How long would you keep him in for?

[Patches]

Went to fetch cows in for milking yesterday morning and Dinker was in with the cows on their grazing. Worse still, he'd somehow managed to get his muzzle off! He's NEVER gotten his muzzle off before, typical eh? I have no idea how long he'd been in with the cows as he was last checked on at 11.45pm the night before.

I brought him in as his belly was a bit ballooned and left him in the stable without any hay until about 2pm. I soaked some then and gave him a bit and soaked some more at 9pm for over night.

So, this morning, I've again soaked some hay and left him in. His feet are cool, no digital pulse and his belly doesn't look ballooned. Do I let him back out with the others (armed with a padlock on his muzzle lol) or would you leave him in for a couple of more days on soaked hay? I am absolutely petrified the little fella will come down with laminitis.

He's not overweight, not cresty, can feel his ribs easily and, when out, he's out on a very, very bare paddock (think tumble weed and pale rider) with a muzzle 24/7.

 

[MagicMelon]

I wouldnt have taken away all food when you stabled him. I would certainly have given him hay straight away to keep his gut working. I think colic could be caused if he'd gorged on grass but then suddenly had no food at all for quite a few hours.

I would let him back out with the others and just try and not let him get out again! I would have a heart attack too but hopefully he's been lucky this time. Little blighters, why do they do this? If only they knew it was for their own good!

 

[amandaco2]

be careful my TBx has come down with lami for the first time in her life this year (shes 17 and ive had her since she was 5)
and that was with being treated as if she was prone to it(she was on restricted grass, not fat,feet in good nick)

 

[Patches]

Of course I didn't let him get out, as you say, he's a cheeky blighter. Seems the cows or the horses had knocked the crocodile clip off of the tape as it was on the floor. Never had that happen before in 4 years of keeping cows/horses apart.

He was on a very thin straw bed so I figured he might munch at a bit of the straw till hay arrived. When Tweenie, my section A was on a strict diet as she was so over weight we were told to feed her a very small net of hay every 6 hours by the vet. It worked as it kick started her into losing weight.

 

[Honeypots]

I'd get him back out there and maybe encourage him to touch the fence so he gets a zapp..just a reminder...

 

[Patches]

Yup exactly. I know he's had it in the past, before I owned him, so it's always been a concern. He's never escaped before either. Naughty pony.

I keep him possibly too thin (for a shetland) but I'd rather that than risk Lami.

This is the the paddock he grazes on with a Best friend muzzle in the day and a Greenguard overnight.

The loose wire is open at a gate to allow access to the trough, incase anyone thinks I leave it that loose and then wonder why my pony escaped.

We had it all sprayed about 6 weeks ago for docks. As you can see, it was very successful!