About a week ago, I brought home a young miniature horse. He's around one year old. He has not been castrated.
The previous owner said she found him listed as "Free to good home" on Craigslist and decided to take him in so he wouldn't wind up going somewhere horrible. She didn't know much about him other than he was weaned from his mother at 2 or 2.5 months old and ate hay and 2 cups of 12% sweet feed a day after that. He was 4 months old when she got him and she said he was pretty chubby. He was given his vaccinations and boosters (West Nile, Flu, Rabies, Tetanus, etc). She had him in a pasture with pasture forage mix. She rehomed him to me due to family circumstances.
When I got him, he seemed thin. His ribs were a bit boney and his spine was easily felt. He's on pasture with the same mix he had previously. A friend of mine has owned minis for years and recommended giving him Purina Enrich Plus to help him put on weight. He also laid down a lot and had trouble getting up on his own. Now, he's very thin and the slightest loss of balance causes his legs to just quit and he can't even attempt to get up. He lays flat on his side until I get him up. He's alright once I help him up and he goes back to grazing. His urine and stool are normal. He usually urinates after I get him up. His temperature has stayed steady around 99.5 F. I go outside often to check on him and help him up, even throughout the night. There are no farm vets around for 2+ hours but I know my local vet can do a fecal test for me which I am going to do tomorrow. From what I've read online, I'm thinking he has an ulcer and/or worms.
He's my first miniature horse and I'm at such a loss as to what is wrong with this poor little guy. I know he must have been having these troubles at his last home but I was not informed of them. I'm frantically trying to find a farm vet nearby that can come see him because I'm afraid to load him in the trailer and take him to the vet for fear of stressing him too much. I'm scared to death it's too late to save him.
I know an online forum is no replacement for veterinary care but I'm hoping someone with more experience could give some insight on what I can do to help him recover.
The previous owner said she found him listed as "Free to good home" on Craigslist and decided to take him in so he wouldn't wind up going somewhere horrible. She didn't know much about him other than he was weaned from his mother at 2 or 2.5 months old and ate hay and 2 cups of 12% sweet feed a day after that. He was 4 months old when she got him and she said he was pretty chubby. He was given his vaccinations and boosters (West Nile, Flu, Rabies, Tetanus, etc). She had him in a pasture with pasture forage mix. She rehomed him to me due to family circumstances.
When I got him, he seemed thin. His ribs were a bit boney and his spine was easily felt. He's on pasture with the same mix he had previously. A friend of mine has owned minis for years and recommended giving him Purina Enrich Plus to help him put on weight. He also laid down a lot and had trouble getting up on his own. Now, he's very thin and the slightest loss of balance causes his legs to just quit and he can't even attempt to get up. He lays flat on his side until I get him up. He's alright once I help him up and he goes back to grazing. His urine and stool are normal. He usually urinates after I get him up. His temperature has stayed steady around 99.5 F. I go outside often to check on him and help him up, even throughout the night. There are no farm vets around for 2+ hours but I know my local vet can do a fecal test for me which I am going to do tomorrow. From what I've read online, I'm thinking he has an ulcer and/or worms.
He's my first miniature horse and I'm at such a loss as to what is wrong with this poor little guy. I know he must have been having these troubles at his last home but I was not informed of them. I'm frantically trying to find a farm vet nearby that can come see him because I'm afraid to load him in the trailer and take him to the vet for fear of stressing him too much. I'm scared to death it's too late to save him.
I know an online forum is no replacement for veterinary care but I'm hoping someone with more experience could give some insight on what I can do to help him recover.
(I've heard that alfalfa is supposed to be easy on ulcers, too).
