Oh yes, pictures please!
You are using a catheter tipped syringe, yes? Instead of a regular slip tip?
I’m sure Bear is happy to be back home.
This is just my preference, but I’ve had to medicate more than my fair share of horses in my lifetime between working as a vet tech, doing layups, and having seriously accident prone horses myself:
He’s on metronidazole, right? You shouldn’t have any problem melting it. I like to melt the pills into a paste with the least amount of water possible, then mix them with a glob of molasses. I find it works better than crushing them and trying to dissolve them. Then I use a traditional catheter tip 60 mL syringe. I don’t cut the tip off, I find I lose too much that way. With him not being able to close his mouth, I’d aim the syringe towards the back of his throat and do little squirts at a time.
Continued jingles! I have the strongest stomach ever, but I hate dealing with pussy mouth/nose/trach type wounds. The smell and the fact that the horses constantly fling their heads and get it everywhere is not my favorite…
:eek: MELT? As in cooking? How, in a microwave?
Or do you mean simply dissolving in hot water?
(Cooking medicine seems so…so…NQR?)
[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;7992564]
The vet (the resident) actually called today to ask how he was doing. They either loved him up there or they are extremely worried about him. 
She said that they allow for the “huck-tooey” factor when figuring dosages.
And that a dosing syringe with metal on the end is not something she wants in his mouth.
But she is letting me feed him some very well soaked alfalfa chaff. Which is good because I can give it to him outside and he can eat it slowly while the other horses eat hay in their fields.
Right now he has a 2" long string of puss hanging from his jaw. Shall I take a picture of it? :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]
Silly girl. Of course you should! You know Cothers are such fans of pus photos! A video would be even better!
On a serious note, I hope it goes well with Bear. It is worrying that his infection is lasting so long.
[QUOTE=JustJump;7992756]
:eek: MELT? As in cooking? How, in a microwave?
Or do you mean simply dissolving in hot water?
(Cooking medicine seems so…so…NQR?)[/QUOTE]
Oh my gosh, no. Is “melt” a regional term when it comes to pills? I even know veterinarians and pharmacists who use the expression. When you “melt” pills it just means dissolve them in a small amount of warm water to make a paste.
Significantly heating/cooking antibiotics would denature the active ingredients and render the medication useless.
Sorry for the confusion!
Melting and dissolving are NOT the same process. Trust the Evil Chem Prof on this. I will also add that, IMHO, the Wicked Witch did neither.
[QUOTE=Peggy;7993255]
Melting and dissolving are NOT the same process. Trust the Evil Chem Prof on this. I will also add that, IMHO, the Wicked Witch did neither.[/QUOTE]
I know they’re not. I teach chemistry now, too, but only at the HS level. Even my kids know the difference. 
It’s a colloquialism.
Sheesh. This is kind of like the time I was telling a co-worker I had to “hump” water buckets from the house because the water in the barn froze. His eyes about popped out of his head, until I realized he probably didn’t know a lot of horse people colloquialisms either. :lol:
Late to this… but if there’s nerve damage try a vitamin e supplement. When I had surgery on nerves in my feet the surgeon told me to take vitamin e. It helps heal nerves. hope he continues to get better.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;7993345]
Sheesh. This is kind of like the time I was telling a co-worker I had to “hump” water buckets from the house because the water in the barn froze. His eyes about popped out of his head, until I realized he probably didn’t know a lot of horse people colloquialisms either. :lol:[/QUOTE]
I thought that was an Army term anyway…
Good to hear that Bear is at home and that you two are “hanging in there”.
I know you are getting lots of suggestions and I don’t want to overload you, but I recently purchased a product from the Equiderma folks that is a wound healing ointment. I have used their lotions and shampoos for years with great results, and wanted to have this wound ointment on hand if (heaven forbid) I ever had to deal with a serious wound. They have a video of a horse’s serious wound that was treated with their ointment and the results are amazing. If you have time and would want to consider this, please call Bethany at Equiderma and she would be glad to talk with you. Here is a link to the Wound Ointment.
http://www.equiderma.com/equiderma-products/equiderma-calendula-and-neem-wound-ointment/
I’m impressed with how well you two are doing. Best Wishes for a quick recovery.
For those of you who have not met the Buh-buh-buh-Bear man
Here he is in his pen today. He is still dirty from the hospital; it has not been warm enough to give him a bath. But he will be squeaky clean soon.
Head shot – notice the tongue. 
http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/PeteyPuppy/Bearheadshot_zps40920b62.jpg
If the picture does not open for you, scroll down the page. You will see 2 identical head shots. Click on 1 and it will enlarge.
Body shot http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/PeteyPuppy/Bearinpen2_zpsf58cb57a.jpg
I have not gotten a picture of his surgery site + pus. That may (or may not) come later. 
And, yes, Bear has gained back all his weight. He lost it fast and is now gaining it fast. He should be. He is offically getting 15 qts a day – and he used to get 2 qts a day.
He looks good. Doesn’t have that funky look some of them have after surgery, eye looks calm and bright. Weight is good, no tucked up impression. Better then I thought he would look. He’s pretty alert too, you’d never know if you hadn’t told us since we can’t see the hole in his jaw, and you can skip that picture, at least for me.
Oh he looks good! No huge swelling, no dull eye. He’s going to be fine! Remember that when you are paying off his hospital bill! Every dollar was worth it!
That face says “I am SO happy to be home, Mom!!” and “Thanks for the excellent Mom care!!” So happy for you. These bonding moments between you and he, when you are the one caring for him, are what you will always remember, as well…
He does look really darn good considering all he went through.
Keep us updated LH if you can. Hugs
double post
He looks great. In spite of his eating problems, he still has good weight, and he looks happy.
He looks amazing! And, really, he’s pretty adorable, even with the tongue. :yes:
What a patoot!
I hope he heals quickly and uneventfully. :yes:
He looks way brighter than I expected
