How much is too much? My poor boy

Snowfilly

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Looking for some insight because I'm too exhausted to do it myself.

My poor clydesdale is 20 this May. Last year, he had a mysterious virus in March which resulted in 3 days severe illness, almost like flu. He came back from that and enjoyed some in hand shows and hacking, after 3 weeks complete rest. Blood tests were inconclusive.

In late August, he developed a sudden and nasty abcess which needed vet treatment and stabling for 4 weeks, although he was allowed in hand walks once he was sound.

In late September, he went to a show, fell in the lorry despite a 10 year history of being a wonderful traveller and cut his face and lips as well as bruising his ribs. Needed a week's rest, came back to hacking again.

In October, the sarcoid he'd had for a couple of years had an awful growth spurt and began to rub against his sheath, meaning an operation was needed. Against my express wishes (and that's another story) the vet used Liverpool cream as part of the treatment and horse had awful reaction, losing a great deal of weight and the site being incredibly painful. The last of the scab only fell off a fortnight ago. He spent most of the winter stabled, and only started being walked out in January.

Last night, he was lame. This morning, vet says there's a toe abcess which we've relieved but she's concerned that there's something else in the foot causing pain and thinks the abcess from last year may have spread and possibly infected the bone or hoof capsule.

He is uninsured and uninsurable. Obviously, if the infection has spread he will be put down. If there's improvement, he will have to be stabled completely to allow the hoof to grow down - the hole she's made is massive, I would have preferred a farrier dug it out but wasn't possible. Probably another 8 weeks at least, if not more.

I feel so conflicted - I love this horse to bits. I wanted so badly to get him right but this ongoing list of problems mean that he's been stabled and on painkillers for a good part of the last year. Yesterday morning, I was grooming him in the sunshine and thinking we could do some shows next month - he looks a million dollars. He has been enjoying hacking out, limited only by daylight, and we were doing some schooling sessions as well.

Today, I looked at his poor face as I put him back in the stable. He's so miserable, in so much pain and I just don't know if it's fair on him to put him through it again when there's no garuntee he'll be fit for any length of time. He just seems to be on an everlasting sick note and I'm wondering if I'm being selfish because each time I say 'no more' but next time, it's another seperate issue and the vet says it's more than worth treating and he keeps getting better, back in work, which makes it harder to think about.

Should I put him through it all over again, I guess is what I'm asking.
 

Pearlsasinger

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Looking for some insight because I'm too exhausted to do it myself.







Today, I looked at his poor face as I put him back in the stable. He's so miserable, in so much pain and I just don't know if it's fair on him to put him through it again when there's no garuntee he'll be fit for any length of time. He just seems to be on an everlasting sick note and I'm wondering if I'm being selfish because each time I say 'no more' but next time, it's another seperate issue and the vet says it's more than worth treating and he keeps getting better, back in work, which makes it harder to think about.

Should I put him through it all over again, I guess is what I'm asking.

As one Heavy Horse owner to another, I really do sympathise. I had to pts my Draft mare at the end of November, she had been treated for Cushings for just over 12 months, she was 23. My farrier who had always made me very aware that should she get laminitis, there would be nothing that we could do because of her size and weight, told me that we had done very well to get her to that age. My first Clydie was, according to the vet, almost 40 yrs old when she had to be pts but then I had 2 other heavies who were 6 and 11 respectively, the gene pool is getting smaller and that affects their long term health.

If yours hasn't been tested for Cushings, I would do that, Prascend made a lot of difference to the quality of life for my mare over the last year but, of course, the disease progressed, while the symptoms were suppressed. She had had a long-term foot abscess and an ongoing skin condition, which all cleared up.

Otherwise, I'm afraid I would look at his quality of life and make a judgement. Sometimes loving them means that you have to make the hardest decision.
 

ozpoz

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If a vet does something "against my express wishes" as you say your vet has done, then I'd be looking for another vet who respects my wishes first of all. Only then, would I have confidence in them.

I'm sorry about your horse, what an awful run of luck he has had.

If I couldn't keep him pain free long term, then I would be making that hard decision. A hole in the foot doesn't mean he has to be in. Once an abscess has drained it should be easy to pack the hole and turn out with a boot on, for at least part of the day.
 

Frumpoon

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none of those individual episodes sounds that terrible

I understand all together it sounds like a long haul but I'd keep going x
 

doodle

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Sounds like alot of little things none if which need that decision. It's bad luck and a pain. I have had robin w years and it has been one thing after another so I get your pain. If there is infection in the bone then pts is sencibkr but just for an abcess and a hole there are ways to plug it and get them out.
 

holeymoley

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They're probably all related to him being run down with the first problem. Keep going unless it's obviously gone too far :(
 

soloequestrian

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When my mare (TBx) got to about 22, she just started falling apart. She had been a really healthy horse all her life, but at 22 she got an abscess that infected her pedal bone (I still have no idea how). She had the operation and got laminitis after the anaesthetic. She did recover from that, had a year or so where we went back to competing, but then at 23/24 she just had ailment after ailment - cellulitis, I think she fractured her skull (again NO IDEA how she managed it), injured her knee (ditto) which eventually meant she had difficulty getting up off the ground and at that point we called it a day. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't put her through the operation on her foot. I'm not entirely sure what my message is here, other than think of the horse, his age and how much time he would have left anyway.
 

Ceriann

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You’ve had a terrible run with him and it must be so difficult to see some light but unless the infection has spread I would keep going. Yes he’s in pain now but an abscess is acute (I’ve had horses who I thought had broken limbs that turned out to be low grade abscesses) and with treatment should clear. He could go out booted - I use a poultice boot for mine (with foot wrapped and taped). If he was bright and happy a few days ago and he looks well, I wouldn’t let this latest blip be more than that. I really do hope you get good news re the infection.
 

LaurenBay

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none of those individual episodes sounds that terrible

I understand all together it sounds like a long haul but I'd keep going x

This ^^^ rotten luck OP but I do not think any of the issues are ones that cannot be fixed easily (unless the infection has spread which is a different scenario)
 

Snowfilly

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Brief update for anyone wondering: the vet kicked me up the a£&! So did my riding instructor. They both pointed out that all the things have been minor, aside from the reaction to the sarcoid cream which had healed, and there didn't seem to be any link between anything.

They advised to keep going, bute and poultice for a few days. We then moved him to to the riding school, where he is allowed to stay in the indoor school every night so he's getting plenty of exercise. The abscess has healed really well, and the farrier is putting hoof putty in tomorrow so he'll be able to go out without a boot.

He's been grazing in the car parks quite a bit, had three short rides in the school and I keep finding random small children taking photos of him.

Overall, the best possible outcome and all we need to do is put some weight back on from the intial hunger strike. Thank you all for the support :)
 

Snowfilly

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Last update - went to a town show with him yesterday. Second in the rare breeds, second in the heavy horses, and then we gave up and run home before the best condition class because I was melting. Picked up two Royal London qualification tickets as well as plenty of compliments on his condition and general 'love of life,' which I think was polite talk for 'your horse is bouncing...again.'

The happiest of endings :)
 

ILuvCowparsely

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Looking for some insight because I'm too exhausted to do it myself.

My poor clydesdale is 20 this May. Last year, he had a mysterious virus in March which resulted in 3 days severe illness, almost like flu. He came back from that and enjoyed some in hand shows and hacking, after 3 weeks complete rest. Blood tests were inconclusive.

In late August, he developed a sudden and nasty abcess which needed vet treatment and stabling for 4 weeks, although he was allowed in hand walks once he was sound.

In late September, he went to a show, fell in the lorry despite a 10 year history of being a wonderful traveller and cut his face and lips as well as bruising his ribs. Needed a week's rest, came back to hacking again.

In October, the sarcoid he'd had for a couple of years had an awful growth spurt and began to rub against his sheath, meaning an operation was needed. Against my express wishes (and that's another story) the vet used Liverpool cream as part of the treatment and horse had awful reaction, losing a great deal of weight and the site being incredibly painful. The last of the scab only fell off a fortnight ago. He spent most of the winter stabled, and only started being walked out in January.

Last night, he was lame. This morning, vet says there's a toe abcess which we've relieved but she's concerned that there's something else in the foot causing pain and thinks the abcess from last year may have spread and possibly infected the bone or hoof capsule.

He is uninsured and uninsurable. Obviously, if the infection has spread he will be put down. If there's improvement, he will have to be stabled completely to allow the hoof to grow down - the hole she's made is massive, I would have preferred a farrier dug it out but wasn't possible. Probably another 8 weeks at least, if not more.

I feel so conflicted - I love this horse to bits. I wanted so badly to get him right but this ongoing list of problems mean that he's been stabled and on painkillers for a good part of the last year. Yesterday morning, I was grooming him in the sunshine and thinking we could do some shows next month - he looks a million dollars. He has been enjoying hacking out, limited only by daylight, and we were doing some schooling sessions as well.

Today, I looked at his poor face as I put him back in the stable. He's so miserable, in so much pain and I just don't know if it's fair on him to put him through it again when there's no garuntee he'll be fit for any length of time. He just seems to be on an everlasting sick note and I'm wondering if I'm being selfish because each time I say 'no more' but next time, it's another seperate issue and the vet says it's more than worth treating and he keeps getting better, back in work, which makes it harder to think about.

Should I put him through it all over again, I guess is what I'm asking.
Have the vets done xrays yet, as Baytril is used to get rid of any bone infection, I do fine it hard that infection of the bone from last year has come up again, unless in the laminitis case.


I think you need to ask your vets about Baytril if they are suspicious of bone infection, you have to put it direct into the mouth by syringe. No guarantees but the first course did get rid of the infection in the pedal bone, but if this abscess is deep that is a risk for your horse.

Vets often have to make a hole in the wall of the foot to stop it going up to the coronet, and if this risk to pedal bone then your farrier would not drill in anyway without the ok from the vet as antibiotics will be needed. Also the vets are more sterile than the farrier.


Ah sorry I posted without seeing your update - glad he is improving.
 
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mytwofriends

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Great news! You made the right decision! Did you check for Cushings as abscesses are one of the symptoms, as is weight loss. Of course could equally have been caused by being run down after the reaction to the Liverpool cream (hope that vet feels suitably ashamed.)

Cherish your darling oldie - I miss mine every day.
 

FFAQ

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I think your vet may be jumping the gun a bit regarding the abscess. I would expect a foot compromised by an abscess several months previously to have re-abscessed sooner and for him to have been lame between the abscesses. 7 months gap sounds like the 2 abscesses are separate events to me.
However, regular abscessing can be a sign of something else going on, most commonly low-grade laminitis. If he does have PPID as someone else suggested, he most likely will have bouts of LGL.
Perhaps have another chat with your vet and hoof care provider.
 

FFAQ

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Ah, posted without reading to the end of the thread! Just seen your updates! I'm so glad it's all sorted 😊
 

WandaMare

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Well done to you both, just shows its worth hanging in there when things get tough. Hope your horse enjoys good health going forwards, sounds like he has picked up really well now.
 
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