How does lemon juice help bladder stones? I haven’t heard of that before. We haven’t tried misoprostol yet. Abdominal ultrasound may be done when he goes to the clinic. They also might try him on sucralfate again.
They changed hay stacks at the barn yesterday, so his belly is all gurgles despite being on a double dose of Platinum Balance and Probios per vet’s instructions last week. Poor guy.
[QUOTE=IPEsq;9039083]
How does lemon juice help bladder stones? I haven’t heard of that before. We haven’t tried misoprostol yet. Abdominal ultrasound may be done when he goes to the clinic. They also might try him on sucralfate again.
They changed hay stacks at the barn yesterday, so his belly is all gurgles despite being on a double dose of Platinum Balance and Probios per vet’s instructions last week. Poor guy.[/QUOTE]
How is his attitude, is he still bright? I hate when any of my animals get the “gurgle guts”. Actually, I hate having “gurgle guts” myself!
OMG, I had this same horse
Exact same parking out, refusing to go forward, acting like ha had to pass gas.
Had always been a bit reluctant to go forward under saddle and gassy, but it just escalated to the point he was nearly unrideable. I really think it was a combination of sensitive stomach… ulcers… and cervical pain and back pain from a bad saddle fit. He got turned out for about 3 months then went back to work in a lesson barn where he is not doing much and isn’t asked to do dressage type work or jump much. His intermittent hind end lameness is gone. My assessment is that he just can’t hold up to the type of work I wanted to do. Lower level putzing around and trail riding in a nice wide saddle and he’s fine.
To my mind, something is not adding up. This has been going on for weeks, if not months. Corona Virus is typically over in a few days, right? Obviously, something’s wrong with OP’s horse, but I doubt it’s Corona. Is he quarantined at the barn, just in case?
OP, I hope you get to the bottom of it for your sake as well as your horse!
[QUOTE=vxf111;9038871]
Small or not, if a vet school admits horses with communicable disease and can’t quarantine them, they’re no vet school. I’m sure many times when my horse is at New Bolton there are horses with communicable diseases there at the same time. NB keeps them quarantined. If CSU is too small to do that, I’m sure they’d tell OP they couldn’t accommodate her horse (which may be what happened). It makes me wonder how good CSU is that their own clients seem to give them no credit for knowing basic biosecurity?![/QUOTE]
This is a great institution with an excellent reputation, but they can only act on information that is known to them.
While you may be second-guessing by your own definition, I am not. I am speaking from first-hand information from the clinical stuff, direct and unequivocal. They do not admit horses with known infections to the hospital for bone scans or any other exams/procedures. The only exception is for life-saving surgeries, and those are done using strict biosecurity protocols.
[QUOTE=LarkspurCO;9039253]
This is a great institution with an excellent reputation, but they can only act on information that is known to them.
While you may be second-guessing by your own definition, I am not. I am speaking from first-hand information from the clinical stuff, direct and unequivocal. They do not admit horses with known infections to the hospital for bone scans or any other exams/procedures. The only exception is for life-saving surgeries, and those are done using strict biosecurity protocols.[/QUOTE]
OP made it quite clear that CSU was told about the coronavirus test results?! See post 96. They were told and nonetheless booked an appointment.
He’s been bright, eating normally and drinking. Begging for carrots. Never had a fever–I’ve been taking temp regularly. His manure looked normal today despite the new hay gurgles. There’s no quarantine stall to move him to but he gets solo turnout and always has at this barn. The paddock does not get used by anyone else. One of his barn neighbors was tested and negative. The other one hasn’t been tested but has shown no signs of infection. The second horse tested lives in a different set of stalls. My horse does not get to use his run out, so he is always more confined than the others. The manure pile is way on the other side of the property in a fairly isolated area. ThreeFigs, you are right. His behavior off and on over the last 6 months and his extreme behavior the past month cannot be due to ECoV. We just happened to find ECoV when looking for something else that could be a plausible explanation. That’s why we want to keep looking. Mellsmom, I’d be happy if he were even willing to putz around under saddle at this point. That would be an improvement.
Larkspur, I don’t know how many times I have to say that CSU was informed of the positive test before you will understand. They were informed by my regular vet at least twice.
[QUOTE=vxf111;9039340]
OP made it quite clear that CSU was told about the coronavirus test results?! See post 96. They were told and nonetheless booked an appointment.[/QUOTE]
It’s quite clear that is what she wants us to believe.
[QUOTE=LarkspurCO;9039683]
It’s quite clear that is what she wants us to believe.[/QUOTE]
You have to assume at least one licensed vet is lying too?!
Maybe she’s lying about the whole thing?! Maybe the horse isn’t even real?! Maybe we’re all characters in a cat’s daydream. I don’t see any reason to disbelieve this part of OP’s story and not the rest. She’s been INCREDIBLY forthcoming about this horse for YEARS.
IPEsq–I really hope that you one day figure out all the things that might be bothering your horse. I am glad that he did not get sick from the coronavirus. The ones that got sick during last year’s outbreak in metro Denver really suffered and two of them died. One horse spent three weeks in the hospital. No one knows how many horses in the three affected barns were positive, because they only tested the few that showed symptoms. Likewise, I hope that no horses get sick in your barn. The very real possibility is that more than one horse is shedding virus.
I will admit that I am going to beat my chest (I just don’t do pearls), and say that I am the person who posted the information on Facebook so that others in my area could take reasonable precautions. I was thanked MULTIPLE times over because no one really wants a $15,000 vet bill or dead horse if they can avoid it. (I was also called a busy body by one involved person.) I share a coach with someone who is insisting on attending this clinic and I am currently deciding whether to make my coach take biosecurity measures or to drop out of training for a month with her altogether. IPEsq, I am sure you can understand that those of us who have had extraordinarily bad luck (e.g. of 50 horses in the barn, mine would be the one to find a fallen roof nail and impale her hoof) want to be extra special cautious.
As for the argument about who said what and when CSU learned about this and from who…well, they obviously know NOW and they are not letting the horse come. I only wish IPEsq’s barn owner would quarantine and cancel the clinic. It is a shame that some people don’t see the risk unless a horse gets really ill or dies. We really do not even need the POSSIBILITY of virus traveling back towards us on the south side of town, even if you guys up north are ok with it. And I really don’t want to have to cancel my lessons for a month…
Maybe we’re all characters in a cat’s daydream.
THAT’S why I found the string and catnip SO ENTERTAINING this afternoon :lol: :lol: I love it, vxf!
Ahem, carry on. Thanks for the entertainment 
IPEsq, I hope things start to look up. I know this barn is a good fit for the most part, but have you given any thought to a smaller facility that can feed your guy off the same load of hay for a year? I wonder if that would help.
[QUOTE=ThreeFigs;9039238]
To my mind, something is not adding up. This has been going on for weeks, if not months. Corona Virus is typically over in a few days, right? Obviously, something’s wrong with OP’s horse, but I doubt it’s Corona. Is he quarantined at the barn, just in case?
OP, I hope you get to the bottom of it for your sake as well as your horse![/QUOTE]
Here is the AEEP info on ECoV:
AEEP info sheet on ECoV
Text from the link; scroll on by if not interested. Text in bold was done by me, not the original authors.
Understanding Coronavirus
Linda Mittel, MSPH, DVM and Erin Goodrich, DVM
For years, veterinarians have recognized equine coronavirus (ECoV) as a cause of intestinal disease in foals. Recently, however, gastrointestinal illness associated with ECoV has been seen in adult horses.
A number of coronaviruses cause both respiratory and gastrointestinal disease in humans and affect many species, including birds, dogs, cats, whales, cattle, camels and bats. Up to this point, ECoV has only been reported as a gastrointestinal disease without a respiratory component.
These species-specific viruses are classified as alpha, beta, gamma or delta. The betacoronavirus that affects cattle tends to cause both respiratory and gastrointestinal signs, predominately during the cold winter months, and is commonly referred to as winter dysentery. Similarly, veterinarians see ECoV, also a betacoronavirus, most often in the colder months of the year.
Infected horses tend to have fevers exceeding 102oF, lose their appetites and appear depressed and lethargic. Typically, these signs resolve in one to four days with minimal treatment. Less commonly, horses might experience one or two days of diarrhea or loose feces and signs of mild colic such as flank watching and lying down. In rare instances, other complications can occur, such as septicemia (bloodstream infection), endotoxemia (endotoxins from bacteria released in the bloodstream), and encephalopathy (a brain disorder). These complications are associated with coronavirus breaking down the intestinal tract barrier, which allows bacteria and their byproducts to enter the bloodstream.
Researchers have not yet discovered the source of ECoV outbreaks. Horses on many farms where outbreaks have occurred have no history of travel or exposure to horses that don’t live on the farm or new arrivals. They do know ECoV spreads from horse to horse by fecal-oral transmission. Both clinically affected horses (showing signs of disease) as well as asymptomatic shedders (with no signs of disease but viral particles in their feces) can spread the virus to other horses. Scientists do not know if there are “carrier” animals that might serve to infect other horses.
To diagnose coronavirus, veterinarians must submit a fecal sample for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. This molecular test can detect the presence of the corona genomic RNA. During an ECoV outbreak, morbidity (clinical sickness) levels tend to be high, but mortality rates are quite low. This means many horses get sick when exposed to ECoV, but very few die as a result. Typically, treatment involves supportive care such as intravenous fluids; fever-reducing medications; and gastrointestinal protectants and anti-ulcer medications.
Due to the highly infectious nature of the coronavirus, whenever a veterinarian suspects or confirms cases on a farm, the property manager must institute appropriate biosecurity measures to minimize disease spread. Keep in mind that horses can shed the virus in their manure for several weeks following signs of illness, and some horses shed the virus without showing any signs at all. Encourage horse handlers to use disinfectant footbaths, individual thermometers for each horse, and disposable gloves if possible. Hand-washing is also important for preventing transmission. Isolate affected animals, and handle them last using separate equipment from what’s used in the rest of the barn. Also limit traffic into and out of the barn, use veterinary-grade disinfectants to inactivate the virus. Taking proper biosecurity measures each day will help not only protect your horse from ECoV but also prevent infectious disease outbreaks of all sorts.
Probably not the awnser you want to hear, but I would move the horse. Preferably quite a distance from your barn now. This would rule out any environmental causes. BTW these are almost impossible to track down otherwise.
Why would I have to assume that?
I’d also move the horse or at least stop feeding it beet pulp for a while, then the grass hay for a while. It has to be environmental.
And I’m sure you’ve done this but have you cleaned his sheath? Like, really really cleaned it?
Cowgirl, the state laws do not require the barn be quarantined, because ECoV is not a reportable disease. In that regard, I cannot force the BO to shut the gates or force your instructor to stay home, even though I asked the BO directly, in person, to please inform anyone scheduled to visit the property. Just as I’m sure you cannot force your instructor not to come to the farm. And you are right, there’s probably been another horse on the property either who lives there or who has visited or shares a trainer. My poop-eating horse probably got this from one of them. At this time, no other horses have been identified. Any possible suspects with concerned owners have been tested and are negative. These horses never had fevers but showed some other signs of possible infection. The tests were sent off all on the same day for the broad PCR.
I have cleaned his sheath recently. He doesn’t like to drop down, so it probably could be cleaned more thoroughly.
Moving the horse to another barn would definitely get me some backlash on this thread!
I would hope the OP is not going anywhere unless and until the ECoV status is confirmed, and then only when every other horse there is “clean” and it is safe to move animals in and out.
State laws do not, at present, require quarantine, you are correct, but the industry standard (see AAEP guidelines reprinted above) does, as well as instituting biosecurity. Responsible barn owners will impose a quarantine, as they did during the outbreak last year. Sure, you could move your infectious horse to another barn too. But I think you might have to get a different vet to sign a health certificate. My barn requires one…and yes, I can prevent my trainer from coming on the property for a month if that’s what I decide. I am in a private facility with a responsible owner.
Moving the horse to another barn would definitely get me some backlash on this thread!
Good point, I was thinking more when he’s been cleared, as a way to prevent upset from changing hay lots 
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