Couple misc ?'s

[zoey829]

I am hearing so much lately about colic. I have banimine but it is in the freezer. Can I keep it fridge? So it is not frozne if I need it in an emergency? Is the shelf life the same? WHat else should I have on hand for colic? Do minis colic more in the summer?

Next ? my brother rescued an older full size horse and cant seem to put weight on her. Anything you rec? He tried Equine senior, floating her teeth and isolating her at feed time any thoughts. I know this board will come up with something

Again thanks!!!!!!!!

 

[Jill]

I store banamine paste and injectable at room temperature, per my vet. I did not think you were supposed to even let it freeze (?).

With colic, I don't know that it happens more in the summer than in winter. One thing that can cause it in winter is not providing heated water. Simply keeping water from freezing up by breaking the surface ice may not be enough. Some horses will not drink, or will not drink enough, if water is almost cold enough to freeze and this can lead to impaction colics. We use heated containers in winter.

With the big older horse, has he tried beet pulp and hay cubes? My elderly horse that was put down in June was on senior feed, hay cubes and beet pulp and he was "fat", but had been previously thin when only on pellets and hay. He was so old, his teeth were not really chewing hay very well so he was on a mush diet. He was put down due to a sinus infection that wouldnt go away even w/ extensive (and thousands of $$$ worth of) treatment.

 

[MBennettp]

I'll try this,

First, I have never frozen banamine, didn't know you could. If you will check the date on it at the time of purchase, it is usually good for a year. It will keep at room temperature (house not barn). I just purchase a new tube when it starts getting close to date.

As far as the rescue goes, tell him to try soaking beet pulp and feeding her that. She also may need her feed soaked depending on how many teeth she has left. If she doesn't have enough tooth surface left to grind her feed, she won't get the full benefit of it. If she were here, the first thing that I would do is try the soaked beet pulp, introduce it to her gradually and build up how much she is getting until she is getting quite a bit. The beet pulp won't hurt her but will help with the weight gain.

Mary

 

[Floridachick]

YOu shouldn't freeze Banamine. You will have to buy a new bottle.

As for the rescue, has she been wormed? Is she bred? How old is she?

Once all of the above is known, put her on soaked alfalfa cubes, soaked beet pulp, Free Balance 12:12, senior feed 3X a day, I add Canola oil 1/2 cup per feeding( must work them up to that much.) This combo really stacks the weight back on them. Hay free choice. Goodluck

 

[zoey829]

My vet told me to freeze the banimine. She said it will stay for a yr but freeze it. I guess I will take it to room temp. Where can I buy banime paste? Or is it something to purchase at the vets office?

The elder horse is not bred and it about 22 yrs old. He does feed her twice a day. I like the canola oil idea. The vet said beet puld is a false wt gain. But it is worth a try.

Thanks

 

[Carolyn R]

I don't know if you currently have the paste or the injectable, but the outer box the injetable comes in states the temperature storage zone, you aren't suppose to freeze it. I keep mine on a shelf in the house near the back door, it is always room temp & I always have quick access to it.

Carolyn

 

[zoey829]

Mine is a liquid the vet gave me. Can I buy the pastes somewhere besides the vet?

I was also reading mineral oil is used for colic. Is that vasiline? How much would you give? Do you give it orally?

 

[Jill]

Mineral oils is available at the drug store and it's not the same as vaseline.

When horses are "oiled" it's done through a tub and it's not something the average owner can do or should try even with a big horse and much trickier with a mini. I've helped with many vet proceedures, however, I personally would not ever try to oil a mini myself.

For the banamine, I got both my liquid injectable and paste from my vets.

 

[zoey829]

That is what I figured. I just like to know my facts before something happens.

 

[Flaxenacres]

Zoey, I keep my banamine at room temp. also. As for the older hors try fedding 3 times a day and corn oil on the feed. What does she weigh? You can feed up to 3% OF her body weight in grain but take her up slowly. Also try to find a higher fat grain or pellet feed. Lorie

 

[zoey829]

I am not sure what she weighs. It is hard for me to tell. He saved her life form slaughter and her weight is not building up. She seemed good for awhile but then lost it.

 

[Minimor]

Did you get a whole bottle of banamine or just some in a syringe? I know some people who have been given a syringe of banamine to have, rather than buying an entire bottle. The thing is, once it's in a syringe it's my understanding that the shelf life is reduced. The bottle is good at room temperature until its expiry date, but I've been told not to keep a syringe of banamine longer than two weeks.

 

[HGFarm]

Oh dear, had put my reply and then my internet connection DISconnected!!

Banamine, either paste or liquid is to be kept between 36 and 86 degrees, not frozen!! I think I have only had two cases of colic in the past 10 years. One was due to an impaction in a mare I bought that was SO FULL of bots that she passed worms for EIGHT DAYS!! I wont even go into that story, but it was one of the most disgusting messes I've personally ever seen.

With your old rescue, how long has your brother had her? How many times has she been wormed in that time frame? Has she been looked at by a vet at all?

I agree with the free feed hay, if she is chewing it ok, but would make sure she is getting a good Sr feed added- I love the Purina Sr Equine- I had a Mini mare with NO teeth that could not eat hay at all, or graze and she bloomed on that stuff and stayed fat til the end at 30 years old. The full sized mare really did well on it too and looked half her age. She didnt have much in the way of teeth either and when she had to be put down at 26, it was because of her arthritis but she still looked great.

I used BP to add weight to a mare I had purchased (full sized) and I didnt see anything 'false' about it.

There is also a product called Restart made by TechMix Inc that is high in fat,(20%) with many vitamins and minerals with additional things for good digestion - made for old or really hard working horses or horses under a lot of work/stress. Has flax and rice bran in it.... It may help, I hear it is being used to rehab rescue horses that need the weight gain and nutrition.

 

[zoey829]

All this talk of colic is giving me the you know whats. I have been so worried. Thanks for the info.

This older horse has been seen and the vet said increase her feed slowly and her worm count was fine. I feel bad for you, 6 days of bots!! It is such a sin for this mare. I told him to do the BP. We will see how it goes.

I guess I will chuck the Banimine and get new stuff the next time the vet comes out. When she gave it to me she put an F on it for "Freeze". Oh well! We all learn, if not we have the BB

 

[HGFarm]

Well yes, if you suddenly throw too much feed at her, she could actually go into shock and die from that if she is too skinny. Knew someone who rescuted a POA mare who was so starved that they could only give her a couple of handfuls of food at a time- like every hour, and slowly build her up. They had to put her in a sling to hold her up on her feet and really didnt think she would make it. She was so nice and pretty too- no reason for that!! It was simply a miracle that she lived, but she did, however it took MONTHS for her to even sort of get back to normal.

How bad is she?? Really bad or just pretty thin? Poor thing!!

 

[Lil' Horse Lover]

I haven't read what others posted so I don't know if I'm repeating anyone but I would try Vegetable oil mixed in with the grain, its done great things for me, I highly recammend it and its what we have always used to get horses to gain weight. You should try it!

 

[zoey829]

The veg oil is a good idea. I think these ideas are all great! I told him I would get real answers.

She is thin. Someone called animal welfare thinking they were abusing. And it was ashme because he actually rescuded her. She is so sweet and friendly. We call her Lucy. I am def going to pass this info to him.

Wow! They had to hold her up on a sling! How sad that she was abused :no:

I am glad they were successful is saving her.

 

[EdensFamilyFarm]

I know this may sound weird but I have used it before on retired race horses and other older horses to gain weight and it works if you can get them to eat it but sweet potatoes will put weight on a horse that nothing else helps. Cut them up in to edible pieces raw and put with there feed some love them some not so much but if they eat them it really works.

 

[MountainViewMiniatures]

Having dealt with rescue horses and rescue organizations, the single biggest factor is soaked alfalfa cubes - the higher protein is needed to build up lost muscle tissue. Start with a lb each feeding (3x a day) and work your way up to 8-10lbs a day spilt into 3 feedings.

Beet pulp can and should also be used in addition to the cubes. Once she is at goal weight, the alfalfa cubes can be switched to an alfalfa/timothy or straight timothy soaked cube.

Definately keep hay 24/7 in front of her but be sure she is actually eating it - she may be quidding (chewing on it and then spitting out - look for hay "balls")

Make sure he monitors water intake that she is getting enough or too much (possibly cushings?)- clean fresh water in front of her at all times.

She should not ever be fed more than about 4 lbs of concentrates (grain best to use a senior feed) at a time - again 3x a day but again as with everything must be worked up to it.

Definately use corn oil (adds fat)- don't buy the equine stuff just get the cheapest gallon size at the grocery store to save money - don't want to scare you but this is not a cheap or easy solution bringing back a starved horse. Anyways the corn oil- start with 1/8 cup each feeding on grain and work your way up to 1/2 cup each feeding - you may have to back off to a 1/3 cup 3x a day because some horses will stop eating the grain - no more than 1/2 cup per feeding though!! The Restart or Maxi Glo are also great fat additives to help put on weight in addition but more expensive - I would still gradually add this to the mix according to package directions (maxi glo is I believe 1 - 1 1/2 lbs per day, don't remember the restart) Remember you still need the alfalfa cubes - they add the protein to rebuild the muscle mass, fat will not do that.

I would worm her again and then place her on a daily wormer or worm her every month. Regardless of what the worm count says she has worms!! Fecal counts will only tell you what worms she has at that stage of the worm's life cycle and does not give you an entire picture. It is only at the end of the worm's life cycle that you will find worms in the manure. It is possible that she has alot of internal damage from worms (worm damage is cumulative and not reversable throughout a horse's lifetime - one reason a regular worming program is essential throughout the horse's lifetime!) I am assuming she has already been wormed or I would suggest a daily wormer to start to kill off a little bit at a time so as not to get the worm impaction from many dying off at once - then in 2-3 weeks paste worm and start the worming program - this really is helpful avoiding colic from worms which a starving horse is usually loaded with. normal worm count is

Monitor her urine and manure output , the consistency, amount and especially urine smell - very very stinky urine smell means she is dumping protein and this can lead to overworked kidneys leading to kidney failure

Keep a salt block in front of her - she may attack it quite vigorously at first! As she starts gaining weight I would also add an equine mineral block in addition to the salt - this is not a red salt block but a true mineral block kinda brownish in color

Remember that the weight going back on is not a "overnight" process but will pobably take weeks - too quickly is not good - rule of thumb is that it takes as long to put the weight back on as it was to take off - of course, you have no clue how long that was so that doesn't help you a bit!!!

I'm sure we would all love to know how this horse is doing as your brother goes along

Oh, one last thing, I would probably call the State animal control and let them know so that if someone calls the state on him to report abuse they have a heads up - I would also document her care and retain receipts of anything bought for use in her recovery, keep the bill of sale with this and I would also take pictures of her as she progressed (sometimes you get a real hard a** jerk from the state if you do rescue personally and not under the umbrella of a rescue organization

Also definately keep her isolated at feeding time!!!! I would probably keep her isolated anyways because I want to be sure the soaked cubes and 24/7 hay is going to her) except for turn out exercise -( exercise is also a big component in recovery - even just hand walking aides digestion)

 

[zoey829]

Sharon-

Thanks for the great tips. He has started the oil and did worm her again. We are afraid to give her a daily wormer right now. She has been on a wormer routine since he got her.

I hope it works out for her. She looks in your eyes and says, thank you. She does anything you want her to do. The kids love her.

I will keep everyone posted.