Re: Choke/colic -- second opinion?

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

I'll leave interpretation of the meds to Sarah, but if you do add beet pulp,
I'd say this colt is a candidate to never get dry unsoaked beet pulp---if
he's ever choked on feed once, I just wouldn't ever want to chance it.
Probably went without saying, but worth saying anyway.

And if it were my choice, better an overanxious vet than an underanxious
one---we had eight severe, surgical colics come into the CSU VTH this past
weekend, the ones that came in promptly are doing well or on their way home
in the next day or two.  Two died, while or before they got to surgery,
because they didn't come in until they were already crashing.

Good luck with him,

susan g
----- Original Message -----
From: <tallcarabs@juno.com>
To: <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 9:24 AM
Subject: RC: Choke/colic -- second opinion?


> Hi, I have a colt that choked, possibly brought on by a mild colic
> yesterday while I was away on vacation.  The vet was called and I'm a
> little overwhelmed with all the meds she has prescribed for him for the
> next week.  Now, this vet, I have always thought she goes a bit overboard
> when it comes to colic.  She's very quick to ship a horse up to Texas
> A&M.  Many times a situation that my old vet would have said -- give some
> Banamine and keep a close eye on him and call me back in 30 minutes (99%
> of the time, the horse would be fine by then.  I've been lucky to catch
> colics very early)   -- this vet would be there immediately and be tubing
> the horse as soon as she arrived.  Not that I'm complaining, much.  I
> know how serious colic can be and maybe it is better to be safe than
> sorry, but sometimes I feel she's doing way more than it necessary.  OK,
> that's the background on the vet and my views.  Here's the findings on my
> colt:
>   Exam:  T=102, P=50, R=20.  MM pink,  CRT ~ 3 sec.
> Feed matierial coming from both nostrils & mouth
> Choke was relieved -- passed NG tube.  Airway oscolted with crackles
> (sp??) - probable aspiration of feed material.  May develop aspiration
> pneumonia.
>
>    Rx: 1. No turn out for 3-5 days
> 2. No hay or grain first day
> 3. Day 2 - 10 -- no hay.  Feed small amts of soaked, very wet pellets
> 3-4 x a day.  add salt and electrolytes
> 4. Give 20 cc albuterol syrup by mouth am/pm for 5 - 7 days
> 5. Give 22 cc Penicillin IM for 7 - 10 days
> 6. Give 20 cc Gentocin IM or IV 1x /day for 5 - 7 days
> 7. Monitor temp 1x/day,  if >102, call
> 8. Monitor for depression, off feed, productive cough
> 9. Give 8 cc Banamine 1x/day for 2 days, IM
> 10. After 7-10 days, can feed wet hay.
>
> Does this seem like an awful lot of meds for a yearling?  Is she
> overdoing it?  Is this right on target?   General is also skinny right
> now and I think 10 days on less than half his normal ration will make him
> extrememly thin.  Would it hurt to add a handfull or two of beet pulp to
> his soaked pellets?  #8 is not a problem.  General is very active this
> morning and extremely ticked off that he didn't get enough to eat and
> that he had to stay in the barn.
>
> Any help would be much appreciated. :o)
>
> Rae
> Tall C Arabians - TX
>
>
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