short term stress causing loose poops

[MissAriel]

My gelding is in good health, but any time we trailer somewhere he has a bout of loose poops bordering on diarrhea. It quickly resolves after we get home, but in the meantime he makes a mess of himself and the trailer. We have only ever done day trips, but I worry about when we start going to longer shows.

Anything I can do to help alleviate this? He already gets some probiotics in his TC30, but I could certainly add more the days before and during an outing if it would help. Would a dose of gastroguard help with the diarrhea, or is that really just to prevent ulcers?

[EmilyM]

The only thing I’ve used for acute diarrhea is BioSponge made by Platinum, but I’m not sure if you should use it as a preventative. That might be something to ask them or the vet. It works really well though.

[mydogs]

My guy does the same. I tried a round of ulcergard and it made a big difference in his poop. Normally if we travel for shows, he has loose stools in the trailer and at the show. Just seeing the trailer makes him get loose stools.

I gave UG 1 day before we left for the show but I think next time I would give it 2 days before. He got UC during the show and when we got home.

[Scribbler]

Probiotics won’t stop stress related diarrhea. The only thing that will stop them is reducing the stress. I’ve noticed that as I trailer more often, my mare has reduced her high volume loose poops.

It’s just something I expect from every horse and am pleasantly surprised when they don’t!

Nothing like having a horse empty his colon practically in your face when you lean over to shut the butt bar behind him!

I carry poop scoop gear, sometimes I can scoop before the ramp goes up, and always before reloading.