Conference noted::equitation

    The bad thing about diarrhea is its dehydration effects.  This can
    be more serious than the initial diarrhea.  Changing the feed around
    will oft times cause problems too, so don't make drastic changes
    too quickly.  I just had a thoroughbred have a good case of the
    plops for about 2 weeks.  Every day I took is temperature to make
    sure that he did not spike a temp.  I had the vet come to take blood
    work to see if he was harboring a slight infection or inflamation
    somewhere.  Everything came back negative.  In the meantime I cut
    his feed from 12qrts to 8qrts and supplimented this with as much
    good hay as he could eat (not alfalpha) and most important,
    electrolytes in his feed twice daily to suppliment the loss from
    his system because of the diarrhea.  The vet also gave me Scourex
    to put into his food to cement him together.  As of today, the plops
    are history.
    
    good luck,
    stephanie

    
    
    One of the things that I have done in the past is go out to the
    Farm and Fleet and get Kaopectate in the gallon jug.  You add water
    to the jug to make a liquid from the powder and then give it by
    mouth with an oral syringe.  This helps to dry them up and control
    the dehydration.  It has a cherry flavor and the horses seem to
    like it a lot.  The amount you give depends on body weight.  I would
    check with the vet and see what he thinks about the diarrhea.  Several
    horses have had it at the old barn I was boarding at in Chicago
    and it seems to be related to the drought and the quality of the
    hay that has been available this year.  I think the Kaopectate is
    also available from most vets.  I went to Farm and Fleet because
    it was cheaper there.  
    
    Pat

    
    
    
    There seems to be a mild virus going around and this is the main
    sympton.  A friend's horse had it.  Then it went through all six
    horses at my place one at a time.  I just let it run it's course
    and all were fine.
    
    

    
    Another "help" is replenishing the "helpful" bacteria in the gut.
    (Works for people, too)
    
    You can do this by feeding for a few days:
    
    1.  Yogurt (mixed with honey in a syringe)  -- that good ole'
        lactobacillus 
    
    or
    
    2.  START-BAC  by Farnum (which has lactobacillus)
    
    or 
    
    3.  PROBIOCIN  which you get from your vet which has lactobacillus
        (marketed by the Microbial-Genetics division of Pioneer Hi-bred
        International.  They are the ones which sold the Start-bac formula
        to Farnum)

             
    Hi!
    Your horse may have a problem because of the PELLETS. I had a mare
    that I switched to pellets in the same manner (amount) that I would
    for changing one sweet feed to another. What I didn't realise was
    that you have to go much slower when changing to pellets. I tried
    decreasing the feed (pellets) and increasing the hay..to no avail.
    Finally I took her off of pellets . After 1-2 weeks her problem
    went away. Then I started my feed change back to pellets, but in
    increments that were 1/2 the previous amount. 
    	I want you to know this is a common problem with pellets, and
    it takes twice as long to make a feed change to pellets, if you 
    want to avoid mucky manure! 
    	If the feed change is the problem....sometimes, feeding free-
    range hay (as much as the horse wants, keep the hay rack full) can
    speed things along...it should only take a few days to see improvement.
    
    		I wish you and your horse luck!
    
    			Nancy
    
    P.S. Don't worry...horses can survive nicely on hay alone for a
    few days.
       

    Have you tried worming your horse,  Yes you probably have but it
    was just a thought.  My horse suffers with the squitts, we wormed
    him and it became just a little more lumpy.  When he does get the
    runs I find that A little extra bran helps as it clears the system
    out.  He has this with nuts and molly chaff.
    
    try it anyway.
    
    Do you take your horse for walks as well.  Considering that he is
    retired and can't be ridden to much he will still need exercise
    and taking your horse or pony for a walk can be great fun, and it
    makes life more interesting for him.  This will help towards his
    squitts clearing up.
    

    OBVIOUSLY KEEP A CLOSE ON ON HIM, BUT CAROB SOMETIMES HELPS.
    
    MELT SOME DOWN IN WATER AND ADD TO BRAN FOR A BRAN MASH.  
    
    LET ME KNOW IF IT HELPS.  
    
    
    

    Thanks for all the replies:
    
    Chucky is doing much better! His squitts have cleared. Being as
    old as he is, I think the amount and type of food and fresh grass
    was to rich for him. 
    He's on 4 flakes of hay a day now, 2 qts of low protein pellets,
    a cup of bran, and Clovite for good measure. He's restricted from 
    sweet feed and grass and it's been working great!
    
    I guess it came down to a poor feeding schedule on my part. It just
    breaks my heart to hear him cry when his buddy is in the field and
    he can't go! But, I have to be strong!

    The squitts are back! Is it possible that the *alfalfa* hay is causing
    him to get this? (he was on grass/timothy/clover hay before I got
    him)
    
    Can this rich hay cause him to founder? Or is that only if he is
    overfed? Should I put him on lower protein hay? 
    
    The previous owner said he did founder once due to improper cooling
    after being worked heavily by one of her neighborhood kids.
    
    I'm really walking on eggshells! I've been keeping a close eye on
    him and he's perky, alert, and in great health other than the squitts.
    Should I be worried? 
                        
    Help! Tina
    

    Alfalfa could be the problem.  We have seen this as a result of
    changing the alfalfa content of our hay before.  I generally try
    to stay at a mix of less than 40% alfalfa in our hay and much prefer
    a timothy hay.  I would be very careful of what you feed, both how
    much and its nutritional value.  I've heard that Ponies are much
    more succesptible to founder caused by feed changes (usually when
    going from poor feed to a rich feed).  You have to judge the amount
    to feed based on the animal.  We have horses that don't get any
    more than you are feeding and are still plump.  I would have the
    vet come down just to be sure something serious isn't going on here.
    
    Bob
    

    
    I have a 25+ year old horse that has the same problem periodically
    (usually at about 6 month intervals).  The first time I panicked
    and called the Vet immediately.  She checked him for virus' etc
    and finally decided it was "Old Age".  A few bottles of Kaopectate
    later, and he was fine.  Now, whenever it happens, I just give him
    a bottle or two at the first signs and he usually clears up in 1
    to 2 days.  
    
    I have also noticed this happens after a radical change such as
    moving to a new barn.  Maybe it's nerves!  I don't know!
    
    Hope your pony is better by now... but thought I'd reply anyways!
    
    kathy

    
    Heat and Diarrhea
    
    
    
    Well Pookie has it again -- Diarrhea.  It seems to happen every time
    there is a drastic weather change as in this past week.  
    
    I have reviewed note #698 on Diarrhea and noticed that some of the
    noters felt it could be too much alfalfa.  The hay Pook currently is on
    is a bit more rich and has more alfalfa.  I am going to try to get some
    less rich hay from the woman I board with and give that a try.  
    
    Something else...I add 1 tablespoon of salt to his morning and
    afternoon rations because the little darling will not use salt licks.  
    Doing this has kept him (I believe anyway based on previous years when
    he didn't get the salt added to his food) from getting the squirts all 
    summer until now (the dr recommended the salt).  Actually he is on the
    same hay he has been on all summer too so that is why I am not sure
    that it is the alfalfa, but who knows.  He was00 wormed in mid-July and
    is due to be done this week.  He also gets 2 tablespoons of MSM a day
    (dr's orders).  I feed him 4 qts of strider and 1 qt of rider a day. 
    
    This condition happens regularly and then just goes away.  By regularly
    I mean on very hot days or in extreme weather changes.  He has had it
    this time for several days now (he drinks a bathtub of water every 
    two days +/-) so I am not worried about him getting dehydrated.  Not 
    only is this condition evident when he poops but when he passes gas 
    he drips all down himself.  He has to get a butt bath everyday he has 
    it.  Has anyone else experienced this?  
    
    Pookie is 20 +/- years old.