Had a very similar problem with Quinn. Has been on Omega Alpha Biotic 8, as has Aubrey and have had no new episodes.
Mine had it for years, even before I bought him and worked at the same barn. I tried the homemade succeed recipe and it helped a little but not completely.
I tried sand clear, bio sponge and probiotics, nothing helped. I finally bought G.U.T. and no more runny poop. He will get a slightly messy butt when spring grass comes in aND drastic hay changes but a huge difference on the G.U.T…
Red, what did you deworm with?
I used Quest once and poor guy had terrible tummy trouble for 4-5 days. I am very hesitant to use again.
While I have noticed some improvement this year compared to last, winter temp swings and diet changes seem to cause the flare ups.
I suspect ulcer flare ups… but hind gut since all ulcer meds make the issue worse, including the Equisure.
Debating trying the trihist or G.U.T, though unsure where to buy the GUT being in Canada…
Do you think the sugars in the pasture grasses, or increased sugars in the feed change may be an issue?
My 32? year old grade pony has had off and on again juicy farts and liquid after BMs. I tried many of the things listed above in previous responses.
For my old guy there are 2 triggers.
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Hay. His teeth don’t work very well anymore. He still has them, but they are smooth. Even fine stemmed, leafy hay is hard for him to chew enough to be the right length. He seems to be able to eat grass with minimal to no issues. I just have to be sure the paddock is turned out on has grass that is no taller than 4-6 inches. He does best on grass that is “lawn” height.
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High sugars in grass. I’m in Central VA. We have had a rainy spell followed by a major warm up. It was almost 80 the other day. The grasses have started to grow. The sugars are high in these grasses. Which leads to juicy farts and poo that is less firm than ideal.
The thing that has helped him the most is to provide a few extra pounds of short stem fiber to help soothe his gut and help absorb the water in his digestive tract. By adding 1-2 pounds of beet pulp shreds or grass pellets, I have been able to resolve most of the gross butt issues.
The best way for me to clean the gross butt/ tail is to coat them with baby oil, let it sit for several hours, and then was with Dawn.
Absolutely, for the first two weeks on pasture, he is messy but it resolves when left on pasture until November and the pasture has depleted.
By end of November, he goes through off/on again dirty bum but normal piles. All tied to sudden weather drops or warm ups.
Great idea with baby oil! I will give that a shot! thank you
I am wondering if I may have come to the conclusion of ulcers…
After reading an article today about why Ulcers occur it seems my guy could have a mild allergy or disturbance with something in hay/grass which causes histamine to be released which then causes an abundance of acid, then in turn, the healing ulcers flare up.
Called vet to ask about scoping, he prefers not to, saying colon can be very easy to irritate. Hind gut ulcers not as easily remedied by omeprazole… he still thinks time and no excessive stress/food changes.
Wondering if the Trihist would work? If i can find it… lol
I used Quest - moxidectin. It made my guy a little unhappy for a few days too, but not immediately. Not surprising really as his hindgut started to expel the dead small strongyles. The first time I did it he was a horrible poop juicy mess for a week. Poor guy.
Your fellow does not sound like mine.
Following. My 25 year old started having juicy farts this winter. Nothing has changed in his diet and his last fecal (done in Sept) was clear. He’s still holding his condition well and it definitely seems to come and go.
He’s currently eating 2lbs TC Senior with SmartCombo Senior Ultra Pellets (which includes smartgut), free choice timothy, and 1 flake alfalfa. I tried removing the alfalfa and it made no difference.
Following this thread with considerable interest!
For the past couple of years, my now almost 19 year old mare has had what I “fondly” term “Brown Butt Syndrome” (of course, she is GREY! my next horse will be BROWN, I swear!).
I gave her Ration Plus (probiotic) per my vet’s recommendation, but I don’t think it did much for her.
I give her psyllium for the first week each month (Sand Clear is one product, but there are others). It helps, until the week is up. I just received Platinum Performance Bio-Sponge, and will give her the first dose this evening. Fingers crossed!
She does seem worse if the hay is coarse (going to talk with supplier if he has a field that produces finer 1st cutting). It’s not high sugar - provides lots of “good chew,” but not a lot of nutrition – which is a good thing in her case.
Interestingly, when “Dr. Green” appears in the spring and she gets some time with “him,” the Brown Butt Syndrome has cleared up at least for a few months, then it comes back.
She has really had it bad this winter, when we have gone from bitter cold to sudden thaws, so I’m wondering whether there could be some sort of allergic issue contributing.
Is sucralfate a reasonable option if the hind gut may be irritated/have ulcers?
I tried sucralfate with my guy. Including ome, then tried equisure, all made his tummy worse.
From what I have read there is not a lot of research done on hind gut ulcers and due to being so far along in the tract the meds are mostly rendered useless.
Jean I feel your pain!!! Out of curiosity have you tried quest?
I feel like I should but I’m afraid…
i was debaring trying U Gard pellets… mostly natural incrediants with hydro… something or other which helps inhibit added stomach acid caused by the weather stress.
headbang
Yes, I have tried Quest. I can’t say that I thought it made any difference.
Okay good to know jean … well not good but glad we can both eliminate that option.
Keep us posted! Snaps for your success!
If your horse is having changes with the weather, it could be changes in the sugars in the pasture grasses. The only way to remove that is to have the horse on a dry lot, feed hay and see if he has a gross butt.
For my pony, poor dentition due to age (32, teeth are all present, but smooth) and sensitivity to sugars (probably age related as well) cause the brown butt issue (and he is a grey!!!). When the pastures are dormant he will have a brown butt if he doesn’t get enough short stem fiber ( grass pellets or dry beet pulp). He only needs a few pounds once a day to solve the problem. When the grass is actively growing, but the temperatures are moderate and there hasn’t been excessive rain, he has a normal butt. If we have temperature fluctuations and/or lots of rain, he will have a brown butt. It again seems to be resolved by adding a couple of pounds of short stem fiber to his diet. Adding alfalfa pellets doesn’t help. I asked a vet why. He explained that when horses have colic surgery, they are placed on an alfalfa only diet because it has a tendency to produce soft stools.
So there is a joke my husband tells…2 guys hanging around. One says my favorite invention is a radio. Doodle doodle and across the air you can hear what someone a long way away is saying. The second guy says my favorite is the TV. Twiddle twiddle across the air comes sound and a moving picture and you can see what someone is saying and doing. The third guy says… a thermos, it keeps hot things hot and cold things cold…How does it know?!!
Short stem fiber in a horse’s diet seems to be like the thermos, if firms up loose stool, but has the ability to loosen up stools that are too firm. And this works for humans as well!! Metamucil, great if you can’t go and great if you are going too much!
And YES, this is oversimplified!!!
Super interesting jawa! Thank you for the post! Love the joke lol
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