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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
   
Location: South Central Florida | This morning I noticed my 2 and a half week old foal has watery diareah. I did notice that he started eating her feed, or trying to eat her feed and hay over the last 3 or 4 days. I was laughing because he seemed to take it in his mouth and try to suck on it, but he's been working at it a few days.
He seems fine, maybe a little tired, but he gets tired in the middle of the day and it's really hot today. I saw him running this morning, and after feeding he was at the water trough drinking water, actualy the first time I have seen this.
Google tells me that diareah in a foal is very normal when they transition floura in the gut. His Mom is on XTN for the high fat, and alfalfa cubes soaked in water....has been for weeks.
I guess I just need someone to hold my hand. I'm used to diareah being a giganticly big deal in calves and puppies.....this is my first foal. He will be 3 weeks on Tuesday.
Should I do anything besides watch him?
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | His mom is a hard keeper, always has been. She looks GREAT, better than she ever has, mother hood is working for her. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 912
Location: Alabama | Is your mare coming into her foal heat? I've always been told it is normal for the foal to have diarrhea when the mare cycles back. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I have a friend who lost her her foal to diareah. It started on Friday night and by Monday when she had a vet appointment it was too late. I don't know if he had something else going on too but he got so dehydrated they could not save him. Hope your guy is OK. |
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 Reaching for the stars....
Posts: 12708
| Biosponge - but yogurt if you don't have any. Scours are fairly common. Again, but, you're talking about an issue that can go from ok to not in hours, not days. Knowing that this is your first time, and since you are saying watery and not just the yellow sticky soft stuff, I would call the vet out. Scours are usually just a much softer version of foal poop, but not watery. It sticks to their tushes and will 'scour' the hair right off. One thing you can do not matter - put vaseline or a diaper rash med or triple antibiotic on the colts hiney so the poop won't burn so bad.
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  Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm | At that time the mare should be past her foal heat. It's really not OK for them to have yellow loose, frequent stools. If you have Biosponge on hand give it until the diarrhea clears up. The other things you can do are Bizmacote, or plain probios. But Biosponge or something similar to it is my go to for diarrhea in a foal. Two years ago I missed the birth of a filly o/o one of mares. I had someone watching my mare because I figured she would foal while I was away. But I couln't stay. When I got home the baby had diarrhea and was getting weaker and weaker. I started giving Biosponge and called the vet. He recommended alternating the above three products. She was doing much better by the end of the day and really feeling better the next day. Diarrhea can be caused by some serious pathogens so you do NOT want to play around with it. They can die so fast when they are that age. Good luck.  |
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Fire Ant Peddler
Posts: 2881
| Go to CVS and get some probiotics give a couple in the morning and a couple at night. Mix with a little pancake syrup and put in a syringe. I got capsules and opened them up. Tablets will work but you need to crush them up. Biosponge is better but you have to order it from Platinum or get it from a vet. You need to have something right now. It still could be the foal heat but that usually happens 5-10 days after birth.
As with any infant, the foal could easily get dehydrated. You need to address this. Also, with infant they sleep a lot. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 965
Location: In the back forty | Sockittoemred - 2014-04-27 12:11 PM
Is your mare coming into her foal heat? I've always been told it is normal for the foal to have diarrhea when the mare cycles back.
Yes, this is normal, don't worry unless it persists awhile on past mama's foal heat |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | I called the vet and sent him a picture...he said the yogurt and probiotic for tonight...keep close eye on him and Im taking him in in the morning. He thinks it is the transition in him eating feed but dehyfration os a big worry. His gums are pink and he does not have any signs of debydration right now. I think Im sleeping in the pasture tonight... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 907
Location: a secret | I had a foal that started with diarrhea about the same time, my vet gave me a few ideas what it could be and we tried everything....... and I mean everything my foal was Lactose intolerant. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If it is hot where you are I would be giving electrolytes and water via syringe.
Did you take the foals temp? If the foal has a fever, then yogurt is not going to work, your foal will need a vet assessment and antibiotics. |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | Id be very concerned.. they can go from ok to not ok in a matter of hours.. hope all goes ok.. |
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 Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | Bibliafarm - 2014-04-27 6:59 PM Id be very concerned.. they can go from ok to not ok in a matter of hours.. hope all goes ok..
I agree ... especially since you said he seems tired. They go from fine to on their death bed in a matter of hours. Not anything to mess around with! I'd give yogurt (20cc) AND biosponge (half the tube) tonight and first thing in the AM. Main thing is that hes still nursing! Mama SHOULD be past foal heat ... if this was 10-12 days Id chalk it up to that ... Keep us posted!! Main thing is that he is nursing and staying hydrated while his body fights off whatever bug he picked up! Prayers! |
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 Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| I'd be concerned that it's watery. Two years ago we lost a filly at around 3 weeks to a clostridial infection. She didn't look horrible, but you could tell she was a little off. It was too late by the time we got her to the vet. I have one that I just dropped off at the university today where she will be cared for 24/7, and hopefully we can save her. She's very sick, but she'll still get up and run around. This might sound gross, but is there an odor to the diarrhea? If so, that's definitely something to be worried about. Mine went from no odor to very stinky in just a few hours, and even with IV fluids was still dehydrated because of the amount of fluid being lost in the diarrhea. Keep a close eye on the nursing. Make sure that your foal is actually latching on and sucking. When they get to feeling dumpy they will stand there like they're nursing, but because they are weak they will just bump the bag and not actually drink.
I agree about the BioSponge, but I'd also be wanting to get some antibiotics started if it appears to be an infection of some sort. It doesn't take long for these little guys to go downhill quick, and the more proactive you can be the better chance you have of keeping them alive. |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | Just checked on him again, he was nursing. His poop is puddingy (strange word) now, but we are going to vet in the am. I had some equine probiotics and gave him 10 cc and 10 cc's of yogurt. His gums are still pink and his mouth was wet, not dry or tacky. I'm already hooked up to the trailer, and just have to figure out how to get them loaded, I'm pretty sure he will just follow Mom to into the trailer. I live waaaay to far from any vet, they don't come here.
Say a prayer please that all is well and it's just the normal transition to eating feed and hay. I'm going to try to sleep.
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 Semper Fi
Location: North Texas | lonely va barrelxr - 2014-04-27 1:21 PM
Biosponge - but yogurt if you don't have any. Scours are fairly common. Again, but, you're talking about an issue that can go from ok to not in hours, not days. Knowing that this is your first time, and since you are saying watery and not just the yellow sticky soft stuff, I would call the vet out. Scours are usually just a much softer version of foal poop, but not watery. It sticks to their tushes and will 'scour' the hair right off. One thing you can do not matter - put vaseline or a diaper rash med or triple antibiotic on the colts hiney so the poop won't burn so bad.
I agree. Kaopeptate (sp) can administered based upon weight to combat diarrhea/scours though. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| Swannranch - 2014-04-27 1:05 PM
This morning I noticed my 2 and a half week old foal has watery diareah. I did notice that he started eating her feed, or trying to eat her feed and hay over the last 3 or 4 days. I was laughing because he seemed to take it in his mouth and try to suck on it, but he's been working at it a few days.
He seems fine, maybe a little tired, but he gets tired in the middle of the day and it's really hot today. I saw him running this morning, and after feeding he was at the water trough drinking water, actualy the first time I have seen this.
Google tells me that diareah in a foal is very normal when they transition floura in the gut. His Mom is on XTN for the high fat, and alfalfa cubes soaked in water....has been for weeks.
I guess I just need someone to hold my hand. I'm used to diareah being a giganticly big deal in calves and puppies.....this is my first foal. He will be 3 weeks on Tuesday.
Should I do anything besides watch him?
foal heat will cause it. I work at a vet that does mainly repro. We foal like 200 babies a year. exhausting. Anywho, I have noticed more stalled babies get it than babies that are out. (don't know if maybe they aren't getting as much attention of what). 1st thing I would do is 10g probios every 12 hours for 24 hours. If it does improve continue until the poop is ALMOST where you want it. If you wait too long you can stop them up. If it doesn't improve in 24 hours do biosponge made by platinum performance. 30cc every 12 hours not within 2 hours of probios. Again, don't wait until the poop is where you want it- stop it just before so that you don't stop the baby up. We usually stop biosponge when the poop is no long LIQUID and just continue probios until we have yogurt consistency then stop all and watch. if regresses start back with probios. Make sure baby is staying hydrated! May need fluids if its bad.
**NOT TO TAKE PLACE OF VET ADVICE!!!! |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| RoaniePonie11 - 2014-04-27 10:38 PM
Swannranch - 2014-04-27 1:05 PM
This morning I noticed my 2 and a half week old foal has watery diareah. I did notice that he started eating her feed, or trying to eat her feed and hay over the last 3 or 4 days. I was laughing because he seemed to take it in his mouth and try to suck on it, but he's been working at it a few days.
He seems fine, maybe a little tired, but he gets tired in the middle of the day and it's really hot today. I saw him running this morning, and after feeding he was at the water trough drinking water, actualy the first time I have seen this.
Google tells me that diareah in a foal is very normal when they transition floura in the gut. His Mom is on XTN for the high fat, and alfalfa cubes soaked in water....has been for weeks.
I guess I just need someone to hold my hand. I'm used to diareah being a giganticly big deal in calves and puppies.....this is my first foal. He will be 3 weeks on Tuesday.
Should I do anything besides watch him?
foal heat will cause it. I work at a vet that does mainly repro. We foal like 200 babies a year. exhausting. Anywho, I have noticed more stalled babies get it than babies that are out. (don't know if maybe they aren't getting as much attention of what ). 1st thing I would do is 10g probios every 12 hours for 24 hours. If it does improve continue until the poop is ALMOST where you want it. If you wait too long you can stop them up. If it doesn't improve in 24 hours do biosponge made by platinum performance. 30cc every 12 hours not within 2 hours of probios. Again, don't wait until the poop is where you want it- stop it just before so that you don't stop the baby up. We usually stop biosponge when the poop is no long LIQUID and just continue probios until we have yogurt consistency then stop all and watch. if regresses start back with probios. Make sure baby is staying hydrated! May need fluids if its bad.
**NOT TO TAKE PLACE OF VET ADVICE!!!!
2 1/2 weeks post delivery is a little late for foal heat |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| cheryl makofka - 2014-04-27 10:45 PM
RoaniePonie11 - 2014-04-27 10:38 PM
Swannranch - 2014-04-27 1:05 PM
This morning I noticed my 2 and a half week old foal has watery diareah. I did notice that he started eating her feed, or trying to eat her feed and hay over the last 3 or 4 days. I was laughing because he seemed to take it in his mouth and try to suck on it, but he's been working at it a few days.
He seems fine, maybe a little tired, but he gets tired in the middle of the day and it's really hot today. I saw him running this morning, and after feeding he was at the water trough drinking water, actualy the first time I have seen this.
Google tells me that diareah in a foal is very normal when they transition floura in the gut. His Mom is on XTN for the high fat, and alfalfa cubes soaked in water....has been for weeks.
I guess I just need someone to hold my hand. I'm used to diareah being a giganticly big deal in calves and puppies.....this is my first foal. He will be 3 weeks on Tuesday.
Should I do anything besides watch him?
foal heat will cause it. I work at a vet that does mainly repro. We foal like 200 babies a year. exhausting. Anywho, I have noticed more stalled babies get it than babies that are out. (don't know if maybe they aren't getting as much attention of what ). 1st thing I would do is 10g probios every 12 hours for 24 hours. If it does improve continue until the poop is ALMOST where you want it. If you wait too long you can stop them up. If it doesn't improve in 24 hours do biosponge made by platinum performance. 30cc every 12 hours not within 2 hours of probios. Again, don't wait until the poop is where you want it- stop it just before so that you don't stop the baby up. We usually stop biosponge when the poop is no long LIQUID and just continue probios until we have yogurt consistency then stop all and watch. if regresses start back with probios. Make sure baby is staying hydrated! May need fluids if its bad.
**NOT TO TAKE PLACE OF VET ADVICE!!!!
2 1/2 weeks post delivery is a little late for foal heat
Agreed. Usually 1 week, no more than 10 days |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | what color is his diarrhea?
my colt had a loose stool after I gave him an enema to help pass his meconium. we had him on probiotics. within a couple of days he firmed up.
At 2.5 weeks out, I would be more concerned about pathogens.
Dark diarrhea- not good. red or bloody- very bad. bad bad.
yellow- a little concerning but more of a, give probiotics or yogurt thing.
As long as he is nursing he should be able to keep himself hydrated. if he suddenly stops nursing, acts depressed, load up and go.
Also, since they can be infected with salmonella, clostridium, etc….be careful about getting his feces on you. you can get it too.
Edited by casualdust07 2014-04-27 11:37 PM
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Coyote Country Queen
Posts: 5666
| Just checking in to see how your baby is doing. Hoping that he is doing well this morning. |
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Miss Southern Sunshine
Posts: 7427
Location: South Central Florida | Well this morning his poop is a little more formed, not water. Vet just left and said he is about 95% sure it is because the mare is in heat. Says foal heat can vary widly from 5 days to 3 or 4 weeks, and tomorrow is 3 weeks.
He was so good for the vet....every so glad I have been handling him every day. He drew blood, colt did not even move....took a sample, but there wasn't much to take, gave him a shot of Exceed and decided to tube him and give him some mineral oil just in case he had injested sand or something. HOLY COW..... poor baby but he was a little champ. Even tubing him was not that hard.
He will run the blood back at the office which is an hour away. He will let me know what it says. On the tape, he weighed 175 lbs. His temp was 102.5 which he said is a tiny bit high but it's already hot and he's been out in the sun. So that's why the exceed, just in case.
Thanks for the prayers and the advice.
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Champ
Posts: 19623
Location: Peg-Leg Julia Grimm |  Good. I'm glad it wasn't too serious.  |
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 Regular
Posts: 92
| I too had a foal with chronic diarrhea and after many, many different vet recommendations ( labs, changing mama's feed, more labs, lots of pepto, labs on mama, changing stalls, bedding / no bedding, oh my gosh it just went on and on..) we weaned early and the diarrhea completely went away, like over night. We gave him milk replacer and he was fine, grew up into a very nice fellow :) |
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| If you want to do something very simple ...>>>
Wash the mare from under her tail, between her rear legs and her bag and teats off .... any drainage after birth or during heat cycles can give a baby diarrhea .... do this frequently any time you have a foal nursing ...
GOOD LUCK ..
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 Pork Fat is my Favorite
Posts: 3791
Location: The Oklahoma plains. | I have not read all the responses and I am certain you have recieved great advice but I was once told about the foal heat and not to worry and we lost our foal a day later. It can get them quick. IMO I would get a vet out just to be sure---if you have a lot vested. |
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2.5 week old foal has diareah.....normal?