My horse is going to hate me.

AShetlandBitMeOnce

AShetlandBitMeOnce

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So after 21 days of horse ownership I had the vet out today... Great!

Jake had mud fever fairly bad in one leg, we have that under control pretty much but his leg swelled and would not go down for love nor money, whereas the other three (also with milder mud fever) were fine. The vet came and gave him some antibiotics, danilon, a fancy cream, amongst other stuff to help. However, he will not eat it, and if I have to syringe it all into him he is going to really hate me, and/or lift his head so I cannot reach anyway.

He is already fairly distrustful of me and the YO after the last three days' worth of syringed bute, tentative even about a handful of treats I offered him earlier. And I know this is silly but whilst he is as good as gold, he is a sensitive soul. He still rushes through gates after catching my legs once, and I really don't want him to associate me with horrible tastes and pain.

I have tried to hide in in a bowl full of chaff, the water from some soaked calm and condition, turmeric, and Feedmarks 'No fill'. Not having it
 
I remember year ago reading that marzipan is really good for making little balls, then hiding the meds in the middle. However I'm not sure whether horses can eat almonds? I was always lucky enough to get away with a jammy doughnut filled with the bute or wormer.
 
I had to syringe 50 ml of disgusting tasting and gloopy AB into my mare- I was so worried she would hate it and me, and make worming an issue for the future. She actually took it like a man, so to speak! And we haven't had any issues since, she was suspicious for a few days after treatment finished (2 weeks) but that was it. If you can,(I couldn't due to volume of medicine required) maybe mix with molasses when you syringe, make it more palatable. He won't hate you
 
BTW, if you are worried about him barging you, I used this method with my girl: head collar and lead rope on and me other side of bolted stable door, gained interest with small tasty treat. Whilst still distracted with polo, syringe in side of mouth, as far back as I could (be accurate so you can be quick!) and syringe as fast as poss, used free hand to keep her head down with gentle tugs on lead rope if required.
 
I used honey and warm water in a syringe.

A spoonful of sugar as Mary Poppins would say ;)

However, said horse was only 15.2.....
 
I found mixing apple sauce in with anti biotics helped my horses eat their dinners! both will eat bute fine but turned their noses up at anti bs unless it had apple sauce in! so worth a try!
 
Thank you for your suggestions, I will admit that I hadn't thought of adding something to the syringe to make it nicer, had only thought of adding it to his feed. Will resort to that if I have to.

He is just such a sweet loving boy that I would be really disappointed if he becomes wary of me, it's 1.5 sachets of antibi's and 1 sachet of danilon twice a day for up to 6 weeks, so could be quite a prolonged arrangement.
 
Loads of good suggestions on here and I don't have anything to add except good luck! And don't worry, once he recovers and doesn't need meds and more it won't take him long to realise that you aren't the bringer of doom!! :)
 
Hi re the swelling in the leg for mud fever I had the same vet said cold hose for 20 mins 2 times a day then dry and put on stable bandage within 3 days all swelling gone and this same horse had to have antibiotics creams etc last time this time the cold hosing sorted it out completely just another idea to help good luck x
 
I must have really easy or very daft horses as they all scoff Danilon and antibiotics no trouble. I use feeds that soak and just stir in.
 
Laurac13 said:
Hi re the swelling in the leg for mud fever I had the same vet said cold hose for 20 mins 2 times a day then dry and put on stable bandage within 3 days all swelling gone and this same horse had to have antibiotics creams etc last time this time the cold hosing sorted it out completely just another idea to help good luck x
Click to expand...

I was hoping this was going to help, we tried ice packs not hosing as was worried wet legs would make it worse, made no difference, and as the majority of the swelling is around his hock; wanted to make sure it's not going to turn into something more sinister.

I wish he would eat it though, will try everything. Would be so much easier than syringing
 
I always have a treat ready to give as soon as I have given them anything horrible, usually an apple as they love apples. Give the medicine give the apple immediately,. They soon learnt that something they didn't really like led to something they love. When I had to feed bute I would make a hole in a small apple with a screw driver and pour the bute powder in. Never failed.
 
My horse is a nightmare, I spent 2 weeks solid trying everything under the sun to get him to eat his horrid medicine (I tried it and it really was blimmin awful!). I tried: jam sandwiches, marmite sandwiches, honey, golden syrup, happy hoof, molasses, apples, carrots, spearmint, grass nuts, loads of other stuff I can't even remember. then i bought a sack of saracen releve and half a cup of that plus a bit of grated carrot and he has hoovered it up for the last 6 week, no stress or fuss or self imposed starvation! See if anyone near you has some you could try.
 
Syringes are a lifesaver... Especially if there's a tasty treat after! I've never tried using apple sauce but have always heard good things about using it
 
I can't feed mine any Bute or Anti-biotics. She can smell them in a feed bin at 50 paces.

Essentially she doesn't get Bute and I inject Penicillin when needed.
 
Surprised your horse won't eat up the danilon even my fussy mare eats this up , I had to syringe my gelding 2 x daily for a month with a foul antib plus another syringe of respiratory antiinflammatory s I used to mix some honey in the syringe to sweeten it he didn't like it but soon forgot about it once the treatment was over I am sure your boy won't hold it against you when all is sorted
 
Fingers crossed you're all right! I mixed it with some yoghurt, and whilst he lifts his head up and backs off there is no real protest; I did get absolutely covered in dribbled yoghurt though! He did eat a treat out of my hand afterwards so maybe yog is the way forward!
He won't eat his feed at all now, despite the fact it is just chaff, no fill & turmeric, I guess the risk just isn't worth it in his eyes :D . He only gets a feed so he has something when the others do, although I may try and buy a different bucket for him to see if that works as I would like to get the No Fill in him
 
My 17hh refuses his feed with meds, we dilute in warm water, then mix with some golden syrup and put in his feed. I sometimes syringe but tbh, its more hassle than its worth when he will eat it with syrup.
 
Lots of good suggestions already but I have used spearmint herbs successfully with my fussy mare. I bought a bag from the tack shop and put in a small handful which always does the trick with her. I tried the syringe method as well which did work to start with but then she learnt to pretend she had swallowed it then spit it out a good few minutes later....they can be so crafty with things like this.
 
I feel your pain, 2 weeks after I bought my mare she was in need of the (out of hours!) vet.
Hopefully the yoghurt will keep doing the trick, but with regard to the not eating I used to put fenugreek into her feed which helped.
 
Thank you everyone, have had to resort to just syringing it, he is fairly good with it, just remembers how tall he is so I have to get something to stand on.

I have tried to give it to him in marmite sandwich, a jam sandwich, a cored apple, every single feed in the feed room, yoghurt, honey, syrup, inside a cored carrot and none of it has worked. He smells whatever you offer him like a bloodhound would, and then if not sure he will lick it, and then it's game over!

He won't even eat his feed now and hasn't for the last 3 days, no matter what feed in put in or take out, whether I use a different bucket, or try to feed it to him by hand. What a little s*d. If only he knew how much easier it would be for us both!



like butter wouldn't melt! (Also notice the remnants of Frube yoghurt on his lip :D )
 
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