The Guy is Old

Two weeks ago Clyde didn't finish eating his grain for his morning feeding but was eating hay when I left. That evening when I fed he didn't touch his grain. I knew for him to refuse to eat grain means something is way wrong. I had just had the horses to the discounted vaccination clinic that weekend and it always makes the horses feel bad for about 3 days so I wasn't too worried although Clyde had never quit eating from it in the past. The next day He wouldn't eat grain morning or evening. I could tell he was dropping weight and he's mopey. I check for gut sounds and hear them. Check his temperature and it's normal. I had seen him drink, urinate and poop. I go ahead and make an appointment with the vet. I'm wondering if maybe it's his teeth.

The third day of not eating I take him to the vet. The vet asked me when he had his teeth floated and I said never. "Floating" is a filing down of the sharp edges on teeth. She stuck her hand in his mouth and said his teeth were very sharp. She also did some bloodwork to rule out anything else going on. Doesn't he look pathetic here waiting for the vet to come see him? He's beginning to look his age (24).

It was too late in the day to sedate him to float his teeth so they kept him overnight and did it the next morning. I brought him home later that day. It was two more days before he started eating his grain again. He didn't eat his full ration but it was a start. He is now eating normally. He's not regained all the weight he lost but I believe he will with time.

Another sign of spring is the shedding of winter hair! I spent about an hour brushing Clyde and Diamond getting a lot of loose hair off.

Here's Diamonds pile. He doesn't have quite as much as he has done a better job of rubbing his off.

Birds should be pretty happy to have this for building nests!