Fever is gone but they still won't eat

[Candice]

My two 9 mos old babies have been sick since Thursday evening. They both went off their feed that night. Rose (my filly) had soft stools for 3 bm's then returned to normal. The highest her fever spiked was 103.5. Her temp has been normal since yesterday morning. My colt on the other hand, even though he went off his feed at the same time she did, didn't really spike any fever to note until the middle of the next day. Last night he hit 105.8. I was able to bring it down and he's had a normal temp since this morning.

They're eating their hay and have been all along. They are drinking. Bm's and urine all appear normal. I'm treating them with antibiotics, electrolytes, probios and banamine. Today I decided not to give Rose any banamine to give her tummy a break, hoping she might eat better. No luck. They look at their dinner like its turning their stomachs and walk away. I offered up some carrot tid bits tonight and they went nuts. I tried adding it to their feed and those carrots became "trash".

I'll be talking to Doc first thing in the morning. I'm just past the point of worry. I cannot fathom what is going on with them. Their only other symptom is they're tired and their eyes are what I call "glassy". When you look at them you know they don't feel good.

 

[Minimor]

If it were me I'd be happy they're eating hay, and wouldn't worry about the grain for a few days yet. We had a virus go through here the one year, it gradually worked its way through the whole herd and some of the horses quit eating altogether--wouldn't touch grain, wouldn't drink, wouldn't eat hay. So, the ones that kept eating hay & drinking water I figured were doing pretty good. Usually once they went back to eating hay, after another day or two they finally went back to their grain as well.

 

[Brandi*]

It sounds a bit like what Melody just went through. I don't think she's all the way over it yet either. She didn't have soft stools though. She also looked at her food like it just made her sick to think of eating it. She had a fever for one day and then it came down with the banamine. For the next few days I watched her temp closely and it only went just above 101. She is doing better now that she is on ulcer treatment. I still don't know if it is actually ulcers or not. She acts uncomfortable at times but is improving each day. I will be praying for you! I can't even believe how stressful it is when they are sick! Hope they get to feeling better really soon!

 

[Mulligans Run]

Anytime we have a horse that is off their feed, we give Lixotinic. It's a liquid vitamin that tastes good and does a quick recovery...or has with us.

Yu can get it from Jeffers Equine. Good luck!!

 

[wildoak]

May be just a normal part of recovery, I know if I've been sick it sometimes takes my appetite awhile to return full force. I also always suspect ulcers when I have a horse that is just "off", esp if they will eat hay but turn up their noses at grain. Probios should have been a help, but it's worth mentioning to your vet.

Jan

 

[Carolyn R]

Are you giving the banamine IM or orally? Orally it can cause sores/ulcers in the mouth fairly quickly. I have a mare that can not tolerate it orally, she quickly gets a sore mouth, goes off her feed and only nibbles on hay. It only took about 24 hours for her to start eating the grain again once I stopped the oral banamine, she is usually one of my grain hogs.

Carolyn