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[RC] Old horse - impaction - Rae Callaway

Title: Old horse - impaction

  One of my boarders is a 23 year old gelding.  Last weekend I noticed that he wasnt that interested in his feed, so on Monday, I had the vet out, thinking he had bit his cheeks up again.  Turned out that he had a serious impaction that was just out of reach of the vet to be able to manipulate.  She refluxed his stomach, then gave him water, electrolytes and laxative by tube.  My orders were to not feed him until he pooped and keep track of his water intake.  The owner did not want to send him to the equine hospital for fluids.  Well, its been almost a week now, hes had 3 laxative treatments and no food at all and he still has not pooped.  The vet says theres nothing else she can do here and the owner still does not want to spend for him to go to the hospital.  I cant take not feeding this guy anymore.  Hes dropped so much weight in just a week.  Starting yesterday evening, Ive put him out on the yard so he can graze.  I still kinda hate to give him pellets & hay, which are dry, but Im hoping the grass will help get him moisture and maybe something in his stomach may help get everything moving again. 

  Any suggestions out there?  Is there a point where I need to tell his owners to think of putting him down?  Have we already passed that point?  Is there anything else I can give him or do?

Rae

Tall C Arabians - Central Region