Date
1 - 11 of 11
gastric impaction and now not drinking very much
|
Last week Saturday night I found Yoyo down with heaving sides and rapid breathing. Got him to the local animal hospital and by Tuesday afternoon with multiple tubing and scopes, a ton of bedding shavings came out. (He's never eaten so much, used to just nibble it and thanks for a neighbor it's been fenced off so Yo can't get to it.) It will be removed as soon as I can. The vet was able to break up the remaining hay ball using the scope and he was drinking at the vet. They used a 'tea mix' but wouldn't tell me what was in it besides electrolytes (but not what brand). He came home Wednesday afternoon. He wasn't drinking water, and the vets suggested molasses water and he turned up his nose to that- I used very little molasses as Yo is IR. He started drinking when I made a tea out his commercial treats. As of yesterday late afternoon, he refused to drink even that but this morning he did drink a little of it. He's also refusing his mash. I've been wetting his hay and sprinkling salt on it. He's eating that. I don't think he's passing manure (haven't found any fresh piles) except when I take him for a trailer ride. I'm going to scrub out his water tank today and try 'bobbing for apple parts" plus give him a lot more celery pieces which is a favorite treat. Any suggestions for me? On top of this, I'm dealing with heart issues that keep me having to sit quietly as much as possible, as too much activity tires me out. The stress of Yoyo's problems is exacerbating this.
-- Ronelle and Yoyo 2015 Bend, Or, US |
|
|
|
Sherry Morse
Hi Ronelle, That's awful and I'm glad he's home, but not good that he's stressing you out. I would run this past the vet first, but have would you be able to (or have someone else do it) syringe him with a mixture of salt/kaolin pectin to encourage him to drink? If he's dehydrated do not give electrolytes but giving salt in either unsweetened applesauce or with the kaolin may help get him more interested in drinking. The endurance level mix is 1oz of kosher salt mixed with 1-2oz of kaolin. Again, I'd check this with the vet first but it would be my first go to for getting him to drink if the vet oks it.
Thanks, Sherry and Scutch (and Scarlet over the bridge) EC Primary Response PA 2014 https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Sherry%20and%20Scutch_Scarlet https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=78891
On Friday, February 3, 2023 at 10:44:11 AM EST, Ronelle <rkdietsch@...> wrote:
Last week Saturday night I found Yoyo down with heaving sides and rapid breathing. Got him to the local animal hospital and by Tuesday afternoon with multiple tubing and scopes, a ton of bedding shavings came out. (He's never eaten so much, used to just nibble it and thanks for a neighbor it's been fenced off so Yo can't get to it.) It will be removed as soon as I can. The vet was able to break up the remaining hay ball using the scope and he was drinking at the vet. They used a 'tea mix' but wouldn't tell me what was in it besides electrolytes (but not what brand). He came home Wednesday afternoon. He wasn't drinking water, and the vets suggested molasses water and he turned up his nose to that- I used very little molasses as Yo is IR. He started drinking when I made a tea out his commercial treats. As of yesterday late afternoon, he refused to drink even that but this morning he did drink a little of it. He's also refusing his mash. I've been wetting his hay and sprinkling salt on it. He's eating that. I don't think he's passing manure (haven't found any fresh piles) except when I take him for a trailer ride. I'm going to scrub out his water tank today and try 'bobbing for apple parts" plus give him a lot more celery pieces which is a favorite treat. Any suggestions for me? On top of this, I'm dealing with heart issues that keep me having to sit quietly as much as possible, as too much activity tires me out. The stress of Yoyo's problems is exacerbating this. -- Ronelle and Yoyo 2015 Bend, Or, US |
|
|
|
celestinefarm
Ronelle, do you not have a mobile vet that will come out to your farm to treat Yoyo? I am not sure what you mean by him eating bedding shavings. I also don't understand why the vets would release him to come home if he wasn't drinking water at the vets. He's most likely dehydrated again, and his gut is slowing down. I would strongly suggest that you get veterinary care again for him .
-- Dawn Wagstaff and Tipperary Saline, MI 2003 Tipperary Case History |
|
|
|
So sorry to hear this, Ronelle. I second suggestions that you confer with a vet. Here are my suggestions. Have you tried a small bucket of tepid water? It’s inconvenient but my mare really likes warm water in winter and drinks every time it’s offered. Warm water will make flavorings more fragrant. If you’re feeding wet hay, your horse is already getting some water. If you can manage, give the hay a really good soaking with the hose. I do it in place using a feed bin with a drain hole drilled in the bottom. As for not passing manure, it was my experience that it takes a couple of days for a fasted horse to move forage through the digestive tract. |
|
|
|
There is a good chance his stomach is still irritated from what he recently went through. I would try syringing 2 to 3 oz of Aloe vera juice (Walmart has it) three times a day and just let him decide what he wants to eat for now as long as he is still eating salted hay. Do you know how to do the skin test for dehydration? You can also insert your finger into his mouth to see if it feels moist. The most concerning thing is no manure. The last thing you both need is impaction on top of this so a vet visit is indicated.
-- Eleanor in PA www.drkellon.com BOGO 2 for 1 Course Sale Through End of January |
|
|
|
gypsylassie
Impaction is so scary, especially if they don’t want to drink water. Did the vet give him IV fluids while he was there? That helped Chappie when he had a small impaction a few years ago. Hope Yoyo will start feeling better.
Laura K. Chappie & Beau(over the bridge) 2011 N IL |
|
|
|
Yo was drinking at the vet office and he was OK'd him to go home. He stopped drinking once home. He would drink but very little, and only the "tea" I've been making. I talked with the vet this morning and she said that by tomorrow if he hasn't drunk out of his water tank, she wants me to call her. He is drinking enough to make a few of somewhat wet manure. I'm most likely being too worried. Dawn- the bedding is the pine shavings/chips that are put down in stalls. In my case, during the winter when the ground is frozen and/or covered with snow, I put the shavings down under his favorite tree so he has a soft, dry place to hang out. (For a mostly blind horse, he likes to keep an eye on everything.) I've put down the shavings for years, but this is the first time he actually ate the shavings. At least 2-3 cups worth, possibly more that might have passed thru with hay. Since pine chips are not digestible, much of it stayed in his stomach, grabbing hay and forming a ball. It was beginning to block the pyloric section of the stomach which is the entrance to the small intestine. At this point I have no idea why he started to do this, so I have a mystery to figure out. Sherry- the applesauce is a great idea. Thanks. The good news out of this, there are no signs of ulcers.
-- Ronelle and Yoyo 2015 Bend, Or, US |
|
|
|
Just to let everyone know, Yoyo has started to drink out of his water trough! I had checked the level when I came home from town around 3 pm (I had marked the inside of the trough in the morning when I drained, cleaned and refiled it), but he hadn't touched it yet. Then at about 4:20 pm, I was sitting in my bedroom and I saw him take a long drink, and again right before I started to write this, he took another long drink again. So glad. He had had IV fluids at the hospital from the first night through the last morning until I picked him up. There was a vet tec that was at the hospital overnight and he got very good care. I also do think his throat was very sore because he was tubed and scoped multiple times, sometimes in a single day, from the first night through the morning of the last day.
-- Ronelle and Yoyo 2015 Bend, Or, US |
|
|
|
Yay,Ronelle! Thanks for letting us know. Makes my eyes leaky.
You Go Yoyo! -- Lorna in Eastern Ontario 2002 |
|
|
|
gypsylassie
Thank goodness! That’s great news, thanks for the update.
Laura K. Chappie & Beau(over the bridge) 2011 N IL |
|
|
|
So glad Ronelle! What a relief!
-- Joy and Willie (EC/IR) Nevada County, CA - 2019 ECIR Group Moderator Case history: Willie's Case History Willie's photo album: Willie's Photos |
|
|