How to Detect Ulcers in Horses

When a horse has an ulcer, it can be very difficult to detect.  The signs are often subtle and can indicate other problems.  If you have been following this blog long, you know that Max has been dealing with diarrhea since the first week of January 2011.  He is still dealing with diarrhea. 

Most horses would have been dead by now, but Max is like the energizer bunny...he just keeps going and going and going!  Until last week, that is...he could no longer walk...he could not lay down, because then he would not get up...he stopped eating...he stopped drinking...I knew this was the end.

I called the vet on her cell.  Yes, I now have a direct line to reach the vet at any time.  I told her that after two hours of trying, I could not get Max to walk.  We broke down the round pen and brought it to the horse.  I also told her that he was stretching in an unusual manner...like a dog!  He would lean WAYYYY FORWARD...and then WAYYYYYY BACKWARDS...as far as he could go.  And then he would lift his head WAYYYY high, like he was trying to see something far off.  Each time he did this, I was so afraid that he was going to fall because he had no coordination.  He honestly was walking like a drunk!

My vet asked how quickly I could get to her office.  My reply:  15 minutes.  She said good.  When I arrived, they handed me a bag of Ulcer Guard.  She instructed me to give him 1/2 a tube each day on an empty stomach.  I knew this was probably our last option.

When I arrived home, I gave him his medicine right away.  Since he had not eaten in over 24 hours, I knew I was giving him the medicine on an empty stomach.  Within 24 hours, I saw some improvement.  I began to hope...again.  From the 24 hour to the 48 hour time span, I saw the MOST improvement!  His coordination improved greatly and his appetite returned with vigor!  He is now eating six pounds of feed per day and cleans his hay up most of the time.  He is beginning to walk with confidence and his poops are solid cow pies!  My only concern now is his water consumption.  He is drinking about a gallon of water per hour.  This has been going on for about two days.  I have sent a message to the vet and I will let you know what she says about his increased water consumption.  For now, he is doing better...and once again, I have great hope that he will make it through this just fine!

Contracts

When I bought my first lamb from a friend of mine, she gave me a receipt. Written on the receipt was the statement 'Sold as is with faults'. I knew the lamb was fine, but she said it was what she wrote on every receipt for every lamb she sold, for just in case something happened to the lamb she would hopefully be held faultless. A buyer-beware thing. At the time I thought it a bit odd. Now, I see the wisdom in that as I watch some friends battling a recent customer who bought a wether goat kid from them, and had no receipt/contract. I personally saw the goat kid hours before he was sold and he was fine. Three days later, the wether is dead and the customer wants his money back...plus all the vet costs. My friends were willing to give him at least half of the money back, and wanted the vet records released so they could know, from the vet, what went wrong with the kid that was healthy when it left their property. The customer has refused to release the vet records unless they pay back the price of the kid and all the vet costs FIRST. They refused, and now, the customer is slandering them on Craiglist and to anyone else who will listen, and sending less than friendly e-mails. Could all this have been prevented with a hold-harmless contract of some sort? Maybe, maybe not. But, I know from now on when any animal leaves my property, there will be a duplicate signed receipt that includes the statement 'Sold to..............as is, with faults.'

Wing Trimming

The Escapee

This White Faced Black Spanish hen has decided that she should be allowed to come and go as she pleases. Hurmpf saith I.

She manages to fly up to the gate (a good 5 feet) and then jump out and gorge herself on bugs, grass, etc. The only problem with her running loose? Predators. They come in many varieties. We have dealt with dogs (domesticated) who decimated our flock - killing off 30 chickens in 3 different attacks. Panthers, (yes panthers) who thought my free ranging hens were a buffet to go. Opossums and raccoons (who managed to snatch my white Aracuna's tail feathers, while she was inside Fort Poultry!

Obviously needed to enhance the Fort, which was done and I will review again this evening, but back to my Fleeing Fowl...I spotted a dog in the yard yesterday afternoon and shooed him off (would have preferred to shoot him) but realized Lady Layer was apt to be safer (somewhat) inside the confines of her yard. So, what to do...trim one wing, then the chickens should not be able to get much 'air' underneath them.

The Culprit

The Wing

The first cut...

...the second cut

Done

I found this on youtube which gives a brief video demonstration.