Didnt get off to a great start when the vet phoned to say he was getting another vet to meet him there as two person job. That got me worried!
Long story short doesnt think the sheath is infected as V is too comfortable.
Long story long: The hole is where a tap would normally be done and he had a load more scabs around the fetlock where it could also be done. So you dont want to do a tap where there are open wounds.
The other entry options are in the cannon but V is still quite swollen so not easy there either and some technical vet talk that I think meant it wouldnt get an accurate sample.
The risk seems fairly high of introducing an infection by doing the tap and obviously no one wants that. So the decision was made to leave it be and thoughts are that the hole looks deeper because of the thickening skin.
However despite the leg looking better than last week we are almost at the end of week 3, week 4 starts monday.
With the drugs hes had and how normal cases present they are normally recovered, or well on the road to recovery, in 3 days.
So the vet has put a deadline on it. He has another two weeks or its a different conversation... he did say that if sufficient improvement is made he would possibly allow an extra week but that 3wks is it.
My vet spoke with the vet who actually did the surgery on my last horse. He works freelance/referral but also does a racing yard. He told my vet that he gets 2 or 3 cases a year like this (feels with a lot of cases) and they just dont heal. It is starting to sound like V might be one of those...
Until then keep on as we have been. Steroids run out on Wednesday and Thatll be that but hes to keep on with bute and antibiotics as well as steroid cream twice daily.
He also asked about a claim form because he had been expecting to see one given how substantial the bill is (?). The bill has fairly racked up to put it mildly and no, hes not insured. There goes the arena money the olds had allocated!
So yeah that's that...
On a different topic I am boiling mad about something and probably shouldn't even be posting about it but the rage is actually burning in me. I am generally far too lazy to have such extreme feelings!
So vet 2 held doped V while I went to back leg to speak with my vet. I saw her fiddling about in his mouth but I just thought she was maybe doing capillary test or summat. Didnt think on it to be honest because there were more pressing matters at hand.
So we were chatting etc and then we swapped places and she went back over leg stuff with my vet. I cant remember the exact sequence of events but I think she went back to the vehicles to get more stuff.
Next thing she is back in V mouth talking about him having a cap that needs removed and is so loose. I'll try and get a picture but he does have a firmly in place cap at the front of his mouth, he sees an excellent EDT every 6mths and hes never had any dental issues. He is also 14.
I dont know the proper name but she had a pair of like mini pliers and started hoiking at this tooth. My vet stopped her and said to leave it (dont know where my tongue was) and asked me what my EDT had said.
I honestly don't know because V is mums horse but my EDT is excellent and I have all of his records. I'm sure he'll have noted it on each visit since we got V but as its never been a thing I fully admit to never having given his mouth/tooth a second thought.
I've worked myself up so much that i am shaking with rage. Its probably partly displaced worry about V but still.
She had no right being in his mouth in the first place never mind taking it into her own hands without permission to pull a tooth. Then when she was stopped saying "poor boy that'll be ...(cant remember exact work but either awful or uncomfortable) as if I dont already do fecking everything in my power to provide the very best for all the horses.
If they are going to shoot him in 2wks I dont really think a 14yr old tooth matters or needs unnecessarily added to the flipping vet bill!!
On top of that while she was standing alongside him she was palpating his back. He has no topline (wasnt in work) and has dropped a tonne due to this. He is slowly putting it back on with 4 feeds a day. Hes clearly lame and compensating with his movement... I dont understand why anyone would be palpating his back never mind while he was heavily sedated and had his foot up for inspection.
I dont want to complain or rock any boats because I cannot press enough how amazing my vet is and how brilliant he, the other partner and the office staff have been. Not just through this episode but we have had everything from colic, to fracture skull needing bone removed, my last horse who was an undiagnosable walking vet bill and everything in between. I dont want them to sack me!
Am I reacting badly/wrongly? I really feel aggrieved by her actions
But yeah I am so angry...oh pants, I've just angry cried a contact lens out ?