mare won't drink help needed

[bevann]

My 17 yr old mare Fancy has had 2 severe colic impactions in the last month.Wed was really bad-vet was here at 9 PM and had to come back at 1 AM.Mare was tubed with epsom salts and Metamucil first time. given drugs for pain as well as banamine.Very little gut sounds and distended abdomen.At 1 AM mostly water tubing and more drugs.Throwing herself on the ground in pain.Th ursday she was better and finally pooped.Hand grazing for 10 minutes every 2 hrs all day. No water intake on her part.no drugs or banamine and she was fine.Friday out on wet grass for 3 hrs. doing fine but only 1 quart water intake since Wed night. Poop is smaller.Things I have tried with no results Gatorade,applesause with fresh grass and small amount of water, brown sugar dissolved in water. I have also given her small amounts of electrolyte paste and salt water squirted in her mouth.Have had most success with slurpy mix of brown sugar in water with very small amounts of alfalfa leaves and some hay in it.She was eating some of that when I left the barn.I can't keep dealing with these colic episodes due to having shoulder surgery in 1 week and someone else will be caring for her.HELP will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

My QH went on a drinking-free splurge one time and he didn't drint ANYTHING for almost 3 days - we gave him beet pulp soup with ALOT of electrolytes mixed in with it and then turned his water supply into a grape koolaid mixture (NO sugar added. . .he likes grape, you may have to use different flavors) and he started drinking ALOT. We slowly weaned him off of the koolaid mixture and everything is fine now. This was during the winter when he often desides he's not particularly thirsty.

 

 

[~Dan]

I would soak her hay and grain, to get some more liquid into her system. Also, see if flavoring her water helps. Best of luck.

Dan

 

[bevann]

I will try that.I tried Grape Gatorade and she didn't like that or apple.I am going to the barn now to try beet pulp.Thanks I will let you know if she likes that.

 

[twister]

I have a friend who has a standardbred stallion who doesn't drink much water, she gives him iced tea and he loves it.

Yvonne

 

[bevann]

I just got back from the barn and gave her some beet pulp soup and she finished most of it.Hopefully by morning the rest will be gone and she will be ready for some more for breakfast.Thanks for all your help.

 

[Little Wolf Ranch]

Glad that worked for you - if you can, I would still add electrolytes because I have found they make my guys thirsty and therefore drink more. Good luck!

 

[Marty]

Try to soak all her food in straight Gatorade, don't water it down

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is your mare eating good? My first thought when one of mine stops drinking, is ulcers. The water hurts their tummy, so they don't drink. Result, impaction colic. It wouldn't hurt to give her some ranitidine or whatever otc 'heartburn' meds you have. If you see a difference in a couple days, I'd give her a round of Gastrogard. Good luck with her, and with your upcoming surgery!

Melba

 

[GypsyMoonMinis]

I agree with having her checked for ulcers. You can also feed alfalfa to treat stomach problems, the high calcium can soothe the ulcers. I've also heard of using raw apple cider vineger in water, though i've not tried it myself. My horses are in a smaller pen, and with thier mineral and salt blocks they drink constantly (and pee constantly too! i got worried until i figured out what the issue was), so maybe try putting a salt lick near her water source. If worse come to worse you could use a syringe and give her water like you were worming her. Thats extreme though and we only did it once at a show, one of the mares refused to drink and started to show minor colic signs. After a couple syringes she was fine. The damp hay/feed is a good idea too. is the water very cold? having warmer water might also help. These are just random ideas off the top of my head... wishing you and your little mare the best.

 

[bevann]

Poop this morning was small and hard so off to the vet we went.By the time we got there a very large nicely formed wet pile was in the trailer.She had beet pulp soup last night.Was tubed with lots of water, epsom salts and some oil.Teeth checked and are ok.Another wet pile as she was being lubed.Going to experiment with beet pulp soup with electrolytes added 3 times daily and lots of fesh grass and no dry hay.Small amounts of soaked alfalfa hay in water. May try molasses or Kool aid or different flavor Gatorade.something will work.She is hungry so that is a good sign.No pain and meds free.I think we are on the right track .Just need to find a flavor she really likes.

 

[Joanne]

Hi Bev,

We add corn oil to our beet pulp soups to keep things moving. But you may be past that need at the moment.

You may want to change this mare off of a hay diet to a easily digestible senior diet for a while.

We like Nutrena Senior. Great product. It has beet pulp in it already and would be a great way to start her eating food again.

 

[minih]

Is your mare eating good? My first thought when one of mine stops drinking, is ulcers. The water hurts their tummy, so they don't drink. Result, impaction colic. It wouldn't hurt to give her some ranitidine or whatever otc 'heartburn' meds you have. If you see a difference in a couple days, I'd give her a round of Gastrogard. Good luck with her, and with your upcoming surgery!
Melba

When I read your post this is the first thing that came to my mind also. Good luck with your mare.

 

[bevann]

My mare loves the taste of molasses.I poured a small amount in a bowl and she licked it clean.Now she gets molasses soup several times a day.I put about 1 quart of water in a bucket and add about 1 tablespoon of molasses and stir well.She just slurps it down.I am going to try to reduce the amount of molasses but with surgery on Friday I just have to make sure she drinks enough to keep the poop coming.She gets only soaked hay and not much of that, but lots of fresh grass time.I am giveing her peet pulp and alfalfa pellets AM&PM all in lots of water.Things are looking good so far.Thanks for all your advice.

 

[minisch]

I've never heard of tubing with Epsom Salts. Can you give me more info?

 

[bevann]

My vet uses epsom salts in water for tubing in case of an impaction.So far we have had good results with it.It is just dissolved in the water and used instead of mineral oil.This vet practice has been one of my vets for over 20 years and has lots of experience with Minis.

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Hi Bev, How is the mare today?

My minis are all on senior pellets. You can easily add a cup of water to every feeding, it turns soupy and they lick up every drop of the sloppy wet pellets and soupy water.

How is your shoulder? Just came back from the orthopod myself, have torn rotator cuffs and was injected with cortisone, I ache really bad. Hoping I won't need surgery.

Good Luck with yours!

Robin