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Discussion on Problems with using tires as feeders
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 9:41 am:
We occasionally see the recommendation of feeding horses out of old tires, expecially tractor tires. There has been the rare report of horses, especially foals becoming trapped in them often with dire consequences. Here is a another report of problems when either steel belted tires or tires with steel cable framing placed around them. Also note that one needs to be careful with DrOpped hypodermic needles, a common problem when giving horses shots. For more see the article Disorders of the Mouth and Teeth accessible from the navigation bar above.
Vet Rec. 2006 Oct 7;159(15):485-488.
Metallic foreign bodies in the tongues of 16 horses.
Pusterla N, Latson KM, Wilson WD, Whitcomb MB.
Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, ca 95616, usa.
The history, clinical signs, results of diagnostic imaging, treatment methods and outcom e of 16 adult horses with a metallic foreign body in the tongue are reviewed. All the horses had a swollen tongue, they salivated excessively and were partially to completely anorexic. Less common clinical signs were fever, an enlarged and painful intermandibular space, dysphagia, unilateral tongue paralysis and halitosis. Most of the horses had shown clinical signs for less than 24 hours. The foreign bodies were diagnosed by oral examination, radiography and ultrasonography; they were removed from the tongue of four of the horses during the initial oral examination, and were removed surgically from nine others; the other three horses were treated medically without attempts being made to extract the foreign bodies. Twelve of the bodies were small pieces of wire and one was a hypodermic needle. All the horses received a combination of antimicrobial and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and they all made an uneventful recovery. Feeding hay and the use of cable-framed tractor tires as feeders were commonly associated with the cases.
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 10:10 am:
Yikes! Thanks for posting this, Dr. O.
We have never used tires for feeding, but I've often been tempted to use them as salt block holders so the blocks don't get pushed all around . . . I'll just keep my salt blocks inside the sheds and move them back in place when needed.
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 10:18 am:
Great something ELSE to worry about.. I have been using tire feeders for ever.. I have two horses that do bite them and try to move em around, you know there is always that one stem of hay under em..
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 10:35 am:
Actually Ann the point is to prevent another thing to worry about. By knowing the risks you keep your horse from developing disease. The solution is simple, don't use cable frames and check to be sure the steel belts are not showing through.
DrO
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Member:
Dres
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Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 10:56 am:
Will do, just came in from checking the tires.. there is no steel belts/wires showing, all rounded smooth edges!  We have actually made the mouths/openings very large so that if there is dust in the hay the horses head is not stuck inside with it, and IF a foal were to fall into it, he would not be stuck.. You are very right, Its about being prepared.. Thanks..
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
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Member:
Lynnea
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Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 3:37 pm:
I also read a long while back about the dangers of using tires..because some horses that like to chew on things can get the rubber into their intestines and cause impaction. Reading that kept me from ever using them for anything around the horses.
Just as a side comment...the string used on bales of hay can also be eaten by horses and cause impaction and surgery. I had a friend who tied a ball in her horses stall with that string.. and after the mares surgery, I saw the wadded up string and manure they had removed. It was so obvious how that can happen...after the surgery she developed a bad colic and my friend lost her. We have to be so careful.
I am amazed about the hypodermic needles, however. I have heard about the foal problem with tires ...same can happen with those bathtubs people put in pastures for water.. It is important for people to share these experiences to alert others to the possibilities of what CAN happen. Awareness and knowledge can save a precious horse from disaster.
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Member:
Ajudson1
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Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 5:08 pm:
Thank You Doc for posting that. I'll check our tires, don't think they chew on them, or my steel cage that I feed hay out of. It's some type of cage that very heavy parts were in.
I've always wondered if there is any harm in chewing on the Rubbermaid tanks? Sometimes our tank is full of black bits of plastic floating in there....wonder if it's good for them to drink that? I take a mesh net, from the dollar store, and try to get it scooped out.
So, no rocks, no wire, no string, no tires....geesh, worse than having a bunch of toddlers to care for!
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Member:
Tangoh
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Posted on Monday, Oct 30, 2006 - 2:09 pm:
Thanks for posting this Dr. O. We feed out of a huge tractor tire - I will keep an eye on it, as our horses do chew on it occasionally.
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