Vet Q&A-BackyardFarm

My 4 year old horse is a draft cross. We feed him whole oats and good quality hay. But I read that isn't enough. So I put him on Purina equalizer for 3 months and I also tried Purina Eveloution for 3 months (not at the same time) mixed with oats, 1 cup each twice a day. Both Purina feeds made him crazy. Couldn't stand still hard to handle constantly running in the pasture. But on just oats he is an absolute gem. Does he need more than oats, hay and pasture grass?

Hello. Every horse is an individual, & despite everything you might read, if Beau was doing well on the oats & hay, then that is good for him. Your photo shows a nicely balanced horse. As long as he maintains a good weight like this, then anything additional is unnecessary. Oats, hay & pasture are perfect for him. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

My horse Betsy has weird poops. They are not like solid poops, they are liquid green poops. She is old.

Hello. Thank you for using Boop by Petco. Sorry to hear that Betsy is having this issue. At 9 years old she is not old. Horses can live to be 30 years old!! She is a youngster! I suggest you get your vet out to check her. One of the most common reasons for diarrhea in a horse is intestinal parasites. She may need deworming. Other possibilities are: 1. bacterial colitis 2. stress 3. diet change 4. Potomac horse fever 5. toxicity 6. excessive sand build-up in the GI tract 7. enteroliths Don't leave diarrhea un-treated for too long - this can make horses dehydrated and that will cause more issues. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

My 10 year old mini mare is due any day now. She has clear milk with a full udder at the moment. I believe she was bred around Apr 1st. This is her 2nd birth (new info to me) any suggestions as to what to look for? Body photo taken 2/15.. Udder and hind end taken 2/20. She also carries the dwarf gene I was told.. Any concerns with that?

Hello. If the breeding date is accurate, Butter can indeed foal any day. But I have seen them go 30 days over. Her milk should thicken up any day now, so if you are testing the udder you must stop. You d not want to inadvertently waste any of the colostrum, or first milk. Usually, once the colostrum develops, the teats will develop almost a waxy cap, but this is not always apparent. There are some concerns if she carries the dwarf gene as this predisposes the foals to have larger than normal heads, & somewhat boxy bodies. This could cause a problem during delivery called dystocia. Things to watch for with an impending birth are mild colic, loss of appetite, mucous-like discharge from the vulva. Watch her as closely as you can. You should have towels, ropes, & a tube of lubricant handy in case you need to help pull the foal. Also, have your veterinarian's number on speed dial in case you need help. Fingers crossed for an easy delivery. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.

Yesterday I noticed my horses hind right fetlock was slightly swollen, there was no heat, when walking she favored it and when trotting she was lame on it. We packed her hoof with epsom salt poultice and poultices her leg as there was also clicking coming from her stifle. All her legs have been wrapped in standing wraps for support. Today we came and was still favoring and was lame on it. Swelling came down a little bit there is some heat in the hoof. Want to know what may be causing this?

Your horse could have an infection. Sometimes they can get an infection in the hoof that can cause some swelling in fetlock area. It may be a good idea to have your vet examine her and possibly give her some antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds. I hope this has helped. Thank you for using pet coach.