Had the Shotgun on Stand-by

[Tia]

Yesterday started off as no different to any other day. Filled up all of the bale feeders with round bales and as per usual I cut all the twine and started to collect them all up together (as always) when my "handy helper" appears at the other side of the bale feeder and is pulling some of the twine round to his side. I didn't pick up the twine which was on his half of the bale (although was somewhat miffed that he was "helping" but seemed more to me silly and not helpful). He pulled on his twine and I had hold of mine. One of the foals decided to take a piece of his twine along with some hay......so he released it

.

Being up on the bale feeder I noticed that she had the twine in her mouth and told him to pull it out. He fumbled and farted around but didn't pull it out. I jumped down and went round to her in time to see the twine disappear inside her mouth - and didn't exit.

So what was my job yesterday? Sitting watching for poos all day long, and on many occasions during the night. Well the baler twine (nylon and about 6ft long) has still not resurfaced but the foal is still alive.

Anyone any experience of a horse eating baler twine? What was the outcome? And did you end up shooting the horse or the dope who stood and watched this happen?

 

[alicedove]

Crikey, worried and amused at your post...

has foal pood? If it has, the twine could be in stomach or on its way... I doubt it would dissolve, its obviously not poisoned, this can't be the first time a horse has eaten bailer twine, I bet mine have, good luck! "helper" needs sacking, slapping and demoting...

 

[Tia]

She has been pooing as per normal - but no pink nylon has appeared in any of the poos.

The handy helper has been offered a new job - a "look but don't touch" job.

I didn't give him a hard time, I just suggested he doesn't help me again.

 

[alicedove]

Nylon, that goes through anyone unscathed doesn't it? So, eithr it sits there for ages in the gut, which is totally prepared for all sorts of foreign objects, such as stones, etc or it carries on.
There are no other pouches to lodge on the way through are there? I can't believe it can cause a tangle or strangulation, since it on the inside not the outside.

 

[Tia]

Well that is my theory too. Both ends went in together so both ends have to exit as one surely? I'm either expecting a mush of half-digested nylon mixed in with poop, or for it to hang out of her until the other end exits on subsequent poos.

 

[JM07]

not twine, tia...

but one of last years Newfies passed a piece of leccy tape, which nobody had a clue they had eaten in the first place!!!!

was about 30 inches long when i unravelled it too....

 

[Tia]

Thanks JM

. Well she is still very much alive and pooping normally so I think she is off the shotgun list now.

 

[JM07]

just to add he too is still very much alive, if a little, how shall i put it??

"special needs"!!!

 

[tiggie]

One of mine ate a length of orange baler twine from a small square bale and it came out the other end looking pretty much the same as it went in.

 

[Happy Horse]

My boxer puppy ate some baler twine (amongst other inanimate objects) and she was absolutely fine although once it started to appear, I had to help pull it out which was not the nicest job in the world!

 

[star]

we see a lot of problems with cats eating string and other linear foreign bodies - not heard of any causing problems in horses though - perhaps because their guts are a lot bigger they can cope. if it all bundled up i could see it causing an obstruction though.

 

[Tia]

QR-

Thanks everyone. I'm still keeping an eye on her - she seems absolutely fine and is still pooping as per normal....but the twine has still not come out - where in the world can it be...

 

[Nickijem]

Promise us you will update us when the twine re-appears! I'd be interested to know how long it takes to pass through the system.

 

[Tia]

I will. The longer it is in there, the more complications I am imagining

.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Hope it make an appearance soon. If it make you feel any better, my brothers Springer Spaniel passed a sock three days after eating it.

 

[Tia]

*sniggers*

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Stop laughing, it was MY sock!!!

 

[Honeypots]

pmsl...

 

[lucemoose]

One of my last yards was a competition centre, and had the usual *sensible* rules such as when you compete, clear up your mess and DONT leave the thread for show numbers around...

It used to happen so often , and was so grim pulling it out! Blo0dy ignorant people.

 

[Tiggy1]

Any sign of the twine??

 

[MillionDollar]

Not had one eat baler twine, but Teazle ate a tea towel, yes a whole tea towel and it make out whole too

Gawd knows why she ate and how it didn't mess her up!

Hope the foal is ok

 

[Blackhawk]

Any sign of it yet tia?

 

[Tia]

Yes it came out 4 days later - I posted a photo of it in Vets; all mangled and partly digested!!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2418757/an/0/page/0#2418757