# flatulence and loose stool



## DesertGal (Apr 28, 2007)

I'm no expert, but Christy had that problem for a year and a half, ever since I got her. The vet suggested I try a tying-up diet. I have done that, and the "gas" and liquid to semi-solid poo is GONE! Christy is on a low sugar, low carb diet. Which is no grain of any kind. She gets bermuda grass, and Purina Ultium along with 1/2 cup BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds,) and 1 cup rice bran. The boss and rice bran are for sand clear control. Our sand does not mix with sand clear (Psyllium) instead it forms a green glue. I have been told that this happens with the sand from my area, from Palm Springs Calif. and Australia. The rice bran and BOSS are high in Omega fatty acids which bond with the sand and send it throught.

Christy has had normal poo, and normal gas, since I started this diet almost 3 months ago. Absolutely no colic, which she used to have, although most of the time she didn't show symptoms of colic. 

Christy is a Paint, mostly QH. Paints and QH's as well as other breeds are very susceptable to tying-up, and sometimes they don't show the average signs of muscle tremors, instead they get colitits. 

Don't know if this would help, but you might want to give it a try.


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## Dave Singleton (May 3, 2007)

Have they been wormed recently? Have you checked the field for poisonous plants?
As Desertgal mentioned it could just be a part of him that causes it - it is best to check the other aspects too though.


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## amethgr8 (Jun 11, 2007)

*wormed yes, poisonous plants no*

Hello and thanks mucho for your imput.

he was wormed his yearly worming last week, and before that it was a year. my aunt said it could be a reaction to that? haven't checked for poisonous plants. we've had several waves of horses over the years at the same home without this problem.

I tend to think it is something in him, oversensitive. the other horses are kept and fed the same way with no problem.

I don't live on the property, my aunt feeds them. I see him every other day usually. I was going to try Missing Link as a general supplement. something not too much trouble for my aunt to assemble for his meals.???missing link? thanks again,

happy horsing!! ame


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## Dave Singleton (May 3, 2007)

Hmm... if the prob. has been going on a while then it is unlikely that it would be the wormer; I would check the field for poisons though as even if no other horse has suffered it could be that this particular horse has developed a taste for it. As these don't seem obvious I would personally advise a trip from the vet is worth while - even if it doesn't seem to be a problem now it could become a problem later on, a vet can also advise on diet if it does turn out to be just oversensitivity or something.


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## amethgr8 (Jun 11, 2007)

*will do*

will do some checking for the poisonous plants. true, it maybe him AND some nasty plants.

the vet is due to come out for their shots, I'll inquire to her thoughts.

thanks so much for your help.

missing link is good for an all around supplement? not sure of the type of grass that's been growing there for years. maybe not every day, don't want to build a dependence?


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## Dave Singleton (May 3, 2007)

I'm afraid that I've never heard of missing link so I can't really say! I suppose it could be a sensitivity to certain specific herbs... it may pay to see if there are any really frequent shrubs etc. that occur with the grass - has he always had the problem?


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## amethgr8 (Jun 11, 2007)

*I would say*

I've only come to ownership of him recently. I had visted with him and my neice when she owned him but didn't take an inventory of his habits, or anything. But I think I remember him always having stains back there. I've been grooming and bonding for a few weeks and it's definitely apparent. I cleaned it all off (got some stuff to loosen) road him bareback and he took a poo and it was fine. kindof cracked open when it hit the ground, it was definitely formed. so that's good? I was grooming after the short bareback kickaround and he farted (usual) and a squirt came out, then the mark was made. so its wet flatulence? everyday is learning.

thanks for your input.

ame


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## amethgr8 (Jun 11, 2007)

*all your help, oats.*

thanks for all the input. I did some more research into rolled oats vs. regular oats. they typically eat regular oats. when we fed the rolled oats, it cleared up. Coincidently I had started with the Missing Link. We had a bag of regular oats and fed that when we ran out of the rolled. I thought the missing link helped, at least. I'm sure it has in other ways, but on the regular oats, it came back completely. It was so nice and clean for like 2 weeks. So he's going back on the rolled oats for sure, I think it will clear up.


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## dallas (Aug 1, 2007)

YEARLY worming?? horses are wormed every eight weeks -not once a year- what did you use for the worming? You need to step up that worming and use the right combo each time- once a year is not going to rid him of worms. six times a year is the reccomended - you should be rotating ivermectin- ivermectin with praziquantal - moxidectin /or quest -combo care-- but do not use moxidectin or combo care until you have wormed with ivermectin and the ivermectin praziquantal - if you used moxidectin now and he's probably overloaded with worms you could make him very sick. who told you to worm just once a year? Not your vet i hope!


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## amethgr8 (Jun 11, 2007)

*yearly worming? no shots*

I'm sorry I mis-spoke. I meant yearly shots and was just referring to the wormer as a recent occurance that might have cause the loose-ness. I've had him on rolled/steamed oats now for a month or so and his booty is nice and clean.

thanks for your attentivness.


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## dallas (Aug 1, 2007)

*SORRY*

I didnt know i sounded that rude when i posted either- i was just surprised that you had said yearly worming-- anyway - the best first thing to do is use the Power Pak working -its a five day dose that is doubled - you give one tube per day for five days- migrating larva will cause exactly what you describe with the loose stool=gas and sometimes colic- its totally safe and the horse will be much healtier- i have a horse that has the same problem - i use the power pac twice a year- ivermectin and Combo care for tapes and egg control- give the power pack a try - its cheapest on Country supply- its forty nine dollars- but its well worth it- you will save more than that if it stops a colic ...


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## Ryle (Jul 13, 2007)

*Re: SORRY*



dallas said:


> the best first thing to do is use the Power Pak working -its a five day dose that is doubled - you give one tube per day for five days- migrating larva will cause exactly what you describe with the loose stool=gas and sometimes colic- its totally safe and the horse will be much healtier-


Panacur Powerpac is far from the first thing to do. An assessment of diet and management practices would be the first thing to do if you have a chronic issue. Some horses just like some people have more sensitive GI tracts or they can actually be allergic to common feedstuffs. And some feedstuffs are known for causing excessive gas and diarrhea like rice bran.

Next would be a discussion of your deworming program with your vet. If you are on a good deworming program, parasitism isn't the likely cause of the gas and diarrhea. 

If you aren't on a good deworming program, Panacur Powerpac is NOT what I would recommend to try to treat for encysted strongyles because far from being "the safest" *we now know that it actually causes severe inflammation and even ulceration of the GI tract*. A better choice if you are trying to treat for encysted strongyles (which is what Panacur Powerpac is specifically used for rather than migrating parasites) is moxidectin because it is as effective without causing inflammation/ulceration of the GI tract and it does it in a single dose--easier to do and much less expensive.

Chronic bacterial infections can also cause flatulence and diarrhea, so having a culture of the feces done will help to determine if that is the problem or to rule it out.


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