Boggle- USA bound!

[Michen]

I’m thinking out loud as well, and although I’m getting ahead of myself because he may not come out of this. I think I will find somewhere for him (once he’s off any medication) to just go out on good grass and recuperate for a few months. There’s so much rain and there is loads of grass around at the moment, I think it wouldn’t be too hard to find somewhere for him to go and be let down, stay outside etc. And if I can find it at altitude then it shouldn’t be too hot for him being out 24/7.

I dunno, just a thought. I just feel like he’s been through a lot and although before this happened he looked unbelievable, a bit of Dr green can’t be a bad thing. Everything I’m reading says full recovery (if they ever make one) from pneumonia is several months.

He would probably get kicked out for bad behaviour if not in the right herd so I’d need to keep my stall at his current barn as back up

Does that sound like a dumb idea I don’t know, the care is excellent where he is and he’s obviously been doing very well before this. I wouldn’t want him out 24/7 in the crazy winter weather but at 8500 feet in the summer it could actually be really nice for him. But I’m not sure how he would be in a herd, he would have to be the boss. He is a thug. But he is mellowing with age.

 

[ponynutz]

I think that might be a good idea - even if just to give you some peace of mind!

 

[Michen]

He didn’t look good, that cough is definitely worse

 

[CanteringCarrot]

The cough may very well get worse before it gets better, and he might just be tired. Same as we get when we're ill.

 

[Michen]

Yeah, I guess. The vet tech was saying it’s just so unusual that they can’t get his temperature down. I get the feeling they think there may be something else, she did say something about a long scope to see if he’s injested anything if no improvement.

Every time I feel a little hopeful it’s quickly squashed.

 

[Caol Ila]

He looks tired but who wouldn't be.

I really hope they figure out the fever soon and get it down.

A bit of grass livery at a low key barn wouldn't be stupid.

 

[Michen]

The relative calmness of the day has cracked. Just been spending hours reading about pneumonia cases, going through photos of Bog. Full of panic, I just cannot lose him and I feel like I’m going to. Ate plenty today as I felt positive ish and now can’t keep it down.

Why, when there’s so many horses PTS because they can’t do a job (and I totally understand that- I’ve done it myself), is it mine - who I just want to live even if he is never ridden again, that ends up in this situation?

It doesn’t matter what he can or can’t do ridden wise I just need him to be alive and well even if that’s retired and it feels like he won’t even get that. FFS.

 

[equinerebel]

Oh, I’m so sorry to read you’re in a bad place. He looks tired, but still fantastic for everything he’s going through. He’s a real testament to you and there’s hope - remember that. He is still fighting this! It really may not mean much from a stranger on the internet, but I am continuing to send all of my strongest positive vibes his way. You’ve got this, Bog

 

[Michen]

My post about Basil (who I lost to a broken leg standing up from colic surgery), and when I got “Jack” aka “Boggle”. How funny to look back on it, if I knew then what that horse would become…

Shame the photos don’t work!

Basil

I think Jack has a lovely eye and will prove to be a cracker. I find one horse never replaces another in our hearts but we make space for the new ones.

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[LeneHorse]

Sending you some healing vibes and kind thoughts from bonnie Scotland. Hope he pulls through

 

[scats]

The relative calmness of the day has cracked. Just been spending hours reading about pneumonia cases, going through photos of Bog. Full of panic, I just cannot lose him and I feel like I’m going to. Ate plenty today as I felt positive ish and now can’t keep it down.

Why, when there’s so many horses PTS because they can’t do a job (and I totally understand that- I’ve done it myself), is it mine - who I just want to live even if he is never ridden again, that ends up in this situation?

It doesn’t matter what he can or can’t do ridden wise I just need him to be alive and well even if that’s retired and it feels like he won’t even get that. FFS.

I remember thinking that about the Diva. Id have done anything to have kept her around as just a pet and my heart still breaks over her. She was 10 and it was insanely unfair.

Though Boggle looks tired on that picture, he still looks in great condition. I think the cough might take a few days before it starts getting better.

 

[Michen]

I remember thinking that about the Diva. Id have done anything to have kept her around as just a pet and my heart still breaks over her. She was 10 and it was insanely unfair.

Though Boggle looks tired on that picture, he still looks in great condition. I think the cough might take a few days before it starts getting better.

The antibiotics need to start working though otherwise that means the broad spectrum ones aren’t a goer and that’s going to get serious very quickly. We won’t have a culture until Monday to know what to treat with.

The vet tech I think made me feel much more negative than the vet somehow (she was lovely, but said how concerned they were about his lungs).

I keep thinking about that wonderful event horse quarrycrest echo who got shipping fever aka pneumonia and didn’t make it.

I. Am. A. Mess.

 

[Red-1]

I am actually surprised how well he looks. He has kept his condition, looks hydrated and calm. He is fighting this.

Breathe. It really does help. You have to do more then 4 of the breaths. He needs you strong to make the decisions (and pay the bill!).

 

[scats]

The antibiotics need to start working though otherwise that means the broad spectrum ones aren’t a goer and that’s going to get serious very quickly. We won’t have a culture until Monday to know what to treat with.

The vet tech I think made me feel much more negative than the vet somehow (she was lovely, but said how concerned they were about his lungs).

I keep thinking about that wonderful event horse quarrycrest echo who got shipping fever aka pneumonia and didn’t make it.

I. Am. A. Mess.

Sending a virtual hug. If he’s still hungry and eating, that’s a good sign, so keep holding on to that. His body is giving it everything to fight whatever it is.

 

[Michen]

I am actually surprised how well he looks. He has kept his condition, looks hydrated and calm. He is fighting this.

Breathe. It really does help. You have to do more then 4 of the breaths. He needs you strong to make the decisions (and pay the bill!).

I did actually go back and read your post when I started shaking and thought I may be on the edge of a panic attack (never had one). It helped. Thank you.

I know this is pathetic and there’s far worse tragedies in life than the loss of their horse but this is the “thing” that’s always haunted me and it’s like some sort of weird reality being played out.

I am a keep calm and carry on kind of person. Or maybe not calm, more like need to fix this now, but definitely carry on.. I cannot apply that to this.

 

[SEL]

Have they tried switching antibiotics to see if something else will bring his temperature down?

I think he looks well too. Fed up but that's understandable.

 

[Red-1]

I did actually go back and read your post when I started shaking and thought I may be on the edge of a panic attack (never had one). It helped. Thank you.

I know this is pathetic and there’s far worse tragedies in life than the loss of their horse but this is the “thing” that’s always haunted me and it’s like some sort of weird reality being played out.

I am a keep calm and carry on kind of person. Or maybe not calm, more like need to fix this now, but definitely carry on.. I cannot apply that to this.

I get it, I really do. I get the whole enormity of it and the self-blame.

I am glad it helped. It is sad that the time you need to do the calming most is the very time it is the hardest to do.

Another exercise that I find helpful was called "the deer inside you" but I don't remember where I found it. I will mis-quote but this is how I do it.

Picture a scared little deer in your chest, the part that is aching. It is scared and feels like you do right now, under threat, terrified. Sit down and bend your head, curling round the deer inside you, as if tuning in and protecting it. Feel the fast breaths and shaking of the deer inside you. Hold your hands as if cradling the little fawn. Take some more breaths, slowing them, as if trying to slow the panicked deer.

This is the hard part, but to me the most effective part of the exercise. Actually start to soothe the deer with your hands. Stroke the deer in your chest. Really sooth it by stroking your chest. Keep the picture of the deer in your mind as you stroke your sternum. Think of just the deer as you breathe slower to calm the deer and stroke it to sooth the deer.

This is the most effective exercise that I have ever done.

 

[Jellymoon]

I’m so sorry that you are going through this, what a nightmare. It’s really important you don’t blame yourself, and you have to put the ‘what ifs’ out of your mind if you possibly can. Surely it cannot be shipping fever as that’s normally within 14 days of travel.

He’s been looking very well, and very happy and settled, he was clearly enjoying his jumping and hacking in the latest pics.

The vet sounds brilliant, very invested and they look like they’re taking amazing care of him, and you had no choice but to get him to the nearest place, he may not have got this far if you had taken him further.

You’ve done everything right. It’s one of those things nobody could see coming. Wishing you and Boggle all the very best of luck…there is hope, his coat is still shiny and he’s eating…

 

[southerncomfort]

I am actually surprised how well he looks. He has kept his condition, looks hydrated and calm. He is fighting this.

Breathe. It really does help. You have to do more then 4 of the breaths. He needs you strong to make the decisions (and pay the bill!).

Same here.

He's been so well behaved throughout, I expect he's starting to feel a bit fed up now, but for a poorly horse he looks good.

 

[equinerebel]

The cultures are important. Once they get those back, they’ll know exactly which antibiotic to use to blast the pneumonia out.

There may be “worse” things going on in the world, but this is the worst thing going on in your world. Be kind to yourself

 

[Trouper]

I keep coming back to this thread both in fear and hope of the news it may bring so I can hardly imagine what terrors you are feeling. It is easy for us to say try not to meet the horrors half way so, for now, all I can suggest is to cling on to the "science bit".

When we are ill sometimes the first antibiotic doesn't work. In that case it would almost be as if he is receiving an aspirin for the problem so I don't find it surprising that he still has fever and is coughing. Hang on in there until they get the test results back and can find the best antibiotic for him.

However, if his coughing is worse, I think this first antibiotic might be having some effect to loosen the infection and the coughing is his body's way of clearing his lungs - like a cough lingering long after a cold had moved into its final stages with us.

Keep the faith - he needs you to stay positive for him.

 

[doodle]

My horse had a terrible lung infection a couple of years ago. He wasn’t coughing or snotty. But his resp rate went up to “panic” levels. He was scoped and we found large amounts of horrible thick mucus in his lungs.

The vet said the problem was that he wasn’t/couldn’t cough. And in fact what we really wanted was for him to cough. So I think the fact that bog IS coughing is a really good thing.

My horse was really ill for a while, he was deemed too ill to travel. It took a while to work out the lung issue as no cough. However once we cultured and found the correct anti biotic (he had bronco dilators until then) he improved. I think in total he was on abx for 6 weeks. He then needed inhaled steroids as his breathing was still too fast. He had 2 courses of “equihaler” which did the trick.

At the same time he also had ulcers and was aneamic and we really did think we would loose him. The inhaler was the last chance.

 

[tristar]

I’m thinking out loud as well, and although I’m getting ahead of myself because he may not come out of this. I think I will find somewhere for him (once he’s off any medication) to just go out on good grass and recuperate for a few months. There’s so much rain and there is loads of grass around at the moment, I think it wouldn’t be too hard to find somewhere for him to go and be let down, stay outside etc. And if I can find it at altitude then it shouldn’t be too hot for him being out 24/7.

I dunno, just a thought. I just feel like he’s been through a lot and although before this happened he looked unbelievable, a bit of Dr green can’t be a bad thing. Everything I’m reading says full recovery (if they ever make one) from pneumonia is several months.

He would probably get kicked out for bad behaviour if not in the right herd so I’d need to keep my stall at his current barn as back up

Does that sound like a dumb idea I don’t know, the care is excellent where he is and he’s obviously been doing very well before this. I wouldn’t want him out 24/7 in the crazy winter weather but at 8500 feet in the summer it could actually be really nice for him. But I’m not sure how he would be in a herd, he would have to be the boss. He is a thug. But he is mellowing with age.

excellent idea, in the old days they would send people off to somewhere nice, for a while after hospital, special places where they got looked after but less intensely than a hospital

maybe he would get on with another individual horse as a mate, the right one.


relaxation and rest are the way to go, plus any advice from vets

he looks to me relaxed posture wise, on his journey through his illness.

try eating some porridge it lines the stomach and some protein like eggs and toast.

i always thought a cough gets worse as you pass out of a virus

its the start of the insect season, transmission, and there are different plants over there to consider, if you need to

 

[palo1]

I’m thinking out loud as well, and although I’m getting ahead of myself because he may not come out of this. I think I will find somewhere for him (once he’s off any medication) to just go out on good grass and recuperate for a few months. There’s so much rain and there is loads of grass around at the moment, I think it wouldn’t be too hard to find somewhere for him to go and be let down, stay outside etc. And if I can find it at altitude then it shouldn’t be too hot for him being out 24/7.

I dunno, just a thought. I just feel like he’s been through a lot and although before this happened he looked unbelievable, a bit of Dr green can’t be a bad thing. Everything I’m reading says full recovery (if they ever make one) from pneumonia is several months.

He would probably get kicked out for bad behaviour if not in the right herd so I’d need to keep my stall at his current barn as back up

Does that sound like a dumb idea I don’t know, the care is excellent where he is and he’s obviously been doing very well before this. I wouldn’t want him out 24/7 in the crazy winter weather but at 8500 feet in the summer it could actually be really nice for him. But I’m not sure how he would be in a herd, he would have to be the boss. He is a thug. But he is mellowing with age.

To be honest I would think perhaps not immediately - he might be 'safer' where he has already accustomed himself to the existing germs/challenges and routines for a few weeks whilst his immune system recalibrates and he recovers mentally. After that a nice period of turnout, true relaxation and Dr Green would probably do him good. It's just cautious thinking about adding in new psychological, environmental and biological challenges really but once he is properly better I think it would be lovely! A summer on high meadows sounds bliss to me lol.

 

[Ossy2]

To be honest I would think perhaps not immediately - he might be 'safer' where he has already accustomed himself to the existing germs/challenges and routines for a few weeks whilst his immune system recalibrates and he recovers mentally. After that a nice period of turnout, true relaxation and Dr Green would probably do him good. It's just cautious thinking about adding in new psychological, environmental and biological challenges really but once he is properly better I think it would be lovely! A summer on high meadows sounds bliss to me lol.

I have to say I do agree with this, you might find he then doesn’t then need to move anywhere but you sound like you have such a good support network and friends built up there that will know to keep an extra eye on him rather than having to stress about him being in another new environment.
Maybe it’s a bit of reaction to mentally not wanting to take him back to where he got sick and if it was something to do with the yard then fair enough but this sounds very similar to my retired horse and it’s just unfortunate they have picked it.

 

[anguscat]

Really sorry to read your recent updates. The photo does show that he’s still in good condition which is comforting and with pneumonia a cough is maybe better than no cough. I hope very much that those culture results come out bang on time
Are you getting any sleep? Boggle needs you well. Hugs and bestest wishes.

 

[tda]

He is a native pony and I'd only get really worried when he wasn't eating wasn't he due to go out in herd grazing at your current yard or have I remembered that wrongly?

 

[J&S]

A lady I know through Trec has had her young horse go through very much the same as Boggle is going through right now. Very high temperatures, spiking, going down a bit and returning. Diagnosed eventually as pneumonia. I just want to reassure you he has rallied through and returning to health. Your pony is so well in himself I am sure he will do the same.
He looks great despite all, they must close down a bit what with all the drugs and isolation, lack of movement, rather like a poorly patient in hospital. The day he shakes his head and "wakes up" you will know he is on the mend! Very best wishes to you both.

 

[Upthecreek]

I am so sorry you are going through this. I know the photo is a moment in time but if Boggle looks like that most of the time right now I think he looks good considering everything he has been through. He’s got his head up and still looks alert and ‘in the fight’. I’ve never had a horse get pneumonia, but I had it 5 years ago and it makes you feel absolutely dreadful, like you are suffocating. I was in hospital for two weeks and recovery was long. Stay strong, you’re one of the most vigilant and dedicated horse owners and you totally deserve a good outcome. Keeping everything crossed for Boggle.

 

[Michen]

Thank you. Yes they are starting a few hours turnout every other day on the grass pastures. I wasn't thinking I'd move him straight away as even if he does come back I imagine he'd be on antibiotics for a long time. Anyway, tbh that just feels like a very unrealistic hope right now I don't know why I was even thinking about it.

I took a big whack of melatonin and got some sleep.

Just waiting for the morning update.