[OTTB in training]

I bought an OTTB eight weeks ago and he has stomach issues. He has cow pie poop. He had been off the track for 18 months. For the last six months he was just out to pasture. For the first six weeks we worked with a trainer and for the last two I have been working with him.

First we tried probiotics and a bio-sponge. That did nothing. The vet came out and he tested positive for hindgut bleeding. He had a powerpac and zemectrin gold because we thought it may be related to worms, but there has been no improvement.

He does light work, is on LS performance feed, omegatin, probiotic and a flax seed supplement. We took him off of all of his supplements for a few days and that did nothing. I have ordered smartdigest ultra and smart calm from smartpaks. He is thin but not skinny and does not seem to be in any pain. He is only turned out with a mare that he likes quite a bit. What could be the problem? We are all at a loss.

 

[tealamutt]

Ulcers are the first thing I think of when someone mentions an OTTB with GI upset. Additionally, you've just brought him back into training which is the #1 reason we see ulcers in horses. Why wasn't he scoped for ulcers if there was hindgut bleeding? If you don't want to scope, you should at least try treating with 2 weeks of omeprazole (gastroguard) but it is recommended to have ulcers properly diagnosed before treating, largely because of the cost involved with the treatment. Good luck with him. My OTTB has ulcer issues too, but we keep them under control with ucler guard from Smartpak which seems to help alot, once proper treatment with gastroguard has been done.

 

[Mercedes]

Yes, an ulcer check and treatment doesn't appear to be on the list of things you've tried yet.

What is the base ingredient in the LS Performance feed you are giving?

 

[Mercedes]

Yes, an ulcer check and treatment doesn't appear to be on the list of things you've tried yet.

What is the base ingredient in the LS Performance feed you are giving?

There is also such a thing as 'prebiotic'. Have you tried that as well? And have you tried digestive enzymes?

If there has just simply been permanent digestive damage done, you can supplement things like chamomile, peppermint, aloe, fennel, marshmallow root....etc... to deal with the damage and inflammation.

Sorry for double post. Ack!

 

[OTTB in training]

No improvement

He is already on prebiotics and I have ordered supplements that have prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, L-glutamine, and soothing agents. Also on the way is calming supplement in case he is stressed. His feed and the omegatin are supposed to be low in starch and in sugar. His "training" is very light. Actually, I have not ridden him in a week and that has done nothing. I really just don't know. The tests show hindgut bleeding but nothing in the stomach, although he has not been scoped. The vet does not seem to think anything needs to be done additionally, but this cannot be healthy for him.

 

[Mercedes]

He is already on prebiotics and I have ordered supplements that have prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, L-glutamine, and soothing agents. Also on the way is calming supplement in case he is stressed. His feed and the omegatin are supposed to be low in starch and in sugar. His "training" is very light. Actually, I have not ridden him in a week and that has done nothing. I really just don't know. The tests show hindgut bleeding but nothing in the stomach, although he has not been scoped. The vet does not seem to think anything needs to be done additionally, but this cannot be healthy for him.

Well gosh no, hind gut bleeding can't be a good thing and would indicate that the digestive process that happens there would be compromised.

How long have you given the pre, probiotics and all that? The entire time you've owned him, or is this just recent. I'm just wondering, have you given these things enough time to work? You may need a month or more to see a physical change.

Do you have access to a specialist, or can you get a reference for a specialist?

I hate to say it, but if too much damage has already been done...

Another thing you might try if you've got nothing left to try is acupuncture.

Oh, and have you had blood pulled to see that his nutrient levels are correct? And you still haven't said what the base ingredient is in his grain.

 

[tealamutt]

Ulcers in horses are not exclusively found in the stomach, they can be in any part of the GI. A recent study published in JAVMA demonstrated that any kind of work/training changes are stressful enough on horses to induce ulcers, including light riding three times per week. You're throwing so much at this horse suppliment-wise, and I just don't understand why you're not investigating the most common problem.

Additionally, there is significant evidence that supplimenting with pro-biotics and pre-biotics can actually have detrimental effects on your horse's flora and fauna. Personally I would be worried if I found blood anywhere in the gut of a horse.

 

[NorthernMama]

If he has ulcers, which would also be my first thought, he must not have any grain in his diet. I had an ex-track horse who ended up with ulcers. Two weeks on aloe vera juice and slippery elm bark showed a huge improvement for him. My vet was very happy with the results we were seeing. Please do persue the possibility of ulcers.

 

[OTTB in training]

Doing Better

He is doing much better. I have moved away from training him and have just been spending time with him. He seems to only have loose stool when he is upset about something (the farrier, saddling, being in a new pasture) and only while in the moment. He has started to gain weight and I am going to try and let him de-stress. The vet thinks that the supplements are fine for him and that he just needs more time to adjust. I do not know how honest the previous two owners were with me. He may need a lot more than I thought he did.