Kicked in Jaw

[louismacshoe]

Good Morning All, after some advise please. Have a horse that has sustained a kick on the underside of his jaw on Sunday. Vet has said not broken or cracked, but really swollen. He is refusing to drink, (I have covered his auto drinker so I could assess water intake). I have tried warm water, and drowning his food, (which he then refuses to eat, and as he only really started to pick food Monday pm, I don't want to stop him eating). I am giving him fast fibre soaked, with soaked alfalfa pellets with a bit of dengie hi-fi, as he just hates slop. Any suggestions for getting more water into him gratefully received, as I am worried he is beginning to dehydrate. Thanks.

 

[be positive]

Recently one of my ponies was dehydrated, I used fast fibre as you are, I also gave him some calm and condition in loads of water he really liked it and I gradually used less c&c more water , sugar beet also works well but as I had c&c it was easy to try. I cut up apples into small pieces which floated on water he drank to get at them.
Salt was added to the feed once I knew he was drinking to keep him going back to the water.
I have never tried the thirst quenchers you can buy but some people do find they work.
With yours if you can gradually make the feed wetter, put salt in one and see if it makes him want to drink, feed as often as you can, every hour during the day a small wet feed would keep some fluids going in, he is probably very sore and with pain meds should feel better in a few days and return to normal, just do what you can, plenty of fruit and veg may help they are all high water content.

 

[putasocinit]

Is he on bute, it is no doubt very sore, did the vet scan to ensu there was no fracture? Would cut back on the salt in case he doesnt drink could make him more dehydrated.

If mine i would put on bute, get scans done and lots of mushy food until starts to drink normally.