Boggle- USA bound!

[SO1]

I think so. I guess re condition that was expected with the pneumonia because his body was having to fight such a serious infection but I didn’t realise this would take it out of him so much.

Still he’s very bright and cheeky so that’s good!

If he is on steroids and you are worried about the laminitis risks being a little on the lighter side might reduce the risks?

 

[Michen]

if there is any chance of Bog being affected by vacc in the same way OH was then I would tell you to give him a few days at the hospital to build him up, get him home and give him whatever drug support he really needed (rather than everything you would like due to steriods v lami) and give him 6 months at least to just recover. It will take time. Don't forget a bright cheerful horse who can't wait to ride etc again may be mentally able just not yet physically.
A horse keeps on his feet wherever possible, being down is not a good place for a flight animal. A human can reason to take it very easy lying down.
OH's recovery was VERY VERY long. However he is still alive (which at one stage we were seriously wondering) so I have everything crossed for Bog.

The mental toll on me was just as bad as the physical one on OH so I know what you are going throw staring into the abyss trying to make any sense of it.

The thing is we don't know. It could equally be trauma from doing something stupid in his stable, rolling etc. It's so hard- I could do more diagnostics but I'm trying to weight the risks between giving steroids blindly vs knocking him out for a GA and I honestly feel in my gut that the latter is not the right thing to do. I've had to take a risk either way so chose a half dose steroid for a day to see what we get, if no improvement I think we take him off them.

He is really fit (unbelievably so for a horse not even back in full work post pneumonia), he's been doing tons of hacking up and down Colorado mountain roads so he's physically in the best possible condition re laminitis risk.

I just hope I'm going down the right path. I can't imagine the mental toll for you and your poor OH, I'm sorry that happened.

 

[Michen]

If he is on steroids and you are worried about the laminitis risks being a little on the lighter side might reduce the risks?

Yes! And he's actually really fit, I hadn't quite realised how fit he had got just from tons of walk hacks but the terrain here makes it sooo easy to get them fit just from that alone.

 

[paddy555]

The thing is we don't know. It could equally be trauma from doing something stupid in his stable, rolling etc. It's so hard- I could do more diagnostics but I'm trying to weight the risks between giving steroids blindly vs knocking him out for a GA and I honestly feel in my gut that the latter is not the right thing to do. I've had to take a risk either way so chose a half dose steroid for a day to see what we get, if no improvement I think we take him off them.

He is really fit (unbelievably so for a horse not even back in full work post pneumonia), he's been doing tons of hacking up and down Colorado mountain roads so he's physically in the best possible condition re laminitis risk.

I just hope I'm going down the right path. I can't imagine the mental toll for you and your poor OH, I'm sorry that happened.

you absolutely don't know and may never know. Listen to your instinct and gut feeling. Presuming he is not in too much pain and would have an acceptable quality of life is there any disadvantage of going home and letting him see how he can manage? If it goes badly wrong you can PTS quickly at home. His recovery may show up a problem better and you still have the choice of pursuing further treatment in some form.

Thanks for your comment re OH. As I say I really do understand your current nightmare thoughts.

 

[Michen]

you absolutely don't know and may never know. Listen to your instinct and gut feeling. Presuming he is not in too much pain and would have an acceptable quality of life is there any disadvantage of going home and letting him see how he can manage? If it goes badly wrong you can PTS quickly at home. His recovery may show up a problem better and you still have the choice of pursuing further treatment in some form.

Thanks for your comment re OH. As I say I really do understand your current nightmare thoughts.

No he can definitely come home early next week even if he stays as he is, but there's some drugs he's on currently that are best given for a full 5 days via IV. I also feel a bit better that when starting steroids if he does start to get pulses or whatnot they can immediately put him in ice boots. And his pulses will be checked continually with the through the night care which obviously I can't really do. For the sake of another 3-4k it makes sense to me for him to stay there and have the best possible care for a bit longer.

So the intention is to bring him home mon/tues assuming no drastic relapse.

 

[meesha]

It all actually sounds promising from what you are saying. I am another who would probably be thinking after he has had all the meds in horspital that bringing him home either with or without steroids is the lower risk option.

Hope it all continues to improve, we are all routing for Boggle.

 

[Chippers1]

I've just caught up, oh Boggle! I can't offer any advice or anything but me and Buzz will be keeping fingers and hooves crossed for him, hope he continues to improve.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Sounds like you have a sensible plan in place.


Mine gets his vaccines next week and I'm a bit nervous. It's just so much more here. However, he got the full whack last year all at once and some in the spring, and knock on wood he was fine.

 

[meleeka]

Only just caught up with this. I can’t quite believe what a terrible time you are having with Bog. Keeping everything crossed he continues to improve.

 

[Red-1]

No he can definitely come home early next week even if he stays as he is, but there's some drugs he's on currently that are best given for a full 5 days via IV. I also feel a bit better that when starting steroids if he does start to get pulses or whatnot they can immediately put him in ice boots. And his pulses will be checked continually with the through the night care which obviously I can't really do. For the sake of another 3-4k it makes sense to me for him to stay there and have the best possible care for a bit longer.

So the intention is to bring him home mon/tues assuming no drastic relapse.

That sounds like an excellent plan.

 

[Michen]

Thank you all. It’s a balancing act isn’t it when deciding what to do, risks to more diagnostics, risks to treatment, nothing is an obvious choice or way forward so hopefully I’ve got it right for him.

I am so unbelievably glad and grateful that it’s my same vet, it makes such a difference because she knows me and him and what I want for him.

The saddest thing is she was meant to come and ride him this weekend and we were going to go for a celebratory drinks/meal over his pneumonia recovery

 

[Michen]

Also is it kinda tragic to be eating a pizza in bed at 8.45am watching greys anatomy... I am throwing myself a proper pity party. Feel like I should be doing my usual routine and be out walking Pepper somewhere but the sun is shining through the windows and I don't even want to see it!!! Urgh!

Pepper seems somewhat relaxed about it all though

 

[humblepie]

Nothing constructive to add other than sending best wishes to you and Bog x

 

[Michen]

A little better today, smaller improvement but still an improvement. He did fall on the concrete though whilst spooking at something and scraped his hock pretty badly .

Happy to balance on three legs whilst you pick up a foot which he wouldn’t really do yesterday.

However he is extremely bright and a lot less tucked up than yesterday and absolutely starving (apparently steroids can do that) I’ve never seen him tuck into hay with such gusto!

 

[Ossy2]

A little better today, smaller improvement but still an improvement. He did fall on the concrete though whilst spooking at something and scraped his hock pretty badly .

Happy to balance on three legs whilst you pick up a foot which he wouldn’t really do yesterday.

However he is extremely bright and a lot less tucked up than yesterday and absolutely starving (apparently steroids can do that) I’ve never seen him tuck into hay with such gusto!

Steroids will do that, my dog has just finished a course and he was eating us out of house and home. They also drink and wee more often in case they don’t mention that but that is normal on steroids too.

 

[Sheep]

C’mon little bogmeister

 

[Michen]

C’mon little bogmeister

Deleted I’m being whiny

 

[Sheep]

Deleted I’m being whiny

Ahh f-eck! You’re allowed to be whiny pal!! (But I’d argue that you are not being so)

I’m a hop & a skip away in New Orleans currently and keeping Mr Boggle at the front of my mind

 

[misst]

Checking in again.. glad to see even a small improvement.
if any horse can do this it's Bog. Come on Bog xxx

 

[meesha]

Come on Boggle !!!

 

[meleeka]

Good to read further small improvement. You just need more of the same.

 

[View]

Pleased he is improving.

And do remember to be kind to yourself (Halotop indeed!).

 

[Pinkvboots]

Glad his improved

 

[Michen]

I appreciate your positivity guys. I’ve woken up feeling in total despair, TBH. This is exhausting I have a million things going on in my head like how is he going to cope going up and down the steep hill to get to his turnout, where will I move him to (he can’t stay at current barn longer than two months not in “training”), what do I do long term, can I really keep a horse alive whose falling over on concrete from a spook. How will I find him the right place to retire at when he’s such a pain with other horses. Winter is about to arrive and last year even the foothills never really melted from snow, it was endless. How is he going to cope with the snow that’s just around the corner- he’s not exactly a dope in a paddock what if he falls and slips on it? Do I pack him straight off to somewhere warmer? Can he even travel that far? Do I even take him back to his current barn knowing snow is imminent in the next few weeks?

And how can I even continue to live in this country if I feel that fall is what contributed to loosing the thing that mattered most to me.

Just a few of the things circulating in my head right now. I don’t even feel like I want to get out of bed tbh, I wish the sun would f*** off!

And the thought of not riding him again when he was feeling so good, whilst nothing compared to the thought of losing him, is another wave of heartbreaking.

 

[Ceriann]

Completely understandable to be feeling like this it’s so unfair. Break it all down and deal with it issue by issue, day by day. What’s the immediate issue and deal with that. You don’t know yet what he’ll be like after the weekend so don’t think about how he might be in months. Little by little.

 

[misst]

The hardest thing is not to plan ahead when it's what comes naturally to you. But you need to do one day at a time. If he improves he won't be falling over, the right home will be found. Get this weekend over and try not to torture yourself with what ifs. Hugs xx

 

[Ahrena]

I think this is one of those times you really have to take it one step at a time. He’s improving daily so at the moment you can’t predict how far those improvements will go and that will ultimately dictate your decisions going forward.

No harm in starting to browse for a different barn (either here or somewhere warmer) to find some back up options so you aren’t left scrabbling if it comes to it.

In terms of treating the neck - you can ‘what if’ forever. I did it and I still do about Lexi - what if I had just left her in her normal field, what if I’d moved the electric, what if I hadn’t started rebuilding the stables, what if I’d already gelded the foals, what if I’d gotten up earlier - maybe it has only just happened and I could’ve caught her before. What if what if. You can go on forever and ultimately it doesn’t help whatsoever. As likely as not, it wouldn’t of made any difference.

And of course thinking about not riding him again is upsetting, that doesn’t make you selfish or ungrateful or anything like that. It would be a huge loss in its own right.

 

[Caol Ila]

Agree with everyone. One day at a time. It’s hard, not knowing how much he will recover.

If you need to leave Evergreen (training barns suck for that reason) we can reach out to my contacts around Boulder, Longmont, Ft Collins and see if anyone knows of anything. But that’s a future problem. Focus on the now and that he is showing small improvements each day. I know it’s hard. You’re allowed to be upset.

*hugs*

 

[meesha]

You will be panicking but it is out of your control till he is ready to be discharged after he finishes his meds and then you can make a decision based on how he is. Very hard to give up control .... but for now you have to for your own sanity X

 

[Michen]

Thank you. I will read properly later but for now I managed to haul myself out of bed and drive the 25 minutes to be here. Text from vet to say Boggle very happy this morning and they will do some neuro checks later to reassess.