Getting horse to take medicines...

Marnie

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Hi,

I know that this has been done before but I am getting desperate and looking for new ideas. My mare was diagnosed with laminitis around a month ago, she is worse in one front foot. X rays 2 weeks ago showed no changes, I am looking at getting these done again this week as there has been no improvement. She is in on a deep bed. She is supposed to be getting bute and paracetamol but I just can't get her to take them. Dosing is a no-go as she just goes up on her back legs if you try and as a 16hh cob, she is just too big to be doing that.

I have tried various different feeds including mixes and mashes (Spillers Senior, Allen & Page fast fibre), I have added garlic, mint, apple sauce and apple juice in various combinations - still no luck. She will eat a bit and then leave it. I have tried equipalazone and danilon - no difference. I tried a jam sandwich, she ate one bite and then literally turned her nose up at the rest. I have given her the bute and the paracetamol separately and together - no difference.

Has anyone got any other ideas? I am going to have another shot at dosing her by syringe tonight but am not holding my breath.

Any help would be really gratefully received, I am absolutely desperate.

Thanks!

Marnie
 

Red-1

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If you are not able to give the medications orally, then the vet will be able to provide an anti inflammatory and pain killer that is inject-able.
 

holeymoley

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Blitz half a carrot with water so that you make a ‘smoothie’ add the meds and syringe in. Worked for my laminitic boy when he had to get equipalazone. Good luck.
 

Annagain

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Marmite sandwich? It has a strong flavour so can disguise a lot of tastes and I've yet to meet a horse who doesn't like it.
 

SEL

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Are you giving bute or danilon? One of mine can smell bute from a mile but will happily eat danilon. With her I had to grind nasty drugs up into a powder and hide in a bit of copra.
 

be positive

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Marmite sandwich? It has a strong flavour so can disguise a lot of tastes and I've yet to meet a horse who doesn't like it.

Tried this recently with one and I ended up covered in marmite, he ate none of it although did have a little of the plain bread.
 

ponios

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My horse wouldn't eat Karidox... unless mixed in with apple sauce and golden syrup and then mixed into chaff and soaked nuts. Probably not ideal for a laminitic but at the time a friend suggested German rybread as it tastes quite strong
 

Marnie

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Thanks everyone, I've tried a lot of these things but haven't tried the marmite and the rybread sounds like it may be worth a go - I tried the jam sandwich and that worked for one mouthful only! I have also tried Danilon and equipalazone - neither are apparently acceptable. I'm also waiting for a ringback from the vet to see if they have any suggestions.

Thanks again!
 

Shilasdair

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You're going to hate me, but my method of dosing (with Prednisolone) involves mixing it with water in a syringe, and shaking it a bit.
I then shout 'drugs!' and wave the syringe at my intended victim who is loose in the field. When she sees the syringe, she approaches the tape gate, and opens her mouth, I squirt half in, give her a treat (too wet for her to swallow without something to chew it into) and wait until she opens her mouth for the second half.
Then feed time.
At no point do I catch her, or hold her head - it's entirely on her terms. It did take me a few days to teach her this, but it's handy when she's on drugs for the rest of her life. And I am far too lazy to wrestle with a horse every day.

My other horse was on antibiotics for an infected fly bite - and I had almost trained her by the end of one week - she isn't so bothered about treats so for her the motivation is voice praise.
 

Pinkvboots

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I would practice with something nice in a syringe I use mint essence from supermarket mixed with a bit of water or custard powder neither have added sugar so good for laminitis prone, just do it with nice stuff let her stand there realise it's nice then add your medication, mine love having a syringe now the mint basically disguises most things.
 

Marnie

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Thanks again everyone. Tried the marmite which worked for the bute but not the paracetamol. My vet suggested banana which was a definite no! Am going to try the dosing route again today - thanks for the suggestions around that too.
 

Red-1

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I like this video. I liked enough of his videos to actually take my horse to a clinic. I did not like the clinic. Really, it was not a good experience for me or my horse. But still, I do like this video.
 
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