Have I covered all bases?

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Arizahn

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I have a yearling connemara colt who is not holding weight. Am arranging for vet to check him this weekend/asap but I suspect he may be teething as he is disinterested in his hay and nibbling/rubbing against arms etc a lot - not nipping. He is up to date on his vaccs, and not due wormed until end of this month. However I will ask the vet re worm count when I speak to him just in case.

I have also ordered Equivite Body Builder, Dodson & Horrell Mare & Youngstock Mix, and NAF Mare Foal & Youngstock Horse Supplement.
He is currently on ad lib hay, a quarter scoop cool mix and oil twice daily. Gets turned out from 5pm until 9am daily.

His body score is at the low side of 2, and obviously I don't want him dropping any further! Am very paranoid about everything to do with him cos he is my first youngster...and yes, of course, its probably just another growth spurt! He is going to be about 15hh plus so over height. Sorry, am keen not to mess up with him!

Jaffa cakes if you got this far :)
 
Hi there, sorry he is struggling... It seems like you are on the right track however, I the young stock mix will have the full RDA of vitamins and minerals in it so I wouldn't be adding even more with the supplement. My tack would be to keep the supplement until he puts the weight on and holds it better then switch to a high fibre based diet, ditch the mix and use the supplement instead. What's the grazing like.

I'd talk to vet about a blood test, just as a precaution and I'd also discuss the merits of using a blood tonic on him, I love haemavite b plus, its great with these type of situations, although I've never used it with such a baby I'm pretty sure it would be ok and it's really palletable but just run by your vet first. Also, I'd look into a probiotic I like protexin best.

What's your grazing like and also what are his stools like?
 
I'm all for not letting youngsters get fat, but scoring under two is too thin. :( Poor chap.

You are doing exactly the right thing by getting the Vet to look at him. Was his condition mentioned when he was vetted recently?

Hopefully you'll soon have him at a much healthier weight. Please let us know what the Vet says.
 
Vet was happy with his condition at the vetting (Monday), but he has grown since then and dropped weight. Grazing is good, though they were all stuck in for two days due to severe storms. He's getting out as normal from today again though. The hay is excellent, so he is on good forage either way.

His stools are normal: medium sized piles of moderately firm poo balls. No foul odours or runniness. I will bear in mind advice re supplements, thank you. And will ask vet about blood test and possible tonics/probiotics.

He is bright and alert and seems happy in himself, iyswim. But I definitely think he needs something, even if turns out just to be him burning off everything growing! Am going up again to check on him again this evening. Chasing down vet will hopefully have appointment sorted by tomorrow.

Does not help that I am paranoid re weight loss after my collie developed issues with his pancreas!
 
If the vet was happy and he has since had a growth spurt, I'd not worry too much, knowing this... personally I'd probably pop on fast fibre and supplement... A small amount of ebb until he has topped up his weight then drop the ebb... But it's to be expected with a growth spurt, he should soon catch up with lots of fibre and the correct supplement... But still is nice to seek reassurance from vet.
 
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Just back from checking on him. He's stuffing his face with some lovely grass and looking thin but very perky. I swear he's a hand taller...he will turn me grey!
 
SusieT said:
lice?
Click to expand...

No, his coat's clean, no nasties there! YO is fairly certain he is just going to be one that doesn't really fill out until he hits two or three, but agrees it is best to have the vet check him.

He actually looked better this evening than he did this morning! Came trotting down the field to see me and then sauntered off for a nice long drink before going back to munching. Is it likely/possible that he just prefers fresh grass to hay? As this is how it appeared.

Picking up a bag of fast fibre on way to yard tomorrow, btw.
 
Op, Ben was so similar... Looked a nice lean (never fat) just nicely covered youngster, then a spurt and looked like a toaster rack... Such a nightmare from 6 months to two Years when it all started to slow down and the calories could stay for long enough. Personally that was how I liked it, I never had a fat youngster, no joint strain, and I knew he was on a good diet with everything he needed for his growing requirements. So glad he's chomping on dinner... I'm certain that by the sounds of it it's just down to a spurt :)
 
Well, he looks much better today - seems it was a growth spurt. Vet has checked him over and he has fat and muscle in the right places, etc. It appears he is simply a rangey sort of colt. The vet gave me wormer while he was out so that's organised too. Am told it is fine to give him this one any time now, so he is out for the rest of today and will be kept in tomorrow so he can be wormed.

Very perky and happy to see everyone. I suspect he will not be pleased at being kept in tomorrow but needs must. He will have plenty of hay to munch on. Apparently he is easy going re worming. Certainly he is very chilled with everything else so far! Old head on young shoulders...

Many thanks again:)
 
Not all wormers are equal! Check that tapeworms and bots are covered. Also think about the possibility of encysted worms......over here we either do a Panacur bomb or a moxidectin drench......
 
If you not certain of his worming history rather than just worming as a precaution I would recommend doing a worm count first, we use Westgate, and they are really good with advice if your not sure. Vets do worm counts as well, but they just send the sample away to lab and then relay results to you and charge you well for the service.
 
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