How best to nurse/feed a poorly horse...

[Tinkle]

Poor Rocco is very poorly. Started on sunday with him being out of sorts and not letting me touch his ears. He now has four very swollen (tree trunk) legs and keeps breaking out in sweats. His temperature yesterday was 102degrees in the morning, although back to normal by the time the vet arrived later in the day. The vet took a blood sample and thought it could be a virus. Other options are some kind of infection or an allergy as we'd changed haylage supplier (although he says it's not usual to have a raised temp with an allergy.)

The vet has prescribed some antibiotics to fight any infection he has and prevent anything further if his immune system is down. He's also advised to keep him in with walks out in hand to try and disperse the fluid in his legs and belly. He's unclipped and normally unrugged but I've got him in a thermatex which will hopefully prevent him getting a chill. Does this sound sensible? Vet also recommended that I wrap his legs so he's wearing stable boots to prevent any further swelling.

Anyway does anyone have any other advice/tips for nursing a poorly horse back to health?

With regard to feeding I've been advised to give him little and often. His tea and breakfast are small already (small scoop of speedibeet with his balancer and carrots) so I've left these the same. He's also getting his usual haylage with some carrots hidden in there to keep him occupied. He usually gets a tubtrug full of Hi-Fi overnight - would it be sensible to split this into smaller feeds? The lady at our feed merch said to mix smaller amounts of Hi-Fi in with his breakfast and dinner. I also left a bucket of hi-fi and speedibeet for him to have at lunchtime. Would it be sensible to give him his usual tea and then some more hi-fi and speedi beet late evening and less Hi-Fi overnight? I don't want to feed him too much but also want to make sure he's getting enough to recuperate.

Also - bran mashes? The vet advised to give him bran mashes. At the moment I've given him a small mash with his antibiotics in (and some mollases to cover the taste). He also had a larger one overnight last night as YO advised that would be a good idea. Any thoughts? Should he have more than this?

He seems a little brighter in himself this morning but still swollen and stiff through his legs and he still looks hot and sweaty.

Always something to worry about!! Thanks all.

x

 

[kerilli]

i'd prob have stable bandages (with fybagee under) on instead of 'stable boots' if you want slight constant pressure to help the filling in his legs go.
i'd have him on 2 bran mashes a day, limit the carrots (lots of sugar = energy, not great if he's on box rest), give 2 other feeds if pos (hi fi, bit of molasses, bit of low-sugar sugar beet etc maybe). i'd give him a bit of readigrass or graze-on too, prob soaked. i'd also have the radio on (classic fm!) to keep him company, and give him lots of t.l.c., fusses, grooming, massage, etc. thermatex sounds ideal, should help regulate his temperature. hope he improves quickly.

 

[Tinkle]

Bran mashes and two other feeds on top of his normal breakfast and tea? Or small breakfast and tea and say a bran mash when I leave him on a morning and another later evening?

He get's some Graze On with his Hi-Fi overnight usually. Sadly though nowhere to plug a radio near his stable!

x

 

[teddyt]

Mollasses are at least 50% sugar, so i would keep them to a minimum, if at all. The feed value of bran is minimal but is useful as can be used to get medication in without any calories. Bran mashes are very old fashioned but wont do any harm on a short term basis, provided that the usual feed is fed too otherwise it is a sudden change. It sounds like what you are feeding is ok, its all fibre based (except the mollasses).
Hope he gets better soon

 

[kerilli]

i'd give 4 feeds per day total, bran mash for b'fast and tea, normal feeds (but v sloppy) at lunch and late supper time, if you can.