Colic/blockage

[CampRiver]

So, 4 days after arriving home, my new dixie union filly colicked and my vet is now treating for ulcers and a small blockage in her colon. She's on ranitidine for the ulcers and my vet tubes her 3x a day with water and epsom salt to try to get the blockage removed. He says she's not a candidate for surgery. Just wondering if anyone has experienced something like this and their outcome/

[Laurierace]

None of that make sense to me. The treatment of choice for non sugical candidates is tubing with mineral oil and running lots of IV fluids.

[drewsbadboy]

I've only had horses treated with mineral oil and lots of IV fluids (like Laurierace said). Vet hasn't suggested doing mineral oil?

Edited to add: this treatment has always worked for any of my guys.

[Crystal]

Has your vet used banamine in conjunction to the tubing? (I'm sure he/she has, but figured I'd ask).

[wilf]

The only time I would use large doses of Epsom Salts other than on a horse's legs would be to "purge" a horse after worming but that is very old fashioned. Why no mineral oil? Also how old is this filly to be plagued with ulcers?

[Lei Owen]

I hate to ask this, but is this an equine vet? How does he know she's not a candidate for surgery? Never heard of using Epson Salt's on a horse! Unless it's to soak a foot. If there's a blockage, where's the water going? 3 times day, that poor horse.

If ulcer's are suspected, he need's to be using GastroGard.

Just my opinion, I'd be pulling that filly out and going to an equine vet.

We've had several impact colic's, one had surgery and the other was at the vet's being oiled and IV's for several day's. If the oiling had not taken affect, she'd have been heading for surgery.

[Laurierace]

Well since the original post was on Saturday the horse is either dead or fine by now.

[Jessi P]

I was making some mud yesterday (poultice - yes, call me old fashioned, I make my own) and on the box of Epsom Salts it shows that it is recommended for internal use to solve constipation issues.

So while I am surprised the vet didn't choose to oil an impacted horse, I am certainly NOT stunned by the vet choosing to use Epsom Salts to try to break loose an impaction. Not the #1 preferred treatment IN MY EXPERIENCE, but I won't scoff at someone for going that route. A minute of google returned the following:

For Horses
It is well known for its internal use as a laxative. It increases water in the intestine and is an irritant thereby promoting bowel movement. Epsom Salt generally produces bowel movement in a 1/2 to 6 hours. It has been used for centuries to cleanse the gut especially on days of rest when mixed with a bran mash. Useful whenever the hind gut needs clearing fast, for example with an acute case of laminitis when the toxins being given off from overloaded, stagnant guts which can give rise to the onset of this painful condition.

http://www.naturaproducts.ltd.uk/epsom_salts.html

[drewsbadboy]

Learn something new everyday! Thanks Jessi!

[CampRiver]

Sorry I have not responded since I first posted this, to tell the truth, Id completely forgotten about it until I got a PM inquiring how she was doing.
Dixie is still holding on, not any worse but not any better. I'll try and answer everybody's questions. First off, yes the vet is an equine vet and a great one at that-The nearest equine vet/hosp. is 15 hrs away, the trip alone would kill her besides she is not a candidate for surgery and I trust my vet's advice 100%!
He has tube her numerous times with mineral oil to which she develolped serious diarrhea, he tubes her with water to hydrate her as she is not drinking enough to keep herself hydrated and with epsom salt to try to dislodge the impaction. She is also treated with Ranitidine, which is cost effective for me. She does get banamine when needed.

[LKR]

Campriver, does he think it is a foreign object like a chunk of twine or something that is impacting her? Otherwise, I would think the diahrrea with the mineral oil coming through would be better. Had a BIG TB mare do this to us about a month from foaling. Vet oiled her and she passed little bits at a time. He couldn't get back to follow up as it was a weekend in February and he was on call and there were prolapsed cows calving everywhere. He called several times a day to the point he started calling her "his" mare. She went for 3 days, passing little bits of loose stuff, we kept her on banamine the whole time. I will never forget, about midnite, when we went out to give her another dose of banamine, she was laying down, up on her stomach instead of flat out. When she heard us coming, she heaved herself up, and the effort caused the blockage to break loose and it sounded like a gunshot!! There was loose manure all over the back wall but that did the trick. She apparently had a big gas pocket or something. She foaled a BIG colt without incident, but I wouldn't have given you a nickel for her chances during those 3 days. She was miserable.

[Diane]

Good luck with her. I have a vet 1/2 mile up the road, good clinic for large and small animals. They don't have a large animal surgery suite though. A friend had a mare colic and had to take her on a 4 hr journey on the freeways to have surgery done. It's scary. Another friend is part of a lg animal clinic and though they have a surgery suite they don't have a surgeon as part of their regular practice so one of their ex partners flies out one weekend a month from Colorado to just do planned surgeries. Health care for humans isn't the only thing in trouble.

[Crystal]

Keep us up to date on how she is doing. Now we all know another use in the barn for Epsom salt! We're all here to learn something new - Good, bad or just good to know.

[Jessi P]

Camp I am crossing my fingers and toes that she turns the corner for the better ASAP. I hear you - I wouldnt want to take a colicky horse on a 15 hour trailer ride for anything.

But that reminds me... sometimes vets have prescribed a trailer ride around the block or neighborhood for a colicky horse. If you have your own truck and trailer, a helper at hand, and she isnt thrashing about, it might be something for you to try.

Isnt that weird I was just reading the box of Epsom Salts the day before this post? I am always happy to share what I often think of to myself as "useless trivia" - its fabulous if somehow it benefits someone or a horse somewhere. When I make mud I use bowie clay, epsom salts and red cider vinegar. A fellow trainer was watching me make my mud and commented a friend of his would add condensed milk to his. If anyone has any idea why add condensed milk I would love to know. One can never have too much "useless trivia" LOL!

[Crystal]

useless trivia 101.. I had a friend tell me he knew of someone who soaks and adds eggs to his horses feed.