About 6 weeks ago I bought a filly from the sale... not because I needed another horse, but because quite frankly I thought this filly might die if I didn't get her out of there. It's not so much "how she got this way" but more "how to help her best I can".

I've never really done rescue work, I'm not sure I'd have the heart for it to be honest, or maybe too much heart becasue I think I'd probably get myself arrested for assault. This is not an Arabian filly, but a stock breed and at 2 years old she stands 13 hands. We estimated her at a high 1 or low 2 on the condition scale, yeah she's THAT bad. I honestly didn't know if she would survive the 14 day syndrome to be honest, but she's doing well, gaining weight, eyes are bright and she talks when it's time to eat. I've even seen her trot on her own a few steps where she was way too weak to do that before.

In any case, we're having teeth issues now and I'm hauling her to the vet to be looked at this week. First it was a lower tooth abcess that burst and drained.. she was eating well (senior feed) and other than leaving a little hay was not off her feed at all. It was a 'duh moment when it burst out, NO it's not strangles, but she was doing much better and eating so I wasn't too concerned, just a note to have a vet look at it. Well last night she had a big lump under her left eye and this morning her nostril looked like bloody puss had been draining out of it now as well.

*Sigh* The things horses have to go through when they never asked to be born in the first place It breaks my heart.. she's still very thin but has a game little soul and is a fighter.

I could really use some advice on what to give her, other than vet care because that's already slated. I imagine malnourishment can have alot to do with tooth health? Could it be something else that I'm missing entirely? Any advice or help for this little girl would be appreciated from someone who has dealt with legitimate rescue work. She won't eat soaked beet pulp, or corn oil in her feed but is eating Equine Senior really well with BOSS. She really can't afford to not eat right now Any help or advice would be apprreciated.

I've only done a couple - the last one was a 1 on the skinny scale . After the Vet looks your filly over try putting her on the daily Strongid . I also do the ground flax seed , it works better for weight on hard keepers and it won't give diarrhea like oil can. I buy the flax seed bulk at the market and grind it fresh in a cheap coffee grinder . Even the pickest eaters I've had will eat the flax seed - but grind it fresh for each feeding it should stick well to the senior feed . You can start with 1/4 a day and slowly add to that . My 31 year old eats 3/4 cup 2x a day . As she gains you can just re-adjust how much you feed her . I also did free choice grass/alfalfa mix for my last one for about 90 days + Purina senior . I had help from my Vet , a horse expert from UNR and the help of a woman who did more than 100 rescues . Ask everywhere there are loads of people who'll help with advice , the UNR Professor also gave me some money to feed her . Good luck and God bless for doing this .

Once she's over the first part you'll see dramatic improvements . Take some pictures so you can compare them . Sometimes when we look at them everyday we don't *see* it like you will when comparing pictures .

Here's my last one - the day I got her and the day she left here to her new home . She was a 17 year old breeding stock Appy mare

wow what a turnaround!! Yes this little girl looks very similar to the first picture with the added bonus of being tiny for her breed/age. She should be close to 15-16 hands My weanling arabian is nearly as tall as she is.

I'll have to try to find the flax seed tho she's eating good and is gaining.. just needs her teeth working so she CAN eat :-/

First of all, GOD BLESS YOU, Century Oak, for doing this. Have done many a one myself! Might I suggest a "sometime cureall"? Sprinkling some sweet feed over whatever she is eating? Or some table syrup over her feed? This usually gets the most recalcitrant to eat! I am thinking that it sounds as if she is associating the pain of her tooth with chewing/eating though, and when that issue is resolved, she just might be fine, appetite-wise. Please keep us updated on her progress. Just like us, it is no wonder she is coming up w/infection after infection. Due to her malnourished state, she probably had little reserves within her immune system to fight it off! Best of luck to you and this poor filly! I appreciate your efforts for her.
I can SO relate to the "assault charges" comment, not material for PR for animal abuse, here, nope, not me. oooooooooo....murdah!


Cyclone

First, bless you Century Oak. And Comstock Lode, beautiful mare! I love the look she's giving you. How long did it take for her to get that way from when you started with her.

I've been know to use Omegabran for added fat. It's made of several high fat ingredients and mostly flax seed. I think it's a McCaulley's product and I may have that spelled wrong.

Good luck with your new project.

She ate nearly all her feed last night, don't think there's an issue with appetite, just pain. She was eating well before this all developed. I started adding some Red Cell and gave her a big shot of penicillin last night but we're slated for the vet later this week :-/

Crystal didn't have any health issues other than she wasn't being fed so her improvement was fast and dramatic , I had her just under 5 months . I gave her to 2 girls in the 4H horse program who loved her like a family member . The other adult horse I did also had a fast improvement. She was a 5 year old Arab mare, her before and after pictures are in my gallery, Katy . I still have her she's coming up on 22 now . I've done 2 young horses one 6 month old and one 3 year old . Both of those took much longer to really see a difference . Once you got them healthy they started growing and it was harder to see an improvement . I'm a huge fan of the daily strongid with young horses it really helps with weight .

The pictures really helped me with all of them . I took pictures in the same place , same time of day, once a month . When you line them up you can see the small improvements you might not catch looking at them everyday .

Hang in there Century, you will see her improve once she's over this hard part .


More benefits of flax seed, it works for people too Flax seed

I'm going to take some more pictures this weekend. I can see her ribs covering up and sticking her last night with the measure she's grown an inch So maybe there's some hope. She's on SMZ and seems to be feeling some better, is cleaning up her grain and I'm getting her some Alfalfa this weekend since she nibbles hay more than her grain. So I'm hopeful

Reckon it would be crude to register her as Anna To Me? Get it? Anatomy? hehe

How's your girl doing? I thought you mentioned pictures . HMMMMM

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