Please keep my Merry Beth in your thoughts

[Barbie]

Marty-

Hope you've seen some improvement by now - figures the roads are iced.

I had a mare who had really bad ulcers. The vet had me keep her on Banamine for several days initially along with the ulcerguard. The one feed I was told to never give her was sweet feed.

Good luck with Merry Beth.

Barbie

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Aw Marty, that just sucks!

Prayers going out to the Mountain. I know she was looking at her sides but as others said I'd rule out her mouth as well. Could she have a growing abcess or a sliver in her mouth or something deep in the jaw causing her to not want to open her mouth and chew? Have you offered her goodies she doesn't normally get like cinnamon bread or something tasty and easy to chew like that?

We'll be waiting for updates! Spyder stopped eating so dramatically a year ago yesterday and I still remember the good wishes you sent me. He's still here and he's a lot older than Merry Beth! Tell that girl to get chowing as she's worrying her mommy and forum family.

Leia

P.S. Forgot to mention- when my ulcer-prone Kody was off my vet said to give Ulcergard immediately, wait a couple of hours then give the Banamine after the Ulcergard has had a chance to settle the stomach a bit and protect it from the Banamine. Both together were fine, he just wanted the Ulcergard in first.

 

[little lady]

Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers!

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

Marty hope your girl gets better soon. Keep us all posted.

 

[RobinRTrueJoy]

Tried to call, left a message and then emailed you.

Hope Merry Beth is feeling better soon!

Robin

 

[Charlotte]

Boy! I'm hoping by now to see better news on Mary Beth.

I always give banamine when treating an ulcer if the horse isn't eating or drinking. All the vets I've used prescribe banamine as well. You need to get them eating and drinking again.
I've had a lot of experience with ulcer cases the past few years ( more than I want!) and you have to be really aggressive with the treatment. It involves banamine to relieve their discomfort initially, then tagamet or ranitidine 3 X daily, Ulcer or Gastro Guard 1 X day and sucralfate (if you have it) daily. Can you call your vet and discuss treatment over the phone?

The most important thing is getting the horse to drinking and they can eat. Offer small amounts of hay throughout the day. Eating helps to neutralize the acid production.

Please keep us posted.

I ditto everything Becky said. I would try to take a look in her mouth if you can...just in case, but she is classic for ulcers........seems fine one day then BAM! and you may never know what set them off. sometimes the symptoms come on with little colic seeming episodes, but not always.

We give the banamine because it's critical to get them eating and drinking again. If you are giving ranitidine and ulcer guard or Gastroguard and sucralfate while giving banamine that is what a number of vets have recommended. we give as small a dose as will have them eating and very gradually reduce the dosage over a number of days. They need to be eating a little...hay, not grain... all the time to buffer the acid in the GI tract. Alfalfa is good because of the calcium content which buffers the acid a bit....plain beet pulp is high in calcium too. But bottom line is eating.

Please let us know when you can.

Prayers to to you and your girl.

Charlotte

 

[barnbum]

Oh, Marty--how worrisome. I'll be checking in for updates, my friend.

 

[Watcheye]

I hope everything is ok!

 

[Knighthawke]

I just had a weanling filly given to me that got really bad over night and we thought it was colic but we called the vet and talked with her over the phone. I told her I thought it was ulcers because the filly was 8 months never handled the lady just pulled her off the mare. She was very flighty and we had to just bull dog her and catch her because she was not halter broke or anything. So I really felt it was an ulcer because of what she had to go thru. Well we started her on Gastrogard. And she was not eating or feeling good so I had to give her banamine once a day for 2 days. She got really better after two days. It was recommended to give gastrogard paste but we had to make our own judgement on how much to give. It was also recommended by my vet to give her papaya juice. It is a nature fruit that helps with ulcers. we could not find papaya juice. So we made papaya puree but putting the papaya in the blender with water and blended. I gave her 60 cc twice a day. With in 2 days she was much better. It was recommended to stop all grain. We have brome grass mix and my vet recommended putting her on Alfalfa cubes, forage or pellets because brome grass can be hard to digest.

I hope this helps and your filly has as quick as recovery as my girl did.

Barb

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

I hope she is doing better Marty. Nothing like that worry about the babies.

I am thinking in a different way.... maybe a jaw kick? Could one of the other horses maybe kicked her? Because of the wanting to eat, and the clamped jaws. I am sure it wouldn't be lockjaw. Hope it is just a little ulcer popping up. Good luck!

 

[LittleRibbie]

Hey, I just tried calling, maybe your out in the barn w/Mary Beth. I sure hope its good news!!

 

[minie812]

any more updates?

 

[Witts Mini Horse Ranch]

So sorry to hear Mary Beth is not feeling well, even more sorry for her mom. We all know she is in the best of care. But when it's your own, so hard to think. When one of my stallions came back from a show, and had been in training for 3 months...he did the same thing...even with alfalfa..that is when I knew he wasn't well..would just smell it. Probiotics and yogart did the trick for him, cannot remember how often I gave it to him or how long it took. Wouldn't hurt to try it, that is that I know of.

Let us know how Mary Beth is doing when you can, prayers beening sent your way (((hugs))

 

[Alisha514]

Marty I hope she starts feeling better soon. Keeping her in my prayers.

Alisha

 

[~Dan]

Heres to hoping shes feeling better. Update as soon as you can.

Dan

 

[Marty]

Thanks for the calls I'm sorry I keep missing them but I'm practically living in the barn. As of this evening there is no change. Good call on the teeth and possibility of getting kicked in the mouth too; that's what the hus was questioning as well. I found out fast she can open her mouth when she wants to: Soon as I let that Redneck colt out to play and he took off out of her sight, Merry Beth let out a scream for him that had my ears ringing like Christmas bells and proceeded to jump all over the place on the lead rope wanting to go after him. (That boy's a charmer...

).

She moves around fine, she is very alert, not laying down at all, still pooping although I don't know where she is getting anything to poop from. She simply will not eat but her bucket looks like she has had some water sips. She still pushes the food and hay around from one place to another. I've tried applesauce, maple syrup, peppermint treats, ten rounds of Christmas Carols, you name it and she won't touch a thing. So...... I'm going to trust you guys that said maybe I should give her a dose of banamine and see if that helps her turn the corner. Heaven knows her gut must be padded with enough pepto and tagamet to stop a herd of elephants by now. Roads are clear now, so if there is no change by morning, I am going to by pass my local farm vet because she is a mobile vet and would have to send blood or anything else out for tests and then I'd have to wait for results. So instead, we will take Merry Beth to the hospital over the mountain where they have 4 vets and state of the art facilities for everything you can imagine because I can't screw around and play vet when I'm not sure that I'm on the right track with this. I'll update later.

Merry Beth of course stands for "Merry (Mary) + bethlehem in case you didn't know that.

XOXO TO ALL for your support, I'm such a weenie I can't handle much anymore

 

[horsefeather]

Marty,

Sending all to you and your 'baby.' Just a question....how long has it been since you had sold a horse and they left?

Pam

 

[whitney]

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[whitney]

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[whitney]

Marty, when my barn went thru the gut bug. I dosed my minis that would not eat with 35cc kaolin, or kaopectalin. They would start eating within 45 minutes of the first dose. Also check teeth REALLY well Ginia had a horse that stopped eating and it was a cap that came off jagged and was jabbing him and it took the vet to actually see it and she had to look twice. Prayers are with you. Tam has used the kaolin too. Check her tongue top, bottom and sides for cuts.