Need a little hug please

Gusbear

Gusbear

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17 February 2012
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Was Richmond, Surrey now a mountain forest in Oz.
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Sorry if this is a long post.
My week stated well. I got to hold the Olympic torch at work which was a thrill. My Physio gave me the go ahead to ride again after a two week break due to my dodgy knee. The weather has been great and I'm moving house on Friday and I was quite excited about it.
Sadly it seems to have gone rapidly downhill and I've spent the past few days hitting the tears.
I rode my boy earlier in the week and thought he seemed a little lame on one leg in the trot. Everyone assured me he was only a bit stiff due to lack of work for two weeks but I had a feeling he was not right, plus he had stacked on the weight due to good grazing and no exercise.
The following day both his front tendons had swelling and some heat. He had been shod the previous week and was quite naughty with the farrier which is totally out of character for him.
I decided to get the vet up and and also to ask about what looked like a wart on his belly which had appeared a couple of months ago. It started as a sore caused by a leg strap rubbing and developed a thick scab which didn't heal. It had burst and was showing proud flesh, bleeding and oozing puss. I suspect the flies had got to it.
The vet seems to think he might have laminitis, he has pulses in all four legs, heat in his feet and has bruising on his front feet (although strangely he is not hopping lame just a bit stiff and striding short when trotting on the lunge). He is on seven days box rest and on a strict diet and being given Sedalin each morning as he's not happy about being kept in and missing out on grazing with his mates.
She took a look at what has turned out to be a sarcoid and banded it. My poor boy screamed and grunted and nearly kicked her out of the stable. I ran off at that point as I couldn't cope knowing he was in pain. She also then noticed (and I swear it wasn't there the day before) a fleshy, fist sized lump on his belly (which has heat in it but not scabby and is still covered in hair). She seems to think it could be related to the sarcoid so I'm now freaking out that it might be cancerous tumor and could spread. She told me I should be concerned as it could be serious :( (I lost my mum to cancer less than two years ago, my last horse to it and also my dad nearly 18 years ago). I really don't think I could cope having to deal with it yet again. 😢. Although I've had horses for over 30 years I'd never even come across sarcoids until I moved here to the UK. I know nothing about them. He also has a few pin head sized pimple looking bumps on his sheath too which she thinks are also sarcoids. She told me to put coldsore cream on them? Not sure why. Are sarcoids cancer or are they a virus like warts and coldsores? Can anyone enlighten me please? I was too upset on the day to ask anymore questions as I hit the tears and was basically useless in taking in any more information.
To add to my poor boy's woes she also detected a wind problem which now explains what everyone thought was mild equine asthma. That is the least of my worries as she assured me it won't affect him unless (highly unlikely) I compete to a high level.
He's only a baby at five years old and otherwise has been fit and healthy to date.
I'm so stressed worrying about him. He is a lovely boy and I just want him to be well regardless of what it costs to treat him. We don't have children, I have no close family to speak of, I've just started a new job so still trying to make new friends and apart from my OH and his mates, my horse is the only thing that I'm close to and look forward to being with. (Dare I finally admit to it but I was diagnosed with manic depression several years ago after my last horse died and my mum's cancer got worse so my new horse has been the one thing that has helped keep me more or less sane since I got him in February).
I tend therefore to teeter on the edge and suffer anxiety as a result and this has just set me back big time). It's the waiting and not knowing if he has something seriously wrong that is getting to me. I know I'm probably being over dramatic/worrying too much but I can't help but feel things are going to go from bad to worse and he will get Ill and I'll lose him.
Could I please have some good vibes and a hug or two?
Sorry again for the long winded post I just need to share it with someone that is horsey and that might understand.
 
Oh no, I'm afraid I don't know anything about sarcoids at all so can't help there but couldn't read your post and not reply. I really hope it's nothing serious and he's better soon. Xx
 
Deep breath that is one nasty day .
You need the vet to advise you about the right way forward with them.they are treated in various ways and they will not necessarily treat them all the same just follow the vets advice and don't delay facing the issue.
I am so sorry you feel so bad so have a virtual hug from me.
I hope it all goes well.
 
Oh blimey what a nightmare, wish there was someway to help. You must feel awful, what area of the country are you in, may be some people on here near you to get in touch with xx
 
Sending you some good vibes. Life has dumped everything on you at once, its no wonder you're panicking a bit. Life can be hard sometimes. Fingers crossed your horse has curable, or at least manageable, conditions. Have a hug (((Gusbear)))
 
Oh no - please have a hug and some vibes.
I get that panicky way with bad news too, it swamps me and I can't take it in.
It is my understanding that sarcoids are common, especially in young horses, but I think you need to phone your vet - write down all your questions and just explain that you were too upset to take it in at the time, I'm sure they will be understanding. At least then you will have a clearer idea if what you are dealing with. Hoping it all seems clearer and more manageable tomorrow xxx
 
Firstly hugs, lots of them so you can have one now and put the others in a drawer to be taken out as and when needed.

Secondly, read up on Sarcoids. There are different types. As above, write down your questions and then speak to your vet. Have your YO or your OH do it if you can't.
 
Oh hugs hugs and more hugs!!! Definately a bad day, but yes after reading the other posts, wright down all your questions for the vet, you are paying them so make use of them! Even if it is the simplest of questions if it will help put your mind at rest then ask it. I do hope that your boy pulls through and that with the right treatment he will be right as rain soon. More hugs for both you and your boy and all the "good vibes" i can send xx :)
 
Sending you big HUGS, you have had a really tough time, and there are times in our lives that the whole world seems to be against us, and you have to deal with everything that life throws at you all at the same time and some times that is so hard to do. But as the others have said find out what you can, and speak to other people I have no experience with them either so sorry can not offer any advise. But try and keep positive it may not seem like it at the moment but things to have a way of working themselves out, I wish you all the very best keep us informed how it goes. Take care x
 
So sorry to hear all you are going through. No experience of sarcoids but wanted to send you some hugs xx. I think you are marvellous having dealt with everything life has thrown at you and it's understandable you feel so panic stricken but you have got through bad times before and are probably stronger than you give yourself credit for. Hopefully all will be well with your baby keeping everything crossed for you xx
 
Oh goodness me that is a lot! Have a huge hug first. Now then I wouldn't start panicing about the big lump if you haven't noticed it up to now, yes the vet may be totally correct but there are also some whopping great big horse flies out there right now that are causing massive swellings in both horses and humans (my mum works at a doctors surgery and there have been lots of people treated recently for big horse fly bites). I would call the vets back up and have a chat on the phone, I would also advise calling your insurance company (if you haven't already) as they like to know about potential claims straight away. Sarcoids are a pain but they aren't the be all and end all so have a detailed chat with your vet and find out what type he has and what the prognosis is. Good luck and keep talking to us xx
 
Sounds like rather an emotional day!.. and that perhaps you could do with a trip to the docs yourself to talk about some help in dealing with this (Sorry, not wanting to sound patronising)... your horse needs you right now.

Personally I wouldn't be too worried about these lumps etc until firstly you have a propper diagnosis.these things can't be diagnosed by looking at them - as a horse on my old yard proved - very experienced vet was absolutely convinced a flat, rough patch of hairless skin was a sarcoid and it turned out to be a fungal thing.. youngsters get all kinds of warty growths and at the moment a lot of horses are getting lumpy bumpy bits due to flies biting so I really wouldn't be panicing right now.

Secondly you really need to be concentrating your worry on the very serious issue of the laminitis. To have bounding pulses in all four legs IS a worry. And you're right, it sounds like he needs to go on a very strict diet and recieve appropriate nutritional support and propper management from here on in. He won't ever be able to go out onto lush grazing so if this is an issue at your current yard you may have to consider a move...

good luck with his recovery... and yours... and try not to worry.
 
Wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and hope you don't mind but am sending a PM (for support).

P.S. Have you tried the Vets section of H&H for your boy's ailments? Very helpful advice on there.
 
Oh goodness. I'm completely overwhelmed by the lovely responses and the many PM's to my post.
Sometimes you feel like you are all own your own and you can't seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it all becomes a bit too much. Your replies however have really touched me and I'm so grateful you all took the time to read my post and reply.
Thank you fellow forum members, you really are a very special bunch and I so do appreciate all your thoughts and well wishes.
I went to see my boy today. One of the pulses has gone from one leg so that's a small positive. He seems to have lost a little weight and is coping week so far with box rest (thanks in part to the Sedalin). I arrived today at the yard and he practically pulled his bridle off the hook to let me know he wanted to get out for a walk. Once the Sedalin kicked in however he drunkenly weaved his way back to his stable and almost fell asleep with his head in his dinner bucket. I left him while he was merrily munching a haynet whilst dribbling and nodding off at the same time so I think he'll be sleeping well tonight.
I'm taking it day by day and fingers crossed he'll slowly get better.
Thanks again everyone.
I'll keep you posted on his progress.
:)
 
Hi all

To all the lovely people that sent me PM's, please accept my apologies for not replying as we moved house on 27 July and have not been able to get Internet access until now.
Thanks for all your messages which I'll respond to ASAP.
To update you on my boy, I've had the vet back three times since I last posted. The first time to advise me his suspected laminitis seems to be nothing more than severely bruised feet and the nasty lump on his belly disappeared so was a reaction to a fly bite after all. We all breathed a sigh of relief and he was very pleased to be freed from his box rest and turned out.
About three days later he developed a very thick nasal discharge which was most prevalent first thing in the morning. Called the vet again who seemed to think he had developed an infection. The antibiotics didn't work and so the vet was back a third time a week later to do bloods and much to my poor boy's annoyance and after throwing both the vet and I across the stable he was given some sort of strong sedation and in his drunken state more or less allowed her to do a nasal swab. Poor boy was incredibly grumpy and frustrated as he was ordered to have more box rest. He spent the entire time trying to get his halter off the hook and climb under the bar across his doorway every time I saw him as he was trying to tell me he wanted me to take him out for a walk. Thankfully all tests came back clear so he is now happily back out grazing with his two gelding pals and all going to plan I should be able to start riding him again this weekend. Yippee!!! In addition the sarcoids on his sheath have all but gone after liberal application of Zovirax coldsore cream and we are still waiting on the second of the two bands to drop off the big sarcoid on his belly, so fingers crossed that will disappear as well and we don't get any new ones appearing.
We now have the problem of trying to solve what is causing his snotty nose. I suspect he has an allergy which has been made worse by the box rest or perhaps he has a sinus infection? The vet has no idea and wants to see him again in a week's time.
I feel better knowing he has nothing majority wrong but I can't help still worry a little over his runny nose.
In the meantime I'm going to get some Thurja as suggested by the PM's I received and see if that helps keep the sarcoids at bay.
Thanks again everyone for your replies. I'm being positive this week and the dreaded depression is under control for the time being. I'll try and keep upbeat and am now looking forward to having a good schooling session and a long hack and getting back on track with his education.
P.S. I'm now feeling very motivated by the great success of GB in the equestrian events. Great to watch and made me want to get out there and try and achieve something, if only something small.
 
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