I want to clarify something.
This horse is old. The owner is a child and the family consists of 5
other children and they are not rich. The father refused the hospital
because of the cost. The vet is the one who prescribed the no eating
until he pooped and she’s been by every day to check on him. The
vet is the one who says there is nothing more she can do at my place and we’re
all in agreement that the horse has to start getting some food again. He’s
still alert and seemingly pain free. Putting him on grass instead of hay
and grain is my choice at this point because I’m thinking that it’s
good fiber and also moist and won’t cause as much dry impaction to add to
the impaction he’s already got. We’re all (owners and vet)
watching him closely and we know the decision to put him down may be coming
soon. He’s been wandering all over the yard today, so he’s
getting some exercise, so hopefully that will help. I’m starting to
feel cautiously optimistic – one of my dogs came up to me a bit ago with
some stinky black gunk on her. I’m hoping maybe he pooped some and
she rolled in it and there is a tiny bit of dried poop on his butt.
Just didn’t want you guys to crucify
the owners. They do love this horse, but they have to be practical and we
are doing everything the vet is telling us. I’m just wondering if
there is just something else. Applesauce and prune juice syringed into
him? <g> Can a horse have prunes?
Rae
From: xxxx
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
aseriousimpaction
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 ownerdid 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 theresnothing 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 geteverything 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?
