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 Regular
Posts: 52
| Long story short... I'm about to start treating one of mine for ulcers but she's TERRIBLE with taking anything in a syringe. When I wormed her it took me about 5 minutes to get her to unclamp her jaw and then another 15 minutes to get her to hold her head still enough (she shakes it up and down) that I could get the syringe in her mouth. Then almost 25% of the wormer went on the floor.....
I won't twitch her.
Is there a way I can train her to like or at least tolerate the syringe so i don't waste hundreds of dollars in ulcer meds? My only plan of action right now is to give her applesauce (she loves it) thru the syringe so she learns to like it a little more but if anyone has any other suggestions I would appreciate it!!!!!
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| Why won't you twitch her?
My gelding is AWFUL about any kind of paste/liquid medication. I finally tried twitching him and it worked like a dream. Without it, it's a huge wrestling match and he gets upset and wild. With the twitch, it just takes a few seconds, he doesn't get wound up, and I don't get frustrated.
I have the syringe sitting close enough to grab, twitch him, slip the syringe in the side of his mouth where the bit lies, squirt the meds in, then grab under his chin and hold his nose up for a second until he swallows. Otherwise he just drools it all out. Remove the twitch and I'm done.
If you're dead set on not using a twitch, you can try snubbing her up super short and high - higher than you would normally tie - then squirting meds in the side of her mouth. I greatly prefer the twitch though. | |
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Regular
Posts: 52
| Her previous owners twitched her and they used it too hard and too often( and probably incorrectly). She has trust issues and scars from it now. I finally got her to let me touch her face. I just feel like twitching her would be a step backwards.
Alot of the problem comes from me being short. She knows if she puts her head up i can't reach her and when I use a step stool she just moves away from me. She's a turd  | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 129
Location: South | I have actually squirted the ulcer paste in some feed and they have gobbled it up. I've also used the same method with bute in some cases. I have one very similar to yours, saved me and her alot of hassle. | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 352
Location: Texas | Have you tried an Easy Wormer? I've used one before and it worked well. This one is at Valley Vet but you can find them in a lot of places online.
Eta: The first few times I used it and every so often I would put something like apple sauce in there so it was a treat.
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=1a3816d2-48a4-4913-a9be-f2f72d5cb347&sfb=1&itemguid=06ffac9b-827a-4a6e-b59d-ce9beda7a581&utm_content=29654&ccd=IFH003&mr:trackingCode=2134E364-3C81-E211-BA78-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=43741604563&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:tid=pla-84506799523&mr:ploc=9027912&mr:iloc=&mr:store=&mr:filter=84506799523&gclid=Cj0KEQiA6_TBBRDInaPjhcelt5oBEiQApPeTF9M2kKqi0SFgx5be8p_bSJW1bRD2LMjnMS9WiNuJCUkaAk648P8HAQ
Edited by batkitty 2016-11-29 10:32 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| TimeFlys885 - 2016-11-29 10:22 AM
Her previous owners twitched her and they used it too hard and too often ( and probably incorrectly ). She has trust issues and scars from it now. I finally got her to let me touch her face. I just feel like twitching her would be a step backwards.
Alot of the problem comes from me being short. She knows if she puts her head up i can't reach her and when I use a step stool she just moves away from me. She's a turd
Got it! I feel your pain on not being able to reach. If you have a tall post with a panel, try snubbing her up short and high, then crawl up the panel :) | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
 
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | TimeFlys885 - 2016-11-29 10:22 AM Her previous owners twitched her and they used it too hard and too often ( and probably incorrectly ). She has trust issues and scars from it now. I finally got her to let me touch her face. I just feel like twitching her would be a step backwards. Alot of the problem comes from me being short. She knows if she puts her head up i can't reach her and when I use a step stool she just moves away from me. She's a turd
I have a mare just like this, she can almost flip me over her head when I deworm her, I have to dally her lead rope to a very low post so I can deworm her, I dread when I have to do this, so she only gets dewormed twice a year, and theres no twiching her either, she will fight you to the death, so dally {not spelled right I know} but I found this the easiest way , by doing this low so she cant get her head away from me, its risky I know.. I need to get a stock build out here for her. | |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I would see if you can get her to just eat it on grain with applesauce if she likes it.
My vets assistant has a super slick method where he holds the halter and kind of comes down along their face, slips it up into their mouth and squirt. It's amazing. I try to be sneaky like him but my hands aren't big enough to hold most syringes the way he does so you can squirt it as soon as it's in their mouth. I had one who was bad once, I don't remember what we gave him orally at the vet clinic but Dan was so quick I don't think he even realized how the yucky stuff got in his mouth.
The easy wormer has also interested me. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 898
Location: Idaho | I have worked with several horses not have had issues with the deworming and I have always been able to warm them successfully without little issues. I have even done it with horses and I pasture with no halter on. I have never heard of a horse locking their jaw to refuse a dewormer. Do you apply pressure on the sides of their mouth where there is no teeth?
I always walk up, bring my arm around their head so my bicep is underneath their jaw, and it wraps arround his head, so my hand is placed on their forehead right above of their nose where it connects to the rest of their skull, right below the eyes. I apply enough pressure to hold them there, also apply your body firm against their shoulder. This gives you a steady hold in case the horse moves (often they will just back up to get away from the pressure, just need to stick with them until they figure out your not going anywhere and then they will stop), then I just stick it on in there in the soft part of their mouth where there is no teeth (where the bit sits, Ive never had a horse that wouldnt open their mouth when pressure is appled there) squirt it in and release it, hold the bottom of their held up so they can't spit it out and make sure they swallow it and let them go. I have done this so many horses, even problem horses that people can never give their meds or dewormer to. It doesn't hurt them and it's quick, painless and easy.
And for the lock jaw, I would seriously get that looked at by a vet. That does not sound like a normal behavior, even if she was abused. I had a gelding where in his past when he misbehaved they would twitch his ears,this went for deworming and shoeing as well along with other things. He was an amazing horse, took a long time to get him to not be head shy but he eventually realized he was in a good place. I used this method for him too,never had a problem.
Edited by DashNDustem 2016-11-29 12:48 PM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| DashNDustem - 2016-11-29 12:44 PM
I have worked with several horses not have had issues with the deworming and I have always been able to warm them successfully without little issues. I have even done it with horses and I pasture with no halter on. I have never heard of a horse locking their jaw to refuse a dewormer. Do you apply pressure on the sides of their mouth where there is no teeth?
I always walk up, bring my arm around their head so my bicep is underneath their jaw, and it wraps arround his head, so my hand is placed on their forehead right above of their nose where it connects to the rest of their skull, right below the eyes. I apply enough pressure to hold them there, also apply your body firm against their shoulder. This gives you a steady hold in case the horse moves (often they will just back up to get away from the pressure, just need to stick with them until they figure out your not going anywhere and then they will stop), then I just stick it on in there in the soft part of their mouth where there is no teeth (where the bit sits, Ive never had a horse that wouldnt open their mouth when pressure is appled there) squirt it in and release it, hold the bottom of their held up so they can't spit it out and make sure they swallow it and let them go. I have done this so many horses, even problem horses that people can never give their meds or dewormer to. It doesn't hurt them and it's quick, painless and easy.
And for the lock jaw, I would seriously get that looked at by a vet. That does not sound like a normal behavior, even if she was abused. I had a gelding where in his past when he misbehaved they would twitch his ears,this went for deworming and shoeing as well along with other things. He was an amazing horse, took a long time to get him to not be head shy but he eventually realized he was in a good place. I used this method for him too,never had a problem.
It sounds like this horse has some head shyness issues that make the whole situation more difficult. While I don't disagree with the method you describe being the ideal situation, it's far from that simple with a head shy abuse case. I had one that would pick me up off the ground when we started, and I'm not small, or short. Even after 3 years of work he was still funny about some things, wormer being one of them.
Often time it is restricting the head like you describe that sets one that has be abused or roughly handled off.
As for locking the jaw, I have one that does that and he's in perfect shape. I can poke prod and massage his bit seat all I want, he won't open up when bridling him until I tickle the roof of his mouth. Teeth done regular, chiro'd regular, bit fits, literally not a thing wrong with him other than he's got a stubborn streak. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | DashNDustem - 2016-11-29 12:44 PM
I have worked with several horses not have had issues with the deworming and I have always been able to warm them successfully without little issues. I have even done it with horses and I pasture with no halter on. I have never heard of a horse locking their jaw to refuse a dewormer. Do you apply pressure on the sides of their mouth where there is no teeth?
I always walk up, bring my arm around their head so my bicep is underneath their jaw, and it wraps arround his head, so my hand is placed on their forehead right above of their nose where it connects to the rest of their skull, right below the eyes. I apply enough pressure to hold them there, also apply your body firm against their shoulder. This gives you a steady hold in case the horse moves (often they will just back up to get away from the pressure, just need to stick with them until they figure out your not going anywhere and then they will stop), then I just stick it on in there in the soft part of their mouth where there is no teeth (where the bit sits, Ive never had a horse that wouldnt open their mouth when pressure is appled there) squirt it in and release it, hold the bottom of their held up so they can't spit it out and make sure they swallow it and let them go. I have done this so many horses, even problem horses that people can never give their meds or dewormer to. It doesn't hurt them and it's quick, painless and easy.
And for the lock jaw, I would seriously get that looked at by a vet. That does not sound like a normal behavior, even if she was abused. I had a gelding where in his past when he misbehaved they would twitch his ears,this went for deworming and shoeing as well along with other things. He was an amazing horse, took a long time to get him to not be head shy but he eventually realized he was in a good place. I used this method for him too,never had a problem.
This method works well if the horse is willing to allow you to inject something into its mouth. I have a horse with similar issues to the original poster (he wasn't abused though). I can inspect his teeth, check his mouth, play with his tongue without an issue but if I come within 5 feet of him with a dewormer or syringe I'm taking my life in my hands. I change my dewormers and he's the same for all of them. He will lunge, jump, rear, and won't think twice about running me over to get away from it. If you are lucky enough to get it near his mouth those lips are clamped down so tight now you have to struggle to get them apart without hurting him, hold the horse, not kill yourself, and inject it all in one. (Four times a year I'm ready to give him away for free just to avoid the struggle LOL). This is the ONLY time he acts like this and he's got perfect manners any other time.
I hope someone has a fix that works for these hard to handle horses. | |
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