Sick horsey

[altivo]

Archie has a fever. I noticed yesterday that one of the boys seemed to be having the runs, at least in relative terms. Since they share a yard, I couldn't say which, they both seemed to be acting normal. But last night Archie didn't eat his hay or drink any water. This morning he took treats and grain but still no hay. Gary called the vet today. She came out to check on him and says it's fever, unsure from what since he's vaccinated against all the common problems, probably a virus of some sort.

So we have to watch him, take his temperature twice a day, and give him medication if it's over 102 F. And try not to spread it to Tess in the other barn. So far Asher seems fine, which is a little odd since he's the one usually more prone to respiratory problems. Hopefully it's no more serious than that and will be gone in a day or two. All our horses are vaccinated against strangles, and it's way past the time for insect born things like West Nile or encephalitis.

Snowing hard, wet and heavy right now. The drive home was bearish. Keep your paws or hoofies or whatever crossed for Archie, please.

10 PM update: His temperature went down slightly, from 102.4 to 102.2. He has eaten, and drunk some water, so that's promising. Per instruction, we gave him another tiny dose of Bute and will check again at dawn. He's alert and friendly as usual, and didn't object to having the temperature taken, so maybe it isn't so serious.

8 AM Saturday: Much better it seems. Temperature 99 (about normal) and he is eating and drinking. No idea what it was, but we will keep him in for the morning to make sure he is passing normal stuff and then let him back outside.

11 AM Saturday: Normal poop. Yay! And he ate all the hay we gave him this morning. Both boys are now outside hunting down and eating the leftover hay from yesterday when Archie wasn't eating.

5 PM Saturday: Normal temperature, 99.4 F. Eating and drinking. So we stand down the watch. I didn't know horses got 24 hour bugs, but there it is. I think he's over it, but won't be running out there to serve him champagne at midnight. ;)

Comments

[songdogmi.livejournal.com]

Poor Archie. This sounds like the sort of thing you'd give a human chicken noodle soup for. I don't suppose chicken noodle soup is the sort of thing horses eat much. Anyway, I hope he gets over the bug soon and the other horses don't get it.

[chibiabos.livejournal.com]

Maybe some carrot noodle soup. :p

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Actually, they're more omnivorous than we normally think. Some would certainly take chicken noodle soup if it were salted. The problem is that domestic horses don't always have the self-protective instincts of wild ones, and will eat things they can't handle internally. Horses have a very complex digestive system that we still don't entirely understand, and upsetting it too badly has strange and even fatal results. So most horse owners are pretty conservative about what we feed them.

Carrot noodle soup might have possibilities, especially if the horse were badly in need of hydration and refusing food. I dunno. :)

More news in an hour or so, I'm just getting ready to go out and check on Archie now.

[chibiabos.livejournal.com]

I certainly hope the poor guy's doing better.

[marzolan.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear he's doing better. Hopefully it won't turn aroun and come back anytime soon, whatever it was...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Relapse is possible but the symptoms were mild and I think he's OK. He's outside now eating up the hay he rejected yesterday.

When a horse doesn't want to eat, you always worry right away. Typically they would nibble for about 20 hours a day just to maintain their weight. (!!)

But he's back to eating and pooping normally, so that's a great relief.

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

Normal poop is very rewarding sometimes :) Just reading your story I was getting all worried! Glad Archie's doing better.

Our big puppy (100 lbs), Max, once had HGE - hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Basically he was bleeding from both ends. It was one of the most horrific things I've ever seen from a pet, and I won't get into the details here, but suffice it to say it was scary. When he recovered and started pooping normally I don't think we would have minded even if it had been in the house. Moor Maxie was so confused by it all, too - he's normally so even-headed that seeing him distressed was odd at best.

Love to you and yours,
SongCoyote

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah. With so many animals to look after, we seem to obsess about poop quality quite a lot. When we think about it, then we feel silly. But it works. Archie appears to be back to normal, thank goodness.

And warm hugs back to you. ;)

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

Indeed, poop quality is a strange subject out of context - and sometimes even in context. Plus, you know... poop! It's funny!

:P

Light and laughter,
SongCoyote

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Yeh. Unless you're the one who slipped and fell into a pile of it. Then you are what's funny... to everyone else. ;)

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

And you know what? That's okay, too!

Makes for a smelly laundry day, though :)

One of the prices we pay for living with animals: poop!

Light and laughter,
SongCoyote

[pioneer11.livejournal.com]

Goodly!

I like those hosses, they big but nice!

^_^

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Yup. Warm soft noses, moist hot breath, little nickers of greeting. They are my favorite pets by far.

[kamodragon.livejournal.com]

Yikes! Glad he is okay!