12 July 2023

Star Patient - Reggie

Adoption Star Reggie, member of The Gangsters, has recently recovered from a period of ill health that led to him making an emergency visit to Rossdales Equine Hospital in Newmarket.

Reggie’s tummy troubles began when his carers spotted he was quiet within himself and was suffering from diarrhoea. When he still wasn't eating despite being given pain relief and some medication, he was brought to the Redwings Veterinary Hospital. It was suspected that Reggie was suffering from colic, a general term used to refer to abdominal pain, so he was given stronger pain relief and taken for a radiograph. His result showed an accumulation of sand in his intestines which can restrict gut movement and is both painful and potentially dangerous; he was given a course of medication, and had stable/woodchip rest, away from grazing to clear out the sand and subsequently sent home to Aylsham to recover with his friends.

A few weeks later Reggie was found by his carers laying down away from his friends in the field and uninterested in food. He was again given medication but showed more colic signs later in the day so was brought to the Horse Hospital again. A faecal sample came up clear of sand, however a repeat abdominal X-ray showed sand accumulation within his abdomen (in his intestines), suggesting he was struggling to shift the sand out of his intestines on his own. He was treated for colic and kept at Redwings Horse Hospital for close monitoring. Despite slowly building up to eating a normal diet and receiving treatment and daily care, Reggie unfortunately colicked again. This time, however, his symptoms persisted through strong pain relief so the decision was made to move him to Rossdales Equine Hospital as they have the equipment to perform surgery on such a small patient if required.

The team at Rossdales found no remaining sand in Reggie’s gut, meaning his treatment at Redwings had been successful in removing it and he didn’t need colic surgery; however this raised more questions as to what was causing his pain. An ultrasound revealed a build-up of fluid in the wall of his large intestines, and blood tests showed he had a low white blood cell count, leading the team to conclude he was suffering from colitis (inflammation of the large intestine). Further intensive medical treatment was instigated for this condition and thankfully Reggie made a full recovery.

Reggie was grateful to soon be allowed to return to the Redwings Horse Hospital to finish his treatment and receive lots of love and attention from his carers, he was also able to re-join his friends who had been moved to the hospital for monitoring.

Norfolk has a very sandy soil type, making the risk of sand colic higher than with other soil types. As many of The Gangsters had been found to have a high level of sand in their gut intestines it was important that they had a space to rest away from the grass so that they wouldn’t continue to potentially consume sand. Redwings Aylsham, where the Gangsters lived, does not currently have woodchip paddocks so the decision was made to send The Gangsters on holiday to Redwings Caldecott temporarily where they can alternate between grass and woodchip paddocks to ensure their health and happiness.

You can currently visit Reggie and the gang at Redwings Caldecott where they are making new friends and gathering lots of stories to tell their Aylsham friends when they return.

We can only provide the high level of care residents like Reggie need thanks to your generous donations. If you would like to make a donation you can find out more.