[Jeblina]

"the squirts!" Yes, my two month old has gotten his first case of diarrhea...I know that any diarrhea can be serious in young horses...but I'm wondering what may have caused it. He and his mom were moved to a new barn a week ago and have been doing well (turned out by themselves everyday), and his mom was vaccinated and wormed 3 days ago...could the diarrhea be in relation to the worming? How long should I wait to see if it improves before calling the vet? I was planning on waiting another day to see if it clears up before calling the vet out...but what do you guys think? Thanks in advance!!!

[FloridaJumper]

diarrhea is normal in babies. Just wash his butt off and put some vasaline on it so his skin doesnt chaff.

[rainrider]

Both the vaccination and the worming could have caused it. Just like us, anything that they put into their bodies while they're nursing, goes into the milk and into their babies. I don't know enough about foals to know whether this is something that a vet should be called for or not. I'll let some other more knowledgable members address that issue. .

[Top Dun]

Diarrhea is normal in babies BUT it CAN be very serious. Babies can get dehydrated MUCH faster than older horses. If you have any beneficial bacteria (probiotics) then Give it to the foal ASAP. And then call the vet.

http://www.horses-and-horse-informat...trogrief.shtml
In foals, causes of diarrhea include foal-heat diarrhea, antibiotics, overeating, parasites, lactase deficiency, viruses,

ulcers and bacteria. Foal heat diarrhea is the most common cause of diarrhea in foals seven to 14 days of age. The cause is unknown but is probably the result of changes in intestinal cell populations or establishment of normal gut microflora. Foals will often continue to nurse and remain bright and alert, without fever. If the diarrhea persists for more than a few days and the foal becomes depressed with a fever, a thorough work-up by your veterinarian is indicated.

Several different viruses and bacteria may cause severe diarrhea in foals, including rotavirus and salmonella. The foal will become depressed and febrile, will stop suckling, and may show signs of colic with profuse watery to bloody diarrhea. All of these signs should alert the owner, and rapid intervention by your veterinarian is essential. If therapy is not initiated quickly, the foal will die.



http://www.pilchuckvet.com/resources...a_in_foals.pdf

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/23212.htm

http://petcaretips.net/diarrhea_horse.html

[BestofPrincess]

if it smells bad call the vet, our foal last year had it and it smelled g*d awful, and he needed iv fluids

[Jeblina]

Originally Posted by BestofPrincess

if it smells bad call the vet, our foal last year had it and it smelled g*d awful, and he needed iv fluids

LOL....no, it doesn't smell....made an awful mess of the stall though...I haven't been out to see him yet today, and I'm hoping that it will clear up all by itself...I'll be sure to keep you all updated!

[BarrelBabe]

I hope Jack is ok! He's such a beautiful lil boy!

[Jeblina]

Originally Posted by BarrelBabe

I hope Jack is ok! He's such a beautiful lil boy!

Thanks....I went to see him today and he's acting just like normal, nursing a lot, running and playing, and the poop seems to be more solid (although not quite normal yet...but getting better). He had been rubbing his butt and his tail was all messed up, so I cleaned him with baby wipes and put diaper ointment all over his backside (thank goodness I have a child in diapers at home...no need to go to the store...LOL). Thanks for all the input...I'll keep everyone informed if anything changes!

[Equestrian118]

That's normal in foals but if it doesn't go away for a while then you need to call the vet. Glad it's getting better though. I bet he's cute!

[Blistering Winds]

Also, is your mare in heat? Foal heat can cause digestive upset from the hormones flowing through momma and being absorbed into the milk.

You can give pepto, call your vet for a dose.

Diarrhea can kill a baby so quickly, be PROACTIVE, not REACTIVE. Get the diarrhea under control NOW, before "bad" things that MIGHT happen, happen.