Chronic Loose Stool HELP!
I would like to give a little background first. I purchased my pony in May, 2009. He was very, very thin, looked like he didn't have any life left in him. He also had rain rot. When I got him home I had my vet come out and he checked him over and floated his teeth. He estimated his age to be around 20. He told me to keep him on free choice hay... of poorer quality and then I could bump him up to better quality hay after he started gaining weight and feeling better. The vet also suggested that I put him on a high fat, low starch, low sugar feed because he is quite hyper. He told me by the end of summer there should be a significant weight gain and then I could cut him back on the grain and eventually give him just hay. I also put him on Mannapro Probiotic. So here we are, almost a year later and my boy looks awesome! You would never guess he was the same pony let alone 20 years old. He is a perfect weight, his coat is shiny, his eyes are bright and clear, he has a lot of pep! He has always had this loose stool, though. I thought maybe the probiotic would help and it seemed to slightly, but his stool was never normal. Lately, it seems to be getting worse. He's gassy, mostly cow patty type manure, occasionally there will be some form to it but mostly loose. He has started showing signs of being uncomfortable. Before he poops he will swish his tail and stomp him back foot, like it hurts or something. I called my vet and he said that it is most likely malabsorption syndrome. He said he could run a fecal test, but since he's been wormed regularly, he highly doubts anything will come up on a fecal. He said that malabsorption syndrome is something you kind of just have to deal with. I started looking for a different supplement and decided to give Succeed a try. He has been on Succeed for Leisure Horses through Monty Roberts website for a week. I know that it says to wait 90 days for the full effect, but it doesn't seem to be helping. He's still gassy, still uncomfortable, loose stool but has no other signs of being sick. He looks great. The vet also said that some of it could be coming from him being a nervous type pony. He's fearful of a lot of things and it took a lot for him to trust me. I am the only one who he trusts and there are times he's still skeptical of me. lol But those times are few and far between. I have taken everything very slow with him... I never push him into scary situations or have anyone else handle him as to not make him more nervous than he is. He's full of peronality if it's just him and me. So as of now he's on free choice orchard grass hay, his feed is down to a half of a small coffee can (i know you're supposed to weigh it, but I'm guilty of not following this rule.) of Buckeye Safe N' Easy Texturized feed twice a day, and the Succeed for Leisure Horses as a supplement. He's not being worked, he goes outside during the day (weather permitting. i'm in ohio and will say no more), but most of the time he's out for an hour or two and wants back in. During the summer months he's usually out most of the day. He's wormed regularly. If anyone has any advice or suggestions, I'm wide open! I can try cutting his feed back, but he will absolutely freak if he doesn't get any at all. The vet said that what he's getting is nothing and that shouldn't be a problem. Also, does anyone know if you can give Succeed AND a probiotic at the same time? I tried posting pics of his before and after, but my files must be too big and it wouldn't upload.
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