Laminitis? SOS

Upthecreek said:
Fantastic news and how lovely that you can trust your OH with caring for Atlas. So nice to have someone to share difficult times with as well as fun times 🥰
Click to expand...

Pepper ate a rock a few weeks back and needed pretty major surgery, came home with a huge amount of drugs and a schedule. He took over the whole situation whilst I was knee deep in work and with much more organization than I ever could!

Another good report this morning, his white cell count is back to normal. He’s out of his ice boots and his bloodwork is good.

All on track for springing him out of ISO tomorrow am.
 
splashgirl45 said:
As I was catching up with this thread I was dreading what would happen next so skipped to the last couple of pages and am so pleased that the cheeky boy is showing that he is coming back to normal. 🤞 this is how he stays , you have had so much thrown at you the last few years I don’t know how you cope. Lovely that your OH is so supportive .. good luck!!
Click to expand...

Thank you!

Nature is how I cope! My entire jaw was aching this morning I think from the clenching I’m probably doing with stress. 3 hours of hiking in this later and little moments like this and it all feels manageable again. I think this has been a little worse than usual though. To have an unplanned pregnancy, a desperately unwanted miscarriage and subsequent surgery, your dog have major surgery, all your wisdom teeth removed and the dreaded dry socket, and your horse get really sick AGAIN all in a couple of months seems especially cruel!

But, saw three moose today. I’ve only seen one in the three years I’ve lived here so that’s a really cool way to leave Colorado as my last day as a resident here!


IMG_1436.jpegIMG_1444.jpegIMG_1425.jpeg
 
Yes, it's a little scary checking on this thread, we venture in. I skipped a little this morning and looked straight to your posts, Michen.

Is that a chipmunk? He is gorgeous.

Sorry, nothing useful to say, other than Nature being so good in these moments.
 
Yes! They are hilarious things. They are considered a bit of a pest here but I’ve always been amused by them.

Pepper likes to hunt them 🙈

All on track for tomorrow pick up. Apparently he’s getting even more sad when no one is in with him, not stressed but a little depressed, though he did take a nice long afternoon nap. The minute anyone is in with him he’s cheerful as anything and just wants to engage. Poor chap he is not loving his prison cell and who can blame him the isolation boxes are a horrid place to be. He will be really glad to be picked up and taken home.

Can’t wait to give him a big hug!
 
Lois Lame said:
Yes, it's a little scary checking on this thread, we venture in. I skipped a little this morning and looked straight to your posts, Michen.

Is that a chipmunk? He is gorgeous.

Sorry, nothing useful to say, other than Nature being so good in these moments.
Click to expand...
That is a golden mantled ground squirrel. Different genus as chipmunks, same family (taxonomically speaking). Chipmunks have a stripe through the eye and these ground squirrels do not.
 
Caught up with the good news! I was worried when I saw that 4 pages had been added to when I had last looked on Friday, but all going in the right direction now I feel. Those photos of Atlas are just so warming and then the amazing scenery - so uplifting! Fingers crossed for the next few days and a cheer for all supportive OH out there 👏
 
Yikes, I've just had a massive catch up on your story Michen... I'm SO pleased it's good news.

I feel like you need a similarly strong Atlas-esque name for all that you have been coping with so amazingly! You really are an inspiringly tough cookie... but how lovely that you've found a rock for a bit of support too.

ETA - urgh I hope that reads in the spirit in which it's meant and not patronisingly cheesy!!!!!
 
He’s so happy! And he looks nice and comfy on his feet, bonus.

Long term the kidney thing may be a little worrying, we think he had a bad reaction to the bute he was on and it was actually seperate to the other illness/fever thing. Whilst his levels are normal, possibly he has some kidney function issues that may get him long or short term. Will keep up 6 month blood work and maybe a yearly ultrasound there.

Another thing I asked his vet was whether this seemed to point towards an immune problem. To get this sick twice in a year, once with the EPM (most horses exposed don’t get symptomatic) and then again with this.. I’ll have his immune levels tested in a month or so once he’s fully recovered. Tricky as on the outside he looks like a healthy chap.

So a few things to be mindful of moving forward. Whilst he’s got sick twice this year he’s also bounced back unbelievably well so hopefully there’s a tough horse in there.

Also really pleasing is no flare up of EPM despite everything that happened so that’s good.

IMG_1469.jpeg


IMG_1460.jpeg
 
Christ the hospital wasn’t slow with sending me my final bill which actually ended up at just over $12,000 by the time the field call, meds etc were added so that was a bit of a gulp moment 🥴. It’s actually almost triggering to see the invoice total albeit I am in a different position now to when it was Bog, and it’s still a fraction of what his was. I think I’m mentally still trained to be fearful of it somehow.

I’d love to know what it would cost in the UK, I do feel the costs here are sooooo much higher in every way. Maybe it’s what it SHOULD cost as vets are, to my knowledge, much better paid here albeit it’s a higher cost of living.

It would be amazing for decisions to not to be about money but the reality is it’s a really hard thing to work out, what you sink into a horse with the hope of fixing them up enough for a reasonably long and happy life. I really hope, hope Atlas gets one but I have to be realistic that it’s the last big bill from him I’m going to fund, at least for a good while, so please Atlas. No colic, no more drama, get sound asap so no MRI needed.

His Amex is cut off as of now! 🙈

Nap time currently :)


IMG_9165.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Michen said:
Christ the hospital wasn’t slow with sending me my final bill which actually ended up at just over $12,000 by the time the field call, meds etc were added so that was a bit of a gulp moment 🥴. It’s actually almost triggering to see the invoice total albeit I am in a different position now to when it was Bog, and it’s still a fraction of what his was. I think I’m mentally still trained to be fearful of it somehow.

I’d love to know what it would cost in the UK, I do feel the costs here are sooooo much higher in every way. Maybe it’s what it SHOULD cost as vets are, to my knowledge, much better paid here albeit it’s a higher cost of living.

It would be amazing for decisions to not to be about money but the reality is it’s a really hard thing to work out, what you sink into a horse with the hope of fixing them up enough for a reasonably long and happy life. I really hope, hope Atlas gets one but I have to be realistic that it’s the last big bill from him I’m going to fund, at least for a good while, so please Atlas. No colic, no more drama, get sound asap so no MRI needed.

His Amex is cut off as of now! 🙈
Click to expand...
Blimey @Michen that's a scary amount, but well done for putting everything in place to allow the lovely Atlas the chance to fight his serious illness. 🏅
 
Michen said:
Christ the hospital wasn’t slow with sending me my final bill which actually ended up at just over $12,000 by the time the field call, meds etc were added so that was a bit of a gulp moment 🥴. It’s actually almost triggering to see the invoice total albeit I am in a different position now to when it was Bog, and it’s still a fraction of what his was. I think I’m mentally still trained to be fearful of it somehow.

I’d love to know what it would cost in the UK, I do feel the costs here are sooooo much higher in every way. Maybe it’s what it SHOULD cost as vets are, to my knowledge, much better paid here albeit it’s a higher cost of living.

It would be amazing for decisions to not to be about money but the reality is it’s a really hard thing to work out, what you sink into a horse with the hope of fixing them up enough for a reasonably long and happy life. I really hope, hope Atlas gets one but I have to be realistic that it’s the last big bill from him I’m going to fund, at least for a good while, so please Atlas. No colic, no more drama, get sound asap so no MRI needed.

His Amex is cut off as of now! 🙈

Nap time currently :)


View attachment 166276
Click to expand...

I have liked for the cute picture, not for the bill!
 
Hmm Atlas is quiet. He is not really interested in hay but is interested in grass and hard feed.

He seems kind of exhausted and just a bit sad. I hope he just needs some time to bounce back, the isolation I think he found quite horrible and stressful.

The salmonella results were negative so that’s a relief re logistics of boarding.

He won’t eat any meds in his feed whatever amount of grated carrot, Apple cause etc I add and my poor OH is going to have to battle with him to orally syringe it in which he absolutely hates. Urgh, I wish I didn’t have to leave for four days.

I feel like Bog was perky as soon as he got home but I guess Atlas at 4 years old may be a little more traumatised by the whole thing! I am a little worried but perhaps I’m expecting too much.
 
A lot of horses who have had colic or similar and felt ill will go off food and only eat the absolute basics. Mine wouldn't eat anything but grass for 3 days and she was very mild with colic but it really upset her. Just let her eat what she wanted and she then bounced back.
 
My recipe for my reluctant med taker was grated apple, grated carrot, bit of dried mint and all dampened down with a diluted molasses mix to make it easy to eat but not too sugary. Grating everything ensured that the whole feed was palatable and he was not able to just take out the tasty bits!!
 
Good that the salmonella test came back negative.

Was he eating hay at the vets ok? Is there something in the hay - could you try some hay from a different source? (Bag of haylage - do they do that in the US??). Like others, I think I would just let him have what he wants for now to settle him back down. And syringe meds. Maybe in feed they are just too bitter. Maybe check his temp daily so you pick up on anything, will also set your mind at rest seeing it being stable. Hopefully he’ll pick up in a day or too.
 
Post viral fatigue is 100% a real thing in people and no reason to think other mammals don't experience something similar.
Combined with the stress of his hospital stay he probably is feeling a bit shattered.
I think as long as he is eating something, don't stress.

Bugger about the meds needing syringing. Can they be mixed with a bit of stewed & blended apple or something to make the syringe mix nicer?
 
If it is any small consolation - when my lad came out of hospital (he was admitted for severe breathing issues), he wouldn't touch any of his feed and even when I added a sugary mix to the bucket, he still wouldn't touch it.

Bland boring mash however wish a dash of apple juice was what he wolfed down with gusto - is it worth trying some bland mash with darling Atlas? So pleased he is on the mend - he's such a sweet lad and has that cheeky charlie persona about him bless him ❤️
 
Thanks everyone those experience and thoughts are really helpful. He’s not at a “yet another” strange place he’s back at my barn. But he will have to move longer term I can’t get away from that.

He was eating at vets but quite picky, refused soaked hay for example, I’ve tried two different hay bales (from different sources). What seemed to work best was hanging a haynet in between the runs so that him and pony were eating out of same one, suggestion from pony owner to move them next to eachother. That seemed to incite some sharing and that haynet is empty this morning but the rest in his stall is there and he’s such a greedy horse it’s not normal for him.

This AM my OH will fence off a small paddock to give him some grass. His poos are nice and solid now which is good as yesterday they were very far from.

He will eat a treat but not grated carrot 🤷‍♀️. I’m not sure about really sugary stuff given the kidneys.

I HATE that I have to leave today but at least he’s in the hands of the person I trust the most. Just did a 5am Gastroguard dose for him and the poor guy didn’t even want to let me near him he just knew something not nice was coming.

Some happier photos from yesterday! Those Elk were all in the pasture.

IMG_2342.jpeg
IMG_2410.jpegIMG_2315.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top