Kezzabell2
Well-Known Member
For the last 3 years I've thought "this is the last winter" for my old girl. but each year she seems to get a new lease of life before I have to let her go.
I've obviously decided that again this year and maybe selfishly I've decided that the beginning of September would be the time.
Selfishly because I have two weeks off work, I can spend time with her, and have time to cry, without having to put on a brave face! I know its going to devastate me. and of course now the time has almost come, I'm doubting my decision. I can't really say it out loud, and even writing this is making me cry! but I just want some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing?
So here's her story
She is 31, I've had her for almost 16 years
She has cushings and is treated on 4 tablets a day and has been for 3 years this October - so I feel guilty for pumping her full of medication
Since she stopped wearing her rug at the end of the winter, she seems to have lot her temperature control. She has always been very hardy and warm.
Early this year I arrived at the yard on a number of occasions, when it was light rain, and around 18degrees, and she was shivering. she has never done this in the past! I've lot track of the number of night's I've got out of bed to go and put a rug on her when the rain has arrived, when it wasn't predicted.
I can't leave her rug on because she gets too hot, when its not raining.
I went away for a weekend in April and her rug was on, my friend did't take it off because there was a chance of rain, when I got home she was sweating under it and had itched herself so badly that she had 6 massive cuts on her side, her bum etc
After this incident, I bath her to help her be less itchy and discovered what I thought were mites! so I got special shampoo for that! the vet then checked her and said it more likely to be lice, so I treated her for lice too! she has also been treated for fungal infections.
basically she is constantly itching herself, she keeps pull patches of hair out. the vet has said that cushings horses do get more issues with lice and fungal infections because they immune system is weaker! she suggested upping her meds until I told her she was on 4 a day already.
She also had arthritis in her front left knee, it has a massive lump on it, however she doesn't really seem to have any pain with this. She occassionaly comes trotting over to me in the morning for her breakfast and I can probably count on 1 hand the number of times she's been stiff on it!!
She wont be stabled during the winter, she gets too stressed out, so I will spend the whole time worrying about her being out in the rain, she does have a field shelter. Her feeding requirements are more than the ponies she is out with, so she would need to be separated daily to get enough hay!
I suppose the reason I feel so guilty is because she looks pretty happy, other than being itchy! but then I think, is she happy? I can't imagine being itchy all of the time and not being able to reach the spot.
sorry for the long post....
I've obviously decided that again this year and maybe selfishly I've decided that the beginning of September would be the time.
Selfishly because I have two weeks off work, I can spend time with her, and have time to cry, without having to put on a brave face! I know its going to devastate me. and of course now the time has almost come, I'm doubting my decision. I can't really say it out loud, and even writing this is making me cry! but I just want some reassurance that I'm doing the right thing?
So here's her story
She is 31, I've had her for almost 16 years
She has cushings and is treated on 4 tablets a day and has been for 3 years this October - so I feel guilty for pumping her full of medication
Since she stopped wearing her rug at the end of the winter, she seems to have lot her temperature control. She has always been very hardy and warm.
Early this year I arrived at the yard on a number of occasions, when it was light rain, and around 18degrees, and she was shivering. she has never done this in the past! I've lot track of the number of night's I've got out of bed to go and put a rug on her when the rain has arrived, when it wasn't predicted.
I can't leave her rug on because she gets too hot, when its not raining.
I went away for a weekend in April and her rug was on, my friend did't take it off because there was a chance of rain, when I got home she was sweating under it and had itched herself so badly that she had 6 massive cuts on her side, her bum etc
After this incident, I bath her to help her be less itchy and discovered what I thought were mites! so I got special shampoo for that! the vet then checked her and said it more likely to be lice, so I treated her for lice too! she has also been treated for fungal infections.
basically she is constantly itching herself, she keeps pull patches of hair out. the vet has said that cushings horses do get more issues with lice and fungal infections because they immune system is weaker! she suggested upping her meds until I told her she was on 4 a day already.
She also had arthritis in her front left knee, it has a massive lump on it, however she doesn't really seem to have any pain with this. She occassionaly comes trotting over to me in the morning for her breakfast and I can probably count on 1 hand the number of times she's been stiff on it!!
She wont be stabled during the winter, she gets too stressed out, so I will spend the whole time worrying about her being out in the rain, she does have a field shelter. Her feeding requirements are more than the ponies she is out with, so she would need to be separated daily to get enough hay!
I suppose the reason I feel so guilty is because she looks pretty happy, other than being itchy! but then I think, is she happy? I can't imagine being itchy all of the time and not being able to reach the spot.
sorry for the long post....