Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Quiet Thanksgiving Day

Brett and I spent a quiet day at home today. We barbecued hamburgers for lunch and I'm making a pizza for dinner. We are having friends over for a potluck turkey dinner tomorrow so my bird is sleeping in its brine bath, out in the barn refrigerator.

We are a bit worried about Flash, though. He was lethargic and listless this morning. He was not interested in his bucket of carrots and vitamins, nor in his hay. I got the thermometer and, sure enough, he's running a temperature. Brett mixed up some bute with sweet feed (alfalfa and molasses) but Flash wouldn't even eat more than a bite of that.

We were happy to be home so that we could keep an eye on Flash. He ate a few bites of hay but mostly stood under the trees with one hind leg cocked, staring into space. We had beautiful weather with temperatures in the upper 60s this afternoon.

I took Flash's temperature again this evening and it had crept up some more. I mixed bute with water and put it in a syringe. Flash is a real pill to worm, he fights the syringe of worming paste, so I knew he wouldn't be thrilled with a syringe of bute.  But he needed it to bring the fever down.  Brett slipped the halter on and I showed Flash the bute; I don't believe in being sneaky. As expected, he flung his head around to avoid the syringe. I laid it against the side of his mouth, held onto to his halter, and just followed his flailing head with my hand -- and the syringe. Eventually, he gave up and allowed me to squirt it down his throat. I praised him and gave him a couple of cookies -- which he ate.

If he isn't feeling better in the morning, we will put a call into the vet. Poor boy.



5 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear that Flash isn't feeling well - hope he recovers soon.

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  2. Oh I do hope Flash is better today. Hug B

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  3. How is Flash this morning? Did you ever mix the bute with applesauce in the syringe? Fortunately, mine will eat the powdered bute right on their grain. Hope things improve quickly.

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  4. Oh goodness, please give us an update on Flash! I hope he's feeling better today. Hugs.

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  5. Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that Flash is okay!

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Thanks so much for commenting!