Frightening reaction to Danilion

seoirse

seoirse

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My elderly pony has sadly recently been retired due to arthtitis. She's has a superb working life and owes us nothing. We decided to keep her going as long as we could keep her comfortable as we've got lovely paddocks and she loves being out, but her hock really flared up a couple of weeks ago after a hoon about in the field, so she went onto bute, which was a nightmare as she wouldnt eat it and after a few days of syringing she started to be impossible to catch and was obviously very distressed about it. So we decided to change to danilon and at the same time had the hock xrayed just to see what we were dealing with. Turns out it is pretty much fused, so no wonder its sore and swollen. Anyway, she gobbled up the danilon in her feed and was much more comfortable after a few days. This turned out to be short lived. Within 5 days she started to refuse all feed, hay, carrots, EVERYTHING. We thought it must be the pain caused by the hock and were thinking it was time to have her pts if we were unable to manage the pain. My Mum was away on holiday for a few days when this happened so I decided to try and see if I could get her through the weekend til Mum got back so she could see her and make the final decision as its her pony really, though I was prepared to have her pts before Mum's return if it came to it. Friday after work I got to the yard and she just looked desperate. She hadn't had a drink all day and was so weak she could hardly put one foot infront of the other. I was about to call the vet when I had a bit of a brainwave and decided to put her in the dairy field by her paddock as it was lush and green, I kind of thought, if she won't eat that, then its over. You can imagine my relief when she tucked in! She had a couple of hours grazing out there that evening and I put her out there for 2 hours bursts all weekend. It's now Tuesday and she is back in her own paddock, grazing, eating hay, eating bucket feed and pretty much back to normal. She is now on zero pain relief for the hock and is actually looking better, the swelling has gone right down and she is flexing it well and in walk looks quite sound. We will keep her going as long as she is ok without pain relief, the minute that changes then we'll have to call it a day.
I just wanted to share this incase anyone else has similar problems with Danilon as I have heard about other horses going on hunger strike when fed it. Its a real shame as she could do with the anti inflam, but since she seems ok without then we'll leave it to Dr Green to do what it can for her, but I do hope she gets a nice summer of retirement as she has earned it.
 
I use Metacam. It smells pretty nasty to me, but my old fussychops eats it up on her breakfast with no problem. Its quite sweet so more palatable and being a liquid you can syringe it straight down their throats if necessary.
 
Don't think that can be said to be a reaction to Danilon sounds like the pony did not like eating it not the same.
 
Try Metacam as fat piggy says.
Never had to try Danilon as ours generally eat bute without an issue.
You could also try a bute alternative like nobute- search threads on here for the most popular ones :)
 
My vet actually said she has seen other instances of danilon suppressing appetite. I don’t think it was simply that pony didn’t like the taste! She wouldn’t have stopped eating and drinking entirely for days. When she was on bute and we were trying to hide it in her feed she just refused her feed but she happily noshed through everything else put infront of her and grazed in her field.

Anyway, I am unable to prove it was the danilon as I’m not prepared to give it to her again. She seems quite happy as she is and I’ll try some nobute/devils claw, but if she can’t be maintained without chemical pain relief then I’ll call it a day as she’s old and very arthritic and has had an amazing life.

I just thought I’d post this incase anyone else had a similar problem and I’ve actually since read a few other posts in different places from people reporting similar things. I’m just trying to share experiences so we can all help our equine friends.
 
Danilon is just sugar coated bute so I don't think her reaction was due to that as she didn't have the same reaction to the bute that you syringed into her. I have never heard of that particular reaction to danilon. It must have been something else, perhaps a virus or low grade colic?
 
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