Why is my older horse colicking with dark urine and no poop?

Poor Woodrow. He sounds very sick and likely has an internal illness that requires testing and treatment through your vet. There are so many possible causes for lack of appetite, including liver disease, kidney disease, infection or pancreatitis just to name a few. We need to first have some bloodwork done on him to see if that shows any clues as to why he is ill. He may need additional testing if the bloodwork doesn't reveal anything. I would make it a point to take him in to your vet within the next 24-48 hrs if possible. Until then continue to offer him boiled plain chicken and rice or tuna and rice to see if you can keep him nourished. I would also offer Pedialyte (non-flavored) diluted with water to try and keep him hydrated. I hope that things work out for your pet Woodrow and that he has a full and speedy recovery. Take care and best wishes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I noticed in one of those pictures that his stool is really diarrhea and is black (which usually means a sign of bleeding). Vomiting and diarrhea can occur secondary to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, dietary indiscretion, parasites, among other possibilities. In addition, black stools can be indicative of bleeding into the small intestine or stomach which can happen secondary to an ulcer for instance. Bloody urine can be the result of an infection, stones, tumors, among other possibilities. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. At the very least they can start him on medications to make him feel better and check his hydration status. In the meantime, keep water available at all times to try to prevent dehydration. Good luck and have a good day!

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear about Ruby's troubles. When horses have difficulty passing stools, the first thing that comes to mind for me is either dehydration - like the horse isn't taking in enough moisture in the diet, or something neurological. We can sometimes also see small colon impactions when a horse is affected by salmonella bacteria, and this can lead to issues with rectal impactions too. If there is any history of illness outside of this issue alone, I'd be concerned. Also, depending on the horse, and the age, we can see cancers encourage obstructions as well. Either way, I would definitely have a veterinarian come out and take a look at Ruby. Sometimes abdominal ultrasound and also lab work will be indicated to look for abnormalities or illnesses. In the meantime, I don't see how bran mashing once a day (I usually do 2/3 of a scoop to start) would hurt to try and see if this helps to get things moving. I hope you find this answer helpful. Best of luck!

The best and only option is to call a veterinarian immediately as it is an emergency. Your vet will examine your horse, do a rectal exam, tube the horse to check for stomach overload and also for the reason for the colic. Treatment varies according to cause of the colic. Worst case scenario is that the horse dies, or needs abdominal surgery. Your vet will give the horse pain medicine and a smooth muscle relaxant intravenously and possibly tube mineral oil via stomach tub. Please, if your horse is colicking, call your veterinarian immediately.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds that Puss suffers from acute kidney failure, which is most commonly caused by intoxication (for example ingesting antifreeze, human anti-inflammatory medications, lily pollen and more). This is a serious condition and the best place to be for Puss is a vet hospital. There are a few methods to induce urine output (drip, diuretic medications) and I do hope he will start producing urine very soon. However, as I am sure your vet advised you, the prognosis are uncertain, if Puss is not able to produce any urine at the moment.

Sounds like he is colicking. I suggest you get a vet out there to check him out. Glad he drank some water and had some electrolytes but the fact that he keeps laying down is not good. He may need some Bute or Banamine (anti-inflammatory) - he may have muscle inflammation from being down/tangled.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dark urine is often an indication of dehydration or not drinking enough water. I recommend that you check and make sure that she is drinking enough water. Sometimes using several water bowls throughout the house is helpful. Another way to stimulate her to eat canned food which is high in water content. Good luck!