Yesterday afternoon things were looking up in Cassidyland but this afternoon brought another set back. Got to the barn by 8am and gave her all her meds. She’s such a good girl about taking them. Per our vet, I gave her the regular amount of feed (1/2 scoop) and her flake of hay. She was in the mood to eat and things were looking ok. I spent all morning in the pasture with her and cleaned up about 4 piles of almost normal stool from the night before. About 10:30 she began with diarrhea again. Not a lot, just a bit sort of slipped out of her behind. I was watching her and she walked over by the water trough and laid down. She did half a roll, I held my breath because I wasn’t sure if it was a roll to just roll or a roll to thrash because of tummy pain. I called to her and she got up. She looked at the water but didn’t drink.

I had to go do some errands so Shaila was keeping an eye on her. In the hour and a half I was gone she was up and down a few times. She would look at the water but not drink. I had spoken to my vet in the meantime and she said with a colitis situation (which is what we have versus colic) it can take up to a week to see improvement and they may get constipated in between the diarrhea. I was to continue what I was doing, Pepto, Flagyl & Probios. She had not had any more BM’s so I gave her some pedialyte and her lunchtime hay. Shaila was staying at the barn and offered to keep an eye on her. It was even hotter today than yesterday. Shaila called about 2:45 and said she had been down about 4 times since 2! I was thinking the heat was affecting HER now.

Here she is after I poured some water on her. She didn’t like me trying to spritz her off. It was actually nice under the tent.

A different vet was on the property so I asked him to take a look at her. He said her gut sounds were good and he felt it was the heat and the fact she wasn’t drinking. He gave her some electrolytes and a banamine shot. We discussed her food and he felt what I’m doing is ok but to increase hay is the way to go – not to increase her amount of feed. This has been a debate in the barn because she gets so much less than all the other horses. He was happy to see she took the hay he offered her. He gave me more electrolytes for tomorrow and said to do whatever necessary to get water into her.

Rebecca Maye is now handling the heat better than momma (and me!). She didn’t even get sweaty today and was perky (when she was awake) but she is still having diarrhea off and on. I’m getting to be an expert at administering horse meds. She is 2 & 1/2 weeks old today. I think she wants to be a racehorse or maybe a dog – she chases the cars down the driveway!

Tonight I decided to let Cassidy’s system get a break from the Pepto. It can work too hard the opposite way, too. She ate her dinner with some added electrolyte salts and we moved her big water trough closer to the tent. As we were filling it she came over and took a big drink – Yippee! This is such a delicate balance and I am learning as I go. I really need to do a great deal of research in the area of feed and hay. I can’t change anything until I get her system normal again and she gets her strength back. I am posting signs all along her pasture fence, “Please, do NOT feed, she’s on a special diet!” I know people stop all the time to see her and I also know they give her things to eat. I am at fault for allowing this in the first place.

We’ve been offered the use of 3 acres that actually has grass (her pasture is total sand), tons of shade trees and a pond. It just would have to be fenced. Anybody out there have a fence company willing to donate to a very worthy horse? Keep us in your prayers. Time to catch a couple hours of sleep.