Help putting weight back on a picky eater?

As I recall there was a lump on his neck that was assumed to be an abscess, but which just disappeared spontaneously. If indeed it was an abscess and not some other swelling or enlargement, where did it go? Abscesses can fistulate, and form tracts between body organs and cavities. If an abscess fistulates and drains into a body space or organ, the infection can diffusely spread in that organ or space.

It doesn't sound as though there was any further investigation into verifying what that lump actually was. I remember wondering if there might have been a condition affecting the throat or esophagus that was the actual cause of the initial choke episode when the lump developed. Often the initial symptom seen in conditions affecting the walls of the esophagus is difficulty swallowing, which could be what led to his choke and could also be prompting his current refusals to eat. Depending on the cause, he may also be experiencing pain when he swallows. When a horse won't eat, it is always for good reason, and should be investigated.

I hope that the tests being done will include scoping the nasal cavity, throat, and esophagus and maybe obtaining aspirate from the lungs for evaluation, along with blood screens.

If at all possible, I'd try to get him to an equine hospital/clinic for diagnostics and treatment options that would optimize his chances for full recovery. It is hard to come up with an appropriate diet plan without knowing the full nature and extent of medical issues.

Add.....................There are some things to consider regarding his current feed. An average racehorse in training is fed about 10 to 12 pounds of oats per day. A quart of oats weighs approximately one pound, so he is being fed 9 lbs of oats at each feeding, for 18 lbs a day. No more than a maximum of 5 lbs of oats per feeding for a 1300 lb horse is advised. That amount is not what is recommended. It's just the maximum that should be fed. Feeding more than that amount at a given feeding can result in starches left undigested in the foregut being passed to the hindgut and producing disruption of microflora, acidosis, and a potential physiologic cascade leading to colic or laminitis.

Combined with the fact that he is recovering from a recent and serious choke, there are significant risks associated with feeding him buckets of oats free choice. He is currently on a very high sugar diet, between the starches in oats and the added molasses, while he is doing nothing to expend it as energy.

Feeding much less starch and more fat would be a better way to provide calories to build weight. Corn oil provides about 2000 safe calories per cup fed. Over several weeks time, the amount of corn oil you feed can be increased from about 1/4 cup a day to as much as two cups a day, which would provide 4000 calories. But you have to remember that if he does choke, and oils are present in the esophagus, if he aspirates the oil into the lungs, the chances of recovery are severely impaired. Stabilized and mineral balanced rice bran might be be safer for him. Two pounds a day will provide about 2400 additional safe fat calories. It comes powdered or in pelleted form.

At any rate, I'd want to cut back on the oats asap to reduce the dietary sugars, and meanwhile be sure no more than 5 lbs is fed per feeding, with at least 4 hours between feedings.

You could try black oil sunflower seeds. I know you don't want to mess with things he actually eats but grains and molasses are pure energy feeds, they do very little for weight gain, but I do understand that you are feeling stuck. And I agree that as long as he's getting something, it's better than nothing.

I agree with the oils, and also to try the applesauce. it's really too bad about the beet pulp. Rice bran is a good idea too.

I assume he's been wormed and checked for ulcers, teeth etc. What kind of sickness does he have? It might all turn around once he feels 100%....Good luck!

EDIT: Wow that's scary, I have a friend who lost a horse last year because of this very thing. Our stupid vet misdiagnosed him and told her he had rabies! He choked on some beet pulp that hadn't been soaked by the time she got him to a real vet, he was colicking,

Hope all goes well

You can try Vegetable oil, it works pretty good and helps there coat and hooves. If you have a local Tractor Supply store i buy the weight builder in there and it seems ot be helping, they have 2 different kind. Oats are really good and corn is good too. Sweet feed mixed in a little at a time would help as well. Nutra- Glow it looks kind of like molasses it is a good weight builder too.

First, make sure that his teeth are in good shape. Molasses is not ideal because it is very high in sugar. Instead, try a sugar free applesauce. It still tastes good. You could also mix about a cup of soybean or corn oil into his feed. This adds a lot of calories to add weight or maintain weight on a hard keeper. Overall, just do your best to get a nutritious, balanced diet into him.

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