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25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

Last post 11-29-2011 9:49 AM by TGKnightV. 6 replies.
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  • 11-05-2011 5:54 PM

    25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

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    I am the owner of a 25 year old Arabian gelding. He is very healthy for his age except this past year he has started getting what I call the 'squirts.' Most of his *** is normal, if a little wet, but at least once a day, he squirts out almost pure brown water. It's only a small amount, but seeing as he is a grey (all white now), it makes a mess of his tail and back legs, not to mention any fences he happens to be standing next to. He stays well hydrated, eats well and is in good weight (even a bit round right now). I have had a fecal run (negative) and in September he underwent a full equine panel that included a Chem panel, CBC and fibrogen test. The good news, everything was normal (great for a 25 year old!). That bad news is it did not get me any answers. He is on good quality grass hay and the same senior feed he has been on since I got him at age 22. His teeth aren't the best and he is due for a power float, but as I mentioned, he is in very good weight. A week ago I started him on a probiotic, but there has been no change. He is also on a liquid glucosamine product, but again, he has been on this since I got him. Any suggestions? I'm tired of trying to keep him clean, and with freezing weather upon us, it will be harder to do!

    Virtie

  • 11-06-2011 4:17 PM In reply to

    Re: 25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

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    One of my donkeys has the same on-again-off-again diarrhea. I don't know why it happens, nor do I know how to cure it. But, if you are giving your gelding a probiotic to help his gut resume better operation, I would suggest using a PREbiotic instead.

    Juno had surgery for an infected LF coffin bone and had to take several different antibiotics afterward. My vet put her on a prebiotic to help her gut rather than a probiotic, saying that studies have shown that probiotics don't really work for horses, and that prebiotics are much, much more effective. The best price I could find on a prebiotic was at SmartPak, who carries Yea-sacc, the prebiotic my vet recommended. Since you haven't seen any change using the probiotic--which is not a surprise, since they don't work on horses--maybe a prebiotic like the Yea-sacc might do something. It's here: http://www.SmartPakEquine.com/yeasacc-3706p.aspx?cm_vc=Search Not only did Juno take it to get her gut working better--the antibiotics killed a lot of the good flora in her gut--my mare Havannah took some also b/c the stress she went through when Juno was gone for the surgery had caused her to lose weight. The Yea-sacc worked for both of them. Talk to your vet about it, but I do not think it would hurt, only help.
    Megan


    		"The horse you get off is not the horse you got on. It is your job as a rider to ensure that as often as possible, the change is for the better."

    Anonymous

  • 11-06-2011 4:54 PM In reply to

    Re: 25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

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    Thanks for the info! I have actually been looking into some of the supplements from SmartPak as I have used them before for other supplements. I will also talk to my vet. I actually work as an Animal Care Tech, but I don't do too much with large animals at the clinic (I manage the boarding kennels and inventory), so I kind of get out of the loop on horse treatments unless I find time to chat with my boss, who is the main horse vet. I will find the time this week! Thanks again.

     Virtie 

    Virtie

  • 11-18-2011 7:21 PM In reply to

    Re: 25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

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    Not sure if you are still looking for answers.  I had a 25 year old mare who had the same symptoms.  It started 3 or 4 years ago after a bout of what the vets called Potomac Horse Fever, I live on the coast of Oregon.  It gradually got worse but only when she was on hay.  On pasture in the late spring , summer and into fall she was fine.  Days after feeding hay it started again.  Got worse over the years. What a mess is all I can say. She took a lot of maintenance. Chronic in the winter months.  Later in life she lost so much weight.   I fed her constantly, orchard grass hay,and senior horse.  It was thought she might have an allergy.  Good luck. 

  • 11-24-2011 5:52 PM In reply to

    Re: 25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

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    Thanks again for the help. I started Joe on a supplement called SmartDigest from SmartPak after reading up on it and looking at the reviews. I started it a little over a week ago and for the last 4 days he has not had a messy tail and legs! He loves it and licks it up with his senior feed. So far so good.

    Virtie

  • 11-28-2011 5:11 PM In reply to

    Re: 25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

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    I have a 17 yr old QH mare that has had that same problem since I got her!
    I bought her when she was about 14 and was on a pure pasture regimen with grain once daily. Keeping this regimen, we have almost constant loose green stools (although the pasture where she is now is not as lush as the one she once had) but occasionally, will be green & very watery.We've changed feeds, pasture, haym no difference! She has been wormed regularly and has been checked for sand and all is clean. I have tried probiotics and sponges, etc, but the BEST thing I have ever used is a product called Diagel by Van Beek.. It comes in a tube and smells awful but worked fantastic for my mare. You can get it on line from most horse sites, I usually use Valley Vet...

    I hope this is helpful!
    J.Kirkman

  • 11-29-2011 9:49 AM In reply to

    Re: 25 year old horse with the 'squirts'

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    You said your fecal and bloodwork came back normal, but did you test during one of the "squirts" episodes or when the horse was normal, have you retested since then or did you just do the one time? 

    Has your horse recently been exposed to the stress of a new pasture buddy, or trailering, or even rapid changes in the weather? Anything like this may cause his immunity to dip and then you see the symptoms you're describing.

    What's his baseline temperature? Have you noticed any fluctuations in his body temp during or after these episodes?

    Look up info on Salmonellosis, someone mentioned Potomac fever, or your horse may have a virus.

    Hope these ideas help and good luck! Hopefully your vet can come up with some other suggestions too! 

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