New rescue- need some advice

[Bethanie457]

My name is Beth. We live in East Texas. I have several mini's that my kids show in 4-H... and we are members of the Greater Houston Mini Horse Club, and the AMHA.

Saturday night, we went to a horse auction just to buy some tack... but ended up coming home with a miniature. We bought him for $50 (the opening bid) just to keep him from going in the kill trailer to Ft. Worth. He's only 10 months old and really poor. He is about 2/3rds the body weight of my other yearling that is the same height... with horrible rain scald and bald spots

He's the cutest guy with a great personality. He loves the kids. They named him Elvis.

The vet has looked at him and feels that he'll make a great recovery if he can learn what feed is.

He doesn't have a clue... and I really have to coax him to eat the medicated feed the vet prescribed him. I am suppost to mix 1 measuring cup of the medicated feed in with 1 cup of the pelleted feed... and feed that 5 times a day... and free feed hay. I can't get him to actually eat the feed. He picks at it. I don't think he knows what feed is. And doesn't really eat the hay either. He's all about grass though.

Is there anything that I can add to the feed that will make him want to eat it ?

I had his feet trimmed yesterday. My farrier is so good with the mini's and actually prefers my mini's (and they are the only mini's he trims) to all the big horses. He's trimmed my big show horses 8 years now... and is so good, but he truly enjoys the little guys. Elvis did great and I think he appreciated the hoof trim. He's not tripping over his feet now.

I also want some suggestions on what to do with his skin. The wash that the vet gave us is for after a bath. And there was a shampoo that can only bee used once a week. Is there anything I can use daily on the rain scald and itchy skin to help it clear up sooner. Would clipping him help? I don't know if it would help since he has no body fat to help keep him warm. And wants nothing to do with a blanket.

Any suggestions would be great. We plan on giving this guy a great home. We're already in love and he's quickly becoming the barn favorite since he's so sweet. He'll be gelded as soon as he drops. My main concern is getting him back in good health.

Thanks,

Beth Nugent

 

[SunQuest]

Beth,

Thank you for posting about this poor little boy. And it is so good that he at least has a future.

I have found that often my horses won't eat pelleted food at first if they have never had it. One of the things that I do is mix some regular rolled grain (oats or barley oats mix) in with it. This seems to help. ALso, you can try to add something a little sweet to it to entice him like apple sauce, honey, maple syrup or molassis. But before adding the sweetener, stick your fingure into some and then put it into his mouth by carefully putting your finger where the bit lays. If you can get him to like the taste of it, then he will probably go for it on the pellets.

Another thing, often starved horses can't eat much. They don't have the stomach capacity that is the same of the healthy non-starved horses. So small feedings multiple times a day is a huge help.

Also, get his teeth checked. I know he is very young, but I have had horses at a year old have hooks. And he needs every advantage that he can get at this point, so floating teeth could be a help for him.

As far as the washes go, If you are living where the weather is warm, then you could try clipping him. I would clip him with a long blade, say a 7F so that he has more of the coat left on him. Of course you would have to blanket him as well. But getting that heavy coat off of him so that he can get dry air to his skin will help fight the rain rot. If you are concerned about the blanketing, then clip the areas that need it, leaving the other areas untouched so that there is at least some hair on him to help.

Pleae keep us posted on his progress. Also, since you are in TX, I would like to refer you to LSER (Lone Star Equine Rescue). I am sure that LSER would have some super wonderful ideas on how to help him and since they are in TX, they would also know what type of feeds are the best that are in your area for starved horses, and I am sure that they would have other suggestions on how to help your horse as well. There web addy is http://www.lser.org

Hugs to you and well wishes to your boy!

 

[Bethanie457]

Thanks Nila,

He's actually eating a little now. He's not jumping in the bucket like my other horses do... but at least this morning he's nibbling at it. We are feeding him every 4-5 hours round the clock so that should help.

I'm going to add some applesauce. The vet felt that pellets would be best for him since he needs everything he can get... and they are more easily digestible. Also the vet suggested not mixing grains with pellets... I'm not sure the reason behind that... but I'm trying that for now.

He isn't eating HIS good hay... but when I turned him out for a few minutes this morning... he ate off the round bale for the kids bottle calves???

Maybe he's just used to eating junk???

I will call Lone Star... I've actually get advice from them before on other auction rescues that I've brought home. Maybe they also can give some ideas on the rain rot. It's something that's hard to fight around here because of the humidity and the rain, plus the mud.... anyone who lets their horses go ungroomed has dealt with it. So I'm sure they have some good tricks I can try.

We tried to blanket him Saturday and he thought we were out to kill him. I think I'm going to clip his neck out and his face (just because he looks more like a goat) and then just trim up the nasty spots so they can be easily cleaned...

Thanks for the suggestions... I'll definately be trying them. I'm hoping to get some pics of him this week to post... then we can see before and afters.

Beth

 

[smokengunsranch]

Hi Beth what part of TX are you in I am in NE TX town called Paris. Sounds like your doing everything right just take it nice and slow. The turn out is really good for him to keep his digestion moving.

 

[SunQuest]

I am glad that he is trying to eat something.

I think you are right. He doesn't know what is good food as he obviously has never had any. This means that he has to learn. I hate to recommend this, but if he is only willing to eat "garbage" hay, then you may want to try to mix a minimal amount of it in with his good hay to try to bribe him to eat the good stuff. Of course I mean hay that is mold free, but not the highest quality.

Also, here is something that vets sometimes don't understand on a rescue if they have never had to deal with them. If a horse has been starved and fed nothing but junk quality food, and then you switch it to good stuff suddenly, it can do lots of damage. In severe neglect cases, it is actually recommended that you feed the "least" good quality that you can and slowly change over to better and better hay. In other words, you don't want to be feeding rich food and overloading the digestive system with it as it takes time for the organs that are part of the digestive system to start working at full capacity again.

And I am glad that you are contacting LSER. THey are a wonderful group and have helped CMHR tremendously!

Can't wait to see the pictures!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

May I suggest a probiotic? Maybe some yogirt if he'll try it? Has he been wormed? You are to be commended for your big heart.

 

[virginia]

Beth, thank you so much for welcoming this little guy into you r farm and your heart. Wish there were more people in the world like you, then we wouldn't have need for a rescue.

Thanks again,

Ginnyl

 

[kaykay]

Thank you so much for opening your heart to this guy! Be sure and talk to your vet about parasite control. This is very important in a rescue. They are normally FULL of worms but you have to go slow as if you clean them out too quick it can cause colic. We just had a friend go thru this with two of her rescues. Most recommend panacur for the first worming but please ask your vet

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

MicroTek works GREAT on rain rot or anything else like it! It works better than anything I have ever used and smells great as a bonus. It comes in a black spray bottle.

-AMy

 

[Bethanie457]

Thanks guys for all the support. This little guy is definately got a home. He's so sweet and easy going. He's even starting to play.

Elvis has decided to eat this morning and about knocked me over to get to the feed bucket. I gave him a bath (which obviosly was a new experiance for him) and put the rinse on to help with the rain rot... (which is looking alot better). He tried to jump the hitch post... so I untied him... then he ran around me in circles jumping the hose. Once he realized the water wouldn't cause him to melt... he enjoyed it.

The vet was out this morning. He was wormed Sunday and today we started him on a daily wormer. He too suggested yogurt with live cultures. He said that would help to build up his antibodies and immunity????

We also noticed he has the worst case of lice the vet has ever saw. Makes me itch just thinking about it. There isn't an inch of him that is covered in hair that isn't infected. He ordered me to clip him out so that we can effectively treat the lice. He told me to get a generic lice treatment at the feed store. I don't know what works best and what is safe for the little horses? Any help with this would be great. I am excited to see what's under all that hair, and I'm sure he'll feel better to not itch so baddly. The vet also suggested the spot on fly treatment to help with the lice??? It doesn't have a dose for small horses, so is that safe to use?

I fed him some yogurt with his lunch and he will lick it off the spoon. I did give him flavored yogurt... because that's what I keep for myself and I can't go to the store until after my hubby gets home to get the plain. The vet thought I should call him "yoplait"... because he gobbled it right up. I think I am going to try mixing it in with his pellets. Although he's eating them well now.

I got some bahai hay today that is actually really good quality (my parents grow hay and it's the best of the bahai) and he eats it. Just wants nothing to do with Coastal or the alf-alfa cubes.

The vet also suggested that he be allowed to free graze... so I hooked up all my panel stalls to make him a small paddock in the back yard and I'll move it as he eats the grass. He seems to like people, but now I worry about letting the kids pla with him till the lice clears up. He's off the patio now... and rolled like a mad man in the grass.

I am going to take the pictures of him once he's clipped. He's already gaining weight and we are going to put him on the scales tomorrow to keep track of his weight better... and I'll be sure to let ya'll know how he's feeling.

Thanks again,

Beth Nugent and "Elvis"

 

[SunQuest]

Wahoo! THat is wonderful that he is eating.

May I suggest posting what to use on lice on the main forum? I know that someone went through this about a year or so ago, but I am so sorry that I can't remember who it was!

Your vet is correct. Clip him out as the lice need the hair to live in, and the lice will just suck the weight right off of your boy.

I love the name yoplait for him! But I think the unflavored is best for his needs. Just can't remember why they said that on the main LB forum.

Get us some pictures when you can!

 

[Wee Mite Miniatures]

I like to use a mixture of listerine and either baby oil or mineral oil on the scabs. It make the horse real yucky but it does soften up the scabs and they come off. The listerine disinfects it.

Then wash in a lice shampoo for dogs if it is warm enough.

 

[Voodoo]

I don't personally have experience using this, but I heard that mayonnaise works wonders on the lice. Put it on when the horse is dry, leave it on for about 30 minutes to an hour. Then wash the horse good. It suffocates the lice, you will have to do it again in about two weeks when the eggs start to hatch. Hope this helps and I'm glad he finally has a good home.

 

[Kashmir]

Try soaking your pellets, then add the medication after they are soaked. He won't even know it's there. Put the water level just over the pellet level, and let soak for a few hours. Be sure to wipe the bucket clean that you soak the pellets in though, in the TX heat, the buildup from the soaked pellets can cause botulism (sp?). (it only takes about 10 seconds to wipe it out).

As far as his skin, I am a firm believer in Nu-Image by Select. But, it sounds like he needs immediate help and this does take awhile. Maybe it's something to put in the back of your mind once his scabs have healed.

I am so glad that you rescued him and that he now has proper care and a good home. I just don't understand the mentality of some people. (oops, not you, the one's who sold him).

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Check with a vet first, but Zimectrin in large doses kills lice also. A lice dusting powder put in a sock and patted all over then curried into his skin will help. Good luck and God bless you.

 

[Bethanie457]

Thanks to all of you that have offered your advice.

I shaved Elvis out and have a beautiful pintaloosa under all that hair. He's gaining weight but is still a bit hippy (and his shoulders are a bit boney too.... but nothing like I thought he would be).

We used mayo and we have no live lice... and I've picked all over him. I also bought a bottle of fly spray that says on the bottle kills lice and lice eggs... so after I bathed him really good (and got him de-mayonaised) I sprayed him and his bedding out with the fly spray. So far, I haven't seen anymore lice hatching out... but I'm going to keep spraying him down daily with the fly spray (we have horrible knats too so it's something I'd have to do anyway).

I also picked out TONS of knits (lice eggs) from his maine and forlock and the really bad spots on his body (mostly on his dark spots)... theres still some.... but it's nothing like it was.

He's finally not itching himself crazy though. I am working with him everyday and he's a real sweet heart. He's making friends with Wrangler (I moved our roundpen up to the pasture fence and made him a nice sized paddock and drug a small lean-to on skids so he'll have a nice little house in the day.) He loves it and Wrangler and him are spending all day nickering at each other and running down the fence lines.

The vet suggested hitting him with another dose of wormer next weekend (2 weeks from the first dose)... even with him now on the daily wormer. I haven't seen any worms being passed in the past 2 days... but I'm still going to leave him seperated from Wrangler a few more weeks. Then I'm going to get him on the same worming schedule as the other horses.

But... he's a happy little guy who's really gonna be a nice looking horse. I'm excited to have gotten him. And I'm sure he's happy to have gotten us.

Thanks again for all the help and I will definately keep you all updated on his progress....

Beth

 

[Bess Kelly]

[SIZE=14pt]I just love a happy ending --- and this sure is one

[/SIZE]

 

[virginia]

Ah Beth, that is wonderful news. Some people get their reward in heaven, looks like you got yours right now, with the exception of the lice of course. Keep up the good work with him and please give him a treat from me. Bless you both.

Ginny