Foal w/diarrhea

Gerry · Postby **Gerry** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:06 pm

We have a filly (foaled 3/15) that is at a breeding farm and has had on and off bouts of diarrhea. Mare is infoal and I want to bring them home but I dont want the other foals here to get sick and dont want to stress out the filly so I have left them at the farm for the last week. The breeding farm is managed by a Vet and is very well respected, they are treating the filly and have run numerous tests and everything shows she is fine except for the loose stools.

Anyone here have any ideas that I can suggest to the farm? Do you think I can safely bring them home?

Thanks
Gerry

Mood Swings · Postby **Mood Swings** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:22 pm

If you bring your mare and foal home is there any way you can isolate them? Has your foal been dewormed with ivermectin (threadworms can cause diarrhea)? I have a one month old foal that has had reoccurring bouts of diarrhea as well, no one knows why and she has been out with the other foals (who are all fine). Good luck

Gerry · Postby **Gerry** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:29 pm

She has been dewormed and he has done a few fecal samples, as well as at least 2 complete CBC's. I can isolate and we have been discussing bringing her home but to be honest I kinda like having her under constant vet care at no additional charge. She is bright alert and eating well.

Wonder why they get these on and off bouts.

Intrinsic Worth · Postby **Intrinsic Worth** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:37 pm

You can try some probios or gastro-cote, both seem to work well.

Gerry · Postby **Gerry** » Sun May 13, 2007 6:42 pm

We have tried Fastrack Gel (which I swear by) and I think Doc has also tried the Bio-Sponge...it clears up for a few days and comes right back. I am wondering if maybe the mares milk is alittle too strong? Is that even possible??

Intrinsic Worth · Postby **Intrinsic Worth** » Sun May 13, 2007 7:17 pm

Generally, foals will scour when the mare is in heat, but if your mare is pregnant, that kind of rules out that cause.

Have you tried putting the foal on ulcer medications like Zantac or gastro guard?

KamiBrooks · Postby **KamiBrooks** » Mon May 14, 2007 1:08 am

I think I read that it used to be thought that the mare in heat was the cause of the scours, but a study found out that it was just a coincidence (sp?) in timing.

I think a really high percentage (75%?) of foals go through scours that can last any where from a couple days to a week or longer. My colt had a very bad 3 days and went in and out for a week after. I figured it was his digestive tract 'reving up' and I didn't want to give anything orally that might interfere. So as long as he was looking happy and hydrated, I concentrated on keeping his hiney clean and just kept a close watch.

My biggest concern would be the stress and keeping the foal hydrated if you ship any real distance.

Gerry · Postby **Gerry** » Mon May 14, 2007 5:08 am

I will have to ask but I think the foal is/was on Zantac. I had several foals here with the usual 2-3 run of diarhhea around the foal heat but it went away quickly and never came back. This poor filly seems to get over it and a few days later its back again. Its only about a 3hr drive so I may just go and bring them home but keep a close eye.
Thanks!

Intrinsic Worth · Postby **Intrinsic Worth** » Mon May 14, 2007 5:51 am

KamiBrooks wrote:I think I read that it used to be thought that the mare in heat was the cause of the scours, but a study found out that it was just a coincidence (sp?) in timing.

I think a really high percentage (75%?) of foals go through scours that can last any where from a couple days to a week or longer. My colt had a very bad 3 days and went in and out for a week after. I figured it was his digestive tract 'reving up' and I didn't want to give anything orally that might interfere. So as long as he was looking happy and hydrated, I concentrated on keeping his hiney clean and just kept a close watch.

My biggest concern would be the stress and keeping the foal hydrated if you ship any real distance.

I worked at a huge farm in Ireland and nearly all the foals scoured when their mothers were in heat. I find that a bit more than just a coincidence.

As long as it isn't salmonella, rotovirus, etc. and the foal nurses and stays hydrated, I guess there isn't much more you can do.

KamiBrooks · Postby **KamiBrooks** » Mon May 14, 2007 2:04 pm

I wish I could find it again, but they removed the foals from the dams and found that the timing was the same as when the dams came back into heat. But since the foals were on a milk replacer or something, and still got the scours, they decided the mare (or her being in heat) was not the cause. If I can find the study again, I'll post link.

tbrace · Postby **tbrace** » Mon May 14, 2007 6:41 pm

Even if no fever, I would recommend x-raying the lungs just to rule out serious stuff like rhodococcus.

The ulcer medicine can actually cause diarrhea, so I would be careful there.

Watch his electrolytes. They can cause serious damage if out of whack from dehydration.

Best of luck with the little guy.

LKR · Postby **LKR** » Tue May 15, 2007 5:22 am

OK, here are two suggestions that work. One is pretty gross, so you probably won't get the farm to do it.
First One: 15 ccs of liquid Spectam Scour Halt (Spectinomycin) twice a day. This is a baby pig scour medicine.
2nd One: This is gross but it never fails. Take a package of jello, they like wild strawberry, mix it in a cup of cold water and syringe it into the foal 2 or 3 times a day. Take a couple of fresh road apples from a horse that you know has been wormed recently and is healthy, put it in a quart jar of water, mix it up thoroughly and let the clumps settle. Syringe about 60ccs of the liquid into the foal, once a day. Be sure and use fresh road apples each day. Do this procedure for 2 or 3 days and it should be back to normal stools. The jello slows things up going through the foal and the road apple tea puts the needed bacteria into the digestive system. That is what happens when the foal eats the mare's manure. It looks gross but it has a purpose. Good Luck. Kathie