| Finding the right medication for horses is a tricky | | | | is swallowed is not a comfortable task. It requires |
| business, taking into consideration the possible side | | | | strength and patience as the horse will not make |
| effects and for racehorses, making sure that the | | | | it easy. |
| drugs taken would not affect the horse's | | | | An alternative to the syringe is something more |
| performance in the race. However, the challenge | | | | friendly looking a plastic mustard dispenser. It |
| definitely does not end there. Getting the drugs | | | | won't guarantee that all of the liquid medication |
| into the horse's mouth (and making it stay in) is a | | | | would stay inside that equine mouth but it would |
| different matter altogether. | | | | get it all in, after all a condiment bottle is more |
| Besides having to maneuver the 1,000-pound | | | | appealing rather than threatening. |
| body to get a pill inside the horse's throat, you'll | | | | Some horse owners also testify that pills |
| have to deal with the possibility of having that | | | | dissolved in strawberry Kool-Aid juice or vanilla |
| same pill spewed back at you in a less | | | | yogurt make irresistible concoctions. It appears |
| distinguishable (and practically unusable) form. Of | | | | that just like us, these medicine-repellent |
| course, the chances of this happening depend on | | | | creatures have certain indulgences. Once we |
| expertise at handling horses and in experience at | | | | discover what makes them forget their repulsion |
| giving medication. | | | | to medicine, it's an easy ride from there. |
| Seasoned 'horsekeepers' have come up with all | | | | It is not only the horse's health that should be |
| sorts of ways on administering medicine to their | | | | considered when giving it medication. One should |
| horses. These different methods are 'tested and | | | | be careful in handling drugs that may have |
| tried' but not foolproof. Giving medicine to a horse | | | | adverse effects when ingested by humans. |
| is much like coaxing a child (only, a much stronger | | | | Another technique in horse medication is to crush |
| one with a longer mouth). Thus, the approach that | | | | the pill into powder and placing it directly on the |
| works best for one horse may not be effective | | | | horse's tongue. Airborne particles that might be |
| at all for another or merely to a certain extent, | | | | inhaled while preparing the powder may be |
| like only during the first try. | | | | harmful. But (phenylbutazone, equivalent to |
| One of the easiest (but most likely to fail) | | | | aspirin), in particular, causes aplastic anemia in |
| approach would be to mix the medication with the | | | | humans. |
| horse's usual food. If this works for your horse, | | | | Ultimately, horse medication also involves training |
| then you're pretty fortunate. But if mixing the pills | | | | and discipline. No matter how stubborn the horse |
| with grain, applesauce or molasses does not do | | | | is, it can eventually be trained to receive |
| the job, one might revert to the age-old syringe. | | | | medication with little fuss. Making the drugs look |
| Truly reminiscent of dealing with an unruly | | | | and taste good requires more time and effort but |
| preschooler, pumping the fluid medicine into the | | | | is fulfilling too! |
| horse's mouth and holding it shut until the medicine | | | | |