MSJ-
How’s the old guy doing today?
[QUOTE=skyy;4545283]
How’s the old guy doing today?[/QUOTE]
Actually he’s doing a good bit better. 
I’m being cautiously optimistic though.
I think the Stomach Soother is kicking in. He’s been off of SS for probably a good yr or more so it’s like it’s being reintroduced to his system. Mind you the manure is still very ‘juicy’ but we are getting sort of a ball formation that immediately goes soft when it hits the ground. I guess that’s not an accurate description but his butt was pretty easy to clean this AM and even better this evening. No solid ball formation but then when his manure was good, it still was soft anyway.
Got an email from Platinum Performance that they shipped the Bio-Sponge on Monday so hopefully it will get here by Friday.
Although I’ve got 4 and a half bottles of SS so I might just see how he does if I leave him on it. Each bottle lasts about 8 days so if he’s doing well on it by the time I have ~1.5 bottles left I may just order more and keep my fingers crossed.
Thanks for asking.
just started my boy on Bio-Sponge and since he had been doing a little bit better with the Stomach Soother, I added that as well. It was a traumatic day here in the first place with a nasty winter storm. I tried keeping the boys in but they would have nothing to do with that. Poopy-boy did nothing but scream that his buddy wasn’t there (he was 2 stalls away ) and with the screaming came liquid manure. 
So, here’s hoping the Bio-Sponge and SS help him.
This weather is quite a challenge for horses that aren’t having digestive problems let alone ones that are! I hope he starts improving again. I went to college in Rochester. Lovely weather you have there…
[QUOTE=skyy;4549359]
This weather is quite a challenge for horses that aren’t having digestive problems let alone ones that are! I hope he starts improving again. I went to college in Rochester. Lovely weather you have there…[/QUOTE]
skyy, when Eastman Kodak called the school I attended and asked one of the profs to recommend a couple of students for a position, the prof recommended me. He told me about the position (and $alary :D) but I had no idea where Rochester was as I had sent all my resumes down to the Philly and DC area. Once I looked on a map,:eek: well… I couldn’t say no but… Then several yrs later a head hunter called me and told me of lovely position but it was in Chazey (sp?) NY which is just about into Canada and a lot further north than Rottenchester. Needless to say I turned down a job offer of 1/3 more than I was getting at the time. :sigh:
Yeah, msj, I hear ya. I went to RIT as it was one of the few schools at the time in the country with the degree program that I wanted. I’m from south central PA (and now live NW of Philly) and thought PA winters were bad enough. RIT offered me a great scholarship and I was hardly in a position to pass that up because of crappy weather so I went. I did learn how to drive in the snow and met my future husband so it wasn’t all bad!
[QUOTE=skyy;4550518]
Yeah, msj, I hear ya. I went to RIT as it was one of the few schools at the time in the country with the degree program that I wanted. I’m from south central PA (and now live NW of Philly) and thought PA winters were bad enough. RIT offered me a great scholarship and I was hardly in a position to pass that up because of crappy weather so I went. I did learn how to drive in the snow and met my future husband so it wasn’t all bad![/QUOTE]
Well skyy, I’m originally from south western PA (Johnstown) and learned real fast how to drive in the snow and on mountain roads. 
I remember going out to the barn and with the country roads having 3-4’ snow banks, I’d intentionally put the car into a skid to learn how to steer out of one! Hey, the worst ya’d have to do was dig your car out of the snow banks !
How’s your boy now that he’s had a few days of Bio Sponge?
[QUOTE=skyy;4552265]
How’s your boy now that he’s had a few days of Bio Sponge?[/QUOTE]
No improvement at all and to be honest, I really think he’s worse.
I’m in the process of making arrangements for the horse’s owner, who huband manages a large equipment sales and rental (Cat and Massey Ferguson) to get a backhoe out here to dig a hole for burial. Right now all his backhoes are rented out so I’m trying to arrange for backup. Monday AM I’m calling the vet to come and euthanize him either Monday or Tuesday. The vet office only takes emergencies on weekends so I can’t schedule anything until Monday.
I cannot watch him go downhill and that’s all that’s left for him to do. 
I’m a true believer in: “Better a month early than a day late…”
Oh Sue that is heartbreaking news. I am so sorry.
I’ve got absolutely no doubt he’s had some great years with you, enjoying his retirement, and surely he’s had the best of care!
Wish we were in the same corner of WNY, I’d bring my old man over to keep your other old man company.
Big hugs to you and both your boys. Hope you guys have a quiet and peaceful weekend together.
Oh, msj, I am sorry. I was really hoping for good news. That completely and totally sucks. I agree whole heartedly with “a day too soon rather than a day too late.” This winter is reportedly going to be colder and snowier than others so maybe it’s better that it’s now instead of him having to suffer through the winter with it. Even when you know you’re making the right decision, the sorrow is the same.
Flash and skyy, thanks. I’ll miss the old codger but it really is the best decision. Horses are funny, you know, in that they really will tell you that they’ve taught everyone everything they know and it’s time to pass on. This old guy sure taught a lot of people a lot of things. :sadsmile:
Also sorry to hear he isn’t doing better. Jingles for all his friends and family
Wait, did I miss something? Did you try the metronidazole? I really hope you try it before you put him down because of the liquid poop.
How can it hurt to try it, if the alternative is a backhoe?
[QUOTE=Mary in Area 1;4552879]
Wait, did I miss something? Did you try the metronidazole? I really hope you try it before you put him down because of the liquid poop.
How can it hurt to try it, if the alternative is a backhoe?[/QUOTE]
Mary, on Monday when I call the vet clinic I will ask again and ask to speak to the vet that knows this horse the best (she was out of town when I called) and get down on bended knee and use the same logic. The other vet I spoke with on Monday wasn’t about to have her opinion questioned (I guess that comes with young and recently out of school). IF, and that’s a big if, there is any improvement I will be overjoyed but I’d rather anticipate the worst and be happy if it doesn’t come to fruition.
If no luck, this old guy has had a good life and has helped a lot of people with their riding etc.
Also, Mary, I don’t want to happen what happened last winter with trying to clean him up in weather in the single digits and teens. Oops, we’ve already had the teens :eek: and clean up is no fun. Fortunately last winter I was able to get him cleared up pretty quickly and under control. We’ve already gone on about twice as long as last year with no improvement and his condition only getting worse.
So sorry, MSJ.
These last few days have been hell on wheels for horses with solid systems. I know you will make the best decision for him.
I’m a little late to this somber party, but for those who might be coming to this thread for other suggestions, I’ve had great success with slippery elm bark powder. You mix it into a paste with warm water and dose with it however you can; some of them like the taste and gobble it up with a little feed. Some sources say 1/3 of a cup, some say only a couple of tablespoons- for an acute case I generally start around 1/4 cup and adjust as I see results or lack thereof.
Works for dogs too. Quickly.
It isn’t cheap but certainly worth a shot when nothing else is working. You can get it at holistic food stores, but for horse sized quantities I’d look for bulk suppliers online.
Here:
http://www.amazon.com/Slippery-Inner-Powder-CERTIFIED-ORGANIC/dp/B000UYFKXI
My thoughts will be with you early this week, MSJ.
I’m sure you’ll do what you feel is best for the horse. If you do decide that you want to try a little longer, Desitin (in my opinion) is far and away better than vaseline for his butt.
My horse is prone to scratches. I put a salve on the lesions then slather on the desitin. Even with all the mud and rain we’ve had this year the stuff stays on. It’s designed specifically to protect baby bottoms from ammonia and it really does work.
Obviously, I’m coming in to this thread late.
You are there and I’m not; you see him and you (and the owners) are the ones who must make the best decision you can with the information that you have. I certainly support your decision, if that’s what you feel is right.
In the meantime, I will second the person who recommended trying psyllium (the base ingredient in Metamucil, and what most, if not all of the sand removal aids are).
That is what my vet had me put my old guy on - a cup/day for several days - for “projectile”, watery diarreah. In the meantime, the vet ran blood looking for possible culprits, looking at kidney and liver function, etc. (He was about 30 years old at the time).
Now, I feed psyllium one week a month to all the horse kids anyway, since we are in an area with a lot of sand in the ground base.
But within 24 hours of starting the psyllium, the old horse had returned to “cow-patty” consistency, and back to “normal” within 72 hours.
Yes, it could be that whatever the underlying cause was, had passed through, of course.
But the psyllium definately absorbs a lot of the excess moisture, and could very well have helped.
Question: Is the old boy on grass, or on grass pasture/turnout? If so, just wondering whether new grass/higher water content in the grass could be a contributing factor, since (if I read it correctly) this appears to be a recurring/seasonal thing with this horse…
The other thought there, is that a sand/dirt accumulation could be an underlying cause for the diarreah, and could be that this is the time of year the grass is at a level that he’s picking up more than other times of the year.
How are his teeth? (could contribute to picking up more dirt/sand, among other things).
Sending positive/supportive thoughts, regardless…
[QUOTE=tma;4554554]
Question: Is the old boy on grass, or on grass pasture/turnout? If so, just wondering whether new grass/higher water content in the grass could be a contributing factor, since (if I read it correctly) this appears to be a recurring/seasonal thing with this horse…
The other thought there, is that a sand/dirt accumulation could be an underlying cause for the diarreah, and could be that this is the time of year the grass is at a level that he’s picking up more than other times of the year.
How are his teeth? (could contribute to picking up more dirt/sand, among other things).
Sending positive/supportive thoughts, regardless…[/QUOTE]
Old guy is off any significant grass. He’s in a sacrifice paddock with some little nibbbles and was better when he was on grass. His teeth were done at the end of Sept. for the 2nd time this year. He gets dental twice/yr at a minimum. He’s on soaked hay that he’s been eating since July. No change there as I order all my hay at one time from the same farmer.
Thanks for the thoughts.
Everyone, much as I appreciate all the additional suggestions, and I really do, I can keep trying everything under the sun and still have to try to keep him clean and hydrated while the weather here in the NE will only get worse and, believe me, it’s no fun trying to clean a horse’s butt, hocks, inner gaskin area, down the legs and tail when the temps get into the teens and single digits and worse.
When the vet office opens in the morning, I’m going to try to get the vet that knows this horse the best and really likes him very much to prescribe the metronidazole. If she won’t then I’m asking her to please put him down or plan to come out twice a day and clean him up or take him to her farm. I simply cannot do it another winter. I saw him go downhill last winter and I spent the entire summer getting him back. I reiterate I will not watch that again and I seriously doubt his owner will spring for any additional testing either.
I’ve followed your posts for awhile and remember clearly how rough his winter was last year.
You’ve been there for the horse for many years, you know him best, I am certain that if you are saying it’s time… it is time.
Whatever happens today, my thoughts are with you. :sadsmile:
