RE: [RC] electrolyte question from a newbie - Susan E. Garlinghouse, D.V.M.
So, if you e-lyte in this manner, do
you still need to wait until the horse has a drink before you give the e-lytes?
Or since you're giving small amounts can you dose even if they haven't taken a
drink yet?
Kathy
Again, this is JMO, but yes, in most
cases, I’m okay with squirting in really tiny amounts without waiting for them
to drink first. I think there are no written-in-stone rules and you need to
feel out what works best for your horse. If, on the other hand, the horse
obviously stops drinking and eating entirely and you’re just piling in dose
after dose (tiny or not) of elytes, then something else is wrong. I like
mixing the elytes with something else that helps wash it down or otherwise
dilute it so that the problems isn’t just a salty taste in the mouth that the
horse gets peeved about. I did a research trial once where we were dosing a slightly
nasty substance everyday and it was a war getting it down them every day. We
tried mixing it with applesauce and they would barge into each other to get at
the syringe first. J
If you have a choice though, not a bad
idea to let them eat and drink their fill first (if food and water are
available) before dosing. If not, then the horse just thinks he’s getting a
dose of applesauce that’s just a touch salty, and he thinks it’s a big treat.
The problem with my horse right now is that she stops on the trail and cranks her
head around, looking for her treat and gets peeved if she *doesn’t* get it!
