Tricks to get horse to eat!

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Tricks to get horse to eat! Moderators: luluwhit, gotothewhip, cindyt, crossspur, ForumAdmin Jump to page :	Last activity 2016-10-27 9:35 PM 22 replies, 3425 views View previous thread :: View next thread
General Discussion -> Barrel Talk


little_bug Reg. Oct 2008	Posted 2016-10-27 3:27 PM Subject: RE: Tricks to get horse to eat!
Expert Posts: 1302 Location: California	Marfan - 2016-10-27 8:10 AM little_bug - 2016-10-27 10:56 AM Have you tried Omeprazole? I know Ranitidine is used for ulcers as well but from the little I have compared the two Omeprazole has much higher success rates. I have worked at several equine vet hospitals (I am in no way claiming to know as much as a vet) and my horse ended up very sick and hospitalized for several weeks. We scoped him for ulcers and found severe ones. He was only allowed to have coastal hay along with his Omeprazole and other medications for his illnesses. He was skin and bones but the vet said in order for the ulcers to heal he needed the lightest food possible. Grain was a BIG no. I would venture to guess that yours eats some of that and then he hurts too badly to eat more. That seems like A LOT of different feeds at one time. Maybe stick to simple hay and nothing else. I know you want to put weight on him but pouring a bunch of different feeds into him may not allow him to heal up. It only took 3 weeks for my horse to heal up, start looking and acting better, and be able to start having some other feeds. This was a very well known vet in Texas. I feel for you and hope he heals up soon! I have not tried omeprazole, vet said Ranitidine, but I'm willing to try it. Interesting about the coastal hay, I always thought alfalfa was the better one for ulcers. He won't touch the coastal hay that he has access to, only eats the coastal grass (still green in pasture). I have all that stuff out for him to try to give him options. Maybe he'll help me figure out what to put out for him. He was hospitalized at the Elgin Vet Hospital. I have read and heard about alfalfa being good for the ulcers. I am not sure why my vet chose to only feed coastal and said no alfalfa but I can say it worked very well and quite quickly. I think omeprazole will really help as well. Do you and your vet not want to scope the horse just to make sure? You'll have to fast him but then you can at least guarantee that is the issue.
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SC Wrangler Reg. Jul 2004	Posted 2016-10-27 4:06 PM Subject: RE: Tricks to get horse to eat!
Nut Case Expert Posts: 9305 Location: Tulsa, Ok	Marfan - 2016-10-27 11:10 AM little_bug - 2016-10-27 10:56 AM Have you tried Omeprazole? I know Ranitidine is used for ulcers as well but from the little I have compared the two Omeprazole has much higher success rates. I have worked at several equine vet hospitals (I am in no way claiming to know as much as a vet) and my horse ended up very sick and hospitalized for several weeks. We scoped him for ulcers and found severe ones. He was only allowed to have coastal hay along with his Omeprazole and other medications for his illnesses. He was skin and bones but the vet said in order for the ulcers to heal he needed the lightest food possible. Grain was a BIG no. I would venture to guess that yours eats some of that and then he hurts too badly to eat more. That seems like A LOT of different feeds at one time. Maybe stick to simple hay and nothing else. I know you want to put weight on him but pouring a bunch of different feeds into him may not allow him to heal up. It only took 3 weeks for my horse to heal up, start looking and acting better, and be able to start having some other feeds. This was a very well known vet in Texas. I feel for you and hope he heals up soon! I have not tried omeprazole, vet said Ranitidine, but I'm willing to try it. Interesting about the coastal hay, I always thought alfalfa was the better one for ulcers. He won't touch the coastal hay that he has access to, only eats the coastal grass (still green in pasture). I have all that stuff out for him to try to give him options. Maybe he'll help me figure out what to put out for him. He was hospitalized at the Elgin Vet Hospital. I would definitely go to the Omeprazole. From a human standpoint (my personal stomach!) Ranitidine does not handle my acid reflux, while one table of Omeprazole every other day shuts it down completely. I would assume it would work similarly in a horse.
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Chandler's Mom Reg. Jan 2015	Posted 2016-10-27 9:35 PM Subject: RE: Tricks to get horse to eat!
My Heart Be Happy Posts: 9159 Location: Arkansas	Prayers, I'm sure this horrible for you and him to be going thru.
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