Part 3
“She told me to get metamucil and give it to her for five days, I have always respected her opinion & did what she said.”…
I have a 2 1/2 yr. old American Paint Horse. Friday night she began showing signs of colic & I called a vet who came out & treated her as much as she could at a home visit & advised me to have her shipped in the following morning if she didn’t improve. She was better the next morning but still showed signs of colic, I contacted a good old friend of mine from Texas who has raised horses for over 30 yrs. She told me to get Metamucil and give it to her for five days, I have always respected her opinion & did what she said. She has completely recovered and is herself again, has had bowel movements etc. She seems fine. My question to you in the event it should happen to one of my horses in the future have you ever heard of this method. I have some sand also by the barn and I learned that my horses were eating these acorns from an oak tree beside the barn, which is in the sand. Thank you for your respond in this matter.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Mimi,
It sounds as if you could have had a colic caused by either a sand impaction or acorn ingestion (acorns are very poorly digested and can cause impactions fairly readily). Metamucil is a psyllium product that can be helpful in correcting a sand impaction or an acorn impaction. It is a laxative. You can and probably should put your horses on a preventative level of Psyllium in their diet on a monthly basis as long as they could be exposed to sand accumulation while eating or acorn exposure. Use of Psyllium in the feed for 1 week out of the month is usually helpful to prevent impaction problems in susceptible horses. Psyllium can be purchased as a supplement at most feed stores, and you can go by the recommended amount to feed. I hope this helps and good luck.
“cribbing can be frequent colickers ?”
Hi. Currently we are looking to purchase a 10 year old horse but the current owner stated that he has a problem with Cribbing? Is this a health concern and is it something that would lead to future problems? Thanks.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Jane.
Cribbing is considered a vice or bad habit in the horse. Cribbing refers to a horse that will grab a solid object, such as a fence post or feed bucket with their front teeth, bend and arch their neck, and swallow or gulp air into their stomachs. Horses that do this seem to become obsessed with this behavior and some have suggested that their is a release of endorphins during the cribbing process that makes this a pleasurable experience for the horse. When a horse is a cribber, or sometimes called a Windsucker, they are normally affected health-wise to a certain extent. They are normally thinner than they should be, and sometimes are affected by colic more often than other horses might be. The colic is usually mild in nature but affects them enough that they normally do not eat as they should and this is why they stay thin. It is thought that the air in the stomach causes this mild stomach upset and lack of appetite. Usually once a cribber, always a cribber. A cribbing strap can be used on cribbers to help prevent them from cribbing. This can be somewhat effective but usually not totally corrective. It would be a decision that you would have to make as to whether you could tolerate a cribber as a horse that you would want to own. Good luck in your search for a new horse.
“The blood work up showed some of her intestine was dead…?”
We had to put down our horse last night the blood work up showed some of her intestine was dead and nothing was getting through. I was wondering what the cause could have been? Here’s the history.
Last week she did not eat her morning feed her head was down and was burping up fluid through her nose. The vet thought she was choking and sent the tube down her throat, at that time broke through a blockage and continued to the stomach, and proceeded to drain over a gallon of fluid from her. He was not happy to see this and then put on the glove, only to find out she was impacted. He pumped her with fluid and the we started monitoring her very little feed of hay and whatever water she wanted to drink while in a pen by herself. Two days later she pooped and we thought things were looking up. However after two days she failed to do any more pooping but continued to drink water and urinate. The vet took a blood sample and notified us of the results. Our vet said some type of worm may have been the cause but said it was very rare that could have been the case. This happened fast and our vet said it was not uncommon. Any information I can get from you would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Howard,
Sorry to hear about the loss of your mare from colic. Digestive disturbances in the form of colic are very common in the horse, and sometimes the cause can include a displacement of part of the intestine. When the intestine is displaced, an impaction forms and no feed goes past that point. That area of displacement looses blood supply because of the displacement on some occasions, and that part of the intestines will die. When this occurs, the horse begins to go into peritonitis and shock, and death is inevitable, unfortunately. I hope this helps you understand what happened. It wasn’t anything that you or anyone did, it just happens sometimes.
“Any tests that can be run to diagnose the tumors and polyps…?”
We recently lost a 14 yr old gray at the barn to colic. Knowing that this is fairly common in older gray horses due to cancers they get in the intestinal tract, are there any tests that can be run to diagnose the tumors and polyps before they become life threatening?
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Tom:
I am sorry to hear of your loss at the barn. Unfortunately, grey horses tend to get melanoma, a type of cancer. Fortunately, melanoma is not as aggressive in horses as it is in people, but nonetheless can be harmful. It usually takes many years for a melanoma to grow to any appreciable size, or large enough to become a problem. Short of doing an abdominal exploratory surgery (i.e., colic surgery), there is really no way to tell if or how extensively the intestines are affected. A rectal exam may reveal the presence of nodules or lumps in the back portion of the abdomen, that which can be reached. Sometimes lymph nodes can be affected, and enlargement of those may be palpable. Good luck,
“He’ll be at total rest, but breathe just a bit faster…?”
My horse, a 7yo TB gelding underwent emergency colic surgery due to a diaphragmatic hernia that trapped a piece of small intestine. A week after the colic surgery he had a standing procedure to close the hernia. During the procedure his lung collapsed and a chest tube was placed. He remained on cross ties at the hospital for several days when a truck backed in to the stall where he was recovering, spooked him and within minutes both lungs had collapsed. (Acknowledged by the Doctor, but not admitted by the hospital) By some miracle he completely recovered and here we are 11 months later. Recently I noticed unexplained breathing episodes with him. He’ll be at total rest, but breathe just a bit faster, or I’ll be on him and we are just walking and he’ll act winded. But I can canter him for 10 minutes and he won’t even get winded. It’s not like a labored breathing as much as it is a LOUD breathing. It can only be heard in the nostril area. I just don’t think his breathing noise/ increase is work related. Should I just relax and stop being so overprotective of my “miracle man,” or should I seek out some help?
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Mia:
Wow! It sounds like you have a true fighter of a horse. Good for you and him on his recovery from his hernia surgery, entrapped small intestine, and collapsed lungs!
As for the change in breathing pattern, I recommend you have him evaluated with an endoscope. This is a semi-flexible tube with a camera in the end of it. This can be passed up your horse’s nostrils so that his nasal cavity, throat region, and trachea can be evaluated for any abnormalities. This procedure is usually performed at rest (standing in stocks). However, if you are close to a veterinary college/university or a larger referral hospital with a treadmill, this same study can be performed on a treadmill at high speed. If there are any functional abnormalities in the above-named structures, they may be noted during this examination. If the cause of the breathing changes is deeper in the lungs, this test (nor any other) will not be able to ‘see’ that. Hope this helps.
“I have a 6-year-old horse that keeps showing his teeth (as though he is smiling) and doesn’t want to get up…”
When we forced him to get up and walked him he did it and he also had a bowl movement while walking him but immediately laid back down when we returned. Can you please tell me what might be wrong?
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Sonia:
That funny face that you are describing is called a flehmen, and although it is an amusing facial expression, it is often counted as a sign of pain. Coupled with your horse not wanting to rise, and then wanting to lie back down shortly after walking, sounds as if he is colicking. Chronic, intermittent colic may have signs like these, as well as more sudden onset, severe colic. (Hopefully, if it the sudden severe kind, you’ve already had him tended to by the time you’re reading this.) A veterinarian should always see any signs of colic that are severe or that persist, as they may only worsen. Good luck with him
“What is the amount of time it normally takes for a horses stomach muscle to fully heal after undergoing colic surgery?”
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
Hi Morgan, because the abdominal incision is pretty extensive during a colic surgery, it normally takes a good 3 months or so for the incision area to fully heal and regain its original strength. Stitches are normally removed from the outer layer of the skin at about 2 weeks after surgery, but at this time healing has only begun. The deep layers of the incision will take some time to heal and regain their strength so minimal stress should be placed on that area for at least two to three months. You can feel the incision area with your hand and notice that between five and six weeks to two months after surgery this area is thickened and very firm feeling. As the area starts smoothing out and becomes less thickened and firm to the touch, the healing is progressing back to normal strength. I hope this helps.
“It is like she can’t take the heat…?”
My friend has a 3-year-old Quarter horse that seems to colic whenever the weather gets warm. She can get heated up with riding and never has a problem. The owner is very careful on what she feeds and how often, never feeds or waters when horse is hot from exercise. It is like she can’t take the heat in her environment. Will this horse grow out of this?
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Joanne:
Some horses do not have the ability to sweat, and thus can get overheated, which can lead to heat stress. These horses can also look like they are colicking, or maybe even like they are tied up. Have your friend check to make sure that her horse has the physiological ability to sweat.
The other problem that your friend’s horse may be having is that she may not be drinking enough to compensate for her body’s needs in warmer weather. It’s not that horses don’t drink at all, but that they do not increase their water consumption as necessary in warmer weather. If this is suspected, then your friend might encourage her horse to drink more water by adding electrolytes or trace minerals to the horse’s feed, not water. If added to the water, make sure to add another water source that is just plain water. Some horses won’t drink electrolyte water, but will only drink plain water. Hope this helps.
“How long can a horse live with dead intestines…?”
Less than a year ago my horse became ill, stopped eating and drinking. The doctor didn’t know what was wrong, he tried a few things and nothing made her better. By the fourth day she died a violent death. Still wanted to know why, we sent her an hour away to a facility where they can do an autopsy. There, they found that two feet of her intestines were completely dead. I have two questions, How long can a horse live with dead intestines in the body? And how long is a horses’ intestine? Thank you, this should help me out.
Dr. Kimberly Gryl’s Answer:
Rose Mary:
I am sorry to hear that you lost your beloved horse. It sounds as though you and your veterinarian tried several things but nothing helped. In hindsight, by the answers that you received, the only thing that would have helped your horse would have been abdominal surgery (colic surgery) to remove the dead intestine.
Horses acquire diseased intestine for a number of reasons, and sometimes that diseased intestine progresses to intestinal necrosis (death) if treatment fails or if medical therapy simply is not enough. In your horse’s case, it sounds as if medical therapy was attempted but really what she needed was surgery. Often times it is hard to know what exactly is going on inside the horse’s abdomen without abdominal exploratory surgery.
Horses are, by nature, tough animals, being rooted on the range and prey animals. Some are more stoic than others, less likely to show pain or illness, which can further complicate diagnosis of disease. Horses can live with compromised intestine for several hours, even up to a few days, if the compromise is only mild (ex. loosely twisted). Once the intestine becomes severely compromised, where it is tightly twisted or kinked off by something, it begins to break down and release protein, blood, and toxins, which are then absorbed systemically and cause sepsis (body-wide infection). This would be the case in dead intestine. Horses have over 100 feet of intestine in their body; so a few feet of compromised intestine may not sound like a lot. However, every segment of intestine contains a blood and nerve supply. Jeopardizing any segment of intestine becomes painful at best, and toxic and necrotic at worst.
I hope this helps answer your question and gives you some closure.
“He is swelled looking in his flanks and stomach area…?”
I have a 15 yr old QH gelding and for the last 2 days he has been sluggish and not feeling well. I thought he was a little colicky so I gave him a shot of Banimine and put some Maalox and Dr. Pepper down him. Then he had some real runny diarrhea. Today he is drinking water like crazy but not walking around at all, he just stands by the water bucket. He is swelled looking in his flanks and stomach area. He looks like he has rolled some earlier but now he is just standing. He is breathing heavy and fast.
Dr. Jack Sales’ Answer:
April,
You are describing a very seriously ill horse. You need to get some Veterinary attention as soon as possible. This horse sounds as if he is going into shock from a gastrointestinal ailment. It could be a colitis (severe diarrhea) or colic of some type that has caused your horse to become dehydrated and very ill. Put your hand up against his chest right behind his left elbow and see if you can feel his heart beat. (Or you can use your ear in this area). If it is beating above 50 beats a minute, you need to get this horse to a Vet fairly quickly. If it is above 80 beats a minute, the emergency is even more critical. Look at his gums and if they have changed form the normal bright pink to a grayish, or purplish or bluish color, this horse is in shock and you need immediate attention from a Veterinarian. I hope this gets to you in time.
