Horse won't eat - Help please

My horse is having to have bute in his feed and normally he's not a fussy eater. He used to have Bute each day and loads of steroid tablets and never batted an eye.

He's got his gut problem back and the Vets say to give him his bute each day. His problem was investigated fully some years ago and so I know what to do when he starts to get his tummy problems.

I need to get his pain killer into him, but he won't even sniff his food. I've tried warm feed, sugar on it, molasses and treat, but won't have a bar of it.

Ideas please?? Shalll I mix the powder to a paste and syringe it?
 
I think I might try that tomorrow Stinkbomb. I have flippin loads of Bute from the Vet for his problem and I know if I can get a couple down him he'll start to eat again and feel so much better.

I hate being at home worried sick about him.
 
Oh Honeyb that's a worry. I guess if there's any way you could persuade him to eat it, it would work better long term coz I bet he gets silly about the syringe after a bit. You seem to have tried a ton of stuff but here's just a few ideas. When my beloved Sullivan needed bute and steroids he had them in a golden syrup sandwich every day. Never touched the sides! Slice of bread, trickle some syrup from a squeezy plastic bottle, add the bute, fold the bread in over. You don't half get sticky but it always worked for me. Another thought is that MINT gets most horse's juices flowing! Have you tried dried mint (think D&H do one) or a really minty-smelling feed? Mollichaff Veteran chaff is marvellous stuff and has a strong minty smell. You could just put a few handfuls in a bowl, maybe dampened with apple juice and add the bute. Anything strong smelling that its safe to feed to a horse might work too. Have you tried black treacle or baby-food apple pudding or Tesco apple sauce? Good luck!
 
We used to get bute into the old girl with drinking chocolate and hot water mixed with the bute and then syringed, she did sometimes spit it in my hair, but we got most of it in every day for about five years! The jam sandwich has never worked with one of ours, one even spat it in the water so that it could not be given to her agian! Hot chocolate (cadburys drinking chocolate, one heaped tea sp) worked every time with anyone who needed bute.
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Wow YorksG - that is top notch advice. Never heard that one before but if it works, say no more! Bet your old girl used to have a shock on the days it was wormer not drinking chocolate! I LUURVE drinking chocolate - YO keeps a jar in her kitchen specially for when I come in for a natter - but never had to get it out of my hair before!
 
We syringe in to my mare ..she will take one bute in her feed but no more!!! Another thing someone told me was to use apple juice...that makes it more palatable.
Good luck!
 
I had a similar problem with my mare when I neded to get bute down her (which apparently has a bitter taste), so my vet gave her Danilon instead, which apparently has a swet, sugary taste to horses.

Anyway, it worked for my mare and she ate the Danilon in her feed no problem. Also, try a spot of peppermint cordial in your horses feed - that worked with mine too. Hope these help.
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Good luck LBx
 
Perpermint Cordial - you learn something new each day.

Well I syringed the bute this morning and when I went back to him this afternoon he was waiting for his tea and ate it all - did get down a roll a few times after though.
 
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