can anybody help

[Geewhiz]

We have a cob 20 yrs good doer lived out all his life with adlib haylage and company last sat only ate half am feed unusual for him turned him back out with new bales looked fine sat eve, sun am didn't eat any breakfast kept him in sunday tried alsorts of titbits carrots, warm feed, anything i thought he would eat (normally not fussy at all) only eating bits of haylage bits of feed, he is quite cheerful, coat shiney etc been wormed, the vet came yesterday checked his teeth (absolutely fine) no abcesses etc, in himself the normal horse although maybe slightly quieter. Vet took bloods bearing in mind his age liver function fine white cell slightly low although nothing to worry about his temperature was up v. slightly .2 above normal. Bloods have thrown nothing abnormal up.

Has anybody seen anything like this before he looks perfectly happy in himself just not eating any hard feed and very little haylage.

 

[Angelbones]

Sorry, have no real experience of this other than an oldie not wanting to eat when he moved to our yard and it took us a while to find what he actually wanted to eat.

One thing I would say, which is probably irrelevant as your vet has been, is to make sure you keep an eye on his droppings - make sure he is still regular without the fibre intake of the haylage. Also, keep an eye on how much he is drinking if you can. It has been really cold recently so make sure he is warm enough too, especially if he is not taking in the calories. If you can get him to eat something, how about trying a tonic (such as Redcell, or even Pink Powder?) or seeing if a mineral lick appeals to him?

Hope he improves soon.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I don't suppose he's been recently turned out onto very good new grazing? About now, many horses go on hunger strike for normal winter feeds in favour of grass tentatively coming through. The other thing to ask is, is he a grey? Could be the beginning of something internal gut related and nasty. Fingers crossed it's nothing x

 

[traceyann]

If your cob is anything like mine i would look for the slit in his throat as there must be one on a serious note is there strangles about in the area or could he have eaten something that might be poison or is he heavily feathered and might have a infection ie feather mite or mud fever it can drag them down abit mine stopped eating his hay as he had foot problems like you i had bloods done came back fine but he wasnt right