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nadine
Posted From: 152.163.253.66
| | Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 01:07 am: | 
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I'm very worried, I have a lovely colt that was born healthy, although a bit contracted, tall long-legged foal out of a maiden mare. Had the vet out when he foaled, we checked his blood levels - above 800, did a thorough exam, everything was great. Foal was growing, getting stronger, legs were straightening out. cute, vigorous, healthy....then mare goes into season at day 9, day 10 - foal has some diarrhea, seemed a bit listless, umcomfortable, but no temp. Called the vet, put him on Pepto Bismol, and yogurt. The next day he seemed a bit better, then crashed again that night, projectile watery diarrhea, stomach grumbling and rumbling, not nursing much, have noticed him drinking some water. Per the vet, I gave him .5 cc of banamine, started him on tagament, and SMZ's (antibiotic). Vet came out in the a.m., gave him 3 bottles of IV fluids, banamine, and took a fecal sample. Put him on Gastroguard, Probios, continuing the Pepto, SMZ's and yogurt discontinued the tagament. We've discussed the possibilities of salmonella (I have chickens), lactose intolerance, ulcers, etc. Tonight baby is still having watery greenish greyish diarrhea, and just seems depressed. Any words of wisdom from long time breeders out there about what this might be, or what course of treatment would be indicated. I'm really scared, don't want to lose him. My vet is a great vet, we're just not sure what is causing him to be so sick. Any advice??? |
Jos
Posted From: 142.177.114.87
| | Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 01:30 am: |
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Impossible to really say much conclusive without actually seeing the foal, but I think if this were my foal I would remove the access to water, and get some heavy-duty antibiotics into him such as Ceftiofur sodium (Naxel/Excenel) in case you are looking at sepicaemia, and then pursue other diagnostic measures.
Good luck. |
nadine
Posted From: 152.163.253.66
| | Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 02:26 am: |
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Thanks Jos, I just came in from the barn for a second. The little fellow was colicky because he had such gas and the water is just squirting out from his behind, he was rolling back and forth. Put a call in to my vet, when she didn't call back right away (a first) I went ahead and gave him .5cc of banamine...I just can't believe how sick he is. (p.s. I'm the person you helped ground collect the palomino saddlebred stallion in Pennsylvania a couple of months ago) |
nadine
Posted From: 64.12.96.135
| | Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 12:22 pm: |
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took the foal and momma to a vet clinic at 3 a.m., he is getting good care, he's not completely down and out, so I think he's got a good chance of recovering....now as long as I find some money to pay the bill, we'll be fine (fingers crossed) |
Anonymous
Posted From: 208.6.56.254
| | Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 01:35 pm: |
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Good luck Nadine. We will all be thinking of you. I think foals like newborn babies have to be treated very aggressively as they are so fragile. I am sure you made the right decision to move them to the vet clinic. In regard to the money, we always seem to figure it out and we all know what a worry it is, but that baby is important the other stuff will all work out. |
S Smith
Posted From: 65.118.224.162
| | Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2003 - 04:18 pm: |
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nadine - good luck & I will keep your baby in my prayers. My filly was born having the runs this year but she is 4 weeks old Sunday and is doing fine. Keep your chin up and a positive attitude. I know it's difficult but all things are possible. |
nadine
Posted From: 152.163.253.66
| | Posted on Friday, June 20, 2003 - 10:34 am: |
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Thank you everyone, just got an update from the vet, the colt is doing a bit better with the IV fluid therapy, he's on penicillin and genomycin, + ranitidine, and still pepto bismol and yogurt. On ultrasound, they found a few loops of intestine were enlarged and thickened, from enteritis. The prognosis is supposedly good, but guarded, as he is nursing now and feeling a bit better. They told me though that these foals sometimes need a week to 10 days in the vet clinic, <sigh>....... |
kel
Posted From: 216.208.58.184
| | Posted on Saturday, June 21, 2003 - 01:23 am: |
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good luck with your foal.
and yes, think positive for your foal
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nadine
Posted From: 205.188.208.70
| | Posted on Saturday, June 21, 2003 - 09:48 pm: |
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Another update, good news!! The colt is doing MUCH better, the diarrhea has subsided, he is nursing vigorously, and is getting perky, even a bit feisty, he's turning his butt to the staff when they come in the stall, but is still sweet once they catch him. If all goes well, he may be coming home on Monday!!! HURRAH! They still think there was a viral or bacterial component to this, as he shouldn't have gotten this sick with just the foal heat, but we may never know if the testing doesn't show anything...Thanks for all the positive thoughts!!! |
nadine
Posted From: 152.163.253.66
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 12:03 am: |
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The colt was doing well, diarrhea had stopped, he was perky, doing great! He was supposed to even come home today or tomorrow. Talked to the vet this a.m. Well, this time it's not such good news...The clinic tapered off the IV fluids and as soon as they did, the colt got depressed and listless again, not nursing...They are puzzled what is wrong with him at this point, salmonella cultures haven't shown anything, ultrasound of his abdomen and body have shown that the enteritis is better, the intestine isn't as thickened and swollen where it was before. No abcesses or swollen joints, etc....White blood cells were 18,000 now, 14,000 when he came in, otherwise the blood looks normal. He hasn't had more diarrhea, so why is he still getting dehydrated as soon as they stop the IV??? So, they have changed the Gentomycin to Amycacin, continuing the penicillin, started the IV's fluids again, and are hoping for a positive response.
A friend of mine who is a dog breeder mentioned that she had puppies that would be sickly and not thrive, and eventually die from one mother, well, it was determined eventually that the mother's milk was 'bad'? and when she bottle fed the pups with formula, they were fine...Has anyone ever experienced this with foals??? I don't know what to think at this point..This mare came to me bred last fall, I don't know her health history, or what she may have been exposed to in the past, AND she's a maiden mare. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated...if you would like to e-mail me privately, it's artisticgold@yahoo.com |
Marty strout
Posted From: 208.6.56.254
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 08, 2003 - 08:19 am: |
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Nadine, how is your baby doing? |
Anonymous
Posted From: 195.229.241.184
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 08:18 am: |
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I want to know more about lactose intolerance.
I have a foal one week old with severe diarrhea, the culture to bacteria was negative also no virus and no parasite were found.
I'm wondering what can be the cause. |
S Smith
Posted From: 65.118.224.162
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 02:00 pm: |
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Try worming the mare. This happened to me 2 years ago. My filly had diarrhea for 3 weeks. I wormed the mare and the diarrhea stopped. |
Suzanne
Posted From: 64.12.116.13
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - 08:30 pm: |
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I am with S Smith on this one try de-worming and if you still don't get any results I would talk to your vet about a WBC on the foal. This will tell you if he is fighting anything. |
Debra Hawk
Posted From: 209.210.78.37
| | Posted on Saturday, March 26, 2005 - 09:59 am: |
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Just a guest here (looking for other info), but here's my 2-cents... No one mentioned foal-heat diarrhea or scours. Almost all foals develop this condition in conjunction with the mare's foal heat, which usually begins about one week after foaling. A foal's diarrhea begins about this time and lasts up to a week. If a foal's diarrhea does not begin to improve after about 4 days, AND it has a temp above 101.5F, then I'd call a vet. I'm glad your foals is getting better |
TX Breeder
Posted From: 199.3.209.107
| | Posted on Saturday, March 26, 2005 - 11:29 am: |
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All foals are born with a sterile gut. At about the time of the foal heat in mare ( 5- 10 days) the foal will start to eat the mares manure. In this manner, the gut is prepared to digest solid food and build the necessary flora. ( It is not associated with the mare being in heat, just the timing )
Many times, the mare may have an unbalance that she can tolerate, where as the foal's sterile gut can not.Products like Probios can assist with this. Once the diarrhea gets out of hand, you can have a much more dangerous situation.
It is important to catch this early and avoid dehydration and depression in the foal. I would seek additional help after 48 hours. The cycle of diarrhea can take a turn for the worse very quickly. I would keep the foal out of the heat,use Probios and check for depression. If the foal becomes listless, and is not nursing as usual, do not give it more time. Call your vet. |
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