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Post by gonekigercrazy on Nov 5, 2008 23:14:39 GMT -5
Hello everyone. I have been the proud momma of a Kiger colt just over a month now. Wasn't looking for another horse, never wanted a baby, just went with a neighbor to see the mare she was buying and there he was... about 4 1/2 months old, had already been "weaned" from his mom, the most beautiful little thing I had ever seen and he was dying.
Fever, constant water stools, dehydrated,depressed from bacterial invasion of some kind. Treatment was started after I threw a fit over baby's condition..fluids, antibiotics, banamine, labs. Once me & my vet were sure nothing contagious, he came home with me. Question: even with probiotics, good food, vitamins, still has on/off diarrhea with occassional bloating. appetite remains good, drinks tons of fluid, fecal/blood work all normal(we have repeated it twice!) Any suggestions appreciated. I have never had a baby before and just want to do everything right for him. He already has my heart wrapped.
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Post by lindad on Nov 6, 2008 0:43:07 GMT -5
Gone Kiger Crazy,
Contact me , I live very very close to you. Perhaps, I may be of some assistance. I have 3 Kigers. I have sent you a private message with my contact information.
Linda D
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Post by DianneC on Nov 6, 2008 1:23:17 GMT -5
There is a product new for me that is called Fast Track. Its really good. Most probiotics are helpful, but this one really gets results. There is a gel that you can tube them with and a powder you can top dress their hay with. Has he been stable enough to worm yet? I had a lot of sudden diarrhea with one foal and gave her Ivermectin and a bunch of probiotics at the same time. Next day she was really much better.
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Post by angelsdream on Nov 6, 2008 7:52:57 GMT -5
Welcome to the board - sorry about your circumstance though. Good luck and keep us posted and pictures!!!! We all LOVE pictures. Aren't kigers AMAZING!!
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Post by Michelle Clarke on Nov 6, 2008 8:18:13 GMT -5
Welcome aboard, nice to have you and thanks for including us on your new adventure. I have seen foals have issues with large roundworms that cause the poops and bloating. A double dose of Pyrantel Pomanate will take care of that for sure - although if the fecal work was good then there are some other things, like ulcers, you should consider...
Maybe your feed is bothering his already upset stomach. Cut him down to plain crimped oats, a little barley if you can get it, about a 1/4 flake of alfalfa a day (primes the gut for feed) plus all the grass hay he wants. The probis are a good idea, but if he is having a problem with the milk base (most of my foals do), then they are doing more harm than good at that point. There are some good products from Uckele that feed the gut without causing more issues. Probiotics replace gut flora - prebiotics feed them, so you need a combination of both.
I would do no other supps during that time, just let his gut rebalance.
At least if you take him off any proccessed feeds, you are starting from the begining - kind of like a BRAT diet for kids in horse form! Once you find out if that is bothering him or not, you can then slowly add in what you want. What are you feeding him now?
I also can whip together an herb mix if you want and get it in the mail ASAP. Email me privately if you are interested. It is a mix I use for things like this on our foals and clients foals.
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Post by gonekigercrazy on Nov 6, 2008 9:56:48 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for all of the fast responses. Yes, we have tried de-worming even though fecals were negative.like he didn't have enough problems already, the place he was at was letting him have access to way too much high performance sweet feed. the guy would fill three different feeders with this feed and it was just the baby and a big gelding in the pen so baby could get at alot of it. this caused all of his growth plates to inflame. so when i first brought him home, my vet said nothing but hay for awhile then i was able to slowly add foal feed to his diet. we have tried the ulcer treatments, with all of the stress he had been under (missing mom, illness, mean handling, new home, etc.) with no change. i am a nurse so i totally get what you are saying about the BRAT diet. i will start that today. i will try to get some pics posted. he is so beautiful! thank you all for all the input.
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Post by fantasykiger on Nov 6, 2008 13:17:54 GMT -5
Welcome to the board gonkigercrazy  As you can see you will find alot of very helpful experienced Kiger lovers here. I wish your new boy the best, does he have a name yet? I can not wait to see pictures as well, of the Kiger colt that stole your heart  |
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Post by canadiankigers on Nov 6, 2008 14:38:29 GMT -5
Hi Gone Kiger Crazy:
Welcome to our Kiger family. I am sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time with your new baby. I am not a vet nor do I have a lot of experience with foal health issues but I did read that your foal had previously been able to eat far too much. Have you and your vet ruled out liver problems? I did have a foal about 10 years ago that manifested much of what you are describing. She had gotten into something that caused her liver damage and it resulted in impurities building up in her system. This is just a wild stab in the dark.
Kelly
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Post by nrly on Nov 7, 2008 1:54:45 GMT -5
my trainer here her draft baby was the same way and she was giving him bran red wheat , and physillium and after a week or so she was seeing a difference, but he would not gain weight like he should, vet came checked him out everything was ok, told her to put him on Strategy AX, two bags and she should see a difference, and we are..
nola
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Post by DianneC on Nov 9, 2008 10:16:37 GMT -5
How's your baby doing? Any improvement? I'm glad you have a vet to advise you. Bringing back any rescue horse is tricky, a baby must be especially so.
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Post by gonekigercrazy on Nov 10, 2008 11:38:35 GMT -5
Hi everybody. A little update on Nocona (that's his name, I have to stop calling him "the baby"). Went to a horse expo this weekend and met a guy from ProMana, phD in horse nutrition and gut stuff. He said that I needed to double the amount of probiotics that I was giving Nocona and I bought a gel that is given like a wormer that has probiotics plus stuff that helps them stick to the gut better. After a few days of that and the BRAT diet, this am he had an almost normal poo! I was so excited! He saw snow for the first time today. He made me laugh so hard I thought I was going to pee my carharts. He stared up at the snow coming down for about 5 minutes, kept snorting at it, pawing at it then went crazy! Took off running full speed all around the pasture then flopped to the ground and rolled in it for awhile. The world through the eyes of a baby....lol
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Post by fantasykiger on Nov 10, 2008 12:39:57 GMT -5
What a great update and how entertaining indeed ;D it must have been to see him playing in the snow. |
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Post by DianneC on Nov 11, 2008 1:05:53 GMT -5
Sounds like he is feeling much better, doesn't that do all our hearts good! What is the name of the gel that you used? What a crack up with the snow! Nothing like a baby to enjoy life with.
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Post by stlkigers on Nov 11, 2008 20:56:50 GMT -5
Glad to hear Nocona (nice name!) is doing better! Hope he continues to progress at an amazing speed....You deserve a pat on the back for taking such good care of this little guy!
Angela
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As you can see you will find alot of very helpful experienced Kiger lovers here. I wish your new boy the best, does he have a name yet? I can not wait to see pictures as well, of the Kiger colt that stole your heart 
