Nila needs our prayers...AGAIN!!

[Kim Rule]

So glad to see your post today Nila. At least the cause is narrowed down. Have you got hay to mix with your stuff?? Call, and I might be able to help with that. Hang in there...we're still here, pulling for you and JD.

Kim R.

 

[Frankie]

Best of thoughts still coming your way!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SunQuest]

Still no word. I haven't slept and I can't eat.... Right now even typing has me in tears.

Kim, we have other hay. We will be changing over that's for sure.

Lisa, I was wondering about beet pulp also. I know it is soaked, but for the life of me I just don't know how much to use and how to soak it. The big issue is getting them to eat it without us having to stand there for hours guarding it. Laughs... Kim tried toget one of the horses to eat it last Sunday, but she just turned her nose up at it.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Nila if you mix it with grain it usually helps them to start eating it I can help you with water/pellets ratio if you want it and if you are looking for softer hay try to get some compressed bales from farm city or you can get it from the MGF but the compression process makes all the stems much softer and comes in a grass or alfalfa If you need help call me

 

[Kim Rule]

I can vouch for that, Nila...Lisa showed me how to use beet pulp...if I can do it, so can you! It's pretty easy!!!

Kim R

 

[smlotsocats]

Nila, can you get your beet pulp in shreds there? Here in AZ we can get either shreds or pellets with or without molasses. The shreds take only a few minutes to soak. Dusty gets about a cup of soaked pulp every day. I put lots of extra water in it and he sucks that all up before he eats the pulp. It's great for adding a little electrolytes into it. I give it to my driving horses (giant and small!) before and after a long drive or job. I add salt to it and they never get impacted or anything. Good luck!

Stacy & The Tiny Zebra!

 

[Hosscrazy]

Nila:

My heart is just breaking for you ... it's just not fair what you have been through ... I do hope you find answers quickly, and am keeping JD in my thoughts and prayers.

Regarding the beet pulp, you can sprinkle some A&M, sweet feed or rice bran on it to make it more tastey (I'm assuming you don't have IR issues - I don't think you've ever mentioned that).

We're all here for you if you need anything at all.

Best,

Liz R.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Nila-

I am so sorry to hear of what's happening with your JD...I will be keeping both you and him in my thoughts and prayers--and hoping the vets can help you to figure out why this has happened(if that's possible; I believe that oftentimes, it simply ISN'T.)

Keep the faith....

Margo

 

[SunQuest]

Another update:

We have talked with the vet. JD passed some manure and it seemed normal. Then a few hours later he passed another batch that was courser and drier. They have taken him off the IV now and have given him some Equine senior that has been turned to mush along with oil in it. I saw them put epsom salts in the water last night and they said they have kept him on pain meds and laxatives as well so they are treating him aggressively. They are still keeping him for observation and will have him at least for another day to see what happens with the reintroduction of food and are hoping that he continues to show progress. He is clearly not out of the woods yet as they are not sure how he will react to the food, but we are all hopeful that we have it under control now. I don't think I have ever prayed so hard in my life...

On the funny side, Dr. Knight (I hope I spelled the name correctly) said that Mr. Jack Daniels is the slurpiest horse that the Dr had ever seen. Laughs. They must be getting a kick out of him as they obviously created their own nickname for him.

I will post on this thread as I here more. Thanks for the wonderful ideas everyone. We are going to stop feeding that batch of hay immediately. I will spred it out on the field and let it decompose over the winter and hope that the seed that is in it will germinate in the spring. Of course we are concerned about the immediate change of feed, but since we have had a total of 3 cases of colic in the last 40 days, one was fatal, one is critical and the first one we are lucky was cleared up with one tubing. We feel that the change is urgent enough to warrent the risks and will just be going back to the grass hay that we used this past winter with no issues.

Thanks again, and keep thinking of JD. I have to believe that it is helping him!

We have been looking for shredded beet pulp, and well, that one is very hard to find in this area. We have called all the feed sources here and one finally told us to contact the sugar company that is in the valley. But pellets will be easy to get, but getting it prepped and fed is a little harder as it is just to much to do in the morning before work. So will the beet pulp keep if I make it up the night before and feed it the following evening???

 

[crponies]

I'm so glad to read that he is doing better. I hope he continues to improve and that your feed switch works to eliminate this problem. It is so scarey when they are sick!

 

[Sandyboy1]

Nila,

Such great news for JD! How relieved you must be feeling! Hope you can eat, drink, and take that much-needed nap soon, too.

One way I have found to make the beet pulp pellets absorb water and break apart more quickly is to boil a teapot of water and pour that over a heaping cup of dry pellets in the bucket. Stirring every 15 minutes helps, too. Within an hour the mixture is ready, and the resulting amount will probably be enough to start feeding your herd.

The Equine Senior has enough molasses to help sweeten the beet pulp, and I bet that would be a tempting mash for JD to eat.

I strongly agree with adding a small portion of salt to each individual horse's feed, also. Dr. Liz Scott told me to give regular table salt as well as Lite salt. It does make them drink more water.

Pam

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

yes it will keep if you keep it in the fridge or something and in cooler weather it should be fine if made up before you go to bed and fed early in the morning

Might want to try using the white salt blocks as well for them my horses go thru those 5 times as fast as the mineral blocks

 

[virginia]

Dear Nila

I've been off the Forum for a week or so and just now read about Copper and JD. I don't know how you and your family can hold up under all these sad happenings. You will get your reward in heaven , cause when you get there all these loving animals will be there waiting for you. Prayers coming for JD and you. Take care my friend.

Ginny StP

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Nila, so sorry to hear about JD. I can only imagine how you feel havng five horses in ER this year - the emotional and financial toll is overwhelming. It's even worse when it's one of the special ones.

As for the beet pulp, I wish Robin was online, I know she did a test as how much water was absorbed in different times - it really can be soaked alot shorter time period and still soak up quite a bit of water.

I'm so glad your vet is being aggressive and will keep you and JD in our thoughts and prayers.

Please post updates here as you get them.

 

[qtrrae]

Nila,

Prayers for you and your precious little JD!!

I am so sorry that you are having to go through this and hopefully little JD is on his road to recovery.

I had never used beet pulp but I am now a devout fan of it. I just believe it is one of the greatest preventive methods to help combat any colic impactions.

When I first started using it my horses turned up their noses at it so I added a bit of sweet feed to get them interested. Now, every single one of them just loves the beet pulp. I mix it quite soupy and it is fun listening to them "slurp" their beet pulp, plus it gives me comfort knowing that they are getting extra fluids in them.

All of my horses get very saturated beet pulp every morning, the ones that I feel need extra also get beet pulp with their evening meal.

In the summer I add cold water to it but in the winter I mix it with warm water.

Hugs for you and little JD!!!

 

[Tapestry Minis]

Nila,

So glad to hear of improvment for JD, I hope he continues on the road to recovery. I can certainly sympathize with you about the difficulty of getting beet pulp. The sugar factory in Twin Falls carries it but only in bulk, they don't bag it. Also they aren't open any times we can get there after or before work. Gotta love being 10 years behind the times

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Nila our feed guy will deliver it to your house (or kims even she uses the same guy and you can pick it up from her if you arent around during the day) I think i pay like 7.50 a bag or so

 

[SunQuest]

Thanks for the info Lisa. I have been talking with Kris and Kim so I know about him delivering food. I am still trying to put all the logistics of how to incorperate this into our feeding plan as the horses are at the farm and I have to drive out there to feed it and while I am out there really frequently, I am not always there every day. I will have to talk with my Mom and Aunt and see if there is some way to work this one out.

And I have an update on JD. He is doing much much better and looks like he is going to make it!

He is passing his food like he should, so that is great news. They are going to let me bring him home tonight.

But his diet is to be a really wet one, so all of my boys at the bottom are going to learn how to slurp their food. I have to keep all feed wet for at least the next week. Boy won't that be fun. And of course add salt to his meals.

I am so greatful for everyone here!!!! I know it was the thoughts and prayers that helped him, and you all gave me enough strength to get through this episode. I just don't think I could have handled another loss. And well, my yearling's loss of life didn't turn out totally bad. It was what the vets learned from him that saved JD's life as they were able to pinpoint what was wrong much sooner with JD and that saved his life for sure.

Hugs to you all!!!! Gotta go run to the little girl's room to blow my nose as I am crying. But this time it is tears of JOY!!!!

 

[Kim Rule]

[SIZE=14pt]Oh Nila!!!! That's wonderful news!!!![/SIZE]

I jumped for joy when we got your phone message today. I'm so glad that JD is going home. If you want me to go out during the day to check on him, just let me know...it's not that far away from me...

Kim R.