Ask the Vet - Fecal Water Syndrome

[@jessicarubios2222]

I read about this in a study and then confirmed a case of this with a horse... by leaving the herd, after years and having tested and tried everything, he stopped the fecal water. It was a gelding, gray in white phase...he was definitely an anxious horse and being in a big space with other in view but not sharing his space.

[@elisabethg1568]

Thank you so much for answering my question! Sorry about the misunderstanding with the "dappled horses", I meant painted horses. I am not a native speaker, since I live in Austria. :-) Also thank you for your advice!

[@WickedNeedle]

My 3 yr old paint gelding checks off pretty much every box required to be a ‘classic definition’ of the FWS. How / where can i get my horse a part of a study here in the United States about this? I’m in northern CA.

[@dawnbrookman]

I have a mini paint mare that has had this for years off and on and one thing that seems to help her is soaked timothy hay pellets for her morning feeding. She is the lowest in the pecking order (even below the goats :( but the sheep love her!) and has always been nervous and I felt this was a big part of it so to hear this aspect of it came out in a study helps. I've had her 18 years and she was blind in one eye when I got her and now is going blind in the other eye which is increasing her stress. It might be interesting to somehow check the sight of the horses with this to see if eyesight is a factor as it can really increase their stress in the herd if they are losing their vision.

[@bekane8294]

My paint horse gelding gets this when given access to round bale hay. It is not stress or social status related for him. As soon has he is taken off a round bale, it stops.

[@pondarosalife7790]

I have the exact same issue. No stress, herd gets along. But when they eat hay, (not sure why round vs square bale would matter, I’m feeding rounds though) but as soon as the grass grows and they are off hay it clears up. It’s starting to drive me crazy. Glad I found this video so I know it’s not just me.

[@catherineoleary9408]

Very interesting video! My Paint gelding seems to have this...shows every symptom you described. It's somewhat comforting to finally have some acknowledgement on this! I'll be following closely. Thank you

[@destineeparkinson6938]

My 23yr old POA has this! I thought it was the forage but it wasn't consistent with the change from 1st to 2nd and back. He is on the bottom of the pecking order in a group turn out and we have been turning them back out after pm feedings to limit the sawdust we use and having to clean stalls with the lack of help currently. I never thought of that as a contributing factor but it makes so much sense now. I am going to start a journal, thank you so much for sharing this! 😊

[@katjastorms1791]

My 24 y/o bay QH gelding has this. He is NOT low ranking, he is the alpha. He was recently diagnosed with PPID, and since we started treatment, the fecal water has decreased some. Which supports the stress theory, since Cushings leads to a constant state of stress due to high cortisol levels

[@cupricthehorse2796]

I had no idea this condition had a name. My horse had FWS for a few years. I tried probiotic supplements, sand clear, feed changes and nothing helped. Then I moved to a new barn and it just stopped on its own. The diet at the time I moved was unchanged. In retrospect, the horse and I were both very stressed at the first barn. The first barn had poor quality individual turnout and my gelding hated dressage. In the new barn, my gelding lives in a herd. He also stopped being spooky once I moved.

[@SapphireAgni]

Hi ! It's great to find this video, my horse has this syndrome. He's young 3.5 year old gelding, he is spotted (mostly white with some brown spots) so this syndrome is highly visible . He is a member of a small herd (3 mares and him) he isn't exactly lowest in the herd, he is bigger than 2 of the mares and bullies them a bit (he's new in the herd, only 2 months now), they are free to walk in and out stable at any time. For now what works for us is unlimited hay, oatless feed (I'll try introducing oats back in the pellet form, as I suspect, that the fact, that the oats were whole might have had some influence) + grounded flax seeds and EM probiotic. I can certainly see big reduction in the fecal water (before, there were some days when he had soaking wet legs), but there's still some splash on the backside sometimes. I'm about to introduce dried apple pomace into his diet, as most supplements for this syndrome has them or just straight up pectins. We also checked for ulcers - he doesn't have any. He is a calm, sometimes even lethargic horse, especially for the age, I have no idea if it's connected to the syndrome. Few weeks ago he had a colic but we connected it to the two primary teeth in the lower jaw, that didn't fall out and started to rot (they were removed right away of course). Hope my long story has some value for Your research and I'll gladly keep in contact to report on our journey.

[@LynnL3588]

I have a paint mini with it and also has cushings. I have tried everything. Seems to be better in the winter.

[@Deej496]

Finally... My Handsome Paint Gelding, Dillion... { Spotted Saddle Horse} Has had bouts of this for a couple years. He is going thru this again this past week. He eats good, drinks tons of water.. thankfully.... and has energy on the trail. He is calm and affectionate. Relieved to know its not going to kill him and I might be able to treat him thru his episodes. Thank you for the video. I fell better.

[@thisirishcobcan]

More people are soaking hay and in my experience, soaking hay seems to contribute too (experience with my own horse).

[@equusequinox2617]

I'd like to debunk the low man on the totem pole hypothesis. I have a chestnut mare and has always been top dog. Shes a senior horse and it started when she was around maybe 16 or 17 and shes 25 now. She's had this for yeeeears, I've literally tried everything in the dietary are to try and help. Some things I do know.. it does get worse in winter and when she's off pasture grass. I think it could also be really connected to how well her body digests food, and maybe stress is involved. She's a very stoic mare, so she'll never really give you much indication that she's stressed, but diet has been our major factor.

[@krystinadutton633]

I think my paint mare has this, been trying every thing to stop this. Didn’t know anything about this just thought it was the feed.

[@kerrydonoghue8841]

Would love to know more about this. Can you sign post to any other info? I’m really struggling with my mare whose legs are stained and skin sore. I added equishure which has helped but I’m worried as it’s not stopped and she’s quite lethargic. Vet doesn’t seem concerned but I think this is bothering her.

[@lynnettejalufka2682]

Very interesting. I remember my horses having this problem.

[@tana9108]

My horse has this he is a paint, he's not exactly the bottom of the herd but he has been in diffrent herds. I've tryed all diffrent food but it seems worse on green grass.

[@honkymonkey9568]

"Stress" is what human doctors always attribute to something that they don't know the cause of. My quarter horse has it and he is pastured with only a blind mare. So, he is obviously not low man.

[@eventervigo1943]

Is it treatable? And is it something that wont hurt them like worms and stuff like that?

[@elmienggeldenhuys3973]

Hi. Very interested. I have a saddler breed. He is a paint. Definitely only starts autumn and winter. Nothing spring and summer. I'm in South Africa. My vet seems to think its something growing in paddock during those seasons. As nothing else changes. He lives out 24/7 with his same buddy. They share food well. Has shelters. Prebiotic don't work. One thing thats seems to help is a herbal supplement for allergies? He had a cough fee years back, an i gave him this supplement and that also helped the water go. So maybe a allergy to something in paddock? He is q gelding. He doesn't losse weight, no temp no sand in poo, no parasite issue. Teeth done every 8 mnths. He doesn't do shows, so not much added stress.

[@julzhepburn3688]

60+ years with horses and until now ,never heard of this ,,but have quarterhorse cross in spain ,,who has this ,,but also has lose droppings,,so far the best results are feeding only hay,,and prebiotic in bran 3× a day, when she,s in season its always worse ,,,corrots seem ok ,but everything else ive tried feeding doesnt help. She had two foals before i had her ,both healthy ,,and she is also has plenty of energy,,,and is able to maintain a proper wt,, At the same my daughters paint horse in uk has had the symtoms also,,and she told me what my ponies problem was called , I give her NAF probiotic,,but nearly 3× the dose ,,any ideas anyone ?

[@christopherscaletta]

I have a 28 year old American Belgian with this syndrome. He has diarrhea and fecal water syndrome as well. It's scary because of his geriatric age. He is in excellent body and muscle mass, he's the leader of a 3 horse pen, 1 TWH mare 1 QH Gelding. He is on Brome and ProForce Senior, had been wormed months ago, he's on a probiotic from Mana-Pro called Opti-zyme I need help :(

[@rdr2008cait]

My paint mare seems to have this

[@jancunningham241]

Is this syndrome contagious to other horses?

[@destineeparkinson6938]

I wouldnt think so as we have 8 horses all out together and only mine has this.

[@catherineoleary9408]

Very interesting video! My Paint gelding seems to have this...shows every symptom you described. It's somewhat comforting to finally have some acknowledgement on this! I'll be following closely. Thank you