A bit more Buzz

Morning all!

Went up to see the Giant Ginge on Saturday - his sharer and I were rather excited to see him to say the least :) Got there to see him in the (lovely) field....he refused to acknowledge our arrival. At all. Didn't even lift his head from the grass. This is the horse who trots over to the gate when he's turned out, and is constantly in your face in the stable....so either he's not talking to me, or he was happy as larry and was worried I was there to take him home. Either way, he looked well, and happy, so I can cope with a bit of being sent to Coventry.

Showing his best side/war wound (just in case I'd forgotten how gorgeous he is)
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Buying his affection back with Soft Mints
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We spent an hour or so with him and getting an update from the vet. They're very pleased with his progress so far - as ever, the general anaesthetic was a big risk, but he 'went down' and 'got up' the right way, which drastically reduces the risk of trauma. They removed a big part of the tumour - and said it was absolutely disgusting....the flesh is dying and necrotic, meaning the smell from his breath was basically rotting flesh. Poor poor boy, the taste must have been foul.
Because it wasn't a clean lump, it's left quite an open wound in the back of his mouth which is no doubt painful, so he's being injected with bute before meals so that he can eat. On the plus side, the mouth is a very quick healing part of the body, so we're hoping it's already improving.

In the meantime he's getting SEVEN hours turnout a day, in his own lush paddock, surrounded by a field of mares...the boy is in heaven. And then when he goes to bed at night, he gets buckets of fresh grass, picked by his adoring army of vet students (love them).
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He's lost a bit of condition, especially over his neck, and I've been told to expect him to lose more, but luckily this boy has always been good at holding his weight (I know how he feels!!) so he has some to spare.

He's got a best friend called Wilson who gets a bit frantic when he can't see him, so has had to move stables to be in Wilson's eye line.

Next stage is next load of radiotherapy on Thursday, and one a week for the next three weeks.

I couldn't be more pleased with the care he's receiving - that place is unreal. Their care is above and beyond anything I could have expected - I get thrice daily phone calls, and sent pictures of him. They have a lovely indoor school too, so once the surgery wound is healed, I'll be able to start lunging him there in between radiotherapy sessions.

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He looks well and perky. What a handsome lad he is.

Glad you are finding the vet school awesome :)

Do you know how long you have to wait to know if there are signs of progress?
 
It's a bit of an unknown quantity really - they hope to see some evidence of the tumour shrinking/dying in the four weeks of treatment, but it can continue to shrink for up to 8 weeks after the last session. The plan is (with all fingers and toes crossed) that he'll come home two days after the last treatment on 30th Jan and continue to be monitored by our practice vet for signs of the tumour decreasing over the following two months.

Just got to keep hoping and praying that it responds to the radiotherapy.
 
I hadn't spotted this thread until now - fantastic to hear that he is doing so well after the surgery. Great photos :biggrin3:
It sounds as though the prognosis for giving him extra time is pretty good if they think he will be eventing this summer.
 
teacups said:
I hadn't spotted this thread until now - fantastic to hear that he is doing so well after the surgery. Great photos :biggrin3:
It sounds as though the prognosis for giving him extra time is pretty good if they think he will be eventing this summer.
Click to expand...

Let's just say they're a very positive bunch, and are aiming for best case scenario. There isn't any other treatment option for this kind of cancer, so it's our last chance saloon....just got to try and remain positive and hope that the radiotherapy works.
It's such a rare kind of tumour, and the number of horses who get them and have access to Cambridge is so low, that there are no case studies to work from.
 
Great news, what a turn around from the initial prognosis - he looks really well - probably just as well not to have any other similar cases to go by - you would twist yourself in knots trying to guess the outcome when each case is bound to be soo different.

Fingers crossed also for your insurance - I know it isn't your main concern at the moment but unfortunately as we all know money doesn't grow on trees ! hoping your insurance will pay for his stay there as well as the treatment !!

Come on buzz - keep up the good work !
 
Twiglet said:
Let's just say they're a very positive bunch, and are aiming for best case scenario. There isn't any other treatment option for this kind of cancer, so it's our last chance saloon....just got to try and remain positive and hope that the radiotherapy works.
It's such a rare kind of tumour, and the number of horses who get them and have access to Cambridge is so low, that there are no case studies to work from.
Click to expand...

I see: so far, so good, then. Fingers crossed!
 
The Giant Ginge is up and awake after his second round of radio....I seem to spend most of his general anaesthesia time with my heart pounding.

Plan is to bring him home on 31st Jan, and then a 6-8 week wait to see if the radio has worked.
 
Big sigh of relief I expect each time he is on his feet and ok, it will all be worth it..... Buzz. Is lucky to have a mummy who has gone the extra mile. Come on buzz...... Get rid of the mouth lodger x
 
I got the vet's permission to lunge Buzz today...he's lost a bit of topline and muscle tone over his quarters but generally I think he's looking pretty good for a horse fighting cancer :)
Obviously the month off work has sent him quite *mental*...note the invisible lunge line :p My horse rocks :)
http://youtu.be/lkrfYN7BEHc
 
Twiglet said:
I got the vet's permission to lunge Buzz today...he's lost a bit of topline and muscle tone over his quarters but generally I think he's looking pretty good for a horse fighting cancer :)
Obviously the month off work has sent him quite *mental*...note the invisible lunge line :p My horse rocks :)
http://youtu.be/lkrfYN7BEHc
Click to expand...

Loved watching that! He's looking really good, and what a good boy xx
 
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