Wits end with picky cushings pony

hellfire

hellfire

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Mini was diagnosed over a year ago and has always been a fussy feeder for a Shetland. Now he’s even worse!! I can’t even get his tablets into him the last few days and I feel at my wits end as just don’t know what else to do. He’s still happy to eat his hay and a bit of grass when he has it on rare occasions. He now hates Apple, carrot, polos, bits of bread, any other fruit or veg I try. I’ve tried it all and things I rather not feed a pony such as bread he’s gone off the lot! I can’t hide his tablet in anything anymore. He’s gone totally off his bucket feeds yet again. Have tried all sorts to tempt him bar drizzling molasses!!! His weight is spot on and have always given him a tiny bit of carrot/apple etc to hide the tablet but now he refuses everything I don’t know what to do. Any one have any ideas? He is starting to get that kind of pot belly look recently and his last test showed his level had elevated. He has a re test on the 26th and I expect it to be sky high as he won’t eat his meds! Bar holding him down and forcing it down his throat any suggestions? If I start that I guarantee give it a few days and I won’t be able to catch him in the field anymore.
 
I had to dissolve it in water and syringe it in to one of mine, he would not take it in any other way and became extremely fussy with food in general, by getting it down in the syringe at least he stopped being quite so fussy with his feed as he never had it hidden, if the syringe has something nice around the edge he may be less difficult to get it in his mouth.
 
Did you have issues
be positive said:
I had to dissolve it in water and syringe it in to one of mine, he would not take it in any other way and became extremely fussy with food in general, by getting it down in the syringe at least he stopped being quite so fussy with his feed as he never had it hidden, if the syringe has something nice around the edge he may be less difficult to get it in his mouth.
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catching him after a while? Mine turned out 24/7. He won’t even come over for his feed bowl now. He’s fine to catch but does have his moments like all do. I’m worried he will start running away from me. How much water did you dissolve it in please? I have some larger syringes I can use to try.
 
I had no issues catching but if that was a potential problem I would treat more often and put up a holding area if I really had trouble so they could be cornered, I would probably give a few days with no meds, nice feeds, treats and break the pattern then give something yummy by syringe for a day or two before restarting meds but still mix up the pattern so they are less suspicious.
I don't know why prascend causes so many issues, it is a tiny tablet but many really do object to it and it seems to put a lot off their feeds so that doesn't help matters, as above it dissolves in a fairly small amount so you can add something nice to help it go down.
 
be positive said:
I had no issues catching but if that was a potential problem I would treat more often and put up a holding area if I really had trouble so they could be cornered, I would probably give a few days with no meds, nice feeds, treats and break the pattern then give something yummy by syringe for a day or two before restarting meds but still mix up the pattern so they are less suspicious.
I don't know why prascend causes so many issues, it is a tiny tablet but many really do object to it and it seems to put a lot off their feeds so that doesn't help matters, as above it dissolves in a fairly small amount so you can add something nice to help it go down.
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Thanks for the idea. I’ll set up a small holding pen and try get him in there every day. He will run through fence tape so not sure that will last or how I’ll get him in when he decides no more. I wonder if I should bring him in every day for a snack of grass? May be more of a lure even though he’s getting a syringe in the mouth. I wasn’t sure how long he could not have his meds for. He won’t take any treats I give to him. My friend even tried and he won’t. It’s like he’s decided treats are poison!! So can’t give him treats every day and not sure what he now thinks is yummy in a feed or I can put in a syringe. Sugars really are a no no but the vet said as he’s not over weight he’ll be ok with a small amount of it means getting meds in so maybe some sweet apple sauce in a syringe or something. I’ll prob find he like blinking sour stuff better knowing my luck! He’s gone off his fast fibre and chaff again. That’s happened before. I’m reluctant to change feeds as did before only to find he hates it after a few days. I recently tried a sample of the feed for cushings horses. It’s a mash and he seemed to like that. For how long I don’t know. He been off his feed for 3 days now just chucks the bucket literally. He won’t come over so I go to him he sniffs it then either buffsit hard with his head so it spills or picks it up and chucks it. How rude! I don’t know what other treats to try? What pony won’t take a bloody polo, carrot or apple for god sake!!
 
Today he decided he likes 50/50 bread!!! Put his tablet in a very small bit. So managed to get his tablet in him!!! Soooo relieved. He actually ate some fast fibre and chaff too! Fingers crossed he doesn’t go off that.
 
Does he like marmite?

My previous mare absolutely adored marmite. I used to pop some carrots into a ziplock bag with a teaspoon of marmite, and leave them overnight. The moisture from the carrots melts the marmite and they marinade in it. Horse would actually beg for marmite carrots.

When she needed tablets, I smeared marmite on them and she ate them like candy.
 
I used gastroguard tubes filled with apple sauce baby food (squeezy pouches), and yes I’d have to hide the tube if I was trying to do it in the field else I couldn’t catch him. Once it wasn’t in his feed he started eating again. Never too another carrot or apple though!
 
I’m another who syringes it. My mare has actually become better with food, probably because she’s not looking for the tablet anymore. I can syringe it with her loose, I just put my arm over the top of her neck and in it goes. She was awful to worm before so I’m surprised she’s accepted it.

I did used to give her a spoon full of Sixteen Plus and put tbe tablet in an empty pill capsule which you can buy on Amazon. That worked for quite a while too.
 
Ask your vet if they can get you the flavoured pergolide paste. I think its made by Bova. It has a pleasant caramel/butterscotch taste and from memory 5ml is the equivalent of 1 Prascend pill and is comparable in price. Our boy wouldn't have the pill in any form but the paste worked!
 
Try dissolving in some mint mouthwash.Its safe for horses as mine had a large tooth removed and I had to wash his mouth out after every meal.He loved the taste so much he couldn’t wait,he would wait at his door and whinny when he had eaten and actually snapped the syringe in half one day.
 
Can you put it in a token amount of speedi beet?

Alternatively when my guy went off his bute, I blended half a carrot (or even smaller) with lots of water and then syringed it in.
 
That’s some great ideas thank you very much!!! I now have some fresh ideas to try!! Not a clue if he likes marmite but I’ll try. I’ll defiantly try some jam to eek the bread out. I make preserves so got plenty here. I have heard about the paste and asked my vet last time about it but he didn’t know they done it. Love the mint mouthwash idea too. Although he’s gone off polos but shall certainly try that one too. He may accept his wiener easily too😝. Untill he actually realises it’s not mouthwash! I can’t put a tablet in a token amount of the beet as sometimes he eats it sometimes he doesn’t with a bucket feed. Yesterday he really enjoyed his feed for the first time in a week. Even licked the bowl clean.
 
ihatework said:
I used gastroguard tubes filled with apple sauce baby food (squeezy pouches), and yes I’d have to hide the tube if I was trying to do it in the field else I couldn’t catch him. Once it wasn’t in his feed he started eating again. Never too another carrot or apple though!
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I used to do this with any of my oldies that needed medication orally. Worked everytime, can especially recommend Lidl's organic pouch range of baby food. For some reason they liked that better than cow and gate!
 
I just pop the whole tablet into his cheek. It is an easy and reliable solution to a fussy eater. I did start trying to feed him but he just ended up not eating anything, even titbits from my hand.
 
Tarragon said:
I just pop the whole tablet into his cheek. It is an easy and reliable solution to a fussy eater. I did start trying to feed him but he just ended up not eating anything, even titbits from my hand.
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I tried this and it ended up in a fight which even against a Shetland pony I found hard to win 😂. Don’t want to have to fight with him every day as no good for either of us.
 
Ne
3OldPonies said:
I used to do this with any of my oldies that needed medication orally. Worked everytime, can especially recommend Lidl's organic pouch range of baby food. For some reason they liked that better than cow and gate!
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Need to go there so will get a couple to try with him. Thanks very much.
 
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