if it's overweight, but I suspect this is bigger. For goodness sake, call a vet NOW and worry about the ignorant b1tch that owns it later. This sounds like salmonella, but what ever it is if it doesn't get help and some hydration soon, it will die---------simple as that.
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Post by jennyb on Dec 30, 2006 20:53:30 GMT 1
Can you call the RSPCA/ILPH and get them to come and give her a stern talking to? Agree with SS3, this horse needs urgent veterinary treatment.
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Post by gilly on Dec 30, 2006 20:56:30 GMT 1
Would the YO say or do anything if you approached them? Maybe he/she would be willing to speak with the owners. She could always threaten them with eviction if they do nothing about it. There's always the risk that whatever the poor horse had could be contagious (although after 6 weeks if no others have shown symptoms then maybe not?). I would still be scared for my own horses health as well as this one though. The poor horse needs treatment, that is not normal at all.
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kooky
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 181
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Post by kooky on Dec 30, 2006 21:02:36 GMT 1
PHEW!!! It's not just me!! Look, keep them coming and I will print this off and tackle the YO tom morning first thing. I already rang the RSPCA a few weeks ago but they didnt seem interested.
Apparently he was like this most of last winter as well and she did nothing (never called a vet EVER apparently). Thing is, we have no contracts, and although I had already thought of just calling the vet, if she refused to pay would I have to foot the bill? I know the horse isn't insured.
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kooky
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 181
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Post by kooky on Dec 30, 2006 21:04:55 GMT 1
Oh, the horse in question is approx 16.3hh btw. My foal eats more hay than that and is out longer. She feeds barley and bran 'because we have always fed it and its very good for them'. Try and suggest anything without being asked and we get our heads bitten off!
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Post by Gail&Merlin on Dec 30, 2006 21:22:41 GMT 1
That is discusting! i would go so far as to say that is definately neglect, ring the RSPCA and tell them it is Urgent the horse has really deteriorated in the last week and that this horse is going to die if they dont do something..I cant understand why the YO is doing nothing he has a responsibility to the horses in his care, how do they know its not contagious too? Do these people not care or are they that Ignorant to the well being of the horse?. Owner needs to take responsibility for allowing this horse to go untreated poor thing! 2 slices of hay?? OMG dancer would go throught that in a couple of hours and hes 2 hands smaller than this ned......I expect he is lethargic!, hes probably dehydrated too...
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Post by june on Dec 30, 2006 21:32:27 GMT 1
Some horses don't cope well with changes in the grass and several of ours have had fairly liquid droppings recently. One we brought back from her winter grazing because she was scouring so badly on the grass there. Six weeks later she is still producing very liquid droppings interspersed with a couple of days of normal droppings. We've had her blood tested and they came back normal and the vet says it is just one of those things and some horses don't cope well with wet winter grass which is very low in fibre, usually because of gut damage in the past from worms. This particular horse we took on as a rescue case so it is quite possible she had worm damage in the past.
Is the horse thin or still holding weight? The diet sounds crazy. The horse needs much more fibre for its gut to work effectively. Just giving it more hay could well solve the problem. Adding something like Yea-sacc might help a bit. I spoke to Trinity Consultants about our horse and Roger Hatch there suggested adding a tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar to her diet for a couple of days to see if that helped, which it did so it might be worth suggesting that. We also tried pink powder but that didn't make a whole lot of difference.
Apparently if the droppings are of a similar consistency it is unlikely to be an infection but if there are hard and soft bits in the droppings then it is likely to be an infection. If it is an infection then the horse needs to see a vet but if not then adding more fibre to the feed would be a good place to start.
I think the only thing you can do is talk to the YO. You'd be liable for the bill if you called a vet out.
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Post by annalee on Dec 31, 2006 12:00:01 GMT 1
In my opinion, this horse needs a vet and now, this could be toxic laminitus..........
Think of the horse and speak for it too
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Silversons
Grand Prix Poster
Holgado II
Posts: 1,568
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Post by Silversons on Dec 31, 2006 12:07:25 GMT 1
The last horse i saw like this had dreadful worm damage, after scouring for weeks and looseing so much weight it was like a bag of bones the vet was finally brought in and put it to sleep!!! Please get it some help if you can.
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Nessie
Intermediate Poster
IH Member
Posts: 169
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Post by Nessie on Dec 31, 2006 12:09:55 GMT 1
Agree with others this horse needs a vet. Also worth a conversation with ILPH etc on what to do for best. It is also worth a chat with your local BHS Welfare officer. If you don't know who it is then send me a private email and I'll try and find a contact you.
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Post by julz on Dec 31, 2006 12:16:20 GMT 1
Poor baby...needs help like now, or like SS3 says, poor thing will die....
if it was like this last winter then it's possible it's been damaged inside and this year is doubly bad..to survive once is good..... will it survive twice.....
I know how bad you must be feeling you know it needs a vet, but are unwilling to interfere...but by the same token just can't stand by and watch, knowing what the baby is going through....... Get the YO to call the vet!!
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Post by Gail&Merlin on Dec 31, 2006 12:36:46 GMT 1
Hows things today Kooky?
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kooky
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 181
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Post by kooky on Dec 31, 2006 13:35:21 GMT 1
Sort of a result. YO spoke to her today, she still doesn't think it's a problem! YO has cows and his vet is out on Wednesday, so he is getting the vet to have a look while he is there without her knowledge. Sneaky and not ethically right, but needs must and all that.
Meanwhile the rest of us are going to chip in an extra slice of hay (3 extra at night, 3 extra if they are in during the day).
Long term we have finally ground him down to doing us a written contract for livery, and the main one I have asked for is that if the YO has any concerns over the welfare of an animal, he has the right to call the vet after informing the owner of his intentions, and the owner is then liable for the bill.
Thank you so much for your help!
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Post by wozzer on Dec 31, 2006 19:17:29 GMT 1
Well done Kooky. Let us know what happens please.
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