Boggle- USA bound!

[DabDab]

If it was me I would go straight to the new place, just because I would have gone and manically checked all available options already and would want the decision off my plate. But there are lots of sensible reasons to go back to existing barn first too....

 

[Michen]

If it was me I would go straight to the new place, just because I would have gone and manically checked all available options already and would want the decision off my plate. But there are lots of sensible reasons to go back to existing barn first too....

I’m going there tomorrow at 8am now to look but think likely I’d still go to existing barn first for a few reasons.

Have had my hopefully final hysterical cry of the day, wow it’s tiring.

 

[meesha]

Hope you haven't got too bad a headache, with the blubbing always seems to come a headache!!

I'm sure you already have, but is it worth asking the staff at the vets for recommendations for barns? Seems a long round trip to the rehab one but just throwing it out there....is it easier to move your accommodation closer to your new chosen barn if u have a bit of time to sort it before a. The snow and b. You have to leave current barn.

 

[Michen]

Hope you haven't got too bad a headache, with the blubbing always seems to come a headache!!

I'm sure you already have, but is it worth asking the staff at the vets for recommendations for barns? Seems a long round trip to the rehab one but just throwing it out there....is it easier to move your accommodation closer to your new chosen barn if u have a bit of time to sort it before a. The snow and b. You have to leave current barn.

I have but none that are any closer. Unfortunately most barns with turnout are either south (where this barn is) or north.

Honestly at this point the travel doesn’t worry me, no different to people that do a daily commute to work.

 

[Honey08]

I think you should go and have a look at the other yard, get a proper idea rather than just seeing their website (although the fields do look much better for level turnout), and have a good talk to them. Check out the drive. See how you feel then.

 

[teapot]

Definitely visit before making any decisions - understand the snow issue, but a 90min round trip doens't sound ideal if you needed to get there in an emergency either. I'd be interested to know how tall those walls are between boxes too - are they low enough Bog could be annoyed by/annoy a neighbour?

Re current place, while you've got these two weeks, is it somewhere that would be receptive to you showing staff how you need/want Boggle handled so that in worst case scenario/emergency, someone is able to jump in and do him for you?

 

[Michen]

Definitely visit before making any decisions - understand the snow issue, but a 90min round trip doens't sound ideal if you needed to get there in an emergency either. I'd be interested to know how tall those walls are between boxes too - are they low enough Bog could be annoyed by/annoy a neighbour?

Re current place, while you've got these two weeks, is it somewhere that would be receptive to you showing staff how you need/want Boggle handled so that in worst case scenario/emergency, someone is able to jump in and do him for you?

Yes there’s lots of people there. Just the day to day handling both ends of day is done by barn hands.

I don’t think I’ll have any choice re travel if I want good turn out.

I’m just with him now. The little bugger is trying to roll (no bog I’m not going through that). Discontent with trying to give me a heart attack whilst I watch him roll and get up, he thought scratching his ear with his back leg would be more appropriate

Are you serious Boggle!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

That’s 90 minutes of driving round trip if traffic is perfect. I’d say that’s too far away?

Welcome to America, specifically the Midwest.

I've had and will have again a one hour commute, one way, to get to a decent barn or any barn.

It's frustrating and hard. Fortunately I'm not here for too long! My exit strategy is in place.

So I get having to lengthen your commute to get to somewhere decent. It sucks, but sometimes you have to.

 

[Michen]

Ps teapot good point about those stall walls. I’ll have to look. Got another place to see Tuesday but that’s even further.

 

[Kunoichi73]

Yes there’s lots of people there. Just the day to day handling both ends of day is done by barn hands.

I don’t think I’ll have any choice re travel if I want good turn out.

I’m just with him now. The little bugger is trying to roll (no bog I’m not going through that). Discontent with trying to give me a heart attack whilst I watch him roll and get up, he thought scratching his ear with his back leg would be more appropriate

Are you serious Boggle!

View attachment 125305

He seems to be really working on maximising your stress levels, doesn't he!

 

[Michen]

He rolled. He staggered quite a bit getting up but he didn’t have to attempt multiple times or anything like that.

I’m still terrified of taking him home the first thing he will do when he gets home is roll.

 

[Michen]

Holy shit.

 

[Michen]

I guess I’m going to be working from a coffee shop near the barn for the next couple of weeks. If he makes it that long.

 

[clairebearnz]

Thank you for this!! Is DMSO the drug that makes them absolutely stink? I think that’s what they said it was. I’ve never smelt anything like it!

Yes it is! I actually threw out the rug he had worn during that period because the smell clung onto it. Poor Fred, the other horses wouldn't talk to him for a solid week because he smelled bad. If I remember correctly, it can cross the blood/brain barrier and carry other drugs with it and also on its own, can be a good anti-inflammatory for acute neurological issues caused by inflammation of the spinal cord etc. With Fred, we were limited to what we could do on farm (he was too neurological to transport) but DMSO and high levels of IV then oral bute seemed to do the trick.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I guess I’m going to be working from a coffee shop near the barn for the next couple of weeks. If he makes it that long.

I was about to say...it's basically a full time job!

 

[SEL]

I use DMSO on splints - with rubber gloves. Honks!

He might not be helping your blood pressure rolling & scratching but he's managing to do it ok without falling over so I'd say that's a big win. I couldn't stand to watch the wobbler I knew get up after rolling it was such a struggle.

You're going to need coffee to remember all those drugs ...

 

[asmp]

Holy shit.

View attachment 125307

OMG. And I worry about getting one prascend tablet in mine! I feel for you.

 

[meesha]

Blimey, at least u wont have time to worry about Boggle u will be too busy !! At least he's timed it perfectly as most of the drugs look to be 14 days apart from one. When is his recheck ?

The fact that he can up and down with little problem and coordinate to have a good scratch has got to be good news !!

 

[Trouper]

Good grief, Michen. Please remember to look after yourself over the next couple of weeks too. It sounds as if the mental and physical toll are going to be horrendous. I agree with others to get him back and go see the other places to be really sure before you move. Fingers crossed that you have a good weather window to get everything organised before the snow comes so that you can know you have made the right decision - nothing worse than being rushed into one. The mere fact of being home from the vets may show you one way or the other how things are going with Bog and how he is coping.
We are keeping all fingers and toes crossed for you both.

 

[FlyingCircus]

Looking at those instructions, I'd book him straight into the rehab yard so they can cover atleast some and keep a closer eye on him.

There's no way I could be there 1-2 hrs before he has first feed, then 3 other separate occasions to make sure he gets the meds he needs. I'd 100% burn out after a few days.

With that sort of care I'd expect to need to be at the yard most of the day.

 

[AmyMay]

Deleted

 

[cauda equina]

It might be worth talking to your vets to see if the drug regime could be simplified a bit

What they've given you might be the gold standard of how it should be done, and how they would do things on their own premises/with their own staff
For someone managing their own horse they might be able to suggest something more pragmatic and less onerous

 

[Asha]

Can he stay at the vets a bit longer ? That’s some regime especially as you have to drive a fair distance to get to him .

 

[Michen]

Yes he was able to get up first attempt but he did stagger a couple of feet doing it. I am concerned about him crashing into a stable wall (the barn I put a link here to- you can see the walls are sort of wooden and don’t look as strong). His current barn has very sturdy stables all lined with wall mats

Having seen the drug regime in 100% taking him back to original yard for the rest of the month as its 20 mins away and i can get there much easier. The sucralfate is the trickiest- 3 times a day but can’t be given within two hours of other medications!!!

I am going to try calling the actual rehab yard again today, didn’t hear back from them yesterday.

Yes I’d love to leave him at the vets longer but it’s SO expensive and also not exactly nice for him, I’d rather he was at home.

It’s not going to be easy and if he’s not improved a decent amount in two weeks he will be PTS. He needs to improve from where he is now- he is not field ornament “ok” by any means.

4.20am and I feel totally overwhelmed at the thought of getting him later. I’m going to see that other barn this morning.

 

[Asha]

You really are one in a million . I’m sure he knows you have and will continue to go above and beyond for him . I hope these next few weeks are easier for you both

 

[Michen]

The reality is it’s 14 days. The sucralphate is to prevent ulcers because of all the drugs he’s on, if he occasionally doesn’t get that exact perfect doseage I don’t see it being the end of the world.

14 days of what seems impossible for a horse whose given me 7 years of endless fun is nothing.

There’s a great coffee shop 5 mins away. I’ll be parking myself there for the next two weeks

 

[Asha]

When our foal was poorly a few weeks ago we had a mixture of 5 different medications to give across morning, noon and night . I put a little spreadsheet up In the tack room to help my daughter . I even included bits of the packaging so she wouldn’t get mixed up . She coped brilliantly with it and to be fair so do the foal, even the injections ( I was in hospital for a bit of it so couldn’t help )
The time flew and he improved and is now absolutely fine . Will be keeping everything crossed you have the same outcome. Best of British luck

ETA .. it can feel overwhelming, just break it down and work one day at a time

 

[SEL]

The reality is it’s 14 days. The sucralphate is to prevent ulcers because of all the drugs he’s on, if he occasionally doesn’t get that exact perfect doseage I don’t see it being the end of the world.

14 days of what seems impossible for a horse whose given me 7 years of endless fun is nothing.

There’s a great coffee shop 5 mins away. I’ll be parking myself there for the next two weeks

Would the barn help with one of the sulcralfate doses or the first omeprazole dose of the day?

Its worth asking the vets what time of day they are currently giving all of those and drawing up a timetable. When its written down it might be obvious that there is something they can really help you out with.

I'm hoping your coffee shop does good cake too.

 

[Michen]

When our foal was poorly a few weeks ago we had a mixture of 5 different medications to give across morning, noon and night . I put a little spreadsheet up In the tack room to help my daughter . I even included bits of the packaging so she wouldn’t get mixed up . She coped brilliantly with it and to be fair so do the foal, even the injections ( I was in hospital for a bit of it so couldn’t help )
The time flew and he improved and is now absolutely fine . Will be keeping everything crossed you have the same outcome. Best of British luck

ETA .. it can feel overwhelming, just break it down and work one day at a time

Thanks Asha. It’s so complicated I need to see what the barn can/can’t do but tbh I think I’m better doing it myself so I know it’s all been done exactly right.

I think the night check person could do one of the sucralfates, I used to grind it up and put it on feed so I could leave it ready outside stable.

 

[Michen]

Would the barn help with one of the sulcralfate doses or the first omeprazole dose of the day?

Its worth asking the vets what time of day they are currently giving all of those and drawing up a timetable. When its written down it might be obvious that there is something they can really help you out with.

I'm hoping your coffee shop does good cake too.

When I was gastroguarding him before I just got there at 6am before they fed at 7am so I’ll probably just do that tbh. But very good idea re the rest I’m going to write it out.

I know I’ll want to do most of it myself, though. To make sure it’s all done totally correct.