Can antiboitics/antinflamatories...

I_A_P

I_A_P

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make horses go off their food? He has been on them since Thurs and did not eat his small amount of mix with danilon in this morning ( i presumed he just didnt want to eat it as the medication was in it) but tonight i syringed him his meds and he still wont eat his food. He has had a mouthful or two of haylage and stuck his nose in his food and just left it. Just doesnt seem interested. He seems bright enough apart from that?!

Never had to feed him anything like that before so was not sure if that could happen?
 
Yes. You may need to add something to encourage eating, mint or molasses or something.
 
Donklet- Thanks. Im not sure if my post was very clear. He wont eat his feed even without the meds in. Is that sill normal?
 
Fran it might be that the reason he is having meds is why he isn't interested in his feed rather than the meds in the feed putting him off. If you had a raging sore throat and were given antibx, you might be off your food but it wouldn't be because of the antibx, it would be because of the original sore throat if you see what I mean. Why is he having antibx and anti-inflammatories?
 
Box_Of_Frogs - He is on them for a swollen hock (hoping he has just banged it and that it is just fluid). He was eating them in his feed fine and seemed happy enough generally until yesterday afternoon. He had a few small mouthfuls of haylage last night and has eaten some grass this morning quite happily but thats it.

Vets are coming out today anyway.
 
Sorry, yes, I did slightly mis understand you. Hope the vet has been able to help.
 
Keep a very close eye on his temperature. My horse ended up with endo-toxiemia (septicimia) from a course of oral antibiotics. They killed off all the good bacteria in the gut, allowing the nasties to multiply and get into her bloodstream. She went off her food completely, then started showing mild colic symptoms and then her temperature went through the roof. She just pulled through. That was the first ever course of antibiotics that she had had, aged 23. She then had to have another course last winter and they made her ill as well, but we kept a close check on the temp and she was ok. Didn't eat for 5 days though. The first time was a 7 day course which is why we think the bacteria had a chance to get into the bloodsteam.

So, keep an eye on the temp and call the vet in if you are in any doubt.
 
Thanks. The vet has been out today. He has taken his temperature and said he is fine and not to worry about him not eating too much. He said that sometimes they can make them go off their food as it leaves a really bitter taste in their mouth. I will keep an eye on him.

He is on them for several more days although he is happy with how is leg is going down.

He has been eating a bit of grass outside which I think has made him feel a bit better as wel.
 
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