Hafllinger with loss of appetite

[downen]

First of all, I have a call in to the vet, no worries about that. But I thought I might tap into the collective COTH hive mind to see if anyone has any ideas.

13-year-old Haflinger gelding, have owned him for 8 months. 13 hands, very chucky, drafty style of Haffy. Had IR and Cushing’s tests done, fell solidly in middle range but I am managing him as though he is a candidate for both. Xrays showed no past rotation.

He’s on about 1/4 acre paddock with grass he has mostly grazed down, and gets supplemental grass hay, same as he’s eaten all winter. The last few days he’s only nibbled on the hay, but I assumed he was busy grazing down his paddock. He did get turned out for a few hours on pasture last Sunday with his stablemate.

He’s normally out 24/7 but I stalled them last night due to rain and cool temps. He was eating hay when I left last night. This morning I noticed he was NQR. He does not get grain, but gets Santa Cruz Wellness and Santa Cruz Metabolism supplements. He normally gobbles that down, but left a little behind this morning. He did eat his carrot stretches carrots. Drank and peed normally.

Gut quiet but when I turned him out he let out gas and then pooped a normal looking pile. He started nibbling on grass but not enthusiastically. I took his temp and it was 99.6. No detectable digital pulse.

I am in No. IL (Chicago area) so we’ve been have schizophrenic spring weather. He’s originally from KY, they brought him to IL last year shortly before I bought him.

Any ideas are welcome, and thanks in advance!

[FjordBCRF]

I don’t think I have anything that helpful; the first time my fjord wasn’t interested in his hay, he coliced shortly after. It was after a trail ride where he peed and pooped during the ride and everything else after (temp/pulse/etc) was normal. Thankfully I was there as it happened and got some banamine in him which did the trick. That was early fall when his coat started growing in and I had trace clipped him, but it was on a warmer day which I think played into it.

Anytime now before/after a ride if he doesn’t have hay in his stall I offer him a handful of soaked hay cubes to make sure he’s interested.

I hope the vet can give you some answers, all I know is when a food vacuum doesn’t want food, something is off.

[trubandloki]

A Haffie not interested in food = something is wrong.

Hopefully your vet can get there and help you figure it out.

Jingles!

[downen]

Thanks for your responses! It is definitely colic, and the vet will be out soon. He had me give him some Banamine and I’ve hand walked him. It must be the early stages, he ate a bit of grass on our walk, but he also rolled. He’s standing outside quitely now and I can see him from my window.

It’s just such a strange presentation, but my gut says impaction. I’ll have the vet oil him and see how he does.

Thanks again and the jingles are appreciated!

[FjordBCRF]

Another thing to look for that I recently learned with my gelding when he coliced, was that he kept dropping like he had to pee but wasn’t peeing. The vet explained that gas bubbles can sit next to their bladders and cause them to feel like they have to pee. So I watch for that too…that was a sign I wasn’t aware of previously.

Glad you got some banamine for him and the vet is coming out. Fingers crossed you will be all good!!

[downen]

Vet just left. All vitals good, vet thinks maybe just a little indigestion. Since he didn’t poop all night we oiled him to be safe, and he gave him some IV banamine. I know Haffies have a reputation for being a bit stubborn, but we were able to tube him without a twitch. He’s such a good boy!

Thanks again for all of your thoughts!

[downen]

I can’t resist posting a picture of the little bugger, he’s way too cute:

.
This is last fall, I got some weight off him over the winter

[FjordBCRF]

Yay for good news!

[candyappy]

Did the vet palpate in addition to giving mineral oil? This crazy weather can really contribute to episodes of colic.

My mare had a slight impaction one year and all her vitals were normal when my vet came but he did just as your vet did.

She was still eating a little hay but I knew we had a problem when I turned her out on pasture and she walked around but didn’t eat.

I am sure your boy will be fine now.

[downen]

My vet did not palipicate @candyappy, my boy was already eating again by the time he arrived, so it seemed like the worst was over. If there is/was a slight impaction, the mineral should take care of it. There were good gut noises, too.

I can see my boy from my kitchen windows and he’s been grazing and looking well for the last hour or so. I’ll continue to keep a close eye on him, though. Thanks for your input!

[candyappy]

Just wondered. You will find the oil covered poops and know he is passing it. Glad he is doing better. It is really disturbing when they go off.

[Clover5]

He may be overheating.

My haffie has the most luxurious chinchilla coat. He doesn’t have cushings; it’s a normal coat but very dense (he has enough follicles per inch that the vets often have trouble finding skin for blood draws).

When he overheats (from unusually hot, sunny days in the winter/spring, or from being in a heated barn in the winter) he presents like he’s colicing - laboured breathing, lethargic, not interested in food, somewhat bloated, but with normal gut sounds/pooping. When he’s cooled off he goes back to being perky and mischievous almost instantly.

[downen]

You have a fuzzy Haffy, too! We actually had a cold front come through and the temps dropped into the high 50s low 60s. It was quite cool yesterday, last night and today, so I don’t think he was overheating. He’s also mostly shed out.

I would love to see a picture of your Chinchilla Haffy, though, and thanks!

[StormyDay]

@Clover5

He may be overheating.

My haffie has the most luxurious chinchilla coat. He doesn’t have cushings; it’s a normal coat but very dense (he has enough follicles per inch that the vets often have trouble finding skin for blood draws).

When he overheats (from unusually hot, sunny days in the winter/spring, or from being in a heated barn in the winter) he presents like he’s colicing - laboured breathing, lethargic, not interested in food, somewhat bloated, but with normal gut sounds/pooping. When he’s cooled off he goes back to being perky and mischievous almost instantly.

Just going to chime in to agree. I took care of a haffie and he lost his appetite every time it got above about 65 degrees, he just got too hot under all the extra layers he had. He needed to be clipped every month or so year round. In the winter time he would be clipped and happy as a clam because it was 25 degrees out.

[downen]

Yes, I did notice my boy gets very hot. Last fall when I first got him he got very shaggy very quickly, and we had some unseasonably warm temps, so he was pretty sweaty.

However, yesterday was a very cool day, so I don’t think it was heat. In fact today he seems perfectly fine, and the temp has risen a good 20 degrees. He’s not sweating at all and he cleaned up his morning supplements.

Thanks again for all the advice, this is my first Haffy so it’s a learning curve!