what to do next please help

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figgy

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Hi everyone ,
I put a post on here about 5 weeks ago about my 3 year old that couldnt eat hay , i had the vet out to do teeth and everyone said get a dentist so i did and he said same as vet cant see anything wrong, well his been out on grass since then and been ok droped a little weight but not a bad thing as he was a bit round , well the snow is here and no grass, in two days his droped so much weight his is trying to eat haylage but just quidding so not really eating of it, as title really what should i do next.

Thanks
 
Figgy, it's a long shot but could he be lacking in saliva? Grass has a much higher water content than hay and this would make it easier to eat in this situation. How is he with other drier foodstuffs?
 
Could be teething for want of a better phrase. So might be a little sore. However I am not a vet or equine dentist. I would call/speak to the vet again especially if he is dropping weight
 
Chaff & readigrass?
.. It will cost you but will get the forage into him which is even more important than usual in this weather, as you know ... I wonder if he can learn to eat hay when the better spring hay comes in next year?
 
If his teeth are ok, then Camilla could be right and it may be a problem with his saliva, I wopuld ask your vet if they have any advice, but watch him eating other dry foods, my mare if she has a dry tea will eat it as if her teeth are about to fall out and it's the most difficult thing in the world to do but as soon as i put some water/sugar beet in with it to wet it down she eats normally, Her teeth have been checked by a professional and are fine so its just dry food she doesn't like, although she is fine with hay! but would get the vets advice.
 
Seems like you have exhausted all the obvious options, would try the vet or maybe a nutrionalist and see if they have any suggestions! Good luck, hope you can crack it.
 
Bovril said:
Seems like you have exhausted all the obvious options, would try the vet or maybe a nutrionalist and see if they have any suggestions! Good luck, hope you can crack it.
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sure have Bovril , i did phone a number of nutrionalist and got lots of sample sent to me but he did not like them he dont eat any types hi fi , its really hard.
 
Hi there,

i would get down to your feed supplier and stock up on Fibre Pencils, or any similar product that they have. These can be used as a forage replacer. You soak the pencils for ten minutes or so, and voila ! Check the amount to feed carefully, I think it's Allen and Page - you could give them a ring to discuss.

A friend used these last year for an elderly horse, and they were fab.

Good luck, sm

xxhttp://www.allenandpage.com/Products/Rest-and-Light-Work/Fast-Fibre.aspx
 
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My pony did this in the winter, and I think it was that the hay didnt taste as nice as grass, so I started giving him haylage and lots of alfa original as didnt want him having too much haylage. Perhaps he just doesnt like hay? if he wants to eat haylage then let him eat haylage
 
He must be sore somewhere in his mouth? I'd get an equine dentist out who has a good rep if it were me, but then of course it's only my opinion and I could be completely wrong.

Anyways, I hope you find out what is wrong with him and that you are able to put it right soon.
 
ridefast said:
My pony did this in the winter, and I think it was that the hay didnt taste as nice as grass, so I started giving him haylage and lots of alfa original as didnt want him having too much haylage. Perhaps he just doesnt like hay? if he wants to eat haylage then let him eat haylage
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Hi i dont mind him having haylage but he gets a bit in his mouth chews a few time then spits it out (quidding) so his really not eating anything.
 
Could it be his throat? This sounds just like my boy when he had a sore throat last winter. He would chew but wasn't happy to swallow, especially bad with hay and a little better with haylage, fine with hard feed and grass. Luckily in his case it was just a temporary thing due to an infection and went in a week after treatment.

If he's always been like this, I wonder if he has a throat problem of some kind (sorry I realise not much help as I've no idea how you'd confirm/treat it).
 
laura_nash said:
Could it be his throat? This sounds just like my boy when he had a sore throat last winter. He would chew but wasn't happy to swallow, especially bad with hay and a little better with haylage, fine with hard feed and grass. Luckily in his case it was just a temporary thing due to an infection and went in a week after treatment.

If he's always been like this, I wonder if he has a throat problem of some kind (sorry I realise not much help as I've no idea how you'd confirm/treat it).
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Thanks i have only had him since sep and he was fine when i got him eating hay.
 
To keep his weight up in the immediate time and the fact he will eat hard feed I would get to the local feed merchant and get a fibre replacement hard feed they have ones that are designed for really old horses that have no teeth left to chew hay/haylage these are designed to fed adlib in big big tubs.

I then think it would be time for some additional vet investigation I'm afraid.
 
I can recommend Fast Fibre as a hay replacer....My horses love it, though they have it in addition to hay, but it says on the bag it is a hay replacer.....I think it is made by Allen & Page....
 
Maisy said:
I can recommend Fast Fibre as a hay replacer....My horses love it, though they have it in addition to hay, but it says on the bag it is a hay replacer.....I think it is made by Allen & Page....
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Thanks Maisy i will go and get a bag tomorrow hopefully he will eat it,
 
figgy said:
Hi everyone ,
I put a post on here about 5 weeks ago about my 3 year old that couldnt eat hay , i had the vet out to do teeth and everyone said get a dentist so i did and he said same as vet cant see anything wrong, well his been out on grass since then and been ok droped a little weight but not a bad thing as he was a bit round , well the snow is here and no grass, in two days his droped so much weight his is trying to eat haylage but just quidding so not really eating of it, as title really what should i do next.

Thanks
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Hi Figgy,
My Sec A had this problem and it turned out he had a throat infection and couldn't swallow the hay! Hard feed no problem as it was short and could also eat grass.
He had a course of Trimediazine and all is well with the world again.
Worth a try with the vet?
Good luck.
Bryndu
 
Bryndu said:
Hi Figgy,
My Sec A had this problem and it turned out he had a throat infection and couldn't swallow the hay! Hard feed no problem as it was short and could also eat grass.
He had a course of Trimediazine and all is well with the world again.
Worth a try with the vet?
Good luck.
Bryndu
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Hi Bryndu

was ur sec A quidding when he had a sore throat

thanks
 
little update

I called the vet today and he just said that he didnt have a sore throat ( dont no how he can say that over the phone ) and he said just put horse on pain killers and he will phone me in morning to see how he is and come out if needed , really cant see any point with vet coming out had him out twice in one week about 4 weeks ago for this problem.

its really getting me down. anymore advice please x
 
Seems bad that your vet is so ready to dismiss a possible diagnosis without seeing your horse. Could you try a different vet practice? The quality of vets around here varies enormously.
 
Where are you? I'm sure someone on here can recommend one. I'm registered with three vets, two because they are near so its cheaper for routine things like sedation and vaccinations, one that is further away but actually knows what they are doing.
 
wellsat said:
Where are you? I'm sure someone on here can recommend one. I'm registered with three vets, two because they are near so its cheaper for routine things like sedation and vaccinations, one that is further away but actually knows what they are doing.
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Hi i am in essex,

thanks
 
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