Vet Q&A-BackyardFarm

Anchor had a nail in his hoof and I had an equine vet come and take it out she gave me some injections to give him I have to inject him in his rump but I'm scared he might kick me when injecting him I watched the vet do it and she didn't get kicked and anchor didn't even move but I'm still to scared is there anywhere els I can give it to him I don't like being near his backlegs there so powerful and I don't wanna get kicked

I can definitely understand your concerns! For an intramuscular injection, many horse owners prefer to inject into the neck muscles rather than the hindquarters for this reason :) Here is a good video by an equine vet demonstrating how to give an injection in the neck muscle, which may be a safer option for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gejEDjh_uWs I would recommend first calling your vet to make sure it's okay with them to use the neck instead of the rump, just to make sure there wasn't some specific reason that they would prefer the rump for the particular medication Anchor is on. But for most antibiotic injections, it shouldn't make any difference.

Hello my ponies coat has become very patchy. We wormed him recently. He's roughly 8 years old. We recued him at xmas time. He's on 5 acres of lush grass would this be the cause?

Ben could be starting to shed, or could have internal parasites, or external parasites like ringworm. I would deworm him for certain, and consider a vet visit to evaluate his haircoat and general health. Be careful with lush grass pasture as ponies become overweight very easily and if he is getting heavy he is at a huge risk for metabolic disease and laminitis.

Yesterday there was a accident with my horse and she has a nasal fracture the vet will see her today but I was wondering if there was anything I could do to keep her comfortable in the mean time?

Oh on, poor Bug! I would keep her in a stall until the vet comes out today so she is quiet and rested. If you don't have a stall, keep her in a small paddock so she doesn't move around as much. Remove anything in the stall or paddock that she could hit her nose on and cause her more pain. Unfortunately, it'll illegal for me to recommend giving her any pain medications because I can't see her in person, but you can give your vet a call back to see if there are any pain medications they can recommend you give her.

Could my mare still be pregnant?

The gestation length of a horse is 320-362 days. If Buttermilk is still within this time period, then yes she could still be pregnant. Unfortunately, this question is slightly vague, and I do not know if she was previously pregnant and lost the pregnancy, or if she was mated a while ago and you are wondering when she may be due. I recommend posing again with more detail so that the experts can better help you with your query.

What does it mean when my horse has a sore fetlock and isn't finishing her food ? She ate half of it

There are many things that could cause a sore fetlock - a joint infection, a bruise, a pulled muscle or strained tendon, or even a fracture of one of the bones in this area. If she isn't finishing her food, this likely means that she's quite painful. If she were acting normal otherwise, I would suggest stall rest for the next few days to see if the lameness improves; however, since she's painful enough that it's affecting her appetite, I would really recommend having an equine vet come out to see her today if at all possible. He/she can take x-rays if needed to help determine the problem and get her started on appropriate treatment.

I have a 9wk old miniature potbellied pig and I had asked about an issue he had a day or two ago about some whitish clear liquid coming out of his penis. On here, I was told it may be an infection, but I called my local vet and they said ejaculation. I just need a second opinion. Could a 9wk old pig really have ejaculated or could it really be an infection? Whatever it is stinks really bad....

Hi there! Yes, it is likely ejaculate even at 9wks old. Here is an article for you to read that may help. https://www.thespruce.com/male-pot-bellied-pig-penis-discharge-1239237 I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Wilbur!

My horse is rotating his front leg while moving fast is it a problem

The video does not load but I can see what you are referring to in the still shot. The one photo of him just standing there with his head down does not show us anything. Is the right front leg rotated outward or inward when he is just standing still? You would need to photograph him from the front to see that. My guess is that he is "paddling" or "winging" which are consequences of poor conformation, either toes turned in or turned out. Without examining him myself and watching him go I cannot tell you for sure what is going on. It may become a problem over time. There is no way for me to tell you that. You would just to monitor him for any limping and if that is noticed you will need to speak to a vet about what is going on.

I was bathing this horse and they had grows and then when I curried they all came off and this is what the skin looks like now. What was it and how can I treat it?

This looks like a pretty serious case of rain rot. ( https://thehorse.com/122494/rain-rot-in-horses-diagnosis-treatment-and-prevention/ ) I suggest using this medicated shampoo. Lather, let sit on his skin for 15 minutes and then rinse well. Bathe him every 2-3 days. If after a week to 10 days you really do not see that much improvement he may need oral antibiotics that you would have to get from your vet. ( https://www.jefferspet.com/products/davis-ketohexidine-shampoo ) Wash all your saddle pads, brushes, blankets, etc to remove the bacteria. Do not ride him if the lesions are in the saddle/girth area until they are gone.

My hen keeps trying to take food from another larger hen and doesnt eat other food offered to her. As a result, she's getting her feathers picked at by the larger hen. Is there anything I can do?

Offering extra food for both hens may encourage your hen to peck at her own food. If they're fighting to the point of pulling feathers, removing the dominant hen for a short bit and then reintroducing them may also help.