how is the anorexic shettie doing??

beeswax

beeswax

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just wondered if the lil shettie that was found on the side of the road is eating now and if he is improving, does anyone know?
 
Hi Beeswax - yes, it's little Robbie and he's ok. Had a terrible panic a week ago today - my fault - I was recommended Redmills mare & youngstock mix. My local feed store didn't have it in stock and would have had to order it for me. They recommended D&H Mare & Youngstock which I bought. Now, you have to remember that Robbie would hardly eat anything when he first came to me, so getting calories into him has been a nightmare. Anyway, I put 2 handfuls of D&H mix into his tiny feed bowl, his head went down into it and didn't look up til every crumb was gone. Great! I'd found a high calorie feed that he'd eat! I looked into his stable just before I went home and there was nothing left in his feed bowl so - wait for it - I went and got him "seconds" of the mare & youngstock mix. I went home, it was about 5pm. At 6.30pm my YO rang to say he was colicking! My god, what a night! Buscopan didn't help. Vet wanted to give Finadyne but said it would mask worsening symptoms that might mean surgery was necessary. I said he wouldn't survive colic surgery so vet gave Finadyne. It has to be injected into the jugular vein. In the dark and with Robbie's thick fluffy coat hiding everything on his poor scrawny neck, vet accidentally injected into carotid artery. A straight Finadyne hit to the brain. Poor poor Robbie went instantly into a sort if fit. Straight up and over and lay there with legs stiff and trembling. Luckily he's tiny enough to pick up so they stood him back on his tiny rigid legs and he gradually settled. Jeez, I kid you not, that was a terrifying moment. I thought it had killed him. Vets have seen it once before in a big horse. They agree it's truly terrifying to watch. Anyway, the Finadyne worked and my wonderful YO and her hubby laid on Robbie's deep litter bed either side of him til it was clear he was ok. Stupid stupid me, tiny tum no bigger than a tangerine and I give him seconds of a high calorie mix. Dear god.

Anyway, I've now spoken to D&H feed helpline and they were fabulous. Only when he reaches at least condition score 2 (he's been 1 for about 3 months!) can he have a spoonful of mare & youngstock mix. Til then he grazes about 5 hrs or more a day, and now has 4 small feeds of just D&H pasture cubes and a sprinkle of Build and Glow, Readigrass in case he'll have a nibble overnight, grated apple/carrot (he doesn't understand that apple is a food), slice of bread and trying to introduce honey on his bread. He'd put on 2kg before the colic episode but has lost it all again now. But he's fine again and perky and comes to call now. I'm taking him back to the vet to be weighed again in about 10 days - I'm dreading having to give him Panacur for 5 days even though only 1ml per day, in case he goes back a little as vets said he would. Will update as things progress xxx
 
how frightening for you, but also it proves what a lil fighter he is, and I would have done the same, gone back and given some more feed, so don't feel too guilty, so glad to hear he is doing okay, the Panacur Guard is really gentle on their stomachs, he will be fine I am sure, keep us posted and well done and kisses to Robbbie too
 
Thanks guys. He had a brill day today coz all the big horses were up and down past his paddock for lessons. He ran up and down with them, calling in his tiny squeaky voice and kicking up his heels. Took his 2ft 9in t/o rug off for a few hrs with the sun on his back so dared to weigh tape him again. And he's recovered the weight he lost from the colic episode so I can worm him with 1ml of Panacur Guard for 5 days. He's loving his 2 extra feeds a day and I'm dying to see what he's made of his horseball that holds his overnight feed. Had to get him a dog one because horse ones are way too big. Everything moving in the right direction and I can see he's got his enjoyment in life back and is wanting to be out with a herd again. That will be tricky! My rescued shetland Molly is an escape artist extraordinaire and Robbie is only a quarter her size! Might have to nail his feet to the floor!
 
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