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  Discussion on Mild gassy colic
Author Message
Member:
Wendyp

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 - 1:48 am:

I moved my horse to a new yard in may. He can a few mild gassy colics which my vet put down to poor management by the yard management and issued instructions on how he was to be fed.
They are following these but he still gets these mild attacked, sometimes 6 weeks goes by and sometimes 2 weeks.

He is usually just blown up and breathing fast and not his sparkly self. Obvious uncomfortable but not bad and not really requiring the vet. He is usually improved with 30 minutes walking.

He is a very good doer and is turned out on a short grass paddock in the day and gets a managed amount of hay at regular intervals. He also gets probiotics. He's 12 and on regular bute.

I know that he does get blown up and gassy if he gets a lot of grass and yard staff are adament he is not escaping from his paddock. He has had a recent clear worm count, I know that does not cover tapeworm.

So what could be the other causes? Would stress cause it?
Lack of water (wondering if staff have forgottent to take water out to paddocks)?
Certain plants? (I'm in england so not the same poisionous plants as you guys)
The bute?

I will ring and discuss with my vet but really scratching around here.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 - 6:22 am:

Hello Mrs. Perry,
The article on overview has a section in it on medical colics that list common and some not so common causes. You should review the list and read the articles on specific diseases then eliminate them one by one. The fact that the horse is gassy does not help much as this may not be a cause so much as a effect. Many forms of colics cause a transient hypermotility that may push excess gas or even induce a mild diarrhea to start with. Concerning the bute you will find information on diagnosing toxicity at Treatments and Medications for Horses » Anti-inflammatories (NSAID's, Steroids, Arthritis Rx) » Phenylbutazone (Bute). If you suspect it you should discontinue it for a while to see if the colics stop.
DrO
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 - 9:25 am:

my mini gets into something periodically and she presents the same as you. gets big belly, and breathes fast. a little banamine and a good walk will help... but not enough to call the vet out...

Its something in grass she is eating. I just know it. I just can't seem to pinpoint it... And my older mare eats the same things she does. It also stopped a few weeks ago as the season changed. My older mare, i figured she is older and used to it while the mini is smaller and still just a baby and her stomach isn't used to anything really. How old is your horse?
Member:
Vickiann

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006 - 11:48 am:

Eating acorns has caused this for one of mine, some other weeds as well. And I know there is no scientific proof of it, but colder weather has often accompanied gas colics in my barn, which could relate to the horse drinking less water or the grass becoming harder to digest. If grazing in a sandy paddock with short grass, sand ingestion could certainly cause a belly ache also.
Member:
Wendyp

Posted on Thursday, Nov 23, 2006 - 11:11 am:

Thanks I have spoken to my own vet and he said it is most likely too much grass. In england pasture is really too rich for horses, often being more suitable for fattening cattle. His comment was that my boy "can really put it away" and he does resemble a very efficient eating machine. So he thinks that at his new yard he is on better grazing than his last yard and simply eating too much. So he is on restricted turnout now. He's done all summer on restricted grazing, the yard manager thought in the autumn with less grass coming through (it is still coming through well though) that he could have longer in the paddock but this is not the case.
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