mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749 
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 17, 2014 19:46:23 GMT
Vet said I could ride as long as he was not lame. I am hoping to take this Friday off to go riding - praying he will cooperate. I will not compromise his health though so I will play it by ear.
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Post by diamondgirl on Mar 17, 2014 21:13:15 GMT
Do you have am irrigation syringe at work? I think that would give you a longer reach into the mouth than just a regular syringe. I am trying to think of anything else that might work. With baby birds I have cut butterfly tubing and put it on a syringe to feed them, but for a horse you would need something heavier. If you used a 20ml syringe maybe you could stick the whole thing in his mouth, like you do with the wormer. At least that is how I do it, to keep from getting it all right back at me.
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Post by horselover4life on Mar 18, 2014 10:18:08 GMT
A bolus syringe would give you more reach into without the risk of losing or pinching the fingers... I know many use a turkey baster... Does your horse like a particular treat, peppermints or something? The additive flavor they put in coffee comes in a liquid...how about making a paste from the ground medication, some corn starch and adding a few drops of flavoring...thick enough they are in a "ball" they can lip from your palm (  ).... just a thought... |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 18, 2014 12:08:02 GMT
Well last night's meds were too think (I don't think I crushed the pills enough), this morning they were too thin but I did get most of them down. Mister has always been very good about wormers. I'm hoping this doesn't change that.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 18, 2014 13:25:40 GMT
I've got a call into the vet. Mister is still very sore on that hoof, not really three legged but not wanting to put much weight on it at all. I think he looked ok yesterday morning as a result of the bute I gave him the night before.
Not sure if the vet will just recommend bute for a few days or if I will need to go in to do x-rays.
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Mar 18, 2014 13:47:33 GMT
It's a natural instinct to remove a nail. So live and learn. Me depending on where it was I would have pulled it. Then mark or circle the area with a marker so the vet knows the entry point to xray. What worries me about keeping it in there until the vet gets there. Is that they will drive it deeper.. I have been lucky so far never really had any of mine do it. But have seen others when I worked with horses...  |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 18, 2014 14:15:17 GMT
Well that was just it mingiz, there was no way I could have walked him to the trailer much less have gotten him up the step-up into the trailer. And then to have him three legged while trying to balance....
I know the vet could have brought the portable x-ray machine but I honestly thought it would be ok until Monday morning. Live and learn.
No need to mark where it went it as it is pretty clear where the hole is.
Still waiting for a call back....why does it feel like the vets take hours and hours to call you back. Of course I did say it wasn't an emergency...
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Post by lorddaxter on Mar 18, 2014 14:30:33 GMT
Its prob just infected, any heat, did you poultice it?
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 18, 2014 14:49:35 GMT
no heat, did not poultice it.
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Post by lorddaxter on Mar 18, 2014 14:54:43 GMT
Hmm, weird, I hate when theres no heat, worries me more, Id still poultice it anyway just to see if anything is drawn out, I hope he is ok poor boy
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 18, 2014 19:41:10 GMT
Ok, vet said the only thing an x-ray would show is if the bone is cracked/broken (which makes sense). Told me to continue on the SMZ as directed and I can give one more gram of bute. I hate squirting so much into his mouth but it is only for a few days.
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Post by horselady on Mar 18, 2014 20:34:31 GMT
You did your first reaction to a horse that could not put his hoof on the ground and that was yank it out.
as for keeping it open and clean. yes diaper and duck tape and perhaps peroxide in the hole if you can get it in there
if not than the smz's will and should do the trick.
cut off the tip of the syringe so it is bigger. and make the hole larger. my vet says to cut the entire face of the tube off.
than mix pill with molasses and squirt the entire mess in his mouth.
i have done that and also wet the ground pills and put into a tiny amount of grain about a cup and hope and pray he eats everything, i use cookies and bread slices to disguise the pill smell .
good luck . i am sure he will be fine.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 19, 2014 13:17:06 GMT
I do have a syringe with a big tip but I did cut most of it off anyway. He seems to be doing ok with the karo syrup. I'm still trying to perfect my formula!
I gave him a gram of bute this morning. Was planning on doing it last night but he wasn't too bad. This morning it was really hurting him. I think it must be from laying down at night in his stall - not sure if he is smart enough to lay on the side where that hind foot isn't need for getting up. Forgot to check for heat this morning ("face smack emoticon").
I took Friday off because it was going to be a nice spring day and I thought I could go riding since I haven't ridden in about 2 months. Oh well. I've got plenty of other things to keep me busy.
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redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701
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Post by redzip on Mar 19, 2014 13:26:23 GMT
Hope Mister gets straightened out soon. I know the worry is stressful for you. You do get better at figuring out how to create 'palatable' bute concoctions, tho  They actually have bute powder thats flavored. My one vet only carried the tabs, but my new vet only carries the powder. Powder is more expensive, but Zippy (Mr. Picky) didn't turn his nose up at it,., and he's DIFFICULT  |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 19, 2014 15:43:48 GMT
I don't understand why they don't make a paste or at least a powder of SMZs as it seems that is the go to antibiotic of most vets. Maybe I should work on it and then patent the formula and sell it back to the drug companies to make millions of dollars (and millions of friends with horses that need to take the meds).
Next time I will try to remember to ask for an IM injectable which I find much easier (at least I know he would get all of it).
I would try to just mix the powder in the food but he drops a lot of food (his teeth have been done recently, it's just a result of a missing tooth mostly). I twould be hard for me, then, to make sure he actually got all the meds.
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mddvm
New Member
Posts: 11
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Post by mddvm on Mar 20, 2014 12:37:24 GMT
There is a powdered formulation under name "Tucoprim". Seems much more palatable than crushed tablets. Ask your vet if he has it available.
IMO most clients/owners prefer orals and many are reluctant to give injections, so vets often reach for this first out of "habit". If you are comfortable with IM injections there should be appropriate alternatives available, just talk to your vet!
Sorry to hear Mister is still sore.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 20, 2014 12:48:44 GMT
Thanks mddvm. Next time I will ask for the injectable, I just wasn't thinking at the time. My vet knows me very well and knows I am capable of giving injections (IM or otherwise). I wonder if the Tucoprim is just much more expensive than the tablets - I will go look that up in a minute.
Not really sore this morning. The bugger saw that I had the halter and he took off (which is not like him but can you really blame him right now?). So we played a little game of "go away". I felt bad running him but he started it and we only "played" for 3 minutes or so before he decided to let me halter him. Once the pills are done, I will have to halter him up to do something nice so he realizes it does not always mean I'm going to shove something down his throat!
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Post by lorddaxter on Mar 20, 2014 14:25:28 GMT
Thanks mddvm. Next time I will ask for the injectable, I just wasn't thinking at the time. My vet knows me very well and knows I am capable of giving injections (IM or otherwise). I wonder if the Tucoprim is just much more expensive than the tablets - I will go look that up in a minute. Not really sore this morning. The bugger saw that I had the halter and he took off (which is not like him but can you really blame him right now?). So we played a little game of "go away". I felt bad running him but he started it and we only "played" for 3 minutes or so before he decided to let me halter him. Once the pills are done, I will have to halter him up to do something nice so he realizes it does not always mean I'm going to shove something down his throat! Gotta love them! Isis does that on ocassion too but like Mister it doesnt last long anymore:) |
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Post by 1fatmule on Mar 20, 2014 21:11:45 GMT
one thing i learned while working on a "factory farm" about syringes, the larger they are the harder they are to "push" the rubber seal in the plunger sometimes gets stiff, put a small dab of vasaline, or mineral oil on it, and twist it around it usually is easier to push, if you are having any trouble  |
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Mar 22, 2014 0:14:00 GMT
Thanks - not having much trouble with the syringe, I make sure to rinse it off thoroughly after each use.
Tonight I mixed the pills with molasses instead of the karo syrup. Not sure he liked it any better or not. He is turning away from me when he sees the halter but is not running off any more, I guess I made an impression the other morning. Tomorrow will be the last day of pills.
He is still lame. No heat in the hoof that I can tell. He will put some weight on it but when walking, his limp is obvious. I will call the vet again, probably Monday if he is still this lame. Will call sooner if I start feeling heat in the hoof.
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