my mare has a runny nose and eyes it is light green im really worried any help shes been comin in her stable for the last 3 weeks and shes also started eating the wood in her stable?
runny nose
- Thread starter xxdebbie_ukxx
- Start date
Id get the vet to have a look see a green runny nose could be a flu virus as for eating wood in the wild horses are both browsers and grasers that is they will eat branches form trees.
if its green & thick & been going on for a while i would think you could do with the vet out , it might be as simple as just needing some antibiotics
it only started this morning and when i got her in it was ok tonight ive also been told shes crib biting when im not there i think its sounds like shes bored any ideas ?
Hi Debbi
If she is a crib biter there is not much you could do but maybe you could fint a large tree branch of a horse eddible type and place it in the stable horses like to browse on brsnchec also try a turnip hiddec in her straw.
If she is a crib biter there is not much you could do but maybe you could fint a large tree branch of a horse eddible type and place it in the stable horses like to browse on brsnchec also try a turnip hiddec in her straw.
i agree, the vet should have a look at the runny nose - just in case it's the onset of flu or something (not to say it is!)
wood chewing is a perfectly natural behaviour, and all horses at some point in their lives do it, though for domesticated horses most chew wood because their diet is not nutritionally balanced, being deficient in certain nutrients which they then try to gain from the wood. excessive wood chewing deforms, and can damage, teeth, and can increase the acidity levels in the stomach unhealthily.
therefore, weigh what you are feeding and check what the label on each feedbag recommends as to how much to feed your horse - if you are not feeding the recommended levels (which is likely) then either add a vitamin & mineral supplements (such as NAF Pink Powder or Global Herbs Globalvite) or a feed balancer (such as Baileys LO-Cal or Blue Chip Lami-Light or original). these options are both a good idea if you are deliberatly feeding small amounts due to your horse having laminitis in the past (to to help prevent it), but feeding more of a high-fibre, low-energy, starch and sugar forage-based feed such as Dengie Hi-Fi Lite or Alfa-Lite, will be mpre beneficial amd healthier for your horse (visit the Dengie website via google for more info)
- or you can increase the feed until she is receiving the recommended amounts.
you may well find a positive change when an antacid is added to the daily feed (such as Feedmark Settlex), especially for horses who are not being given enough forage - they often chew wood in an attempt to try and gain more fibre. feeding forage ad-lib or at least plenty of it (in large, small-holed haynets constantly availiable if her forage needs to be restricted).
it is true that true crib biters cannot be cured - a lot like smoking; the odd fag goes a long way to relieve stress, and though it can again cause an increase in acid in the stimach in a viscious circle, it should not be discouraged by shouting/clapping, etc, as this will only increase her psycological need to do it, but every effort can be made to ensure they are as comfortable as possible to reduce the chance of them crib biting to the maximum. you've probably found that the wood chewing started/increased when your horse was brought i 3 weeks ago - why not keep her out? she is (i presume) out in the day, what makes the night any different? in fact, keeping ehr out allows her to adapt to the temperature changes more easily
there are plenty of toys - both homemade or manufactored - to keep her occupied and as stress-free as possible.
to name just a few:
slices of fruit and veg hidden in haynets
baby bottles of peppermint solution wedged inbetween bars
a branch of birch/willow/chestnut for ehr to strip and chew as she pleases, as done in the wild
apples bobbed in water buckets
constant companions, at least who she can see - if they can interact, all the better
(lots of turnout with companions, preferably 24/7 - you may find that this even 'cures' the wood chewing by reducing her stress levels so much)
several whole fruit and veg hanging by baler twine from the ceiling at different lengths
these all will stimulate her brain and ability of choice and keep her busy for hours
good luck!
wood chewing is a perfectly natural behaviour, and all horses at some point in their lives do it, though for domesticated horses most chew wood because their diet is not nutritionally balanced, being deficient in certain nutrients which they then try to gain from the wood. excessive wood chewing deforms, and can damage, teeth, and can increase the acidity levels in the stomach unhealthily.
therefore, weigh what you are feeding and check what the label on each feedbag recommends as to how much to feed your horse - if you are not feeding the recommended levels (which is likely) then either add a vitamin & mineral supplements (such as NAF Pink Powder or Global Herbs Globalvite) or a feed balancer (such as Baileys LO-Cal or Blue Chip Lami-Light or original). these options are both a good idea if you are deliberatly feeding small amounts due to your horse having laminitis in the past (to to help prevent it), but feeding more of a high-fibre, low-energy, starch and sugar forage-based feed such as Dengie Hi-Fi Lite or Alfa-Lite, will be mpre beneficial amd healthier for your horse (visit the Dengie website via google for more info)
- or you can increase the feed until she is receiving the recommended amounts.
you may well find a positive change when an antacid is added to the daily feed (such as Feedmark Settlex), especially for horses who are not being given enough forage - they often chew wood in an attempt to try and gain more fibre. feeding forage ad-lib or at least plenty of it (in large, small-holed haynets constantly availiable if her forage needs to be restricted).
it is true that true crib biters cannot be cured - a lot like smoking; the odd fag goes a long way to relieve stress, and though it can again cause an increase in acid in the stimach in a viscious circle, it should not be discouraged by shouting/clapping, etc, as this will only increase her psycological need to do it, but every effort can be made to ensure they are as comfortable as possible to reduce the chance of them crib biting to the maximum. you've probably found that the wood chewing started/increased when your horse was brought i 3 weeks ago - why not keep her out? she is (i presume) out in the day, what makes the night any different? in fact, keeping ehr out allows her to adapt to the temperature changes more easily
there are plenty of toys - both homemade or manufactored - to keep her occupied and as stress-free as possible.
to name just a few:
slices of fruit and veg hidden in haynets
baby bottles of peppermint solution wedged inbetween bars
a branch of birch/willow/chestnut for ehr to strip and chew as she pleases, as done in the wild
apples bobbed in water buckets
constant companions, at least who she can see - if they can interact, all the better
(lots of turnout with companions, preferably 24/7 - you may find that this even 'cures' the wood chewing by reducing her stress levels so much)
several whole fruit and veg hanging by baler twine from the ceiling at different lengths
these all will stimulate her brain and ability of choice and keep her busy for hours
good luck!
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ok today shes coughing now with puss in her eyes and runny nose shes still eatin and drinking and is her norm self if she was a humen i would say shes got a cold what do you think?
If it was me I would get the vet asap
Get him to make sure he does not have a sinus infection Rohan got the bleeding nose then a slight discharg but he developed a serious sinus prob the bones in his skull got infectid he has three bumps which would never have developed if he had been given the right anitbotics at the start. he dosent look as good now with these 3 bony bumps. so get it checked as soon as you can Still not sure if ther will ever go I think he still needs an anti inflamerity and antibiotic.
Get him to make sure he does not have a sinus infection Rohan got the bleeding nose then a slight discharg but he developed a serious sinus prob the bones in his skull got infectid he has three bumps which would never have developed if he had been given the right anitbotics at the start. he dosent look as good now with these 3 bony bumps. so get it checked as soon as you can Still not sure if ther will ever go I think he still needs an anti inflamerity and antibiotic.
as i mentioned in another post, horses don't get the cold virus like we do; i would definately get her seen to, ASAP, it could be at worst flu or best an infection.
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