Chronic diarrhea in Horses - Anybody have a good remedy? Im at a loss!

[duckluck]

Quote:
I don't think the fiber content would be an issue for horses though, like it can be for people...they evolved eating lots and lots of fiber, after all. That being said, why not slow down their grain to nothing before starting the new feed? That would give you a brief "dry period" to see if that helps. I am wondering if there is any possibility these horses are allergic/intolerant of a certain feed ingredient besides the fiber. The Bio Sponge does sound like a different and interesting idea, I'd like to know more on that myself.

 

[BlackBart]

Bio sponge is not something they take for the rest of their life, I think it is 10 days.
Before you try it I would de-worm the horse for 5 days. The Panacur Powerpack is a de-worming treatment for 5 days, It will kill the most stubborn worms, even tapeworm. I think it it not expensive.
The Bio-sponge is not cheap to buy so therefore I would try de-worming first. The Powerpack has cleared up the diarrhea when nothing else has not even Metrodnidazale, which is the medicine prescribe to humans with un-explained diarrhea. The drawback it the amount of pills you have to give the horse per day.........I think it was 26 or so. Hard to get them in.


small article on Bio-Sponge

Enterocolitis and the Effectiveness of Bio-Sponge (AAEP 2002)
by: Sarah L. Evers
January 13 2003, Article # 4062
Print Email Add to Favorites RSS ShareThis
Enterocolitis (inflammation of the small intestine and colon) caused by the bacteriums Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens is a common problem for both adult horses and foals, according to Nathalie Cote, DMV, DVSc, of the University of Guelph. However, even with aggressive treatment, many do not survive the disease and treatment can be expensive. But the use of di-tri-octahedral (DTO) smectite might help according to a study which tested the brand Bio-Sponge done by Cote; Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACVIM, a microbiology specialist at the University of Guelph; and Rolph De Gannes, GV, DVM, in Equine Veterinary Sciences at the University of Guelph.

DTO smectite is a natural hydrated aluminomagnesium silicate that binds to digestive mucus and increases resistance to bacterial damage by absorbing substances in the digestive tract. This includes substances such as endotoxins, exotoxins, and organic vapors. C. difficile and C. perfringens produce such toxins. This binding action results in a shortened duration of diarrhea and fewer stools in humans. Researchers studied a commercial form of DTO smectite called Bio-Sponge and determined that it binds to C. difficile toxins A and B and C. perfringens enterotoxin in vitro (in a laboratory environment). "This suggests that DTO smectite may be useful for the treatment or prevention of clostridial colitis in horses," Cote said.

The study also showed that Bio-Sponge did not inhibit the growth of C. difficile and C. perfringens. Therefore, the use of antimicrobials such as metronidazole might still be necessary in the treatment of clostridial colitis. However, the researchers also determined that DTO smectite does not bind to metronidazole. "This study suggests that there is no contraindication to the combined use of DTO smectite and metronidazole," she continued.

Cote said that further testing needs to be performed in vivo (in the living body) to determine if the results of their study will be the same in the living horse.

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Not saying I don't believe it, but that is just crazy. I hope people really take up the gauntlet about that. I'd make the biggest stink anyone ever saw if someone tried to do that to me. Just lucky I have a vet who cares about his clients' animals and wants to be sure they get the care they need.

Yeah it is crazy but thats what we have to work with. Big Bucks are behind the motivation.
If you make too much noise then they blacklist you.
The funny thing is allot of Vets on Vancouver Island call themselves Equine Vets but only two are Certified Equine Vets.
Don't get me started on that rant

 

[snowhorse]

Quote:
Wow thank you so much....loaded with lots of info now.

I would so love to fix this for these guys....IT KILLS ME that I haven't found a way to fix it, I love fixing things and it's a big deal for me to not be able to find out whats wrong.

DB couldn't believe when I bought chickens I could just about recite the 5 books, and magazine subscriptions I got...not that I still don't refer to all the wonderful people here on a regular basis for support and ideas and get even more information and education, but I'm a research freak when it comes to animals and all I want is more and more info.

Man I wish I had loved english class as much as I love animals....I would have done so much better in school hahaha.

 

[BlackBart]

I wouldn't be too surprised if the Powerpack cured it. My friend did everything even Bio-Sponge and the only thing that cured her mare's diarrhea was Panacur Powerpack. She swore on a stack of bibles that it wasn't worms causing the diarrhea, but it was, the evidence showed up about seven days later, dead worms in the mare's manure. No more diarrhea.
We can't buy it in Canada so she had it shipped up from Jeffer's Equine.

If you do end up using the Bio-Sponge, wear a mask when you mix it in with the feed. They should caution you but you never know these days.

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
PowerPack is a good idea, have seen that help some really tough worm problems.

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
Can't buy Panacur, or the powerpack? The powerpack is just a separately labeled double dose a day for five days. We used this method years before they actually packaged it that way.

Worms are hard to pinpoint and fecals aren't definite. You can have worms and still have a negative fecal.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yes I know this is a common feeling among horse and pet owners, but the fact remains that legally xrays are the VET'S property. This comes up fairly frequently, and you may not like it (I don't, although I do understand the reasoning), but not liking it does not change the fact that it's the way it IS.

And yes, I am speaking of the US here, I did live in the US for the first 37 years of my life

Although AFAIK it is the same in Canada,as another poster has said.


Pat

 

[seminolewind]

Hi. My old guy got over 20 years old, and of course his teeth were old and got chronic diarrhea no one could diagnose. This oldtimer horse guy told me to switch him to really soft hay, and it stopped. The coarser hay was irritating his intestinal walls and causing it. Never had a problem after that. He was on Trotter. A year later I switched him to Blueseal senior.

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Horse De-wormers will run you about $20 per tube where I live so most people order from Jeffer's and it works out cheaper even with $ exchange and shipping. There is a rumour the Vets are trying to stop cross border shopping for de-wormers and make it so you can only buy from them.
Some people bought 5 different types of de-wormers, each containing a different ingredient. They gave their horse that instead of the Panacur.
I agree about the fecal counts and I also think horses are being de-wormed too often and it makes the worms resistant, even if you rotate.

It is a frustrating problem trying to pinpoint the problem of diarrhea plus it can be hard on the horse and I wish the poster good luck and quick success.