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  Discussion on Chronic mild diarrhea - vaccine related?
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New Member:
Lorozco

Posted on Friday, Dec 3, 2004 - 8:46 pm:

I have read your article about diarrhea, it is the best I've seen. I still have some questions, though... I will try minimize the long history, but I have a horse with mild, foul smelling diarrhea. He has been seen at a vet hospital and I have been working with my vet for 7 months - I have owned the horse for 8 months. We have not found the cause. The problem started originally about a week and a half after his first set of vaccinations (he was fine when I bought him, and OK at my house for about 3 weeks before the vet visit). I was eventually able to get back to firm stools after a long course of psyllium and probiotics and some changes to his diet (more grazing, timothy hay, and addition of Equine Senior). Recently he got a West Nile booster vaccine and about a week and a half later the loose stools returned, with no other changes in environment or diet.
This seems like a big coincidence - could the vaccine be the culprit? It seems like a long lag time, but I am wondering if you have seen anything like that before.
Second question - I am thinking of trying to change his hay (again)to control this - how long do I need to feed a certain hay when trying it to decide if it will help? Is 3 weeks long enough? Also how long would it usually take for a change in diet or environment to result in diarrhea - does is occur in 24 hours, or could it take 2-3 days?

Thanks for your help - my poor horse is losing patience with me washing his hindquarters every day!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Dec 4, 2004 - 11:02 am:

Hello Laura,
Good questions with no firm answers. The questions presume there is one cause to diarrhea and depending on the cause the answers are different. I frequently use 3 weeks as a time for seeing if dietary changes makes a difference and if there is any question as to whether it is helping will extend that out to 3 weeks. Dietary change can cause diarrhea in as little as 24 hours (pharmacological) or as long as 4 days (bacterial or osmotic). The foul smell suggests bacterial overgrowth to me but this could be primary or secondary to undigested food stuffs that then feed the bacteria in the lower bowel.
DrO
Member:
Lorozco

Posted on Monday, Dec 6, 2004 - 1:27 pm:

Dr. O,
Thanks for the info! No one has suggested to me that I treat this horse for bacterial overgrowth, but I will talk with my vet about trying that approach.
Here is some more history: (1)When he is having trouble, he is gassy, and liquid comes out when he passes gas. He is grouchy and seems uncomfortable. (2) He improves with more grazing (bermuda grass pasture), but increased exercise doesn't help. (3) Psyllium helps (although I suspect it just absorbs the liquid) and so does Digest Aid or Forco, powdered probiotic supplements. The paste probiotics do not help. (4) He was raised in Mississippi, but now lives in Southern California. I have no history from MS but his previous CA owner does not admit to ever seeing diarrhea (questionable info). (5) He does appear to have pieces of undigested hay in his stools when they are loose. (6) He has been radiographed for stones or sand - no problem found.

I took this horse off alfalfa and A&M when trying to determine the cause of the problem, but per my vet's advice I am still feeding Senior, which has alfalfa in it. Do you think I should stop the Senior? I did get him stabilized at one point (no meds or supplements) while still feeding it. He has had problems on straight timothy, straight alfalfa, and a timothy/alfalfa mix (his original feed when I bought him, on which he was stable for a while). If you know of a hay that is typically well-tolerated, I would love some advice on what to feed him.

Thanks for any ideas you might have, this is a really frustrated problem!
Laura
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Dec 7, 2004 - 6:10 pm:

Hello Laura,
Of all the forages that seem to promote wetter stools consistently alfalfa is the most reliable. Of all the forages that seem best at firming up the stool beet pulp is best. You certainly can try other complete feeds but I don’t think the processed senior is likely to be a source, but only through trial and error will you find this out. The same is true of what forage might be best.
DrO
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