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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
  
Location: Woodstown, NJ | I have a call in to the vet but I'd like to know what you guys think. This mare is anxious and sensitive but very good natured. New things going on that may or may not have anything to do with it: My daughter started riding her again. Nice and easy, farting around kind of thing. We are overloaded with ticks. She is in full blown heat.
In a period of a few days, she didn't always clean up her food. She looked at her side a couple of times. One time we saw her pawing. (But she was locked in the corral and she's an energetic horse--we chalked that up to she was anxious to go back out.) Thought maybe ulcers. I was warned this mare is an ulcer candidate. I treated her with four doses of UlcerGuard, then started U-Gard pellets in her food and aloe.
Then yesterday, after saddling (very gradually and gently as we always do) my daughter goes to get a drink out of the frig and she looks over and sees the mare lowering herself to the ground. She laid over, felt the stirrup, freaked and scrambled up. What the heck was that?! Checked everything. Everything looked fine. Mare acting fine. Decided not to ride because something is obviously wrong but checked her in the round pen and she looked like she was moving normally. Then the same thing happened today! Studied her in the spot she had gone down. She was standing with her legs apart like she wanted to get mated. Also looked like she was thinking about going down again. Took off the saddle to rule out the saddle hurting her tummy and it didn't make a bit of difference. Took her temperature. It was 100. Called the vet.
Put her in a stall. She seemed to like leaning her butt on the back wall.
Something similar happened last November. Signs of mild colic. Somewhat lethargic. Can't remember if there were signs of heat. Fever had gotten up to 103 before the vet came out. There were also a lot of ticks. At that time, vet tubed her (there was no blockage but just to be on the safe side), did a fecal (clean), and gave her Banamine, Sucralfate, IV Tetracycline and Doxycycline. She got better pretty quickly. Stopped riding her around that time so she's had the whole winter off and most of the spring. Now this again.
I feel the two episodes are related. Could it be her heat? Could it be ulcers? Thank you for any ideas. As aways, I'm sick with worry when something is wrong with one of our horses! |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
  
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I'm thinking a lot of her behavior sounds like she is in heat. They can have very painful cycles that cause colic like symptoms. |
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 Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | agree my mare had very painful heat cycles id have to give her banamine for a few days |
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Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
Location: Woodstown, NJ | Thanks guys. I am swaying towards heat myself. No temperature this morning. Acting pretty normally. Ate her grain. The vet is coming next week. I told her there's no rush. She's on stand-by in case something happens. I guess I'll have to look up how long heat cycles last. I have never bred and haven't had many mares (and none with a problem) so never paid much attention to that.... I have Banamine on hand in case I need it. If she looks fine, maybe my daughter will try to ride her again in a day or two.
Okay, any other suggestions would be appreciated! Thank you! |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4553
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | My mare had bad heat cycles, leaned on everything, rubbing rolling , anything to get relief. She was also out in the hips, which didn't help the matter any.be sure to check under belly for ticks. If she is drinking lots of water, you can rule out colic. Good luck to you and your horse, she has a good mom. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
| I just received some curost stomach formula yesterday and my mare DOVE INTO it. It was like she knew she needed it. Licked her bucket clean! I think mine gets ulcery when she comes in heat. Might look into it. |
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