Monday, April 15, 2013

Eating Timothy

This pic is from yesterday, Sunday 4-14.  The vet brought a hand full of timothy out to Badger while we were waiting for the sun to peek out, it never did.

When I went today they had finally decided that he was not eating enough psyllium and tubed him.  The xray showed about half the sand left.  If they continued to let him just eat the psyllium to could be another 7-10 days!  So they will tube it in twice a day.

They gave me my bill so far......$1920.00 so we are already over the high end estimate and vet now thinks Wednesday or Thursday!  Well this has been a lesson learned for getting equine major med insurance. 

I wasn's able to stay long today as I had one of the dogs with me.  She had a recheck appt for a meniscus surgery, her 3rd on that knee.  It was totally overcast so with windows down about 5" and the temp at 55 she was good for bit in the car.  My son went back out and sat with her after a few minutes.  I think the smell in the barn was getting to him.  Its an odd combo of odors. 

I wanted to mention that we talked hay the other day and both vets said that with minis you should always feed short hay pieces.  They just can't chew the long stalks or blades of hay small enough for Their little stomachs and small opening into the intestines.  I used to sit in the barn cutting my hay into 4-6" pieces.  Everyone would laugh and shake their heads at me.  My Colorado 2nd cut has so far been nice and short but I am running out and 1st cut will be longer and thicker.  Anyway I thought I would pass that hay info along.  The vet said some people get a cheap weed eater just for the hay and put the hay in a big bucket or trough and chop it up. 

Thank you Betty!

Totally off topic:  I ran across these pics.  At the first place I rented out here the flies were horrendous.  Pedro's rear legs would be black with them.  We tried all sorts of fly sprays.  They wore fly sheets and masks but the legs were still exposed.  I went to Target and got kids socks for a buck a pair.  Cut the toes out and slipped them up the leg.  I used elastikon tape to (try) and hold up.  They never stayed up all day. 

But everyone stopped to take their picture!

6 comments:

  1. It's good to see him eating a bit anyway ad at least there is some progress. The flies really went after Emma's legs last year as well. I love the socks, i might have to try that. I wonder of a strap over the shoulder would help keep them in place??

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  2. Hi The strap over the shoulder for the front leg socks would work. Kinda like http://www.jakesflypants.com/ but over the rump never worked for me. I looked but couldnt find any pics of a 'rig' I tried by trying to hook the center top of a rear sling and connect up to a shoulder strap. It kept sliding off to either side. I gave up. With the socks when I cut the toe off that end went on first so the band that on a person would be at the knee was on the hoof of the donkey. It never slid up, just the top down.

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  3. Can donkeys tolerate Melaleuca Essential Oil? It is a very good insect repellent and the oil is beneficial to humans. I have no experience with donkeys.

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    1. Hi, Yes they can. I am a Young Living Distributor and used to make make my own spray but I could never make it strong enough and have it be cost effective. I now use Espree, its all natural. It doesnt last as long as the chemical ones of course. THe flies where we are now are not near as bad. Thanks for your suggestion!

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  4. Donkeys in socks, amazing! I hope the tubing helps him and you can get him home asap.

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