My family has a 26 yr. old horse (we think a quarterhorse), and he was rescued. He has terrible teeth, is not very exited about anything, and is super skinny. He won't eat hay because it hurts too much, so we feed him softened grain. He has an eye infection too, that we're trying to treat. The vet says he's in too poor health to have his teeth done right now. He will soon be with four other horses, but 3 will pick on him at first. Any ideas??? Thanks!!!!!!
We have a 26 yr. old horse - skinny, bad teeth, etc. Help!!!!?
The fact that the vet has seen him is a great start, and I'd follow his advice for holding off on having his teeth floated for now, but how long does he recommend postponing this?
I'd be sure to run a CBC and blood chemistry to see if there's nothing underlying causing his deterioration, aside from age. If his WBC is elevated, it may be he's been exposed to some type of infection, like Lyme disease, that can cause his lethargy and lack of appetite.
In the mean time, be sure the soaked feed you're providing has a component in it for roughage, like beet pulp. 'Complete' feeds are a good way to go, as are feeds labelled 'Senior'. Triple Crown makes great feed in both these varieties. Otherwise, I'd also offer half a bucket (flat back type) of dry hay cubes, with water added 'till they float. Wait an hour, then serve. The extra calories and fiber will serve him well. Of course, plenty of fresh water changed daily.
I'd be sure to add a superior multivitamin, like Accel Lifetime and a joint supplement to make moving 'round more comfortable. Be careful before you worm him, make sure the vet is consulted beforehand ~if he's got a heavy parasite load, a sudden high dose of dewormer can make him ill, if not kill him. Same goes for vaccinations. Consult your vet. Speaking of injections, it's possible your vet can give him a Vitamin B shot for energy.
I'd keep him separate from the herd for at least 3 months 'till he's gained some weight and you've figured out why he's not 'excited about anything'. It may just be he doesn't have the strength to deal with the new environment yet, and the other horses will attack him if he's in failing health.
Get his feet trimmed by a highly qualified farrier. Bad feet can cause misery, make moving uncomfortable, and cause a horse to worry off any weight, too.
Lastly, let him have shelter and a blanket. Coming into winter it's important all his calories go toward weight gain, not keeping warm. His eye infection is going to take some time as well (you don't mention the type, but I'm sure your vet is prescribing meds for you). It's another reason to keep him separate from the herd.
Good luck, and good for you for reclaiming a rescue.
Reply:Does your horse have to be with the other horses? If the horse has had a healthy happy life, it would not be fair to end the final time your horse has to live in a situation he would not blend in with. If you have the opportunity to look into a boarding home with other older horses, this may be more appropriate. I don't know anything about horses, however I feel we should all live in dignity.
Reply:first get his those teeth done and ask the vet about the eye infection but first the teeth so he can eat
Reply:Talk to your vet. I would be concerned with just giving him softened grain as there is insufficient roughage. How about soaked hay, hay cubes, or alfalfa cubes? Soaked beet pulp would also be a possibility.
Reply:The average life for a horse is 30 years. I would NOT put him with other horses, it may hurt him even more.
Keep him seperated, keep treating him with a vet and hope for the best is about all you can do. Too bad he wasn't rescued sooner.
GL
Reply:Also you could get some hay cubes and break them up. A really good oinment to get for eye infections is called terramycin. It is somewhat costly but is well worth it. Take him walks on line and give him alot of attention and grooming. Animal like people get depressed. We once took on the care of a 43 year old horse. Her owner never visited her. her skin on her back legs was black and rotten from her urine. She was alwasy depressed and stood in her stall all day. But with a little bit of attention and grooming she was able to gain some weight and was more lively and excited about life.
Reply:I had the same problem with my gelding earlier this past summer. All of a sudden he got super skinny and I didn't know what caused it. The vet came out and floated his teeth and alas, the same problem.. no teeth. So, she suggested feeding soaked (Purina) equine senior feed. She recommended feeding him 4x daily, 3lbs at a time. She also suggested in addition to the senior, to add "ultium" (it's also a Purina product). So, for every 2 1/2 lbs of the equine senior, I'd add 1/2 lb of the ultium. Gradually I went up to 4 lbs(with the 1 lb of ultium, the rest senior), then to 5 lbs 2x times daily, with 3 scoops of beet pulp (soaked in water overnight) in the morning, then 5 lbs for lunch, then 5 lbs at bedtime. I don't even use the ultium anymore b/c he looks so good on the senior and beet pulp. Hope that helps. Good luck. Oh, and make sure you deworm him, I'm sure you have already thought of that though.. :)
Reply:Horses are just gonna pick on each other in a herd situation, its just the way they are. They are going to establish a pecking order. Since older horses are usually low in the order, you might want to observe him during feeding time to make sure he is getting time to finish his feed. If not, bring him in to feed him. As long as you are working with your vet, you should be on the right track. Once the teeth are floated and he still doesn't gain weight, you should have the vet do some blood work. That will determine any underlying causes to him being so skinny and can get him on the road to recovery faster. Good luck with your boy. He deserves to live the rest of his days as a fat, happy old man.
Reply:try praying to st. francis of assisi that can't hurt,apart from that lots of luck guys
Reply:To fatten him up, try a 'predigested' feed for older horses. I used one called Gumnuts on an old horse and it worked great. I also fed him boiled barley, but only a little mixed with the Gumnuts. Soften it with water and let it soak if you need to. You could also mix in some chaff for roughage. I would not put him with the other horses if you can avoid it. He would be an easy target being so thin and old and in poor condition. He doesn't need that extra stress. Give him lots of love and attention.
Reply:you know, letting him suffer isnt doing him any favors. there comes a time when its best to put a suffering animal down. your horse cant eat, he needs his teeth floated and being older, other horses will alway pick on him. you'll have to keep him separated or the other horses can kill him. some people dont like to have to put down an animal, but believe me, your not doing him any favors here.
Reply:You have been given a lot of good advice. I currently own 2 26 year old horses, one with no teeth. What I do is twice a day soak Timothy/alfalfa cubes in water to make "pony soup" We also feed him Senior Glo and give him Legacy joint pellets. He has his own stall with access to a decent size yard. He can come and go as he pleases. I would recommend if possible to not let him in with the other horses. He could be seriously injured and then you would have no choice but to have him put down. Give him some time to gain weight and adjust to his new home. When the time comes to introduce him only do it one horse at a time. Very slowly.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Reply:Get his teeth done as soon as your vet okays it.
Feed him a senior horse feed. They are researched and formulated and take into account that many older horses have bad teeth. I noticed a difference in my 26 year old within a couple of weeks of switching him to a senior feed.
I'd also keep him separated from the new horses, at least while he is in such bad shape. You can use electric fence to subdivide the pasture, if you don't have separate areas for them.
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