Can horses eat rabbit food?

diamonddogs

Active Member
Apr 14, 2008
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Badiddlyboing, Odawidaho
As the title.

I need a bit of feed to get the bute and antibiotics down Sham and I don't want to syringe it down her really because of her abusive past, she doesn't like anything strange near her head.

I've completely ran out of feed now and I don't want to buy a whole sack and end up wasting it, and all the horses on the yard who are still having hard feed are on fancy stuff, so I don't want to borrow anything too rich or heating, even though people have offered the odd handful. She'd only be having enough to disguise the meds - no more than a handful.

They sell Wagg in the local supermarket and I can't see anything in the ingredients that horses shouldn't have, but any advice would be great.

I remember reading somewhere that rabbits and horses have similar digestive systems.

Composition
Peas, Wheat, Wheatfeed, Oatfeed, Oats, Lucerne, Flaked Maize, Whole Maize, Sunflower Ext., Grass, Vegetable Oil, Apple, Grape, Syrup, Carob Meal, Minerals, Linseed (0.3%), Yeast (0.05%).

Additives (Per Kg)
Nutritional Additives: Vitamin A 6000 iu, Vitamin D3 1000 iu, Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol acetate) 40 iu, Iron lll Ferric Oxide 350 mg, Iron Sulphate Monohydrate 13 mg, Calcium Iodate 1.5 mg, Cupric Sulphate Pentahydrate 15 mg, Manganous Oxide 25 mg, Zinc Oxide 20 mg, Zinc Chelate 100 mg. *Colourants, Antioxidant. *Colourants – from a mineral source found in nature.

Analytical Constituents
Protein 13.5%, Fat Content 4.5%, Crude Fibre 10%, Crude Ash 4.5%, Calcium 0.6%, Phosphorus 0.4%.
 
As the title.

I need a bit of feed to get the bute and antibiotics down Sham and I don't want to syringe it down her really because of her abusive past, she doesn't like anything strange near her head.

I've completely ran out of feed now and I don't want to buy a whole sack and end up wasting it, and all the horses on the yard who are still having hard feed are on fancy stuff, so I don't want to borrow anything too rich or heating, even though people have offered the odd handful. She'd only be having enough to disguise the meds - no more than a handful.

They sell Wagg in the local supermarket and I can't see anything in the ingredients that horses shouldn't have, but any advice would be great.

I remember reading somewhere that rabbits and horses have similar digestive systems.

Composition
Peas, Wheat, Wheatfeed, Oatfeed, Oats, Lucerne, Flaked Maize, Whole Maize, Sunflower Ext., Grass, Vegetable Oil, Apple, Grape, Syrup, Carob Meal, Minerals, Linseed (0.3%), Yeast (0.05%).

Additives (Per Kg)
Nutritional Additives: Vitamin A 6000 iu, Vitamin D3 1000 iu, Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol acetate) 40 iu, Iron lll Ferric Oxide 350 mg, Iron Sulphate Monohydrate 13 mg, Calcium Iodate 1.5 mg, Cupric Sulphate Pentahydrate 15 mg, Manganous Oxide 25 mg, Zinc Oxide 20 mg, Zinc Chelate 100 mg. *Colourants, Antioxidant. *Colourants – from a mineral source found in nature.

Analytical Constituents
Protein 13.5%, Fat Content 4.5%, Crude Fibre 10%, Crude Ash 4.5%, Calcium 0.6%, Phosphorus 0.4%.

No idea about the rabbit foot - I think you'd have to ask a nutritionist. Most of the ingredients look OK, but I'm not sure about the grape, the syrup and the carob meal, and I haven't a clue about the balance of chemicals.
When I have to feed bute, I put it in a jam or honey sandwich (brown bread, no butter!), and they love them. Otherwise, could you grate an apple or carrot and mix it in with that?
 
No, i wouldn't feed a horse rabbit food. Get an apple or carrot and put the drugs in that - or put it between bread as a last resort.
 
I really wouldn't, it won't be much of a saving if you end up with a vet's bill because of it! I'd either try the suggestions above or accept the offers from other liveries, I doubt a handful of any horse feed is going to cause her problems.
 
Ditto, a handful of feed to mask the medication isnt going to do her any harm. I would not be feeding a horse rabbit food. Tbh Id probabley just buy a cheap bag of economy mix or something for the sake of a few quid.
 
ask for injectable medication, you can get them in before they know what's happened
 
Well, I've been giving her bute for her eye mixed with treacle (a trick I always use - poor horse doesn't know what treacle really tastes like!) and a good dollop blended with the bute goes down a treat - she licks the plate clean. It's really just the antibiotic really, there just seems so much of it, which is why it's mixed with feed.

Oh well, only three sachets left, so I might treat her to a jam sandwich tomorrow, and maybe Marmite on Tuesday :D

Thanks for all your good advice everyone.

Wally, I asked the vet if I could have some injectable stuff, explaining there are two nurses on the yard who'd be happy to administer it for me (I couldn't; too much of a wuss) but he didn't offer it so maybe he didn't hear me!
 
For future reference, I've got a massive bag full of feed samples that the suppliers sent me to try my new boy. Just email a couple saying you would like to do a taste test & they will send you a (fairly sizeable) sample.
 
Nothing will make my mare eat bute or danilon so I mix it with some water in a syringe and syringe it in! That way I know she has most of it and not all over the floor or a whole drama getting her to eat it.

I have to have help though as she holds head up as wise to it now and gripsn the syringe in her teeth and have to massage her throat or doesnt swallow then spits it out :help:
 
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