Home Current News News Archive Shop/Advertise Ridecamp Classified Events Learn/AERC
Endurance.Net Home Ridecamp Archives
ridecamp@endurance.net
[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]

RE: [RC] Old horse - impaction - Rae Callaway

  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 a seriousimpaction 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