Quarrybank
Well-Known Member
It's been a while since I posted, but thanks to all for the good vibes.
For those that didn't see my earlier posts, Spider has had a very bad year. He got very bad strangles in May 2007, which led to a paralysed larynx, a tieback operation followed in October 2007, & then unfortunately complications which led to broncual pneumonia & a further 10day hospitalisation. Not much luck for a 5 year old
After a few very dark days when I didn't think he'd still be with me, we made it to his 5 week check up (on 2 Jan) He was still on box rest (12 weeks from the october operation
at this point)
Over the last few weeks I had begun to start to think that he might make it. Once he was over the worst, I'd started to ride him. Hoping (correctly as it turns out) that giving him something he enjoyed - going out hacking, would perk him up & get him eating again.
I'd been gradually building up his work. Mainly hacking in walk with the odd trott. The first few weeks he coughed lots & I wondered if I was doing the right thing. However as the weeks went on the coughing got less & we had the odd trot & he seemed to be getting stronger. Plus he was eating, so putting on weight. He no longer looked like an RSPCA case
As well as the coughing, he still has bits of food that come down his nose when he eats & when he drinks water comes back down his nostrals too!!
He went in on wednesday & was rescoped. All looked fairly good. There was still food where there shouldn't be. Hence why he is still coughing, but the throat, and broncual tubes all looked ok. No inflamation, redness or infection. He was also swallowing reasonably ok.
So I carry on as I am. The best bit of news is that he can go out for a few hours a day..... He is such a happier horse for it
and after hooning around the first time he's now setlled down with his mates.
So not perfect, as he was destined to be an event horse, but he's still here & I can use my discression as to how much I do with him. I still need to take his temperature each day to make sure there are no complications & as an early warning sign of any infection in his broncual tubes setting in.
If he's still coughing at 6 months after the op then they will reassess what we do.
So a good start to 2008 & hopefully it'll get better from here on in.
For those that didn't see my earlier posts, Spider has had a very bad year. He got very bad strangles in May 2007, which led to a paralysed larynx, a tieback operation followed in October 2007, & then unfortunately complications which led to broncual pneumonia & a further 10day hospitalisation. Not much luck for a 5 year old
After a few very dark days when I didn't think he'd still be with me, we made it to his 5 week check up (on 2 Jan) He was still on box rest (12 weeks from the october operation
Over the last few weeks I had begun to start to think that he might make it. Once he was over the worst, I'd started to ride him. Hoping (correctly as it turns out) that giving him something he enjoyed - going out hacking, would perk him up & get him eating again.
I'd been gradually building up his work. Mainly hacking in walk with the odd trott. The first few weeks he coughed lots & I wondered if I was doing the right thing. However as the weeks went on the coughing got less & we had the odd trot & he seemed to be getting stronger. Plus he was eating, so putting on weight. He no longer looked like an RSPCA case
As well as the coughing, he still has bits of food that come down his nose when he eats & when he drinks water comes back down his nostrals too!!
He went in on wednesday & was rescoped. All looked fairly good. There was still food where there shouldn't be. Hence why he is still coughing, but the throat, and broncual tubes all looked ok. No inflamation, redness or infection. He was also swallowing reasonably ok.
So I carry on as I am. The best bit of news is that he can go out for a few hours a day..... He is such a happier horse for it
So not perfect, as he was destined to be an event horse, but he's still here & I can use my discression as to how much I do with him. I still need to take his temperature each day to make sure there are no complications & as an early warning sign of any infection in his broncual tubes setting in.
If he's still coughing at 6 months after the op then they will reassess what we do.
So a good start to 2008 & hopefully it'll get better from here on in.
