Two unrelated questions Hay and sinusitis

[barnbum]

One at a time

1. Hay. I underestimated what I needed, so my husband and dad went to a hay auction today and bought 71 bales for $5.20 a bale. Not too bad for this late in the year and it being a tough year for hay. Plus they delivered it. I've been giving them a mixed hay--but heavy on the grass. My dad thought the bales were inconsistent--anywhere from 20%-80% alfalfa.

Question: I'll be feeding it half and half with what I have left for 2-3 weeks. But after that should I lower the amount I feed because it's richer? What are the effects of heavy alfalfa? I feed Gro N Win, so I've already decided to lower that while this hay is fed--seems they'd not need the extra protein.

Update--I opened a bale and it looks plenty grassy--at least this bale. I'll have to keep any eye on it.

2. Blessing (many of you know this sweetheart) is almost 3 (and still a peanut under 30"). She's had tooth bumps, and one day I noticed a unilateral thick white discharge. My vet book showed the exact symptoms and called it sinusitis. Vet came out to confirm, and gave me SMZs to give her for 7 days. Six weeks later it was back--so we just finished the 2nd round of SMZs Sunday, but the discharge was back this morning (or never left), so on the vet's advice, she's starting a 10 day round of SMZs. Blessing is bright eyed and bushy tailed, and eating great.

Question: Has anyone ever had troubles with this? Did it clear up with the teeth were done growing?

Thanks.

 

[Loess Hills]

I can address the sinus but not the hay issue!

Barnbum - we have had several horses develop sinus infection, they were treated with antibiotics for the ten day period. This occurred during a dry, dusty summer.

However, one of the horses never fully recovered, even after several rounds of antiobiotics, and vet treatment. He also had a thick discharge. The infection continued to become worse and our vet recommended sinus surgery. The problem is that the nasal cavities in some of these little guys is so small, that they become inpacted. Vet performed surgery by actually drilling a hole in the sinus cavity to relieve and flush the infection. After six weeks in vet hospital he returned home and continued to do well. He recovered fully and went on to become a nice driving gelding.

You really want to keep a close eye on the discharge.......perhaps Blessing needs a different type of antiobiotic or more agressive treatment.

Best wishes.......it is difficult to see them go through any illness.

 

[cjmm10]

Our little girl Miriah had sinus trouble for about a year.

I was just sick over it. We treated her with anitbotics

for 10 t0 15 days & she would do good for a while then it would reappear.

We used several different types

of antibotics but it still reoccured. I will tell you what made her better, but I am not a vet & this is just my oppinion on what worked for me. This advise came from a forum member & she was a God send to me because my little girl got better. We didn't have a Vet locally that did scopes or sinus surgery.

Ok here goes;;

I had to ask my Vet for a package of powdered iodine and smz. I gave her 1/2 teaspoon of powdered iodine

mixed with a few pinches of jello powder & mix with water & give it to her with a syringe. Also follow with

smz 2 x a day according to the horses size. My Vet never heard of treating sinus problems this way but

she has learned to respect my oppionion. Again dose according to the weight of the horse.

Good luck, I know trying this can be.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Karla

We also have had one that we treated for sinusitus with no improvement once meds were stopped after two rounds my vet then decided to try treating as though it were allergy and sure enough after the appropriate time on the the tri hist the problem went away. However that said every year around this time of year we battle it again. The dust in the hay in late winter brings it on. IF I can get her to take the trihist it goes away but she knows the smell of it now and hates it so its a battle to get her to take it. I have tried every conceivable method to get her to take the meds and I usually do get a few doses into her with creative dosing but she needs this from now through new hay season to stay snot free.