Constipation of Foals 35 



CONSTIPATION IN FOALS 



(Costiveness) 



The bowels of a foal should be observed very closely the first few 

 hours after birth. Failure of the bowels to work properly causes the loss 

 of many colts annually. When the bowels fail to move it is usually due 

 to the first milk taken failing to act as a laxative on the bowels. The food 

 of the mare prior to foaling may change the composition of the first milk. 

 A ration composed of too many dry feeds with lack of exercise, feeds as corn 

 and timothy hay have a tendency to cause costiveness. Stock powders, 

 sometimes contain drugs which have a very deterimental effect on the com- 

 position of the milk. Sometimes drugs given in disease have such an effect 

 on the composition of the milk. Grass and oats with a little linseed oil 

 meal makes a good ration for a brood mare. 



Sometimes a stagnant water supply has a very bad effect on the 

 young foal. It sometimes happens that the mares udder is diseased. 

 From my experience I am prone to believe that most all intestinal 

 troubles of the normal foal's bowels are due to the feed or water of the 

 mother before or after foaling. 



SYMPTOMS 



When young foals are constipated they raise the tail quite often, as 

 they would in normal bowel movement. The trouble is farther indicat- 

 ed by straining and colicky symptoms may be pesent. 



•. 



TREATMENTS 



See to it that the food and water supply of the mother are pure and 

 as outlined above. A few injections of soap suds and water placed in a 

 syringe and injected into the rectum of the colt usually soften the pas- 

 sages so the bowels will move. 



I always give the colt an injection of about 1/2 pi"* unless I am posi- 

 rive the bowels have acted. If the colt becomes a dav or two old and 

 the colt has had no passages it is often necessary to give them (2 or 4 

 tablespoonsf ul ) IV2 to 2 ounces of castor or olive oil, repeat every 12 

 hours if necessary and give 3 to 4 soapy water injections every 24 hours 

 from 1-3 to 3-4 pints depending on how much of the water is retained. 



