b'The Rules of PoopspectionIn cases of severe colitis, the lining of the intestines actually becomes diseased and even necrotic, creating a classic pu-trid smell, says Fugaro. Rotavirus in foals also has a telltale stink, says Pantaleon. The foal isnt able to digest milk, so the milk gets fermented in the hindgut (the cecum, large intestine/AMY K. DRAGOOcolon, and beyond), creating a character-istic odor, he says. Consider color, as well. Manure should be greenish brown; red or black indicatesIf your horse has loose stool plus fever, isolate him and implement biosecurity protocols right away blood in the stool. While horses rarelyto prevent potential infectious disease spread.have blood in their poop, it can happen. Sometimes its fresh red blood, and itsmanagement skill, but always considerrunning to the phone. Except in cases just due to broken blood vessels due toyour findings in the context of otherof severe watery diarrhea, most poop straining, similar to a human hemor- physical and behavioral signs. changes alone arent suggestive of an rhoid, says Fugaro.You really need to be looking at theemergency. Dark/black poop suggests bleedingwhole picture, says Pantaleon. If you come into the stall and see one higher in the GI tract, as the blood getsFor Fugaro, its important to rememberbout of diarrhea, but the horse is happy digested in the colon, our sources say.that home poop analysis isnt the end- and eats all the grain, and you take his However, this is extremely uncommon.all of decisions, but one component oftemperature and find theres no fever, You might see a black coffee-groundmany in considering a horses condition.then Id say call the veterinarian but dont texture kind of feces as a result of bleed- Owners shouldnt be fixating inces- consider it urgent, says Pantaleon. Just ing ulcers from a section of the intestinesantly on changes in manure habits, hemonitor him and see what his subsequent (such as the stomach or colon) or fromsays. On the flip side, subtle changes, arestools do.some other upper GI abnormality, butworth discussing with your veterinarianFugaro agrees. Keep one eye open, but thats rare, says Fugaro. Unlike in hu- or at least keeping an eye on. that doesnt mean push the panic button, mans, gastric (stomach) ulcers in horseshe says. usually dont lead to black stools.9 Do Not Call Thy Veterinarian A sudden onset of significant bowel in a Panic changes in addition to other signs (fever, 8 Rely Not on Poop Habits Alone Notice some poop changes this morn- depression, pain) constitutes more of an Poopspection is a useful horseing? Dont trip over your manure pilesemergency, says Pantaleon.Stool changes that arent accompanied by other signs but continue for 48 to 72 hours might warrant a veterinary visit just to see if theres something going on worth investigating, adds Fugaro. When its just a change in consistency and nothing else, we cant really aggressively go and do something then and there, Offering foal and adult diarrhea panels by real time PCRhe says. Better to wait and see how it progresses or if other signs appear.Clostridium difficile A and B toxins Lawsonia by both real time PCRTake-Home MessageClostridium perfringens A, B, E andand ELISAObservant and attentive owners moni-NetF toxins Potomac Horse Fevertor their horses closely, recognizing both Cryptosporidium spp.Rotavirus G3 and G14 typing what they consume and their output. Coronavirus Rhodococcus equi Less smelly and sticky than most other Salmonella mammals feces, horse poop is easy to inspect and contributes to your arsenal of Tests are available in panels or by the individual test.Our experiencedwellness information about your animal. technologists provide you with fast and accurate results.By following these rulesand keeping in mind that poop is just one of many fac-Equine Diagnostic Solutions, LLCtors to consider during an evaluation1501 Bull Lea Rd. Suite 104 Lexington, KY 40511you can ensure youre doing your best 859-288-5255www.equinediagnosticsolutions.comto get a global look at how your horse is faring.h32April 2020The Horse|TheHorse.com'