# Excessive urination



## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I'd put up a 3 sided shed or add a lean-to onto your barn so that you wouldn't have to use a stall. The savings in shavings would pay for it in a short time.

If that's not an option I would add a pretty good layer of ag lime to his stall. It's very absorbent so you could use less shavings but you'd still have to add more lime on occasion. Ag lime seems to be called different things by different people; lime screenings, lime dust, and more I can't think of right now. Not to be confused with hydrated lime that is a powder used to cut odors this stuff is a lot like sand but packs down to make a firmer surface than sand.


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## kntry (Nov 11, 2011)

Your avatar looks a lot like my horse!

We have ag lime so I know what you're talking about. We're just trying to figure out how to not use so much shavings. We have a mountain of the stuff, literally, piled up and it costs a fortune.


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## natisha (Jan 11, 2011)

Check out Stall Skins. I use them & they save a lot. The stall doesn't get smelly as the urine leeches down the same as if they were outside, maybe even better if you use the right material underneath.


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## kntry (Nov 11, 2011)

Natisha, that's the name of what he's talking about. Stall skins.

How long have you been using them? It seems like the urine would just sit in that hole or the surrounding dirt.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

Louisiana doesn't have weather where you can't let a horse out. I'd be more worried about bugs than weather.

Mine walk outside to pee. Being allowed to come and go as they please I get a pickup load of shavings 2x a year. Costs me $5 for the mill to start the loader up and fill the truck.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I would be looking at medical reasons for so much urinating.


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## kntry (Nov 11, 2011)

I've been talking to my son about him being tested for diabetes. My son's friend and farrier says they can't get diabetes so my son is arguing with me about it. I'm going to call the Vet tomorrow and talk to him about it.

We don't let our horses out in the rain or at night. Even if it's cold, they go out all day except when it's raining.


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

The horses don't get diabetes thing is only correct in that it's not called that. Horses develop Insulin Resistance or Equine Metabolic Syndrome. He could also have a kidney or urinary tract infection, he could have excess protein in his diet and is voiding it through urination. Get him tested for all of those things just to be sure.

I'd be worried about ammonia build up in the stall honestly. Have you tried pelleted wood bedding? Maybe dump raw pellets into the shavings where he urinates the most, these will expand a lot and can soak up a ton of urine.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

kntry said:


> Your avatar looks a lot like my horse!
> 
> We have ag lime so I know what you're talking about. We're just trying to figure out how to not use so much shavings. We have a mountain of the stuff, literally, piled up and it costs a fortune.


 I have another paint that looks more like yours than the one in my avatar.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

If he is bored and drinking a lot of water, he will of course pee more. he could have the start of cushings , IR , kidney ,liver issues. The color and smell of the pee makes a difference also, not old pee. My old horse (34) is getting his feed that has molasses cut back as his pee has a sugary smell now. (only way I could figure out how to explain the smell) . 
Thick stinky dark pee is a problem.


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## kntry (Nov 11, 2011)

I don't notice any unusual smell or color to the urine. 

We tried the pelleted wood. They ate it!


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

kntry said:


> I don't notice any unusual smell or color to the urine.
> 
> We tried the pelleted wood. They ate it!


 Yeah, probably not the best thing for them to eat, LOL.

But yeah, get him tested for all the stuff I mentioned, and Cushing's/ PPID. As mentioned he could be drinking because he's board also.
If it seems like a boredom thing you could possible give him stall toys if he doesn't have any.


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## kntry (Nov 11, 2011)

I spoke to my Vet and he said their urine is so unstable that by the time the lab gets it, the results are useless. He suggested bringing him to Louisiana State University.

I talked with the Vet there at length and she doesn't seem to think there is a problem. He's too young for Cushing and he doesn't have any other symptoms like not being able to shed. 

She also said she had a Paint like him and he urinated all over the place, too.

She was more than willing to test him but didn't think it was necessary.


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## Horseychick87 (Feb 5, 2014)

I'm always over concerned so I'm more of test it kind of person, LOL. But so long as the vet doesn't think it's an issue then it should be okay.

Yeah I'd see if he's just bored and drinking too much then, toys, maybe some kind of extra turnout if you have it available, or lots and lots of thick bedding, maybe sawdust with shavings over the top, sawdust is absorbent, but dusty so heavier shavings could help keep the duty part down.


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## kntry (Nov 11, 2011)

I worry about him, too. LSU is about an hour drive from here so I may try to take him just to make sure.

She asked if he had a problem shedding his coat or has he lost weight. He's shedding like crazy right now since our weather will be warming up in the next 2-3 weeks. He hasn't lost any weight but probably needs to. LOL He acts perfectly normal otherwise.

We've had him for 2 years and nothing has changed in that time. Pic of Bug was when we got him 2 years ago. The one with me on him was last summer.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

kntry said:


> I've been talking to my son about him being tested for diabetes. My son's friend and farrier says they can't get diabetes so my son is arguing with me about it. I'm going to call the Vet tomorrow and talk to him about it.
> 
> We don't let our horses out in the rain or at night. Even if it's cold, they go out all day except when it's raining.


Without seeing the stall it's hard to really know if it's excessive or what to advise.

Completely agree you need to talk to the vet.

Horses do get diabetes though it is extremely rare, BUT they also get things like insulin resistance and such which are very common and very similar.

There could also be something else going on.

The vet should be able to advise you.

Do you have a picture of him?

Cushings is primarily older horses but not just. Also the things we are saying like insulin resistance show up in younger horses. There are a million things other than Cushings it could be..

See the pictures now (I tend to type as I read lol). He definitely looks...hefty. I would be looking at Insulin Resistance/EMS.

I don't understand why the vet is so stuck on one specific thing that is the least likely.

Has he ever had any foot problems? How tall is he and what is he getting for feed?


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## kntry (Nov 11, 2011)

No foot problems. I'm not exactly sure but I think he's about 15 hands. He gets 2 scoops of Total Equine a day and 2 small buckets of Chauffee "Pasture in a Bag" hay. The buckets are probably 10" across and 10" deep. We have a horse that's allergic to grass so they only get turned out for about an hour a day in the pasture. The allergic horse does fine with this but any more and he colics.


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