Follow on from "my horse will not drink enough"

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be positive

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I posted a few days ago and received lots of ideas to help get my horse drinking again after his stay in hospital, he was dehydrated, stressed and reluctant to drink which was a real concern:(

I tried many things but he really only drank plain water, not interested in all the clever ideas tried, getting him eating more, all feed soaked he likes molassed sugar beet and grass nuts, has made a difference, he is still not drinking much but it is improving:).

Now to the reason WHY he was not drinking:(, I had a suspicion his mouth was sore but he is always reluctant to let you look in his mouth at the best of times, he is extremely sensitive, wears a rubber bit, so following a chat to my dentist, well the horse's, I got tough today and insisted, he has a 1 inch long split on the inside of the bar on one side, bruising under his tongue and the bone in his chin groove was very swollen, this I had picked up on but as it is now going down I realised how swollen it was in the first place:( Poor boy no wonder he was unhappy, the drugs he is on have probably reduced any inflammation but it must still be hurting.

Dentist coming soon to have a proper look to make sure there is no underlying damage, he is not happy with the use of chifneys as he sees the damage they can do, I am assuming this is the cause.

The leg is doing well so at least that no longer hurts:)
 
Poor boy :(. A catalogue of errors from the vet, it seems.

If he likes molassed sugarbeet and you're happy to feed it, I've found my TB goes nuts for sugarbeet water (this horse will normally not touch water that's been 'tampered' with with things such as apple juice, peppermint oil etc).
 
TwoStroke said:
Poor boy :(. A catalogue of errors from the vet, it seems.

If he likes molassed sugarbeet and you're happy to feed it, I've found my TB goes nuts for sugarbeet water (this horse will normally not touch water that's been 'tampered' with with things such as apple juice, peppermint oil etc).
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Hmmm, my opinion of vets is not great at the moment:(

He is taking a little sugar beet water, for now worrying about the effect of the molasses is lower down the scale than keeping him happy and hydrated, hopefully as his feet were really good and he has never been footy they will be fine. He has plenty of walking ahead in his rehab to get them back to shape.
 
tallyho! said:
Oh poor boy! Glad you found the cause, will the split have to be stitched?
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No, it is a week old now, only just able to look today, he came back on Thursday, it seems to be healing up so just time needed.

Dentist and vet out next week so it can be looked at then but hopefully it should be healed fully by then and cause no more problems.
 
be positive said:
No, it is a week old now, only just able to look today, he came back on Thursday, it seems to be healing up so just time needed.

Dentist and vet out next week so it can be looked at then but hopefully it should be healed fully by then and cause no more problems.
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I'd be so angry with the vet hospital... But glad he is on the mend.
 
So pleased you are getting to the bottom of the problem. I would give warm water, I find that really helps them drink and if he is in pain more comfortable for him.

I also think maybe anti biotics as when my boy had a splinter of tooth removed no antibiotics given and flared up again. On a subsequent vist antibiotics given and no problem since. I don't think antibiotics should be given per se but there are times..........
 
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tallyho! said:
I'd be so angry with the vet hospital... But glad he is on the mend.
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There is a lot more to this story, which will be put on here in full once everything is sorted, a catalogue of errors, a vet that thought she had xray eyes, well fingers and a total lack of communication.

This horse has suffered needlessly and finding he had been nerve blocked, trotted up, probably in a chifney as he was fresh following 6 weeks shut in his box, when they knew he had a serious fracture of his splint bone and was very lame even on danilon, has made me extremely angry but I do not think there is anything that can be done, a sternly worded email will be sent at some point once vets at this end are dealt with:(
 
Janah said:
So pleased you are getting to the bottom of the problem. I would give warm water, I find that really helps them drink and if he is in pain more comfortable for him.

I also think maybe anti biotics as when my boy had a splinter of tooth removed no antibiotics given and flared up again. On a subsequent vist antibiotics given and no problem since. I don't think antibiotics should be given per se but there are times..........
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He is on antibiotics for two weeks anyway because of the op, plus danilon so that should help the healing.

Thanks:)
 
That sounds dreadful. As well as a strongly worded letter to the vet practice I'd also be sending one to the RCVS - can you get photos of his mouth or a signed witness statement of the damage done? I'm guessing you can't about the trot up under a nerve block.
 
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