Worried. please please help!

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annie0bigC

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I just found my 25 year old welsh gelding eating his own, and my irish hunter's manure. Why is he doing it? He has 16+ and happy hoof to eat, as well as apples and carots, plus constant supply of hay and he lives out. I'm really worried and he wouldn't come away. He has a mineral block but i'm not sure if he's knows it's there though!

any advice welcome.
 
I believe they sometimes do this (I have seen it twice) to increace the gut flora to help with digestion...At least thats what I was told If you are really worried phone the vet it costs nothing just to ask
 
At 25, I'd be a bit suspicious. If he was a youngster, then they often do that, as MG says, to ensure a proper balance of "good" gut bacteria. I think some neds just do it out of a curious sort of habit. But if it's just started in a 25 yr old, I would defo be a bit suspicious. Have his teeth been checked to make sure he can chew and properly digest the good diet you provide for him? Have you observed him quidding at all? It might be that he just can't break down and digest the long fibre he is taking in. If this is the case, you need to think about replacing it with a short chop fibre that is easy for a golden oldie to digest. My veteran (22) still has just enough tooth material left to chew long fibres properly but he does enjoy his regular Mollichaff Vetern Chaff which is a short chop and smells gorgeous and is full of mint and nettles and antioxidants. I'd get a dentist out pdq and possibly then add an easily digestible feed to his daily rations. He may not even be able to break down short chop fibres in which case he will need something slurpy! Good luck - he's lucky to have such an onservant and caring mum! x
 
Mine did this recently - aged 19, rising 4yo, and 3yo...it's normally just their way to adjust gut bacteria, so they only tend to eat a bit of one poo.
If he eats any more than a little, it may indicate that he is short of fibre, not bacteria so you can increase the fibre in his diet.
Maybe give him pro-biotics to see if that helps?
S
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[ QUOTE ]
Mine did this recently - aged 19, rising 4yo, and 3yo...it's normally just their way to adjust gut bacteria, so they only tend to eat a bit of one poo.
If he eats any more than a little, it may indicate that he is short of fibre, not bacteria so you can increase the fibre in his diet.
Maybe give him pro-biotics to see if that helps?
S
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Echo that, it could be his teeth are preventing him from eating his hay, so his fibre intake will be down. Also would def feed a probiotic.
 
Sounds like you are doing eveything right, a friend of mines horse ate its own droppings and the vet told her it was lack of fibre(in her case she wasnt giving enough hay) but you seem to be doing eveything right. Is her wormed regulary? Also we sware by naf pink powder, to aid gut flora and its not too expensive. But just to be on the safe side ask your vet to give your boy the once over just to be 100% sure.
 
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