March 7, 2013

Not eating...

I love this photo of Dr. Kimmons and Willow...  ♥

He says her incision looks great and was able to take her bandage off and staples out yesterday... 

Unfortunately, Willow didn't eat again last night.  Michael built a small pen for her out on the grass so she can touch the earth and feel the sun and graze a bit.  She has grain and hay out there also. But she still isn't eating.  She will eat carrots from my hand and that's it.  I wonder if she is associating her grain (that she usually loves) with the bad taste of her medicines or something...  I think at this point I'm willing to temporarily switch her grain to the very best tasting most craved grain on the market (not sure what that is), just to get her to eat. 

Going to check on her again now...

24 comments:

  1. Willow please eat. We want to read that you are eating and getting stronger.

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  2. I hope she starts eating soon :(

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  3. would she eat equine senior? it would be so wonderful if she would it would at least give her some nutrition too.

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    1. Leah, you mean the Purina one? We have her on Cavalor senior b/c it helps so much with the choking... but I did ask Michael to pick up some of the other thinking change of pace would spark her appetite... (and I know my other gelding loves that one) :)

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  4. And you might ask the vet if she can have something like Cool Cal which is just a calorie boosting supplement. Some horses like beet pulp if you soak it in warm water. Or throw a little molasses on top of her regular grain.

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    1. I'll ask about Cool Cal, thanks.. I do know she refuses to eat beet pulp or molasses... she is SO picky (actually won't eat anything soaked)!

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  5. Is it odd that I enjoy watching your journey unfold with her? I know she is going to do so wonderfully look at all the love she is surrounded by.. I have no idea what the best yummy grain is.. but I am confident you will find it.. thanks for sharing your story

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  6. This really is a great photo!
    When we're sick or hurt or just basically feeling like crap we never "act normal" and part of that is usually eating less because we just aren't all that hungry. It wouldn't surprise me if this was part of it. The bad part is she doesn't have a lot of extra weight to play with. But this phase (new injury and added stress) is still very new, so hopefully, little by little, her appetite will start to return.
    Just think, someday before you know it you'll be able to show Willow the photo album of "the old days" when she was sick and not eating and had a broken leg, and tell her all about what she put her "mommy" through, lol... Isn't that what all parents do at some point?
    :)

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  7. Hi Shana- what about alfalfa? It is sweet. Or molasses with her hay - I think diluted?
    Or beet pulp? I am thinking of you both.

    Rebecca

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    1. She won't eat anything soaked... not alfalfa, beet pulp.. and won't eat molasses... :( She is too picky!! (thanks for thinking of us) :)

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  8. You might also try adding some rice oil or bran oil to her feed for palatability and it will add calories to her meal(s). :)

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  9. What did they feed her at Rood & Riddle? Maybe she's holding out for more of that!?
    Diane

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  10. Is she eating hay, will she eat some of her grain from your hand? Was also wondering if she may be able to smell the meds in her feed bucket so changing may help if that is the case. I know how frustrating this can be...I also have a picky eater and it took a lot of trial and error to figure out a diet that was both healthy for him and palatable to him. Right now he gets Purina IntegriT soaked (he also hated anything soaked, but scarfs this down!) followed by crushed roughage chunks with all the soaked hay he will eat.

    Continuing to keep you in our thoughts..I check in here every day, always hoping for good news :) Take care

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  11. I am not a vet, but have had the same problem; try to put meds in yoghurt or overboiled rice (small portions); and if she wants to eat her grain out of your hand; keep on handfeeding her .... once she has the taste again and the force to eat by herself she will. Is this around day 9 or 10 after the surgery ? because if so, it is normal; has to do with the anasthesia ....

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  12. Have you tried Applesauce mixed in with her grain? We could get picky eaters to eat meds with that. My horse likes Triple Crown products even her super picky Arabian beau loved Triple Crown Senior and he could smell meds in anything. Try changing buckets, they may still have the med smell in them. The pen is a great ideaq, I was going to suggest that. She may associate the stall with being abandoned. Give her a hug from Team Willow and tell her she must eat to keep her strength.

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  13. My barrel Horse was diagonsed with EPM 8 years ago. He too had antibotics in his grain, he didnt like taking meds, then wouldnt eat his grain after I took him off them. I took carrots and apples and pureed them in a blender or shredded them very fine mixed in with his grain. I would clean out her bucket with vinegar and water as she still may smell the medicine. If she doesnt want to eat out of the bucket i would feed the mix out of my hand to let her see that she isnt getting anything gross, since she trusts you. Also oatmeal works well (cooked of course) to help with weight gain and eggs, but she may not want to eat that now? Goldie was very picky but ate the pureed carrots and apples, then he got to where he liked the oatmeal too. you might try corn syrup too, also try corn husks chopped up, full of protein and she might like them.

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  14. Wonder if your going to have to hand feed her for awhile, I know that sounds like alot but if she'll eat for you that way, why not try. At this point I'm like you, I'd do anything just to have her eat.

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  15. Can you give horses nutrition through IV'S or at least fluids

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  16. I must say - sounds like you have a great husband through all this as well... to build Willow a small pen so she can touch the earth and feel the sun...awww. That's awesome.

    I hope nothing too serious is going on with her - I still believe she is going to pull out of this.

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  17. maybe grain isnt what is best for her. forage is always the best food for horses. have you tried rice bran? It is a safe way to add weight to horses and they like to eat it. you could feed it with shredded carrots. gove her all the soaked hay she will eat- just dink the hay in water for 20 min or so to add moisture, not necessarily to remove sugars. sprinkle it with salt, too, to encourage hydration. Grain is starchy and not always the best way to put on weight or nourish a horse. If you can hand graze her and she will eat grass that would be excellent.

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    1. Thank you.... we haven't tried Rice bran yet? but she won't eat anything soaked... the grain we have her on is whole, unprocessed... organic... plus all the hay she wants...

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  18. please dont give her corn syrup!
    I agree about the hand feeding.
    I am not personally a fan of pelleted or extruded horse feeds though...
    Id feed soaked alfalfa and timothy pellets, soaked hay, rice bran, omega horseshine, rice bran oil, shredded carrots...by hand if needed, and many times during the day- never a big feed at once.

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    1. No... no sugar for her... but she won't eat anything soaked... the grain we have her on is whole, unprocessed... organic... plus all the hay she wants...

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  19. rice bran may be a good addition...it is an excellent way to add weight. have you tried alfalfa or timothy pellets? you just add warm water to them about 5 minutes before feeding, If you top dress with rice bran and a little salt she may just eat it. I have a super picky mare who loves this. Id add rice bran oil, too...but add it slowly- 3 oz to start and then increase week by week, up to about 1 1/2 cup for 1000 lb horse (I know it better in ml = no more than 100 ml per 100 kg weight) Id mix that all with shredded carrots.

    I wouldnt dismiss soaked foods because she hasnt eaten them yet- keep trying...and feed less, more often,

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