Re: Bladder infection?

["Lindak" <jazena@kelp.net>]

Hi, Yes horses DO get bladder infections.  My 5 year old Tenn Walker gelding
got one and it took 5 vets before it was diagnosed finally.  His urine test
was clear, his temp was fine, he was eating, drinking etc. But each time he
urinated, he would attempt to urinate again repeatedly every five minutes or
so for the next hour.  I spent several hundred dollars on diagnoses with the
first 4 vets and some of the things the vets had me do were to: increase his
salt intake; give him cider vinegar; give him SMZ's; clean his sheath and
remove the bean, (there wasn't one); get him a chiropractic adjustment; have
a urinalysis; and have an ultrasound.  I did them all.  Nothing worked until
the 5th vet had me bring my horse to the hospital and he scoped him and took
a culture directly from the bladder.  The vet showed me thru the scope all
the red bloody irritation.  My poor horse was miserable.  He was given
injectable meds, oral meds, meds to mix in his feed, and msm.  I think all
the meds must have upset his stomach because he stopped eating (we were also
traveling at the time so it may have been the all trailering) and
subsequently lost lots of weight.  It has been six months since all this
treatment and he finally has re-gained all the weight back.  So please be
persistant in pursuing treatment for your mare.
Lindak
Perris CA