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Another New Horse - It's Bo!

Beet pulp and senior feed are my go to when someone just needs some calories. Together, in a mash/soup.

I wonder if sand colic is probable . If he had been desperately grazing he may have picked up a load.

Come on Bo , feel better

Yes, vitals are all within normal range currently.

He’s about the same, as of dinner time. I offered a tiny bit of unsoaked TC Sr & alfalfa pellets at lunch and he seemed to find that more acceptable, so we’re going with that for now. I don’t like not soaking but if he won’t eat :woman_shrugging:

Just need to get through tomorrow and then it’s vet time.

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Hope you figure out what’s going on and he turns the corner quickly. Come on Bo!

Today’s report:

Vitals are all still normal. Right eye is still goopy. Manure still cowpies. He says beet pulp is disgusting and not even worth a taste, TC Sr slightly more tempting but losing interest after only a few bites. Still interested in alfalfa and good grass but obviously can’t chew them. Won’t drink from water tub or bucket, but I catch him drinking from puddles.

Overall he is still bright eyed, not seeming more weak or wobbly, and sassy enough that I had to have DH hold him so I could scrub the poo off his backside. :roll_eyes::smile: We’re just hanging in there until tomorrow.

Post bath

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God Bless You for rescuing this poor soul. His owner is smiling from the grave. Please keep us updated.

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Poor guy. Good luck at the vet appointment tomorrow! I hope it’s nothing serious and he’s feeling better soon!

At least he’s bright eyed and sassy. :joy:

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You are such a good soul. He’s a lovely egg who lucked out finding you.

My pony hates TC senior so maybe mix in something else that’s a bit tastier.

Really? Mine think it’s candy. LOL but then again, they only get timothy pellets to carry their vitamins. I don’t have anything tastier on hand at this point, but hopefully we can get his mouth taken care of tomorrow and figure out why his appetite has waned.

10am (CST) is the vet appointment, I hope to report back with good news.

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Thinking of you guys this morning. Fingers crossed for Bo.

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I ditto @beowulf. :crossed_fingers::crossed_fingers:

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Thinking about Bo today.

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Fingers crossed for Bo. :crossed_fingers::heart:

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OK, I have just enough time to update before I have to run to the feed store and then school to pick up my minion.

Bo has a very good reason for not being able to chew hay, and that is because he only has THREE molars left on top. The bottom appeared to have a full compliment, from what I could see. Vet proclaims him to be “over 20”, although I find that questionable. They ran blood on my request and the only findings were what you’d expect for a starved horse. So, I need to find a complete diet that he finds tasty enough to actually eat. I’ll be bringing a buffet home later.

Now, that said, if you don’t want to listen to me rant about trying to find a vet clinic, just skip this part.

In all this process, NO basic exam was done even though I asked for one. He was not body scored. His vitals were not checked - not even before he was given sedation, not ever. His gut sounds were not listened to. I brought him in wearing a cooler, because it was chilly and also I don’t like scaring people with my emaciated horse - and the cooler never moved. The teeth he does have were not floated. Once it was decided he was “old”, that was the end of it. I do not consider myself a high maintenance client (and I know my previous vets would attest to that) but this is the second “highly recommended” clinic that has disappointed me on basic stuff.

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Oh no. I’m sorry to hear about the disappointing behavior from your vet, that certainly is not the kind of work-up I’d want to pay for and would be dissatisfied myself.

Guess we were totally off for guessing in the 5-10 range, I really wonder. The angles don’t seem like he’d be that advanced, and I chalked up the “length” of his incisors to the gum-line recession/whatever is going on in his mouth… Poor guy, what a rotten experience.

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I’m sorry you had such a rotten experience!

Our “local” clinic is an hour away, with the three vets traveling wherever they’re needed. Two of them are older men, as knowledgeable as they come, but curmudgeons (which I honestly don’t mind because they’re so competent). The younger vet is much more amiable, but I have learned to say “no, thank you” if he is the one on call. His care is sub-par (and I really am not high maintenance either) to the point that non-horse-people who have seen him work just scratch their heads.

How do these people make it in this industry?

Ugh, I too would be looking for a different vet clinic, one that at least LOOKS at the horse being examined! :unamused:

If they didn’t want your business, they should have told you so. :angry:

I did wonder about his age, he sure looks older, but that doesn’t mean he should be in that shape.
The supraorbital pads so sunk can be from being thin, but also when they are old.
Hope you find a better vet and something he can eat.

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Not a vet I would care to do any more business with either.

What are you supposed to feed him?

I wondered if he was older than you thought or if it was just his awful body condition. I hope you can get him food he will/ can eat.

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I would be PISSED at this “exam”. My vet** does a basic check every time she does anything with a horse and, while we might discuss it, she also does what I ask in terms of maintenance. At a minimum I would want those teeth floated and get him dewormed.

**I have had the same vet for over 25 years for a reason and it’s one of the reasons I don’t want to move.

In terms of rescues, we picked a supposedly old mare from a dealer - she was only marginally better than Bo. When the vet came out, she checked her teeth and it turned out the “old” mare was 4 and just needed groceries.

Good luck with Bo.

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Maybe you could try adding a flavored syrup to entice his appetite?

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