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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 432
 
| My 25 year old horse started laying down a lot. He started about Dec and I figured it was just a rough winter. He lost some weight and was having trouble getting around, but it was a much harsher winter than what we're use to here (not sure how you folks up north deal with it!). Plus he still always seemed happy to see me mostly becuase it meant feed and brushing. I kept him stalled at night and up-ed his feed. I thought he had bounced back with the spring, heck I see him loping around every now and then, but he still lays down a lot (like half the time I see him in the pasture, he's down) and I'm noticing his legs swelling. I have him out all the time, comes in to eat twice a day and I feed him Triple Crown Sr soaked with ground flaxseed and SmartFlex Sr. I get his feet done on schedule. I can stall him, but not sure if that would help. When I took everybody for coggins, the vet said he was just old and kinda implied I should consider putting him down soon. He seems to still have his upbeat personality and I don't think he's really at that point. Anybody with old horses doing this? Am I just worrying over nothing? Or does anyone know something I could do for him? |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
  
| You might try the Renew Gold and triple crown sr. 1 1/2 lb of Renew Gold and 1lb of Triple crown Sr. Are you feeding any hay. Feed good quality hay like Timothy and Alfalfa. As far as putting him to sleep , I wouldn't . He will show you when it's time. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| He's old, he deserves to lie down, if he is still fat, I wouldn't worry about it.
The swelling could be kidney failure, or arthritis from lack of movement.
Just get prepared to put him down and figure out what you are going to do with the body so you have a plan when the time comes |
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 Don't Need Sugar Coating
Posts: 1183
Location: AR & OK | His legs are probably swelling from all the laying down.
(hugs) |
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 Cyber World Challenged
Posts: 2526
Location: My Own Little World | The older ones need more rest and I ditto the Renewgold. I use that with THE for senior horses |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | I would let him stay out as you are doing . its better if hes moving around and Arthritis gets stiff just standing around or laying down.. allow him to roam. Id also maybe add a bute in his am feed.. hes older and shows signs of arthritis so id not worry to much about giving it to him. imho but ask your vet.. id not put him down just for old age and sore joints. he will tell you when hes ready and it sure doesnt sound like it. Just needs some meds - maintenance.
Edited by Bibliafarm 2014-04-12 6:39 PM
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | Sadly you can't make them younger. Play it by ear. Like another poster said, they'll let you know when it's time. Just don't prolong the agony. I've done that with a dog I loved and a horse. Lots of regrets.
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 I Am Always Right
Posts: 4264
Location: stray dump capital of the world | I have 2 in their 30s. My mare lays down a lot, but the gelding only lays down at night. My mare loves to stretch out and sun herself. Both are fat and sassy, so while I worried at first about the mare, she is sassier than any other horse I own and as long as her spirits are good, we will keep on truckin. However, due to their ages, I don't stall either one. They are in their own pasture during the day away from the younger horses and then we leave them loose in the barn yard at night.
We thought we were going to lose the gelding in January when he coliced. We called the vet out to put him down, but the vet determined that the old boy wasn't quite ready to go yet. He bounced back and has been good ever since.
Good luck with your oldie.
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 Expert
Posts: 1479
Location: rabbit run | My 32 year old laid down a lot the last several years but finally last June I went out to feed in the morning and he just couldn't get up. That's when you will know it is time. Like someone else said, he's old, probalby likes to take a load off more often. As long as he still wants to get up and go, just keep taking good care of him and love him.
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 Toy Story Fanatic
Posts: 4148
Location: Oregon | With my old gal, my vet told me to give her 1 gram of bute a day to help with arthritis. Her problem came when she could no longer get up on her own. I had to get her up 5 or 6 times. The last time was by myself. I weigh a whopping 105 lbs and will never know how I managed to yank her shoulders up off the ground that day. Let him roam...let him lay as long as he can get up on his own. They are older. My girl was 28 when I knew that I might not be here to get her up and she would suffer a painful death. I chose to put her to rest. My avatar is the morning of me doing it...she got her fill of alfalfa, carrots and apples. Brushing and loving, then she was laid to rest here on my property. Good luck with your baby!!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 432
| Thanks for the repiles! Maybe its just an older horse thing?
I looked into that Renew feed and it looks awesome, but can't get it in my area. I do worry about him not being able to get up one day. That happened to my friends horse. Poor old guy was very prone to ulcers back when I was racing him, so I'm a little wary of giving him bute. I ay try adding some alfalfa because kinda seems like he's lost more muscle tone than weight.
Here's a picture of him from last month. He looks good in it, but he's very fuzzy so it makes him look better than what he really is
Ugh can't get the picture to load!
Edited by Guido 2014-04-13 7:06 AM
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Expert
Posts: 3514
| Call Renew Gold. They will get in a store for you. Anybody that handles Mana Pro can get it. You mentioned ulcers, you might try getting some Alovera juice and put in his feed. Also ask your vet about giving him Previcox. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 926
| I've had a lot of old horses, most had to put down in their late 30's one lived to 40. From your post, and being old myself, I'd suggest leaving him out with option for shelter if needed, low dose previcox or bute each day, at this stage of his life probably any good brand Sr feed will do, but if you feel better getting the suggested brand, do it. Wouldn't worry about the long term impact of either NSAID, heck he's old. And as everyone else has said, he'll tell you when it's time, just laying down doesn't make it time.
Good luck.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 926
| I've had a lot of old horses, most had to put down in their late 30's one lived to 40. From your post, and being old myself, I'd suggest leaving him out with option for shelter if needed, low dose previcox or bute each day, at this stage of his life probably any good brand Sr feed will do, but if you feel better getting the suggested brand, do it. Wouldn't worry about the long term impact of either NSAID, heck he's old. And as everyone else has said, he'll tell you when it's time, just laying down doesn't make it time.
Good luck.
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I Am Always Right
Posts: 4264
Location: stray dump capital of the world | I feed my seniors Nutrena Senior, rice brand, beet pulp, and soaked (mushy) alfalfa and oats cubes. I still feed them coastal and regular alfalfa, but put the soaked in their feed just to make sure they get enough. They are on grass 24/7 when we have it and not in a drought. They also get suppliments for old joints. The gelding suffers from ring bone, but his supplements thus far are keeping him comfy. This is the old man with his entourage. (I don't know why it came out so huge!)
Edited by sophiebelle 2014-04-13 8:53 AM
 (Puzzle and goats.jpg)
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 Puzzle and goats.jpg (57KB - 263 downloads)
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Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | I meant to add...Id add Soaked beet pulp as well.. something high fat and id give bute or previcox anyway.
Edited by Bibliafarm 2014-04-13 8:55 AM
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I Am Always Right
Posts: 4264
Location: stray dump capital of the world | This is my little mare.
Edited by sophiebelle 2014-04-13 9:02 AM
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 Member
Posts: 42
Location: BFE | my old man is 33 and very thin cant keep weight on him now feed him a lot but its just old age as long as he can get up and down and not in pain he well get to live on but at the first signs of pain he will be put down. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Guido - 2014-04-13 7:00 AM Thanks for the repiles! Maybe its just an older horse thing?
I looked into that Renew feed and it looks awesome, but can't get it in my area. I do worry about him not being able to get up one day. That happened to my friends horse. Poor old guy was very prone to ulcers back when I was racing him, so I'm a little wary of giving him bute. I ay try adding some alfalfa because kinda seems like he's lost more muscle tone than weight.
Here's a picture of him from last month. He looks good in it, but he's very fuzzy so it makes him look better than what he really is
Ugh can't get the picture to load!
I agree with you on not adding the bute.I also agree 100% on adding alfalfa and letting him stay out as much as possable.
I have a 25 yr old mare also that had a harder time this winter. She fell on the ice and had a hard time after that for a long time. Both her hind legs stayed swollen and she was really really stiff and stoved up for months.Had the vet out to check her over after she fell and did the bute, yadda yadda yadda.Got her so good but the stocking up was extreme and it stayed forever. What has completely turned all that around is I added Trifecta vitamins to her grain and she did a complete 180!! She is moving around like a youngster again, all the swelling/stocking up is gone and she is really bright again. It is like 4 suppliments in one. It has the joint stuff, plus foot and coat, plus prebiotics and probiotics and then all your vitamins and minerals. Adding this vitamine suppliment to her diet was the best thing I ever did for her. I have put 2 of my oldies on it and I'm telling ya, I have never seen a vitamine suppliment make such great changes in the horses . |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| My friend had a 33year old shire gelding who was an all around laid back trail horse. He loved to lay out in the sun during the day, til one day his owner came home from work and he had dug trenches trying to get up, and you can't just pick up a 2000lbs draft horse. She tried to help him up, but he had given up by the time they found him. When they give up is when you know it's time. |
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