Plea for help... elderly horse losing weight

[**puddleduck**]

I posted on here a while ago about my elderly cob mare (approx 30 years old) quidding despite having had regular teeth checks all her life and my vet assuring me in June that her teeth are in excellent condition for her age. She is out 24/7 at the moment and wasn’t fat like previous years but wasn’t thin either and was looking good with a nice shine to her coat.

I hadn’t noticed any quidding recently either but this last couple of weeks she’s rapidly lost a load of condition again and now is verging on looking like a rspca poster 😢😢 her hips and ribs are clearly visible and her coat has lost all its shine.

She was just having a handful of chaff to put some bute in but I’ve massively upped her feed so she’s still having the handful of Chaff but I’ve added sugarbeet and D&H 16+ which is what she had last winter and some vegetable oil. I’ve also bought the 5 day panacur to rule out any worms.

I’m panicking as deep down I think I know that this is the start of the end for her as she can’t go into winter this skinny but desperately hoping there’s a solution. Her field companion is my 28 year old mare and she’s still in fab condition on exactly the same grazing so that can’t be the issue.

I’m going to give her 2 weeks on the increased food to see if I can notice any improvement and let the wormer have chance to work too and if no change I will get the vet out at that point to see if they can run bloods to see if that can shed any light.

Anyone any other suggestions as to what else I should be doing? I don’t want to bring her in as she does far better out but It’s all new territory to me as I’ve owned her for almost 21 years but she’s been such a good doer all that time that she got fat on fresh air and was so low maintenance, As long as she had grass and water then she was happy but that’s all changed now so I feel like a complete newbie 😫 so open to any suggestions on the way forward.

Thanks

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

If she's dropped off that much I'd be getting vet to thoroughly check teeth again as changes can occur quickly (could be a problem at the back where you cant see) and to take bloods too, worth a good mot now before you change any feeds etc. Hope you get to the bottom of it xx

 

[ester]

I wouldn't be giving a rapidly losing weight horse 2 weeks, I'd get bloods done urgently for organ function.

 

[twiggy2]

I wouldn't be giving a rapidly losing weight horse 2 weeks, I'd get bloods done urgently for organ function.

Me too

 

[Jeni the dragon]

Agree about getting a vet out sooner rather than later.
Feed wise, top spec do a couple of different mashes, rog loves his high fibre one. He's 30 and has cushings. As well as the mash, he gets ts fibre plus cubes, cool and condition cubes, and conditioning flakes as the prascend makes him fussy and we go from one to the other depending on what mood he's in.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Has she had a Cushngs test recently? I wood get that done, if she hasn't and another teeth check (possibly a 2nd opinion) but i would also be concerned that something was happening internally. Definitely time for the vet imo.

 

[HeyMich]

Can you feed hay in the field?

There's an old pony I know who loses weight through the summer as he finds it hard to graze the grass in the field (out 24/7 in a herd on 25 acres), as his teeth aren't what they used to be. Come winter, he puts the weight back on as he's in each night with a full hay bar and a bucket feed. It may be that winter suits yours better too?

I'd call the vet though if you are worried.

 

[meleeka]

Has she had a Cushngs test recently? I wood get that done, if she hasn't and another teeth check (possibly a 2nd opinion) but i would also be concerned that something was happening internally. Definitely time for the vet imo.

This. Diagnosis and treatment can take years off them. It did with mine.

 

[**puddleduck**]

Thanks all I’ll get the vet in sooner rather than later. I discussed in length her weight loss (over winter) with the vet at end June/beginning July can’t quite remember when they came out and asked about having her blood tested and the vet recommended against it at that point as she shows no other clinical signs of cushings, I will push for it to be done now due to the recent weight loss again especially as it’s summer now and she’s lost weight again. X

 

[meleeka]

Thanks all I’ll get the vet in sooner rather than later. I discussed in length her weight loss (over winter) with the vet at end June/beginning July can’t quite remember when they came out and asked about having her blood tested and the vet recommended against it at that point as she shows no other clinical signs of cushings, I will push for it to be done now due to the recent weight loss again especially as it’s summer now and she’s lost weight again. X

She does have one of the classic symptoms. It’s not very expensive (download a free voucher).

For free try one of the soaked fibre feeds which you can feed as a total hay replacer. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[ester]

you aren't just testing for cushings though, yes it is probably worth including but if she has something on going internally knowing about it before it gets too bad so you can make appropriate decisions for her is important.

 

[sjb10]

I have similar with my cob gelding although younger than your mare. We used a very reputable equine dentist but vet recently did a flush under sedation which dentist cant do. Vet also recommended hay replacer so I added bet to his chaff and cushcare. Never had to feed in summer before but he cant manage longer grass. Although of course that is exactly what he goes for.

 

[AdorableAlice]

If only we could halt time. Our animals just don't live long enough. If nothing comes from health investigations, there are a number of useful golden oldie feeds. My old lad finds Veteran and Vitality useful with Copra if he drops off a bit. Baileys Number 17 is also useful.

 

[**puddleduck**]

you aren't just testing for cushings though, yes it is probably worth including but if she has something on going internally knowing about it before it gets too bad so you can make appropriate decisions for her is important.

I use an equine only vet practice and will be getting them out and asking the vet to do a full MOT and to check for everything.

 

[**puddleduck**]

If only we could halt time. Our animals just don't live long enough. If nothing comes from health investigations, there are a number of useful golden oldie feeds. My old lad finds Veteran and Vitality useful with Copra if he drops off a bit. Baileys Number 17 is also useful.

It’s heartbreaking, she’s had a few health issues the last few years and each time I’m a wreck as keep thinking that it’s the end, but she keeps plodding on. Just need to hope We can get her sorted again this time 🤞🏻🤞🏻

 

[ester]

It might be useful for you to look up some of TeresaW (sp?) old post about her two elderly cobs, Mac in particular she had to get quite inventive with feeding if it that does end up being the key issue. - I have an oldie too but he's still at the good doer stage currently (though with a few other health issues including a dodgy liver), he can manage hay but not chaff which seems a bit strange but is what it is. He'd be on copra if I needed more calories (and if he'd eat it, he's fussy!)

 

[Jeni the dragon]

One thing to be careful of is I don't think veteran vitality is suitable if they are cushings. Pretty sure something in it does not go with prascend. Which is really quite surprising.

 

[be positive]

Thanks all I’ll get the vet in sooner rather than later. I discussed in length her weight loss (over winter) with the vet at end June/beginning July can’t quite remember when they came out and asked about having her blood tested and the vet recommended against it at that point as she shows no other clinical signs of cushings, I will push for it to be done now due to the recent weight loss again especially as it’s summer now and she’s lost weight again. X

I had one old boy who had no symptoms, he was in full work and light competing looking fab, within 2 weeks his weight had dropped dramatically he seemed bright enough, appeared to be eating normally out 24/7 on grass only so not easy to be certain how much he was eating and drinking, I then realised he was drinking and peeing excessively which was the cause of the dramatic loss, he went onto prascend and the drinking/ peeing slowed down and the weight loss stopped although from that point he was very hard to keep weight on and had to retire from work.
They do not all get laminitis, he certainly never had it and was stuffed full of totally inappropriate high sugar/ starch food in order to keep him eating, vet agreed that he could have whatever he wanted to keep him well, it is a strange condition because the symptoms can be so varied and sometimes very subtle.

 

[**puddleduck**]

Hi all just to let you know that despite getting the vets out to do bloods, my girl continued to deteriorate and sadly went down in the field and so the decision was made to have her put to sleep.

I am absolutely and utterly devastated as she’s been such a huge part of my life for so long but it was ultimately the right decision. X

 

[View]

Oh I am sorry. Every time they go, they take a piece of our heart with them.

Be kind to yourself.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm sorry to hear that but she told you that it was time. She was very lucky to have a responsible owner who listened to her and made the very difficult decision, for the horse's good.

 

[ester]

Sorry to read that PD .

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Very sorry to read this xx

 

[Jeni the dragon]

I'm so, so sorry to hear that. Devastating for you.

 

[Sandstone1]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[meleeka]

Sorry to read this update. Take care of yourself x

 

[AmyMay]

So sorry Puddleduck 💔

 

[whiteflower]

So sorry for your loss. Sounds like the right descision

 

[AdorableAlice]

So sorry, she had the best home remember though, wanted for nothing and much loved.

 

[splashgirl45]

so sorry, you did the best you could but it was her time.....look after yourself and try and remember all of the good times...