dollymix
Well-Known Member
Hoping for some ‘real-life’ experience type advice after what has been a roller coaster of a fortnight. It has been the most stressful and worrying two weeks a horse owner can imagine.
It’s a long story so I wont bore you with every detail but my mare had emergency surgery a week last Thursday to remove an ovarian tumour which had ‘erupted’ and caused peritonitis. (The story started earlier than that - lets just say I am relieved I know my horse so well!)
The vets, (my own) and the fantastic hospital she is at, were all baffled – as it was suspected that she had colitis. It was only when they opened her up and ‘explored’ that they even found the mangled tumour. Poor girly must have been in so much pain, but wasn’t even showing signs of colic. Just quiet and not eating, with a high temperature (no sweating or shaking). She was also doing some teeth grinding which was really the only pain indicator.
The Head Vet said she must have tough Welsh blood as if she was a TB she would have been rolling around on the floor in agony...all she was doing was looking a bit glum!
I was in two minds to operate as I know the success rate is not always good on equine surgery but I spoke at length to the Head vet at the hospital who said she was a good candidate for surgery.
Anyway – cutting the story short, she had the op, tumour duly found (benign thankfully) and came round from the anaesthetic and has been in hospital since. In herself, she hasn’t been too bad – tucking into grass in hand, but to top it all off, my poor girl was suffering with peritonitis after the damaged ovary leaked yucky stuff into the abdomen. She was treated for this, but all the meds then gave her an auto-immune issue where her body was breaking down red blood cells.
On Friday the hospital attempted a belly tap for the peritonitis and they couldn’t get a sample so they said that this is seen as a good thing…as peritonitis produces excess liquid – plus her temp was down, so the plan over the weekend was to stop the ultra-strong antibiotics and give her steroids to help with the blood issue.
Spoke to the vet this morning and they are very happy with her progress over the weekend and they hope to send her home, possibly tomorrow!
I have been out of my mind with worry for two weeks, especially the day of the surgery and a few days after. I know we all love our horses, but she really does mean everything to me so I was devastated. I think I was driving the hospital mad as I have spoke to them twice a day and also visited every day to hand graze. I think the feeling of helplessness meant that if I at least walked her out for grass I felt I was doing something.
So in theory, I should be over the moon – and I am so pleased they think she is well enough to come home. But I am super worried too because now she wont be monitored 24/7 (she has been in ICU) and it will be all down to me!
I am on a great yard and know the other liveries will keep an eye on her too.
She is on box rest with hand grazing for about 6 weeks and then small pen turnout for 8 weeks after that. If all is good, she can then begin her ridden life again. The vet said the incision they made in her abdomen is much longer than usual as they thought they were looking at a colon issue, not an ovarian problem.
I am wondering if anyone has experienced caring for a horse after surgery such as this? I know colic surgery is similar in that the incision is in the same location, but I understand from the vet that concern over feeding is less in her case as it was not to do with digestive system.
So any experiences in caring for a post-op horse would be great. I know she will still be at risk of colic from adhesions forming – has anyone experienced this after such an operation? Any other issues to keep an eye on? I will probably be a paranoid horse owner for quite some time now!!
Photo of said gorgeous girly sporting her super-slimming girdle
It’s a long story so I wont bore you with every detail but my mare had emergency surgery a week last Thursday to remove an ovarian tumour which had ‘erupted’ and caused peritonitis. (The story started earlier than that - lets just say I am relieved I know my horse so well!)
The vets, (my own) and the fantastic hospital she is at, were all baffled – as it was suspected that she had colitis. It was only when they opened her up and ‘explored’ that they even found the mangled tumour. Poor girly must have been in so much pain, but wasn’t even showing signs of colic. Just quiet and not eating, with a high temperature (no sweating or shaking). She was also doing some teeth grinding which was really the only pain indicator.
The Head Vet said she must have tough Welsh blood as if she was a TB she would have been rolling around on the floor in agony...all she was doing was looking a bit glum!
I was in two minds to operate as I know the success rate is not always good on equine surgery but I spoke at length to the Head vet at the hospital who said she was a good candidate for surgery.
Anyway – cutting the story short, she had the op, tumour duly found (benign thankfully) and came round from the anaesthetic and has been in hospital since. In herself, she hasn’t been too bad – tucking into grass in hand, but to top it all off, my poor girl was suffering with peritonitis after the damaged ovary leaked yucky stuff into the abdomen. She was treated for this, but all the meds then gave her an auto-immune issue where her body was breaking down red blood cells.
On Friday the hospital attempted a belly tap for the peritonitis and they couldn’t get a sample so they said that this is seen as a good thing…as peritonitis produces excess liquid – plus her temp was down, so the plan over the weekend was to stop the ultra-strong antibiotics and give her steroids to help with the blood issue.
Spoke to the vet this morning and they are very happy with her progress over the weekend and they hope to send her home, possibly tomorrow!
I have been out of my mind with worry for two weeks, especially the day of the surgery and a few days after. I know we all love our horses, but she really does mean everything to me so I was devastated. I think I was driving the hospital mad as I have spoke to them twice a day and also visited every day to hand graze. I think the feeling of helplessness meant that if I at least walked her out for grass I felt I was doing something.
So in theory, I should be over the moon – and I am so pleased they think she is well enough to come home. But I am super worried too because now she wont be monitored 24/7 (she has been in ICU) and it will be all down to me!
I am on a great yard and know the other liveries will keep an eye on her too.
She is on box rest with hand grazing for about 6 weeks and then small pen turnout for 8 weeks after that. If all is good, she can then begin her ridden life again. The vet said the incision they made in her abdomen is much longer than usual as they thought they were looking at a colon issue, not an ovarian problem.
I am wondering if anyone has experienced caring for a horse after surgery such as this? I know colic surgery is similar in that the incision is in the same location, but I understand from the vet that concern over feeding is less in her case as it was not to do with digestive system.
So any experiences in caring for a post-op horse would be great. I know she will still be at risk of colic from adhesions forming – has anyone experienced this after such an operation? Any other issues to keep an eye on? I will probably be a paranoid horse owner for quite some time now!!
Photo of said gorgeous girly sporting her super-slimming girdle