care post colic surgery... your experiences please!

[haras]

My pregnant mare is now ten weeks post colic surgery. she is still on box rest... six weeks to go and counting, before the restricted turnout can commence!

I am currently making small changes to her diet. She has put the weight she lost back on, so I now want to try and maintain her weight, as I don't want her fat for foaling.

I am making the changes slowly, but would just like to know other peoples experiences, things like turnout, treats, changing feed etc etc....

basically anything you can!

Thanks

 

[LizzyandToddy]

My boy had his colic op feb 09...He was skin and bones by the time we got him back from the vets!
Just keep making small changes to her diet, thats all we did.
He had 3 months of box rest before he was allowed turnout, had one minor infection after which needed antibiotics but overall he healed really really well...

We did have to dope him before he was turned out so he didn't try anything silly, and he still got a little excited to be back out in the field! Thankfully didn't do anything 'too' silly though.

Worst thing though was keeping him occupied on box rest as he hates being in!! Ended up attatching apples and various fruits on a string and tying them up in the stable for him to try and eat, seemed to work quite well...

He was back hunting by October so I hope your mare recovers well!
If there is anything else you would like to ask don't hesitate to ask xx

 

[haras]

Thanks, thats great news about your boy.

Unfortunately my mare was already in foal when she coliced, and somehow the foal has survived, so she has to have an extra month box rest due to the strain of an expanding belly! she doesn't mind too much, as she hates being out in horrid weather anyway, but she is starting to get bored now! I'm thinking that she may have to be sedated when she first goes out, as she is rather manic at the best of times. We have however, decided that her first run is in the school, as it will be January, so will either be really hard ground or really wet and slippery, so we thought it would be safer for her!

It's the long term feeding that I am trying to get my head round now. How much can I treat her like any other horse and how much does she need special treatment? Can she have treats? likits? etc etc etc