What is the easiest way you have found to feed SMZ's?

My guy is on his second round of twice a day of SMZ’s and we both are tired of me shoving the dissolved ones down his throat. Is that the only way? I don’t think he would eat it mixed into his food.

I’ve never had issues throwing whole SMZ tabs in daily feed, BUT my horses aren’t particularly picky and each feeding always gets soaked, so the tabs dissolve. Maybe try mixing a dissolved SMZ solution with applesauce/molasses and adding directly to the feed?

1 Like

I was thinking about that. Adding molasses . Worth a try. I’ll try that in the morning.

I’ve used apple sauce but haven’t found a better way than shooting it down.

2 Likes

A trick I learned 30 years ago as a working student was to dissolve the pills in soda, which dissolves them almost instantly. Just add a very small amount to make it into a paste, then oral syringe it.

1 Like

My normally very picky mare was fine with them dissolved in soaked alfalfa cubes. I sprinkled a tiny handful of senior on top, but I don’t think that was even necessary.

I have a coffee grinder dedicated to pills.

I add the pills, then fill the grinder the rest of the way with senior feed, then grind.

That seems to make it more palatable in feed than just plain - worth a try, I think!

2 Likes

They seem to have little or no taste. I toss them into wet feed, wait until they dissolve, and feed. No problems.

I dissolve them in a tiny bit of water, then stir the paste into some unsweetened applesauce. Pour over the grain and Bob’s your uncle!

BTW, does anyone know where that awesome phrase came from? :rofl:

:nauseated_face:

I find them to be bitter, personally.

My horses tend to agree with you though.

1 Like

Tell that to my horse. I might get them down in her feed the first day (mash), but after that, no way. I end up dissolving in a little water then mixing with applesauce and syringing. Even putting applesauce in her feed does not help, I have to syringe.

2 Likes

Same here, my mare is a total chow hound and she’s good to eat them for 1 day and that’s it.

We dissolve them in water and add to daily grain.

So this morning was a success as it was dissolved in hot water and I added molasses and then stirred into his food. Hopefully continues. My prior experience putting it in mash is he eats it once and then won’t.

1 Like

Get a large syringe. 60 cc plus - an ice tea spoon or popsicle stick will fit inside. Cut the tip off. Mix meds with apple sauce or jam and give like a wormer. You know the horse gets his meds and once you find a flavor he likes, they want their “tube treat.”

1 Like

Me too! Got one for about $20. In a couple of seconds,15 SMZs are whirled into powder. Then I slightly dampen some low starch senior feed in a small bucket and sprinkle the powdered SMZs on top. Gently shake the bucket to disperse the powder a bit, add a broken up carrot and… voila!

1 Like

Make soajed alfalfa or beet pulp and throw in number of pills and put grain on top

As a coffee grinder owner myself, I do want to mention that my vet is aware of my pill crushing and advises me not to with some medications. I don’t grind the SMZs though because it’s easier for me to drop them in hot water while making up the feed to top dress or syringe for the really picky ones.