He's Giving Up and I'm so Angry With Him

[AengusOg]

I haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if this has been suggested...

Your horse probably wants cleavers because his lymphatic system is blocked. His protein uptake will be compromised by this. His skin hyper-sensitivity is another symptom, as the lymphatic system is very close to the skin's surface.

The lymphatic system filters some waste products (mainly carrier protein molecules) which cannot go back into the blood system, and has an important role in the immune defence system. It is a system of valved vessels, allowing flow in one direction only, and works by moving fluids gradually from one 'chamber' to the next.

Massage will help with this, as the lymphatic system responds well to manual assistance at such times.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

If it helps I live in surrey but currently keep my horse in Hampshire so could collect the hay from mike and bring it down with me percysmum? Just PM me in case I miss a reply on this thread. Thinking of you xx

 

[MileAMinute]

I can not add anymore tips to this thread for your poor horse. But what I just want to say is,
Isn't the wealth of people's experience amazing? I find it truly humbling that so many 'strangers' leap in to help with any way possible. And what a hugely informative read. I sincerely hope that among these ideas something will trigger him to recover.


I'm thinking of you, and wishing your horse a very speedy recovery.

This. It's been a very informative read. I'm very much a conventional person when it comes to medicine but it is fascinating to hear of other's success with herbs and other remedies.

Huge vibes coming your way PM, I hope you get some answers/progress soon xx

 

[khalswitz]

Just to say have read and am thinking of you. Best of luck, all of our good vibes going your way xxx

 

[humblepie]

Another who wants to wish you all the best. My old horse had a very serious foot infection so at least we knew what was wrong with him but he was in the vets for the best part of 2 months and wouldn't eat for a long time. I picked him cow parsley and dandelions, anything to try and tempt him to eat but he was in so much pain even on morphine that he wouldn't eat. There were three weeks running when on Friday, a decision was gong to be made on the Monday as to whether to keep him going or not. Each Monday he had perked up enough to keep going.

He lost a huge amount of weight, came back looking like an advert for a starved mistreated horse but he did get over it and the next year won a veteran showing class. He lost well over a quarter of his body weight if not more.

Really just wanted to try to help keep your spirits up as know horrid it is.

 

[Stacy_W]

You've had some really kind offers here and lots of useful advice. I too have felt the anger from the frustration of beloved animals refusing to eat when they're ill. It is just because you love them so much and so want them to be well again. It's awful. I really hope things turn around for you. Definitely try the mollichaff, maybe the herbal or apple version. Who cares if it's junk food. He needs to eat something and it is great for fussy horses. I know he's not that old, but Spillers senior feeds smell wonderful and are high in protein and energy. I think they do a herbal blend for fussy eaters.

 

[cheeryplatypus]

How's he doing today?
No further advice to add to everyone else's, apart from give him a hug x

 

[PercyMum]

Hi All

Just thought I would post an update.

Firstly, thank you for all your kind thoughts and thanks Mike007 and others for the hay offers. Its been so wonderful to have some ideas to try and I was up with him through the night and this is where we are up to:

- Got steroids in this am using the Meadowsweet mixed with diluted Golden Syrup. Through the night I offered him haylage mixed up with the Cleavers. By 2am he was eating a little haylage by himself. No laying down though so he is knackered still.

- Gave him a another bucket of feed at 1000, which he actually whickered for. Same again (Meadowsweet with syrup on) but this time I added a little Alfa A to see if he would eat it. Success! He did. I popped some bute in as well as he still looks uncomfortable in his feet or hocks (vet has checked this but cannot find anything wrong but I know him and he is not comfortable behind for some reason).

- At 1400 he had another bucket of feed, this time with some more Alpha A and some Baileys Outshine in. He has managed most of that so am hoping that he will accept the Outshine to get some weight on. He has also decided he quite fancies carrots so those are going in by the bucketload.

He is still picking at grass, not really wolfing it down so he is on my back garden where the grass is nice and lush. Will just have to keep an eye out for laminitis symptoms, although he has never had this before. He had an attempt to lay down but doesn't seem able to. Vet says give bute if I feel he needs it.

Next stop is to get some Willow and more Cleavers. Still worried about his low water intake but he does seem very slightly brighter today and is at least showing a slight interest in things. My main concern is the water and the generally looking knackered. He has a very thick bed so hope he will lie down tonight and give himself a rest. I thought about popping magnetic leg wraps on as I think that could help.

Thanks again guys. You have all really helped in giving me the strength to keep fighting for him. I don't dare hope that he might be ok but at least he is starting to try.

I'll keep you all updated. xxxx

 

[Nicnac]

Thanks for update. Glad there's some positive. Fingers crossed he keeps improving and sending hugs to you as you must be even more exhausted than he is.

 

[mandwhy]

Just read all this, poor boy, but glad to read he is starting to eat and I hope it continues

Shame you're not near me as we have loads of clivers and all kinds!

 

[doriangrey]

Thank you for taking the time to post an update, I was waiting for it I hope you're feeling better and I'm so glad he's picking up a little x

 

[palterwell]

Sorry I've not had chance to read the whole thread but I have been in your situation twice. I would definitely try magnets and keep on with the clivers.I spent hours with one of my ponies just letting her pick the hedgerows after she hadn't eaten for a week.She had a kidney infection and I was told she would not recover but I did eventually ride her again. Good luck with your horse.

 

[*hic*]

My picky eater also goes through weeks at a time where he won't drink (someone remind me why we put ourselves through this?).

Things I've tried with varying success:

Warm water (blood temp) in case he had a pain reaction to the cold.
Running water - hose in bucket outside - actually that was quite successful!
Letting him play with a running hose in his mouth - but he's always loved to play with hoses, yours might not.
Apple juice - mixed one part apple juice, three of warm water (to enhance the smell) and sometimes with apple quarters mixed in.
Sugarbeet soup - cupful of beet in a bucket of water.
Mint cordial.

What I now do as a matter of routine is make all his feeds very wet, everything is soaked, and keep pinch testing for dehydration.

Mine also doesn't lie down very often although he is happy to get down and roll.

 

[indie1282]

You can buy clivers from Equus Health if you are having trouble finding it in the hedges ect.... Also try feeding barley rings soaked in hot water then fed warm as a mash.

Good luck with him

 

[babymare]

Im so pleased to read your update and the slight positive turn. im another who is in awe of the offers of help. You people on here have hearts of gold and turn to help other horse owners. I raise my hands applaudding you

 

[indie1282]

Also, if your having trouble getting fluid in to him try sugar beet made very wet. It should look like water almost so he should just be able to suck the liquid up without too much effort.

 

[Supertrooper]

Percymum - really wanted to reply yesterday but was so busy but just wanted to say that i've been in your situation, although with a different condition.

In 2010 my mare got laminitis, she was a heavy cob who I'd stupidly allowed to get too fat. She was on box rest etc etc but after three months the vets advised PTS which is what I decided to go for.

About halfway through the box rest and one night I was trying to pick her foot out and she was uncomfortable and couldn't balance on three feet :-( I'm totally ashamed to admit I lost it with her, screaming at her and I smacked her. I then ran out of the stable in floods of tears and my friend had to calm me down, I couldn't believe what I'd done.

I never did it again but I was so exhausted, emotionally and physically. At that stage she kept going down in stable and she also was getting colic. I was going up five to six times per day, while still doing ten hour days at work and I was a mess :-(

Don't beat yourself up about it, you're only human and you're in a very stressful situation at the moment. I'm thinking of you xx

 

[jhoward]

Have you tried some thing like ready grass or just grass? also if worried about liver then milk thistle in a high dose could help.

All the best to you and your lad.

 

[Replay]

Hanging a branch of gorse in the stable stimulates a horse's appetite. Sounds bizarre but it does work!

 

[meandmyself]

Try the watermelon- it's basically water so you'd be getting quite a lot of liquid into him. (If he'll eat it.)

How about floating sliced carrots in a bucket of water?

 

[PercyMum]

Its 2 steps forward, 2 steps back.

I have had to breathe deeply and walk away because he has now decided he won't eat any more grass, or haylage or the feed he has previously been eating. Tried walking up and down the lane outside our house - nothing. He is clearly uncomfortable and shifting weight between all four feet but won't eat the sodding meds so he won't get any relief. I am bloody exhausted now, I can't stop crying and i hate him. I just want him to bloody eat. If he eats, he will feel better so he can eat more and move around more to strengthen himself and his sore hocks will probably go away so he will feel less sore. If he puts on weight then he will be able to lie down because I am guessing he is so thin that its hurts to lie down despite the huge bed he has.

My husband is away, my friends are away, I'm tired, shattered and totally drained. I'm going to call the vet to see if she can suggest anything else. I felt really positive about 4 hours ago, now I am most definitely not. And I start my new job on Monday and alternating between bawling at everything and snapping at everyone is not going to make the best first impression.

Sorry all - just feeling really low right now.

 

[MrVelvet]

Hello
I nursed my boy through grass sickness this time last year and more than relate to the sheer mental an physical exhaustion. Keeping his appetite was the main thing for me so i will share some ideas that worked for me. The best thing for me was sugarbeet water, he hadnt drunk voluntarily for a few days but when i left the sugarbeet water he drank a good amount and had turned his nose up at juice etc. Feed - he would only eat from his door manger and would never eatsame mixture twice. He absolutely loved jelly babies and after a while would eat fee if they were mixed in He wouldn't eat if i was fretting round him or if there was anything next to him pulling faces. I used to groom him lots in the hope that it would stimulate some movement too... all these things helped me hope h improves soon x

 

[meandmyself]

Its 2 steps forward, 2 steps back.

I have had to breathe deeply and walk away because he has now decided he won't eat any more grass, or haylage or the feed he has previously been eating. Tried walking up and down the lane outside our house - nothing. He is clearly uncomfortable and shifting weight between all four feet but won't eat the sodding meds so he won't get any relief. I am bloody exhausted now, I can't stop crying and i hate him. I just want him to bloody eat. If he eats, he will feel better so he can eat more and move around more to strengthen himself and his sore hocks will probably go away so he will feel less sore. If he puts on weight then he will be able to lie down because I am guessing he is so thin that its hurts to lie down despite the huge bed he has.

My husband is away, my friends are away, I'm tired, shattered and totally drained. I'm going to call the vet to see if she can suggest anything else. I felt really positive about 4 hours ago, now I am most definitely not. And I start my new job on Monday and alternating between bawling at everything and snapping at everyone is not going to make the best first impression.

Sorry all - just feeling really low right now.

If you were closer to me I'd offer to take over for a few days. It really is awful when they're ill.

Could you get him hospital livery at the vets' for a couple of days? Can they give you meds you can inject?

I'd honestly set him up with a big bucket of something yummy, a bucket of water and leave him be for a good few hours. Have a nap and leave him to it. {{hugs}}

 

[PercyMum]

If you were closer to me I'd offer to take over for a few days. It really is awful when they're ill.

Could you get him hospital livery at the vets' for a couple of days? Can they give you meds you can inject?

I'd honestly set him up with a big bucket of something yummy, a bucket of water and leave him be for a good few hours. Have a nap and leave him to it. {{hugs}}

Oh gosh, thank you. This has just made me cry even more! People on here have been so, so kind and helpful. I think that might be a good idea. May e I am giving off stressy vibes which probably are not helping. When I am not watching him like a hawk (discretely so he doesn't know...), I'm wandering around the woods and hedgerows pulling and cutting stuff that he might like (surprised I haven't been arrested as it must look dodgy). Am covered in bites and stings and I haven't showered in 2 days and lord knows what is living in my hair. The vet even gave me a hug and made me a cuppa yesterday so I must look a right state

 

[Rebels]

You poor thing. I had 6weeks of 2 hourly feeds between 5am and 9pm , i can honestly say i was batty, super tired and smelt funny by the end. Horse on the other hand was lovely, glossy and putting on weight. Im on my phone, whereabouts are you in the country?
Mine wouldn't eat the same mix twice in the day, he drove of up the wall .
As for pain medication, ask for some Finadyne oral paste. Its strong, more expensive than bute but more effective. It will knock any pain on the head. Mine used crazy amounts but wasn't comfortable enough on bute to focus on eating.

 

[Summer pudding]

Oh gosh, thank you. This has just made me cry even more! People on here have been so, so kind and helpful. I think that might be a good idea. May e I am giving off stressy vibes which probably are not helping. When I am not watching him like a hawk (discretely so he doesn't know...), I'm wandering around the woods and hedgerows pulling and cutting stuff that he might like (surprised I haven't been arrested as it must look dodgy). Am covered in bites and stings and I haven't showered in 2 days and lord knows what is living in my hair. The vet even gave me a hug and made me a cuppa yesterday so I must look a right state

Give yourself a break..shower, wash hair, put on clean clothes.....try not to watch over him...I know you have had lots of very good suggestions...so my contribution is minute....my pony was tempted by cow parsley, and meds in chocolate spread sandwiches! We are all using the power of positive thought. Btw vet livery does sound a good idea, particularly for the first week of your new job....be kind to yourself.

 

[Strawbz]

Thoughts are with you both OP. You have had success today by getting food into him so please try and hold onto that. Meandmyself's idea is a good one. Give yourself some rest.

Are you anywhere near me? I'd help in any way I can if you are.

 

[PercyMum]

You poor thing. I had 6weeks of 2 hourly feeds between 5am and 9pm , i can honestly say i was batty, super tired and smelt funny by the end. Horse on the other hand was lovely, glossy and putting on weight. Im on my phone, whereabouts are you in the country?
Mine wouldn't eat the same mix twice in the day, he drove of up the wall .
As for pain medication, ask for some Finadyne oral paste. Its strong, more expensive than bute but more effective. It will knock any pain on the head. Mine used crazy amounts but wasn't comfortable enough on bute to focus on eating.

I'm in Hampshire. I think the 'same thing twice' might be a good clue. Will try different combos to see if that works. Thanks for tip about Finadyne paste - I will see if the vet has any. I'm heading back out to try again now I have pulled myself together. Calm thoughts...

 

[meandmyself]

Oh gosh, thank you. This has just made me cry even more! People on here have been so, so kind and helpful. I think that might be a good idea. May e I am giving off stressy vibes which probably are not helping. When I am not watching him like a hawk (discretely so he doesn't know...), I'm wandering around the woods and hedgerows pulling and cutting stuff that he might like (surprised I haven't been arrested as it must look dodgy). Am covered in bites and stings and I haven't showered in 2 days and lord knows what is living in my hair. The vet even gave me a hug and made me a cuppa yesterday so I must look a right state

I really do feel for you. Please look after yourself, too! You're no good to anyone if you're ill. Go home, have a shower and a kip and I bet you'll feel better.

Have you asked your vet about putting him on an ulcer treatment? Might help him eat more if it's his stomach that's bothering him.

Have you considered speaking to some of the equine nutritionists? Most of the feed companies have a helpline- they might have some ideas to get him to eat.

 

[cambrica]

Im afraid I have nothing to contribute but my heart really does go out to you. You will find the strength from somewhere to see this through xxx