All the animals showed up for a while when our Vet, Jack came. They lost interest when they didn’t get any food, but they gave a good “hello.”
Jack thought Pumpkin looked pretty good considering. His temperature was normal and his belly wasn’t extended. But he said Pumpkin was obviously in some pain. He could tell because Pumpkin was grinding his teeth.
Then he gave Pumpkin a shot of Banamine, an antiinflammatory and ran off a list of things I could do to try and stimulate his appetite and help with the pain he was feeling.
The Banamine should help with all of that, but Jack also suggested soaking grain in warm water. Pouring molasses over grain or giving him a syringe full of honey and water. For his inflamed stomach, I could keep giving him the Pepto Bismol, or try Baking soda and water or get probiotics, the same kind they use for calves.
Not only did I learn a lot, but I also got a lot of good home remedies.
I’d already given Pumpkin sugar water, so for today I thought I’d try the molasses over grain and keep giving him the Pepto Bismol. That was another trip into town for the molasses, but when I put the bowl with it and grain in front of Pumpkin, he was definitely interested. I watched as he licked up some of the molasses, but then he stopped, not eating any of the grain.
Pumpkin was much more annoyed and showed it by running, as much as he could in the small space, away from me. I took that as a sign of him feeling better. I still got most of it in his mouth, so I guess I’m getting better at that.
I figured Pumpkin had had enough of me for the day and I left him alone. Mostly. I did peek in on him a couple of more times to see if he was eating. I was disappointed, when he wasn’t, but then remembered to be patient.
Jack felt that as long as nothing else was going on, Pumpkin would get better.
Jack did tell a story about how he opened up a goat’s stomach once and found five pounds of spaghetti in it. He took the spaghetti out, sprinkled the goat’s belly with baking soda, and stitch him up again. His owners said they wondered where all the spaghetti had gone.
Tomorrow I’ll try some baking soda and water and some more molasses if Pumpkin still isn’t eating. I wouldn’t consider surgery for Pumpkin but other than that, it feels good to know that I’m doing all I can do for him.
Maria, could Pumpkin have found some of that “poke weed” that you talked about that was poison? I think that is what you said…
It’s possible Melanie. I alreay have plans to cover the areas where the pokeweed grow in the spring with black plastic. I don’t know of any other way to keep them from growing without using poison.
You might try alfalfa and or beet pulp pellets, soaked in hot water until it’s all mushy. My horsie loves it, and she’s put on and kept on a good amount of weight with it.
Thanks Mary Jean.