Finding the proper medication for horses is a difficult business, taking into consideration the probable complications and for racehorses, ensuring that the drugs taken would not affect the horse's performance in the race. Nevertheless the challenge definitely doesn't end there. Getting the drugs into the horse's mouth (and making it stay in) is a different matter altogether.
Besides having to maneuver the 1,000-pound body to get a pill within the horse's throat, you will have to cope with the possibility of having that same tablet spewed back at you in a less distinguishable (and practically unhelpful) form. Naturally, the probabilities of this going down rely on experience at handling horses and in experience at giving discount pet meds.
Seasoned'horsekeepers ' have come up with all kinds of strategies on administering medicine to their horses. These different strategies are'tested and attempted ' although not surefire. Giving medicine to a pony is very like teasing a child (only a much stronger one with a longer mouth). So, the approach that works best for one horse may not be effective at all for another or just to a certain extent, like only in the first try.
One of the best (but most sure to fail) approach would be to mix the medication with the horse's common food. If this works for your pony, then you're pretty fortunate. But if mixing the pills with grain, applesauce or molasses does not accomplish the job, one might revert to the age-old syringe. Actually harking back to dealing with an uncontrolled preschooler, pumping the fluid medicine into the horse's mouth and holding it shut till the drugs are swallowed isn't a comfortable task. It needs strength and patience as the horse will not make it simple.
An alternative choice to the syringe is something more agreeable looking a plastic mustard dispenser. It won't guarantee that all of the liquid medication would stay inside that equine mouth it would get it all in, after all a seasoning bottle is more interesting instead of threatening.
Some horse owners also testify that pills melted in strawberry Kool-Aid juice or vanilla yogurt make impossible to resist mixtures. It would appear that just like us, these medicine-repellent creatures have certain indulgences. After we discover what makes them forget their repulsion to medication, it's an simple ride from there.
It's not only the horse's health that should be considered when giving it medicine. One should use caution in handling drugs that will have detrimental effects when ingested by humans. Another system in horse medicine is to crush the pill into powder and placing it at once on the horse's tongue. Airborne particles that might be breathed while preparing the powder might be dangerous. But (phenylbutazone, equal to aspirin), in particular, causes aplastic anemia in humans.
In the end horse medication also involves training and discipline. Irrespective of how uncooperative the horse is, it can finally be trained to receive medicine with little fuss. Making the drugs look and taste nice requires more time and effort but is satisfying too!
Besides having to maneuver the 1,000-pound body to get a pill within the horse's throat, you will have to cope with the possibility of having that same tablet spewed back at you in a less distinguishable (and practically unhelpful) form. Naturally, the probabilities of this going down rely on experience at handling horses and in experience at giving discount pet meds.
Seasoned'horsekeepers ' have come up with all kinds of strategies on administering medicine to their horses. These different strategies are'tested and attempted ' although not surefire. Giving medicine to a pony is very like teasing a child (only a much stronger one with a longer mouth). So, the approach that works best for one horse may not be effective at all for another or just to a certain extent, like only in the first try.
One of the best (but most sure to fail) approach would be to mix the medication with the horse's common food. If this works for your pony, then you're pretty fortunate. But if mixing the pills with grain, applesauce or molasses does not accomplish the job, one might revert to the age-old syringe. Actually harking back to dealing with an uncontrolled preschooler, pumping the fluid medicine into the horse's mouth and holding it shut till the drugs are swallowed isn't a comfortable task. It needs strength and patience as the horse will not make it simple.
An alternative choice to the syringe is something more agreeable looking a plastic mustard dispenser. It won't guarantee that all of the liquid medication would stay inside that equine mouth it would get it all in, after all a seasoning bottle is more interesting instead of threatening.
Some horse owners also testify that pills melted in strawberry Kool-Aid juice or vanilla yogurt make impossible to resist mixtures. It would appear that just like us, these medicine-repellent creatures have certain indulgences. After we discover what makes them forget their repulsion to medication, it's an simple ride from there.
It's not only the horse's health that should be considered when giving it medicine. One should use caution in handling drugs that will have detrimental effects when ingested by humans. Another system in horse medicine is to crush the pill into powder and placing it at once on the horse's tongue. Airborne particles that might be breathed while preparing the powder might be dangerous. But (phenylbutazone, equal to aspirin), in particular, causes aplastic anemia in humans.
In the end horse medication also involves training and discipline. Irrespective of how uncooperative the horse is, it can finally be trained to receive medicine with little fuss. Making the drugs look and taste nice requires more time and effort but is satisfying too!
About the Author:
Jack Phillipi is an animal coach who lives in Southern California. He's extremely informed about finding deals on heartworm symptoms and pet medications.
No comments:
Post a Comment