My poor veteran

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mhorses

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My 30 odd year old pony has stopped eating. He is off his feed and appears to have a very sore eye looks like blindness (bathed with cold tea bag this am). I feed a stubbs bowl scoop and a half of sugar beat cubes soaked and divide it into two each day and have been or the past year I add a little mix in to add variety. I just can't put my finger on it he usually loves his feed. Going to phone the vet but have any of you had similar problems? Nothing will be taken lightly as he was my first pony.
 
When were teeth checked? He could just be feeling ill due to eye but our 30 year old has poor teeth we manage her well however if she stopped eating vet would be straight out and a difficult conversation would be had.
Is he eating treats or anything? Maybe try him with just the sugar beet as he can drink that more than eat it.
 
When you say sore eye do you mean inflamed like he has something in it or he's externally injured it? In which case it could be pain that's put him off his food. Or sore as in it looks glassy, actual eyeball not looking right? If the latter I'd get on to the vets asap as an emergency, I don't want to be the voice of gloom but given his age, I've seen that in a few oldies that have had minor strokes.
 
His right eye is glarry, swollen and warmish. Left eye is normal. Finding it difficult to lift the eye lid. Booking vet in this am. Poor wee man.
 
Ps this has all happened since Saturday. Could a shock have caused it as we live in a town and lots of fireworks? He live inside at night.
 
If he was mine I add something like veteran vitality as its palatable an especially for oldeis, I feed it to my oldie.

Id get the vet out to his eye if its inflamed. You cant be to careful with eyes.

Hope hes feeling better soon.
 
Is he able to stand and walk ok?
An old rescue of my YOs had a mini stroke her eye went all glassy looking and eye lid drooped and couldn't walk properly she was pts within an hour tho as had other issues on top of this so not given time for mobility to come back.
However it sounds like he may have injured it some how- maybe when a fireworks went off he may have caught it on something?
Await the vet for proper diagnosis. Word of advice tho if eyes are damaged its an emergency so vet should be called asap. Damage can quickly become irreparable if left
 
I'd immediately get an ACTH test for Cushings done. These are classic symptoms of an undiagnosed Cushingoid horse or pony. Weight loss, odd infections and infestations that don't heal, loss of sparkle, coat shedding problems, confusion, inability to control body temperature, massive and very sinky sweating... thelist is very long and not all horses get all of the symptoms. If the test is positive, Prascend will make the most amazing difference in a week or so x
 
Poor lad, could he have bumped his eye on something. My old boy scratched his cornea at about the same age. It was very painful, he was in a very bad mood about it.

Def a vet job.
 
Just home from the vets. Poor boys heart has weakened and has a formed a murmur over the past few days. Absolutely devastated and can hardly stop crying. Vet advised me to put him down this week. :'(
 
Thanks I would prefer to put him down.now as he is still in good condition. If I leave him be he will deteriorate especially with winter approaching. I just feel dreadful at the thought of his empty stable. Did you keep a mane cutting or tail cutting of your horse? I want to get a bracelet made as we are burying at home and will have no ashes.
 
Sorry to hear this, but at least you caught it early before he suffered.

Can you plant a tree where he is buried? That is what we have done with ours that are buried
 
I am so so sorry :( How long have you had your pony?

When I lost my first pony I made a memory box. It has his headcollar, mane and tail cuttings, a million photos, some rosettes and other bits and pieces. It was a long time before I could look at it, but every now and again I get the box out and sniff his headcollar (still smells like him years later) look at the pics, have a good laugh and cry and remember him. If pony hair jewellery was around when he died I would definitely have had jewellery made.

You are doing the right right thing by your pony. xx
 
Bless him and you :( you will miss him but eventually instead of tears and sobbing its tears and laughter as the good times all come back x

I will be keeping a good chunk of my boys tail when he's called home x
 
I'm so sorry it was bad news. If you are thinking you'd like a bracelet, could you get someone to cut some mane & tail when he's gone? I find it very upsetting cutting off a momento whilst they are still alive. Thinking of you x
 
mhorses said:
Thanks I would prefer to put him down.now as he is still in good condition. If I leave him be he will deteriorate especially with winter approaching. I just feel dreadful at the thought of his empty stable. Did you keep a mane cutting or tail cutting of your horse? I want to get a bracelet made as we are burying at home and will have no ashes.
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Get a mane/tail clipping f'sure!
I know when it's Ned's time to go, I'm going to take all the hair I can.

I'm so so so so sorry you're going to have to go through this *hugs*
I never know what to say, but I'll be thinking of you!
 
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