Pony not eating

[Tdoodney]

Help am at wits end. Have a pony who has stopped eating pretty much everything for over 2 weeks now. Nothing came back on bloods has had full ultrasound and rectal nothing too untoward maybe slight inflammation on duodenum. Was put on bute for 2 weeks we are in the second week now and vitamin b12 syringes for 3 weeks, he's had 2. He did show signs of improvement ate small feeds and grazed but no hay, haylage, tried ready grass but he ate a bucket of that for one day and has now stopped. Have just started him on haemavite b plus. When should I start noticing an improvement from that? Any other tips? I've tried steaming hay honey apple juice ? He was looking perkier but has since started to look down agsin and is tuce up again. As vet examinations were inconclusive they advised to give it 3 weeks for improvement.

 

[be positive]

I guess his mouth has been thoroughly checked, when I have had one go off eating I normally end up getting as many different feeds as possible, contacting feed companies is useful as most will send out samples, Allen and Page do a range of feeds that are palatable the Veteran Vitality is supposed to be particularly good for getting them eating.

I would give him a few buckets with a different feed in each and leave him to choose which he prefers, they sometimes do eat something one day then leave it the next, it is very frustrating but there is little else you can do other than keep trying.

If he will eat apples and carrots let him have them, they may not be ideal but anything is better than nothing, obviously hay or haylage is essential for fibre but it can be hard work to eat and if he feels poorly it may just be too much effort for him, ensure he keeps drinking, that is more important than food, a bucket of sloppy sugar beet may be worth trying as would soaked grass nuts, fluids and fibre in the same bucket.

I hope you get to the bottom of what is wrong and he picks up, if you are on a livery yard ask the other owners for a small amount of their feed so you can try as many as you can.

 

[ycbm]

I had a mare with this problem in winter. She was resolved by giving her oestrogen every three weeks to mimic a season. Obviously this isn't the issue with your gelding, but if all else has failed you might check for something hormonal.

How old is the pony?

 

[Tdoodney]

He's 16. Had teeth checked. He does go off hay and feed when stabled for the winter and a couple of doses of haemavite b usually picks him up. But this time he's just stopped all at once and is more severe. We did reduce his bute down to one a day and he's slipped back downhill again so I've upped it again. He's out grazing at the moment.

 

[_HP_]

Could you try turning him back out ?
Slight inflammation on his duodenum would have me thinking ulcers and being on bute won't help that nor being without food.

 

[Tdoodney]

Unfortunately all horses on yard come in and he won't settle on his own

 

[hairycob]

Have you tried adding mint or fenugreek to a bowl of chaff/speedibeet?

 

[Shay]

Trial and error I suspect! The suggestions of getting feed samples is a good one - as is offering lots of feeds in different buckets. Any fruit / veg he will take - don't limit yourself to apples or carrots. If he has a favourite - feed it. Some love beetroot, some bannana. Grapes tend to go through whole (bitter experience...) Ready Mash make a treat mash with beetroot, carrot or bannana in it. My lot love the beetroot one. Try soaking feed in warm water, warm apple juice etc. Readi grass and bran mash made up warm? I've a hunter who thinks marmite sandwiches are brilliant - you never know!

Best of luck!

 

[_HP_]

Will he eat picked grass? Or perhaps grass nuts...
Could you find somewhere else to turn him out to see if it makes a difference?

 

[Theocat]

Will anyone leave their horse out with yours? I'd do it in these circumstances. Will he eat forage or a bucket feed while he's out in the field? If so, at least you could get as much in him as possible before he comes in - but if he's still grazing I'd do anything I could to keep him out 24/7 until it resolves.

 

[shergar]

Help am at wits end. Have a pony who has stopped eating pretty much everything for over 2 weeks now. Nothing came back on bloods has had full ultrasound and rectal nothing too untoward maybe slight inflammation on duodenum. Was put on bute for 2 weeks we are in the second week now and vitamin b12 syringes for 3 weeks, he's had 2. He did show signs of improvement ate small feeds and grazed but no hay, haylage, tried ready grass but he ate a bucket of that for one day and has now stopped. Have just started him on haemavite b plus. When should I start noticing an improvement from that? Any other tips? I've tried steaming hay honey apple juice ? He was looking perkier but has since started to look down agsin and is tuce up again. As vet examinations were inconclusive they advised to give it 3 weeks for improvement.

How are you giving the bute if the pony is not eating,? if you are mixing with water and giving it by syringe this can cause ulcers in the mouth and trachea making the pony less likely to want to eat . If the pony stops eating for a while it will start to break down body fat and this will cause a condition called HYPERLIPAEMIA the sooner this is diagnosed the better the chance of recovery , your vet will need to run bloods again ,please query this as soon as possible with your vet .

 

[Tdoodney]

He has eaten a mushy speedibeet feed tonight and 2lbs of ready grass. Not pooing now tho. Have a vet coming tomorrow who thinks it's ulcers

 

[theot]

hi there,my pony went off her food,i was advised to give a little bute I mixed it up with honey and put it on bread, she ate this happily but the problem of not eating persisted, vet came and told me poppet might have an ulcer , she was tender around her stomach area and didn't like being touched , went on omoguard paste while on bute its a minty taste and that coated her stomach apparently , she settled a little. next,,, the horse dentist visited, a piece of green tree pruning was found lodged right back in her throat , thankfully it was taken out and problem was solved poppet started eating straight away,, I hope you get to the bottom of your dear ponies problem and hoping for you both it will be positive. greetings from sunny Australia ,leighx

 

[peaceandquiet1]

Ask the grass sickness people for advice, they are amazing at getting horses to eat.

 

[applecart14]

I know you said you had had his teeth checked. Was this an EDT using a gag to enable the back teeth to be seen and tended to if necessary? I have seen vets do a quick five minute rasp without a gag in horses mouths before now and cannot understand how they can float a horses teeth correctly.

 

[Tdoodney]

His teeth were fully checked by a dentist. Have had another vet put who has given him phosphates, b12 and gastroguard as he had ulcer many years ago

 

[applecart14]

His teeth were fully checked by a dentist. Have had another vet put who has given him phosphates, b12 and gastroguard as he had ulcer many years ago

I have no idea then but hope you get to the bottom of it. Glad he's ate the speedibeet.
Let us know how you get on with the vet. x

 

[BORODIN]

Failing that - Havens Slobbermash is fabulous -can also feed it warm which they seem to love

 

[eashh09]

Have a look at www.grasssickness.org.uk - and speak to them - It is possible he has a mild case.

 

[Tdoodney]

Update! Unfortunately monty was pts on sat ry day morning. He never recovered from biopsies taken from intestines at equine hospital. His intestines were in such a poor condition they failed to knit back together and his intestines leaked into the abdominal cavity. Path lab results from biopsies show numerous thrombosis in intestinal blood vessels cause unknown. Vet has never seen anything like it before not due to parasite just a rare bizarre occurrence

 

[Welly]

So sad, so sorry I hate January.

 

[SamanthaG]

Is he stressed at all. What about a calmer?

 

[Pinkvboots]

so sorry for your loss x

 

[twiggy2]

So sorry to hear this, hope your OK?

 

[SamanthaG]

Poor chap. So very sorry.