Huge over reaction to Regumate - trying to give it to the mare

[_jetset_]

This is in quite a few forums as I am at a complete loss

This morning was the first time I have tried to give Grace Regumate and it is not a task I look forwards to again

I put 12ml, as instructed, into a small feed and placed it on the floor in front of her. She sniffed it, touched it and then reared up, spun around and shot to the back of her stable. I walked over to her with the bucket wondering what the hell she was doing, and she reared up again, struck out at me, spun around and kicked out!

This is the first time she has ever ever acted in a violent way towards me!

I took the bucket out (in a bit of shock and feeling a bit shaky because how she missed me I do not know) and then put some Healthy Hoof in a different bucket as she can be a real fussy eater and I did not want her to think her tea (which has all her vits and supplements in) was the same and refuse to eat it, which has been known.

As soon as I went in with the bucket she shot to the back of the stable and stood shaking with her eyes rolling

I put the bucket down and started hand feeding her which she accepted immediately. 20 minutes later she would let me approach her with the bucket and 30 minutes later she was finally eating out of it.

Any suggestions how on earth I can get the Regumate into her???

 

[carthorse]

If it is a powder[ I have never fed it sorry] then I would mix with water and put in a syringe and give it like wormer. I have done this with bute in the past. Don't make it too runny though.

 

[fingers_crossed]

syringe? sorry i don't know much about it - could you make it into a poaste.
Or mix mollasses or spearmint leaves with her feed to hide the smell?
Did she see you add the regumate? my coloured won't eat if he sees things added to his feed but is fine if its done ready in the feedroom.

 

[Fahrenheit]

Regumate is a liquid and i can only suggest syringe but I guess she is going to react badly to that too!

 

[_jetset_]

It is a liquid...

No, she did not see me add it, but the reaction was so violent that I don't think any kind of smell or taste would hide whatever it is she reacted to

I don't know whether you can syringe it in, and as this is a long term plan I don't know how possible this would be. I am on part livery and I wanted to avoid the girls having to come into contact with it if I am honest.

 

[flyingfeet]

Well I believe regumate is porcine, so might smell quite weird to a horse

 

[Thistle]

It's a veg oil based liquid, pretty tasteless and colourless.

12 ml is just a squirt too.

Try a feed with apple juice added and them try hiding the regumate in that.

 

[_jetset_]

[ QUOTE ]
Regumate is a liquid and i can only suggest syringe but I guess she is going to react badly to that too!

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I am a bit worried that the reaction will be even more violent with the syringe.

 

[Thistle]

Also by syringing it it you risk her spitting it over the handler, that would be dangeros at it can be absorbed through human skin.

 

[_jetset_]

[ QUOTE ]
It's a veg oil based liquid, pretty tasteless and colourless.

12 ml is just a squirt too.

Try a feed with apple juice added and them try hiding the regumate in that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am just worried that she was so violently against it, that it will cause her to stop eating... she is such a fussy horse with her feed, the vet coming to scan her ovaries the other day put her off all feed (including haylage) for a day

 

[daisycrazy]

Apple juice or peppermint or something might mask it enough - is there anything she absolutely loves? Garlic?

Try starting with a tiny drop of it and then increase it VERY slowly. She might not find it quite so offensive that way, particularly if you also have some other scent masking it. Is it worth talking to the manufacturer?

 

[_jetset_]

I cannot add anything like that to her feed otherwise she will not eat it

She hates garlic with an absolute passion

I think I may phone the manufacturer and have a chat with them. Just spoken to my vet and he said to try and syringe it into her, perhaps with a drop of something sweet in it???

 

[Goya]

I had a mare who needed Bute but wouldn't go near her food with it in. Someone at my vets suggested mixing it in chocolate sauce (yes the sort you put on your ice creams etc) and she absolutely loved it. Just a suggestion.

 

[_jetset_]

Really???

Will go and get some now

 

[Goya]

Yes honestly. It worked for her. I had a little yoghurt pot to mix it up in then put in the feed and mixed in.

 

[_jetset_]

Perfect... will go and buy some now

I am willing to try anything right now that will help. I know apple juice, mint cordial diluted and molasses is out due to previous bute attempts!

 

[Thistle]

I wonder if putting something like vicks in her nose would help, that way she can't smell what's in the food?

 

[_jetset_]

I did wonder about that too Thistle, but when I went in with Vick on me (a few weeks ago after getting some for my yard owner's stallion who was travelling with a mare) she wouldn't come anywhere near me

She just seems to be really sensitive when it comes to a taste or a smell

 

[Goya]

Be interested to hear how you get on.

 

[miller]

I find adding D+H mint supplement works better than mint cordial with my picky eater - never yet found anything he won't eat with that added in and it's dead cheap

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks... will try to pick some of that up too.

I went shopping and there was no chocolate sauce, but I have bought some golden syrup so if I do syringe it in tomorrow at least I can try to mask how horrible it obviously is.

 

[jumptoit]

Put an apple/carrot (small amount!) into a blender and add the stuff then also add a touch of molasses and then take the core out of another apple and stuff it in!

 

[_jetset_]

I don't think hubby would be too pleased me borrowing our blender for this (he has a smoothie every morning when he is home). I wonder what Regumate would do to him???

 

[TPO]

Marmite/treacle sandwich? Always works to give bute to my fussy eater

 

[stroppymare153]

tbh, if she reacted that violently to it in her feed have to think it would be WAAAY too dangerous to try a syringe.

Sorry, no sensible alternative suggestions though except the one already suggested of starting a drop at a time and building up.

 

[kizzywiz]

Agree with above, think it would be dangerous to try a syringe, plus risky to the person trying to administer it as can be absorbed through the skin. I know I sound like I'm repeating myself but would give up with the Regumate & go for the marble, no hassle & if she responds to it great, it she doesn't then she wouldn't respond to the Regumate either, plus its much cheaper.

 

[_jetset_]

Thanks everyone... I syringed it in this morning with some golden syrup (couldn't get chocolate sauce) and she was absolutely fine about it.

I can say a bit more now, as was unsure what had happened yesterday.

The syringe has melted at the top where the Regumate was attached to the bottle top, as had some of the top too! I phoned the vet and he said not to use any of it, and he swapped it for me last night. All the writing had come off the syringe too

Anyway, this morning, I used the new Regumate and she did not react once. Usually, when wormed or had something horrible syringed, she will not eat. I gave her a feed straight after and she wolfed it!

So tomorrow I will try it in a small feed again and hopefully the previous reaction was due to something being not quite right with the Regumate administered yesterday.

 

[Goya]

We'll all have to add golden syrup to our list now. So glad for you that it worked. Sounds like, as you say, there was something wrong with the regumate you had.

 

[_jetset_]

I'll see how she is about me adding it to her feed in the morning and update you.

I put some golden syrup in the syringe first, then the Regumate, then some more on the tip so it was sweet. I also added some to the little feed I made her after to check I could put it in a feed and she would eat it.