This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Diarrhea in Horses » Diarrhea an Overview »
  Discussion on Diarrhea from hay...?
Author Message
New Member:
Alaska

Posted on Thursday, Jun 10, 2004 - 2:30 am:

I have a 4 year old paint gelding. My question/problem is that he can not seem to eat any types of hay other than alfalfa without getting diarrhea. The only other thing that he gets is a beetpulp mash and crimped oats. I have never experience a horse with this sensitivity, and it is tough to get alfalfa at times here in Alaska. Have any of you experienced this?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 10, 2004 - 8:00 am:

Hello Marcell,
Usually horse owners report the opposite: alfalfa keeps their horses looser than regular hay. Can you give us a complete history of this problem.
DrO
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Thursday, Jun 10, 2004 - 9:53 am:

I have an 11 yr. old Arab mare that is also sensitive to a lot of hays. Oat hay especially give her severe diarrhea. If fed it more than once or twice it is so bad it is extremely watery. Put back on alfalfa hay or out in pasture, she does fine. I've not been able to find a straight grass hay recently, just five-way, but suspect she'd be o.k. on straight grass. This started a year ago when she and several other of our horses had what we at first thought was a reaction to some plant in their fields. Now we think it was maybe pupura(sp.?)-swollen rear legs, bags, lameness & stiffness and in two cases laminitis. I give this mare probiotics which has helped her imo.
Member:
Alaska

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 15, 2004 - 12:29 am:

Dr. O,
We live in Alaska- all of the hay that we feed is shipped in from Washington. About a year or so ago, my gelding developed diarrhea. A total workup was done which did not show anything. We had recently switched to a grass/brome mix hay (we did it gradually). At this point we switched back to timothy hay- this elicited some improvement, but not a total resolution. As he did not start having firm stools again, we gradually switched to the alfalfa. Now he has totally firmed stools and has not had diarrhea since. I tried to find out if there was some form of drying agent used in the original hay and was told no- but with the number of middle men etc. it is hard to be sure. I have not tried to feed him any other hay since. He does not seem to get diarrhea when he eats any grass from the yard- although he gets very little. The only other feed he gets is crimped oats and beet pulp. If you have any other questions, let me know!
Member:
Parfait

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 15, 2004 - 10:54 am:

This is very interesting to me as I have a three year old that has had problems with diarrhea. I have finally started suspecting a drying agent in the timothy and I live in Washington. The hay is extremely uniform, never has hot spots in the bales and such. I tested the filly many times starting as a yearling and switched hard feed ect but worked my way to the hay just this winter. She also is on alfalfa/pasture (although FAT) and manure is firm.
Kerry
Member:
Parfait

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 15, 2004 - 10:59 am:

I should add that the other three mares are fine on the hay and have no reaction. I thought that this horse, being young might be sensitive. And of course, this is all just guesswork!!!
kmb
Member:
Alaska

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 15, 2004 - 3:10 pm:

Kerry,
I am glad I am not the Lone Ranger!!! My horse began this all when about 2 to 2.5 years old. I wonder, with you living in Washington, are you able to find out more regarding drying agent use etc. Neither my mare nor my friends saddlebred had any problems. It is frustrating though!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 10:20 am:

Marcell, after the first instance have you tried to slowly go back to grass hay? If you can't guarantee a constant source of alfalfa you should include some of what you can get in his diet so if the alfalfa runs out, you have an alternative. If the diarrhea is from just the diet (not some toxin) it is not going to hurt him, just makes a mess.
DrO
Member:
Parfait

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 11:11 am:

Dr O,

Maybe you can tell us if anything in here looks like it could cause problems in a young horse's gut? https://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/crops/00705.html


I will ask my hay guys. Thanks!

kerry
Member:
Alaska

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 2:08 pm:

Dr. O,
I have not tried to switch/add any grass hays to his diet since beginning the alfalfa. Partly because I am scared to have him get the diarrhea back (he had true diarrhea- almost straight water) and begin to DrOp weight. He had a complete lab profile 2 years ago with all normal values. He was slightly anemic, but I have been told that that is not uncommon here in Alaska. I will discuss w/ the stable owner the topic of including some timothy hay into his diet slowly and see if he does ok being on both. I also look forward to seeing your opinion on the site that Kerry attached.
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 - 3:49 pm:

I've asked re: toxins and drying agents. None were used in the hay according to our grower. Because it is so dry here, growers often use a baler with a mister or steamer to dampen the hay as they are baling. They also bale in the middle of the night so the hay is more damp.
My mare that gets diarrhea from grass hay, does good when fed Equine Sr. and beet pulp, also. Either that or straight alfalfa. She also can not eat oat hay.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 - 7:06 am:

The only system I am familiar with is organic acids which is used occasionally in our area and does not cause problems that I am aware of, in fact the acids are a source of calories for the horse.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC