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 » Mouth, Esophagus, and Liver » Liver Disease and Failure »
  Discussion on Recurring Colic Problem
Author Message

Posted on Tuesday, Jun 27, 2000 - 2:54 pm:

Dr O,

My friends horse 'Kelly' has had approx 8 colic episodes in the last 11 months. She is a 12 year old Thoroughbred cross who gave birth to her last foal 2 years ago.

The last episode was really bad. The vet was called and attended to her every 2 hours over a 12 hour period (she was sufffering for over 6 hours). He administered buscopan, gave her a stomache tube, took bloods & water sample. She did not respond to the drugs given.

From the water sample he told us that there was protein in her water.

He also gave her several internal examinations and stated that her liver was enlarged.

His instructions were that she should be starved for a 36 hour period, then put on bran (3 times a day) and 1 slice of hay.

When the blood results came back he said that the liver was normal (although we have not seen the blood test results), and he then thought that maybe it was a hormonal problem relating to her ovaries (she still continues to produce milk).

Today Kelly has been for an ultrasound. The results of this were that nothing abornal has been detected although the vet is now recommending hormone treatment for a possible hormone imbalance.

Is it possible for hormones to cause colic?

His instructions for the next week is no longer than 1/2 hour on grass; no riding except for a short walk; and no stress whatsoever. Kelly is due to come into season in the next 4 or 5 days and the vet wants her behaviour monitored to see if this starts another colic episode.

I apologise if this seems a little confusing, but that is how we feel at the moment.

Has anyone else suffered this problem?

We have been looking through the Colic items posted and cannot seem to find any other case with similar attributes.

Any information you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Sharon

PS. Kelly also drinks large quantities of water and excessively wets her bed. The urine is discoloured and very smelly - could this be something to do with her kidneys?

The vet says he cannot find what the problem is and he is 'baffled' by it.

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 28, 2000 - 8:10 am:

Hello Sharon,
I am trying to get away from diagnostic and prognostic discussions that are done second hand. The problem is getting a accurate description and history second hand. More than once I have spent a great deal of time only to find that there was some miscommunication or important detail left out.

Perhaps just as important is the time it takes away from answering member's questions. Some direct questions involving "friends" horses with straight forward answers I am glad to deal with. I hope you understand.
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 28, 2000 - 9:55 am:

Hi Sharon, my mare suffers with ovarian pain which if you didn't know that you would SWEAR she had colic (the old-fashioned name for it is actually womb-colic). She will kick at herself, lie down or sit like a dog and press her sides and bottom against the wall and generally look really miserable. Sometimes it is really bad and I find the only answer is to take her for a walk and a bite of grass to distract her, but not far away just in case I have to call the vet one day! It invariably comes as she starts her season and then just disappears as she becomes fully receptive - I think of it as her 'period pains'!!
If your friend's mare is wet and smelly I would suspect hormonal problems as this should come and go with her seasons, not be like it all the time. How do you mean her urine is discoloured? My mare is trained to pee in a bucket so I can see easily what it looks like. When she is in season it is much thicker and looks very chalky. It also changes colour to a bit yellowy/greener than the normal weak tea colour, and yes the smell is noticeably stronger - her boyfriend can't get enough of sniffing the bucket as I go past to empty it!!
Do you find this mare is difficult to tack up too? Cara gets vey sensitive in her back just before her season starts, jumps about when I put the saddle on and I have to canter in forward seat or she will buck and arch her back against me. Not the time to be schooling her so we just go for a hack out instead.

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 28, 2000 - 11:52 am:

Dr O,

Yes I do understand.

Thanks

Sharon

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 28, 2000 - 11:57 am:

Helen,

Thanks for this.

I will print it & show it to my friend, but I suspect her case is a little different as Kelly has started to show behavioural problems all of the time, not just prior to or in season.

As a point of interest, owning 2 mares myself, how did you diagnose this and is she on any medication for it?

Thanks

Sharon

Posted on Thursday, Jun 29, 2000 - 9:35 am:

Hello again Sharon,

If this mare had upset hormones as opposed to nice normal ones then I would expect her to show strange behaviour on an irregular basis - think how peculiar some women go when in early pregnancy!

My vet told me that quite a few mares have benign ovarian growths which can cause such behaviour. The usual test is to put them on a course of Regumate and see if all the silliness disappears.

The first time Cara had a dose of her pains wasn't long after I bought her and although it was obvious she was coming into season I still went into panic mode and called the vet to come out to a colic case. He agreed that she was obvously in pain, gave her a shot which as far as I can remember had no effect and left us to it (probably having a good chuckle about daft owners!). When she did the same thing 3 weeks later I realised this was normal for her and we learned to live with it. Things aren't helped by the fact that she cycles all year round so neither of us gets a break. It also has to be said that she could win an Oscar for her performances and gets instantly worse as soon as she sees me - sympathetic comments of 'oh dear' and gentle rubbing of the area between her belly button and udder are the only treatment she has, plus the supervised attentions of her gelding friends cheer her up no end!!

Posted on Thursday, Jun 29, 2000 - 3:44 pm:

Helen,

Thanks again.

Just to give you (and anyone else interested) an update ....

The results of the 2nd blood test came back today and the vet has now confirmed liver problems and recommended that Kelly be put to rest.

A sad ending as she was a lovely horse.

Maybe next time we chat it can be on a happier note!

Bye for now

Sharon

Posted on Thursday, Jun 29, 2000 - 5:21 pm:

My condolences to your friend. Do they know why the liver failed? Had a tetanus antitoxin (not the vaccine) injection been given in the past year?
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2000 - 11:26 am:

Hi Sharon, oh dear, what a sad ending. It seems its always the nice ones that go early. The scruffy, ugly semi-neglected ones invariably do very well, are rarely ill and live to a ripe old age.

I wonder what could have caused the liver problems. My vet told me that a horses liver is a remarkable organ, able to withstand almost anything. Could she have been exposed to ragwort? The effects of eating it can appear years afterwards.

Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2000 - 1:03 pm:

Dr. O, what is the reasoning for asking if a tetanus antitoxin had been given - can that cause kidney problems?

Sharon, I'm so sorry to hear about Kelly. Here is a poem that I found that might bring some relief to your friend:

I'll lend you for a little while My grandest foal, He said. For you to love while she's alive And morn for when she's dead. It may be one or twenty years, Or days or months , you see. But, will you, till I take her back Take care of her for me?

She'll bring her charms to gladden you, And should her stay be brief You'll have treasured memories As solace for your grief.

I cannot promise she will stay, Since all from earth return. But, there are lessons taught on earth I want this foal to learn.

I've looked the wide world over In my search for teachers true. And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes With trust I have selected you.

Now will you give her your total love? Nor think the labor vain, Nor hate Me when I come To take her back again?

I know you'll give her tenderness And love will bloom each day. And for the happiness you've known Forever grateful stay.

But should I come and call for her Much sooner than you'd planned You'll brave the bitter grief that comes And someday you'll understand.

Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2000 - 2:01 pm:

Hello Jordana,
The poem is very beautiful and poignant...

Tetanus antitoxin can cause liver failure, see: Equine Diseases: Colic and GI Diseases: Mouth, Esophagus, and Liver: Liver Disease and Failure for a explanation.
DrO

Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2000 - 2:38 pm:

Thanks Dr O - duh, I shoulda known it was in an article somewhere! And thanks for the Joint Ill article too!

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 4, 2000 - 4:22 pm:

I live in the Central Texas area where the summers can be extremely hot and humid. I have an 11 yr. old QH gelding that repeatedly had colic like symptoms usually related to impaction of hard fecal matter. I have changed his rations to whole oats and alfalfa. He used to receive coastal hay which is commonly fed in Texas. Apparently the difference in moisture content between coastal and a good leafy alfalfa made a difference. I also have sprinkled less than a half tablespoon of 'cherry lite' electrolytes over his grain once a day to encourage his intake of water when it is very hot or extremely cold. Since this change he has been colic free. A question for Dr. O: I have also added, on the advice of a local stable owner that swears by it, a microbial additive such as they give to foals to control diarrhea. One of the brand names available is Probiotic. A paste version is also available for administering prior to stressful exercise or chnages in routine. Am I wasting my money on the microbial additive?
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