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  Discussion on Urinating and drinking more but eating little and no bowel movements
Author Message
New Member:
ollie123

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 12:05 am:

My husband's horse has these symptoms: he had a temperature of 101.7 on Saturday which has since gone down to 99.5. He has always been a picky eater but now he is barely eating. He is urinating more often than normal but not long streams He is drinking more often. He seems depressed. He stands around with his head down. The vet gave him bantamine and sulfur pills with something beginning with a T. He hasn't passed any stool since Saturday afternoon. Over the last few months he has developed the habit of dunking his hay in his water bucket and when we come in the morning it is stuffed full. He is a small horse (a reiner) but not a thin horse even though he is picky he used to clean up his food overnight and through the day. His neck is getting a little thick (don't know if that means anything). He is six years old. He paws a little but not much. He doesn't seem to be looking back at his side. Does any of this make sense? We had him looked at on Saturday. Today is Monday. The vet thinks he has some sort of flu. No blood was drawn and the vet didn't capitalize on the fact that he was urinating often. Today the horse picked around on a little food but pulvarized a block of salt that was in his feed trough. I sure would appreciate some help. We don't want to lose him. And with horses, you never know.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 11:09 am:

I'm no vet, but I'd be really worried about a horse that hasn't pooped in so long. Has he yet? Does the vet know he's gone so long with no manure? Imo he should be seen again and probably be treated for colic. He might have more than one thing going on at the same time; maybe he does have a virus, but he could also have blockage of some kind.
Member:
stek

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 11:22 am:

Hi Ollie, welcome to HA. It's good that you got your vet involved, that's always the best thing to do. From some of the symptoms you describe (not eating, not passing manure, pawing), I wonder if the horse isn't a bit colicy. Did your vet listen to his gut sounds? Some horses are more stoic about pain and can have a mild colic that lasts for several days.

Of course the fever, depression and lack of appetite symptoms for several days could point to more of a systemic illness like a flu. Is he still on antibiotics? Are you still in contact with the vet about his condition?

You might want to check his vital signs and record them periodically so you can track his state objectively. They would include: heart rate, respiration rate, temperature, capillary refill time .. there is probably a good article on the site for checking vitals. Also what is his vaccination history and has he been in contact with any new horses recently?

One bright spot is that he is still drinking, dehydration would compound any problem he is experiencing.

Hopefully Dr. O will weigh in and give his opinion .. hope he pulls through it soon!
Member:
canter

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 12:59 pm:

I too would be very concerned that the horse has not pooped since Saturday. I recommend getting the vet back out ASAP if your horse has still not pooped, and if you don't get answers, would consider getting a second opinion.

I sure hope that by the time you read this, you have found a few piles of manure in the stall and the horse is feeling better!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 1:18 pm:

Welcome Ollie,
Depression, inappetance, pawing without fever suggests a mild colic to me and the lack of stools suggest a possible impaction. But without eating perhaps the lack of stools is simply that.
Normally horses with impactions do not drink much so the frequent urination is inconsistent.

I have seen flu like viruses behave this way even after the fever has passed. If you continue to be concerned about the diagnosis I would have the horse reassessed with a complete exam and if no other cause found, a possible impaction considered. A rectal palpation would help there.

Serum chemistries, CBD, and urinalysis may help further with the diagnosis and help define the change in urination. As a horse can poison himself with too much salt I would remove the block and instead offer 2 ounces of loose mineral salt a day in the feed box.
DrO
New Member:
ollie123

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 6:06 am:

Thank you, Dr. O and everyone for your input. This is what is going on. He doesn't have a temperature anymore. If you put him on grass he will eat, so my husband put him out for a couple of hours. He picks around in his hay and slightly in his grain. He still stands around with his head hanging down. My husband called the vet again and they are now thinking he might have an ulcer.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010 - 6:54 am:

Ollie he didn't recently have his vaccinations did he? They can act like that after them and run a fever.
Member:
paul303

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 - 12:16 am:

When my mare was first diagnosed with ulcers, in the lead up, some symptoms were similar. However, she did pass stool. Has your horse produced any manure yet?

My mare was in obvious pain and objected to anyone just standing by her side. She strongly objected to being brushed or touched anywhere near her abdomen. She went down on her chest, but did not role. Her nostrils were pinched and she bit at her side. Her breathing was rapid and shallow. I must say, that she would pick at the soft grass, but showed no interest whatsoever in hay or feed.

My horse had a heavy duty show career and three foals before I got her. During the first year I owned her, we rushed her to the clinic where the ulcers were diagnosed. She'd had them awhile. Her owner told me that she was "girthy". She was. Once the ulcers were treated, she was no longer "girthy" or sensitive around her abdomen. If your horse had reining training and competition, I guess ulcers should be considered. I'd sure like to know how you make out, ollie. Best of luck!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 - 5:33 am:

So he is producing stools now Ollie?
DrO
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 - 4:01 pm:

Being "off" his hay was a major symptom when my horse was suffering from ulcer pain.
New Member:
ollie123

Posted on Monday, Apr 26, 2010 - 6:30 am:

Hi Dr. O., Sorry I haven't answered. I've been away. Here's what is going on now. Jazzy is producing stools now. Not as much as before but several a day. He urinates more frequently and seems to have a problem urinating when he never had a problem before. He groans and sometimes passes gas when he urinates and he never used to. He eats sweet feed and grass but doesn't seem to like alfalfa hay. My husband has been riding him and he acts okay in that respect but the symptoms he has are worrisome to us. We have to be gone this coming weekend and hate to leave him. My husband is calling the vet to come out today if possible. He was treating him with UlcerGard and bantamine and sulfa pills week before last but now giving him nothing. No temperture anymore. Still a little listless but when practicing reining or showing him (which he did this weekend) he does his job. He has lost some weight obviously since he isn't eating as much. He is a horse that was hard to get weight on since we had him so for his night feeding my husband gave him lots of alfalfa hay, a gallon of oats and a scoop of pelleted feed. This year he finally got the weight on him he wanted ( I thought he was a little fat and getting a thick neck) so he backed off the grain and hay some. Then we went to a show and he came up sick. I just thought I would give a little background. The horse is 14.2 hands, cutting horse breeding. Sure could use some advice. Thanks in advance.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2010 - 4:35 pm:

Before we comment what did the vet find ollie?
DrO
New Member:
ollie123

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2010 - 6:43 pm:

We are awaiting his call. He took blood, urine and stool samples. I will post as soon as I get more information. Thanks you all so much.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010 - 12:53 pm:

While we wait can you let us know what the physical findings, they are at least as important as the lab findings. Vital signs plus any abnormals would be great.
DrO
New Member:
ollie123

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 28, 2010 - 8:49 pm:

Okay, here's what the Dr. said. He has crystals in his urine and his hemoglobin level in his blood is low. I wasn't here when Dr. L. was here but he left meds He left him some vita stress immune powder packets: one each day for seven days. Jazzy gets 2 oz of VFV Supplement once a day. and 6 tablets daily of Methenamine Mandelate. He says he doesn't have ulcers.

How does that sound Dr. O?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 29, 2010 - 7:41 am:

It has very little meaning for me ollie since I don't know what is wrong with your horse and these little bits of information are not diagnostic for a particular disease or even for helping with generating a rule out list. Gross crystalluria is normal for the horse and a low Hgb has little significance by itself.

To cut to the chase: what is their diagnosis of what is wrong with your horse?
DrO
Member:
ollie123

Posted on Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 10:43 pm:

Actually Dr. O., he said his frequent urination is caused by the crystals and that is why he gave Larry the Methanamine Mandelate to give Jazzy. And he's giving him the supplement for his blood to build it up. That's all we know.

He is coming out to retake samples in a week or so. I will ask him to be more specific.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, May 2, 2010 - 9:38 am:

The straining to urinate suggests possible urinary stones to me ollie. Has the bladder and urethra been thoroughly examined by palpation and ultrasound? These may not pass without surgery or possibly lithotripsy.
DrO
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