HELP - really needed.

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LadyRascasse

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for about 2 weeks my boy has lost weight (a quite a bit) the vet did a blood test last monday and it came back clear. the vet recommended we "fed him up" so we brought him in at night. he gets ad lib haylage (of 2 varities) and we had split his feeds to 3 a day. friday he started to refuse to eat breakfast. and now tonight he is refused to eat supper (he gets breakfast, tea and supper, lunch isn't really possible due to work) he seems disinterested in food in general spends many hours of the standing and watching the other horses. i know he isn't right in himself but i can't figure out what is wrong. he has no temperature and although he is very underweight his coat is shiny.

he has had the dentist about 2 months ago and has been fine with food between then and 2 weeks ago. he hasn't had any change i can think of that would cause stress. the next stage would be to take him in to the hospital for tests etc. but due to his age i'm not sure this is a good idea (and he has be up the hospital before for other problems and was a nightmare and lose alot of weight due to the stress)

does anyone have any ideas of what it could be? i am going to call the vet again in the morning but any ideas or similar experiences might help me get a good nights sleep for the first time in 2 weeks.

feel free to ask questions and cookies and wine for listening to my woes
 
Hey, horses are really good at making you feel guilty, worried etc! How old is your horse? Your vet should be able to give you some really good suggestions for feed to put on weight, particularly if your horse is being fussy with what he eats. Do you think there are other underlying issues which may be causing problems?
 
My horse was like this, the weight loss was alarming.
Like you, nothing showed up on bloods. He went from going off some food to not eating anything. I weighed his haynets to see if he was picking at it, but no, he wasn't eating that either.

The vet gave him something to try and pick him up twice but it had no affect.

I ended up calling it a day as I couldn't bear to see my beautiful horse who I'd had for 15 years suffer any longer, he was pts.

I hope you get some answers from the vet.
 
just a hunch,do you think he may be happier out,will he eat when he is with others. Is it possible to have him near his friends but with access to ad lib hay etc. Also try ready mash warm thats ace for putting on weight,used it on our stress wimp pony,he will stand in stable and look out rather than eat,and drops weight very quickly.
 
What age is he?

I know his teeth done recently, but maybe something has happened?

Had his back done recently? I'm thinking possible pain somewhere along the neck.

I swear by Saracens Equijewel and their Releave for putting on weight - tried it with different horses and they all liked it. Also, you don't have to feed a lot to see a difference.
 
My tb goes off his food and looses weight for seemingly no reason. I've been known to sit in his stable and hand feed him until he finishes his dinner :rolleyes: (I do baby him a bit)

I'm sure he'll be ok, you could try putting apple juice or mint in his feed to tempt him.
 
Mabe his teeth wern't done thoroughly enough. Get the dentist to come and check.
My old boy just wouldn't put weight on, turns out the dentist missed a sharp tooth.
 
My mare suddenly stopped eating & lost a lot of weight. She had a shiny coat, no temp & was just a bit hangy & not herself. The vet recommended a 5 day course of panacur equine guard even though she had been on a strict worming programme since a foal. THe vet called it the nothingness illness where there isnt really anything wrong but horse is a bit down & not eating. I was a bit sceptical but it worked which was a huge relief as she started eating properly a week later.
 
my lad is 23yrs old. he is currently having a mash type feed, i brought some topspec conditioning flakes on friday and he loved that for one night and then he has gone off that. he shares his field with a friend so not an option to leave him out due to the other horse would eat it all, so due to the need to know what he is eating he needs to be in (he gets at least 11 hours turnout out at 8 in at 7)
 
Mrs m equijewel is pellets he won't eat pellets/cubes/rings. he was worm counted in july and all clear. vet doesn't think its a worm problem either.

gastric ulcers i would doubt (but still possible i suppose) as he has always been on a low cereal high fibre diet.
 
You could grate carrot or apple into his feed to try and spark an interest in it (it goes a lot further grated!) It really sounds as if he has a sharp tooth developed after dentist visit and he isn't happy eating. Can you look in his mouth and see if he is tearing his cheek or his tongue?

Is he grazing in the field, assuming you have any grass (we don't)?

Have you tried haylage instead of hay? Or Simple Systems Lucienuts which break down to a mush when soaked?

It doesn't sound like ulcers if there are no behavioural changes or signs of pain.

Tapeworm would increase his appetite, not decrease it, so that would appear to be out.

I do hope you get to the bottom of it soon, and please let us know as this one really intrigues me.
 
I assume grass sickness has been ruled out?

Have u got any really lush grazing sometimes that can help

Def worth a second opinion on teeth. Will he lick a lick ? Not substantial enough I know but might be north trying a sugary tempting lick
 
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i put him our rested field which does have a decent amount of grass still no real interest spent him time wandering and staring. he does have haylage 2 different types. he has fast fibre which is like a mash, if he won't eat his breakkie will try a warm bran mash see if he like that. i am happy to get the dentist out but to me i think it is something more. i shall call the vet again (she will love me by the end of this lol) and see what she suggest.
 
Look at it this way, your vet will be having a great holiday sometime......... at your expense lol.

If you PM where you are in Sussex I will willingly get some Lucienuts to you to try if it isn't too far.
 
Hi,

I had a mare like this, she was 26 years old and suddenly stopped eating. Did the same as you, had vet who took bloods, showed nothing, had teeth done, checked for pain etc., etc., This went on for 3 months by which time my poor pony had lost some much weight she was just skin and bone. She would eat absolutely nothing, and we tried everything. Don't want to scare you but unfortunately we lost our mare and the vet said the only thing he could think off was maybe an intestinal tumour. Could your vet check for this and then maybe you could get some treatment. Just wish I had got a second opionion. Good luck.
 
My coloured went off his food last year he has feed all summer so we noticed immediately...he likes his food he never doesnt eat. Called vets out basically they decided it was nothing next day he still wasnt right hadnt eaten, they came back out and gave him an injection for something but basically they said it was a type of colic which was very slow onset and was more like extreme pain rather than twisting gut. next day he was bright eyed again and eaten all his food!!
Hope you get it sorted x
 
the vet has perscribed a bute (well danilon as the horse won't eat bute) course for 24 hours to see if that perks him up, i will suggest both the grass sickness (though not presenting any of the usually signs besides the not wanting to eat) and the tumour to my vet (which sound more likely) :( thanks for all the ideas
 
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