Re: questions on slow recovery (long)

["Sandy Bolinger" <bolinger@bigsky.net>]

I have horses had "minor" digestive upsets....always seemed that what
distinguishes minor from major is not just the severity of the symptoms, but
also the duration of the episode...the minor ones have ALWAYS been 100%
better within 24 hours. A vet pointed out to me that all horses manifest
pain and discomfort differently.  Some can tolerate very little discomfort
and will let the world know, in no uncertain terms, when they hurt.  Others
can be extremely uncomfortable and show only very subtle outward signs.
Have you taken her pulse and her temperature???????  Have you listened to
her gut sounds with a stethoscope?????  What you hear or don't hear can tell
you a whole lot.  There are so many things a vet can do to assess  what is
going on...If it were my mare, I would take her to a vet(a GOOD vet!) for a
complete workup....Good luck......

----- Original Message -----
From: <RhndLev@cs.com>
To: <horsesctr@egroups.com>; <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 10:58 AM
Subject: RC: questions on slow recovery (long)


> Last weekend, I had a horse colic for the first time ever.  I had just
> brought her and her foal in from the back pasture to get the foal
accustomed
> to the paddock and stall where he's going to be weaned.  Mom, however,
> reacted badly to the change from pasture to hay and a pelleted complete
feed.
>  I managed to get the mare up and walking; she defecated and drank.
>
> My regular vet had quit practice.  The vet I've lately begun using did not
> come because she said, based on what I told her, she did not believe the
mare
> was in danger.  Called it a "minor digestive upset."  I told the vet I had
> never experienced colic before and wasn't really comfortable with my
ability
> to assess the horse's condition such that we could do a diagnosis over the
> phone.  Vet said I knew more than the majority of horses owners and was
> slightly overprotective to boot, and she was comfortable.  Also told me
not
> to give banamine unless the mare became much more uncomfortable and to
give
> her about half her regular feed in the morning.  Well, Mom remained so
> uncomfortable -- wringing her tail and shifting her weight from one back
leg
> to the other -- that I gave her banamine that night.  I followed the vet's
> instructions in the morning and the mare ate VERY slowly, which is unlike
> her.
>
> It's been since Sunday and the mare continues to appear stressed to me.
I've
> kept her at about half rations because she did not seem eager to eat or
drink
> until this morning and remains very lethargic.  She has deep lines around
her
> eyes and her flanks are sunken.  I've been warming her water and have
begun
> adding warm water to the pelleted feed because she appears dehydrated to
me
> (skin tenting on the shoulder -- slow capillary refill).  I also added
> "Digest Aid" to her food to assist with digestion.  Her anal tone is good,
> and she was enthusiastic about her food for the first time this morning.
>
> So, since the vet is not returning my calls, I'm wondering if anyone can
tell
> me if it's normal for a horse to take this long to recover from what the
vet
> says is only a "minor digestive upset"?  Also, should I go ahead and wean
the
> baby?  Will that make Mom feel better or worse?  The mare, by the way, is
22
> years old.  I don't know if that makes any difference.
>
> Rhonda and Special
>
>
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