Sick horse - bugger

[Plomino]

Big horse has colic . Got him in at 5 and he immediately got down and rolled . Then got up , then down again . Up and down like a fiddlers elbow so out came the vet . One impaction , sedation and stomach tubing later , he's fast asleep , alternately snoring and farting . And I'll be up all night doing checks . Great . And we're not out of the woods yet . Fantastic .

Oh no, having had dpony with it twice this year you have my every sympathy. Has he had it before do you know? First time round dpony had the same treatment as yours but was fine within about 12 hours, second time round I caught him within about 30 minutes and we got away with Buscopan and Bute and he was banging on the stable door complaining he was hungry about 2 hours later. Fingers and toes crossed for you and him, hope you can get some rest during the day.

Oh, no. I hope he is better in the morning, and you manage some sleep tonight!

Aww poor big horse . Apparently colic takes a lot out of a horse. My former loan had colic one afternoon (ages ago now), and I kept an eye on him, but my instructor said he would be OK for the evening and said to put him in a stable so she could keep and eye on his for a bit. He immediately lay down (never does this), fell asleep, and was doing this weird blinking, leg-jerking thing. Freaked me out a bit!

Well he was very uncomfy yesterday, but with a gut full of Epsom salts not really surprised . Got precisely 2 hours sleep yesterday because this is the second time this year he's done this and last time we nearly lost him - he's too old for surgery to be a realistic option , quite apart from the fact he isn't insured for it . Went to work last night and left DH in charge , and so far this morning seems ok , but I'm still very cautious . Now going to bed for some sleep !

My vet mentioned to me what could be causing dpony's recurrent colics - there are fatty lumps which are called "pedunculated lipomas" which, in laymans terms are fatty growths on stalks which can get the gut twisted around itself/them. They are more likely in older horses & ponies, and more in geldings than mares. They can open up the horse and remove them, which we have decided not to do as dpony is 20+ and as he's an elderly gentleman I'm not prepared to put him through that, plus the cost £1.5-2k just isn't viable on a companion pony, much as I love him. It sounds like you are in a similar position, but you might find the article interesting. Of course it's quite possible that this is irrelevant, but I like having some idea of what might be going on!

We have decided that all we can do is keep a close eye on him at all times, and treat each event as it comes.......

www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2002/winter/pen_lip.shtml

How is big horse today Plomino? Fingers crossed that he is a bit better and feeling more like himself.

Well he's still a bit uncomfortable , but I've been watching him like a hawk and fingers crossed , he seems to be better . The article above sounds like a distinct possibility , because we simply don't have another explanation . There was no change in routine , his hay is always really well soaked as is his dinner , and we can't find another reason. Even the vet's mystified !

Mind you he loves all the attention !

Aww poor big horse. I always feel for them when they are sick. Glad to see he is a little better, and fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. Love that he is well enough to suck up all the attention he is getting!

Well I've just been sitting with dpony after another horrendous episode (and we're not done yet unfortunately). I went out this morning as usual to check/feed/pick up and found dpony had made a hell of a mess in the shelter, and broken through the electric fence into the big field where dhorse lives. He was standing in a corner with his head down and absolutely plastered in mud - he kept trotting off and then pawing the ground and turning his back on me but I got him in and he just went and stood in the corner shaking. Called the vet and whilst waiting had to keep him moving as he kept trying to go down, and also try to warm him up.

The vet thinks it's more of the same, only much worse this time as he'd obviously been colicking for a while, plus he was mildly hypothermic from the horrible weather. He's had a double dose of buscopan and bute, there are no blockages, his poo is ok but his heart rate was up and the membrane round his eye was redder than the vet was happy with. He is a little better now and has been offered a handful of grass, he's currently wearing a dog duvet, string rug, jute rug and fleece rug, all belonging to dhorse who is 16.2, pony is 12.1 so he looks a little overwhelmed but has finally stopped shivering. I'm to ring the vet again at 1pm and take it from there.

It's only 4 weeks since the last colic, so we're beginning to question how much longer we go on, he was so distressed this morning it was horrible to see and he's still miserable. The vet has said surgery really isn't an option for him at his age, the benefits and risks just don't stack up so we will have to treat each one as it comes and make the awful decision if they come too often. Monthly is not good for him, he was too uncomfortable.

Oh no I'm so sorry . I think you and I are in exactly the same position - so much loved , yet realistic enough to know the limitations . He's been my second soul mate - I never thought I'd get another horse like my first pony , yet he's taught me so much .

Your DPony sounds exactly like what big horse went through the first time . I found him laying in the mud when he never lay down in the field ever , and it too took two lots of Buscopan and sedative to sort him out . Ever since I've been probably over cautious , so I've just gone out and got him in from the pouring rain . I do hope he feels a bit better soon, it's miserable for everyone concerned x

The vet has just been for a follow up visit and administered a hefty dose of electrolyte and glucose, plus some more buscopan & bute. His heart rate is much better, down from 70 to 35, there is some sound in his guts although his eye membranes are still a bit too pink and he's not passed anything.

I stood out with him in the sunshine to warm him up, and dry him which seems to have helped, and he's now out on the yard and small paddock having a pick of grass. We're hoping that this will get his guts working properly.....I'm knackered! This pic is him drying out, he looks so tucked up and sad.

Had a full on horsey weekend which culminated in hearing Melanie Reid (Times journalist) talk about her riding accident and paralysis - at the Cheltenham Literary Festival which was fascinating but sobering - so was late back last night, and have another horse related evening tonight. Combine that with the emotional stress of worrying about dpony and I don't think I'll be much good for anything tomorrow.

Is your horse fully recovered do you think Plomino? My vet said that assuming it it the lipomas there's little to be done in the way of prevention, he checked my regime for dpony, said it was fine and carry on as we are.

Oh love him . Glad to hear his heart rate is better - maybe since he's warmed up a bit he might be a little more comfortable . My vet told me to get big horse out and walk him or very gently lunge him - so there I was walking him out on the lunge line on the yard at midnight trying to get his gut going ! It did succeed , he went and did a poo almost immediately , but as the yard is gravel , also woke the neighbours who thought one of theirs was out , so came and had a chat in the early hours ! I was on my knees for at least two days though and as you say , the worry is a big part of that because I didn't sleep for fretting . I don't know whether he's fully recovered , honestly . I think he's going to have to be even more carefully managed than before , and we'll just have to wing it as we go along . Doesn't make for relaxed horse ownership , does it ?

Am envious of you going to listen to Melanie Reid though - her accident was the catalyst for me going out and buying a decent back protector , and later an air jacket . It really brought home to me how risky this sport is .

Success! How sad to be excited by 2 poos......I've put him out in the big field to get some proper grass in to him rather than the short stuff from his diet patch. Dhorse has gone completely bonkers for some reason, I brought him in for his breakfast which he couldn't eat as he was twirling round the stable like a top, shaking and sweating. He's obviously heard something which has unhinged him. Put him back out again and he's now charging around with his tail stuck out and snorting whilst dpony has his head firmly down and won't play!

Oh yay ! Excellent news , I'm excited for you too !

Here's hoping Dr green does the trick , and he keeps on getting better ! Big horse is very cheerful indeed this morning and went charging out like a complete plonker , so he must be feeling better too . Yay dequines !

I can relax a bit now, I'll just have to keep watching him like a hawk for the signs of it happening again. Attached is a pic of dhorse staring like a loon out of his door this morning (through the dripping gutter!) - there was definitely something incredibly exciting out there!

Forgot the pic....

Oh he's lovely ! Definitely something very interesting going on going by those ears .

Here is big horse - spoilt creature that he is .

That's obviously a very interesting exchange of "words" going on between them! I love palomino or buckskin or whatever you're meant to call it these days, I had a lovely one called Apollo. Your big horse has a sweet face and his markings are gorgeous, how old is he? Do you do much with him (and have you needed the air jacket?!)

The Melanie Reid talk was very poignant, and rather sobering too. She was funny, interesting and matter of fact but did not hide the fact that she was extremely angry about being in a wheelchair and all the difficulties she faced, and how much she disliked being a "poster girl" for people with disabilities -
"I'm just me, and been dealt a crap hand" was the gist of it. Amazing lady, I'm full of admiration for her.

Hmm I think that conversation was "you go lame Monday to Thursday , and I'll take Friday to Sunday ! " Palomino was my first pony , had her over 30 years , and she never ever slowed down . She always believed she was 5 , even when she was 35 . He's now 23 , but I rescued him when he was 13 and a toast rack in the stable next door at the livery yard I was at . He was in such a state , covered in scabs and so thin, I thought I was buying a thoroughbred from his frame . 6 months later I realised I'd bought a Danish Warmblood . I managed to find his previous owners , and then found out he was a medium dressage horse ! He's taught me so much - although he's a push button horse , I pushed all the wrong buttons ! So had to completely rethink my riding style . Then we thought we'd try a little bit of cross country as a friend wanted to go , and he loved it . Absolutely loved it , so we did some low level eventing, which is great fun . These days though he's slowing down some , and I have my other rescue who will take over from him if I don't slow down first !