Wagtail
Horse servant
Many of you will be aware of the troubles I have had with my mare since she was diagnosed with Cushings induced laminitis, and all the heartache and struggle we have had since then. She seemed to have turned a corner when I put her on chaste berry, and was enjoying many days out in the paddock with her grazing muzzle on and staying sound. However, on Sunday she got her muzzle off and I was wrapped up in other problems so did not realise until it was time to bring her in. As she had been on a bareish paddock and the weather was cold, I didn't worry too much, especially as she walked into her night time sand enclosure perfectly sound.
However, on Monday morning she was on three legs. Poor thing could not put her left fore down. I thought that this was it. I would give her plenty of danilon (3 sachets throughout the day) and if there was no big improvement by the following morning would call the vet out to PTS. So I organised the vet for the following morning and had the most terrible day. However, she seemed sound on all the other feet and there were no pulses in them and so I wondered if it was an abscess. I decided to bring her in from the sand and poultice. Within an hour she was visibly more comfortable and so my hopes were up. The following morning she was very comfortable indeed, and not resting the foot at all. There was no pus on the poultice, but I could see serum coming out of a line near the toe and so reapplied.
When the vet arrived she said that she didn't think it was an abscess, but instead bleeding and bruising from past bouts of laminitis, and that this could put the same amount of pressure on and cause just as much pain as an abscess. I was wondering if anyone else had come across this before?
She is almost sound today and happily trotting around. Vet told me to continue poulticing for a couple more days. She also dug a bit of a hole near the toe to aid drainage.
What a rollercoaster of emotions this is. I cannot begin to describe how much personality this horse has. I have never known it before or since. When I was talking to a livery about possibly putting her to sleep, she was incredulous. Saying the mare is 'larger than life' and how happy and well she looks. I told her that if she can't be a horse then she will be PTS no matter how much I don't want to do it. But when someone is standing there trying to persuade you not to do it, it make you feel heartless.
Anyway, for now she is happy and very much being a horse.
However, on Monday morning she was on three legs. Poor thing could not put her left fore down. I thought that this was it. I would give her plenty of danilon (3 sachets throughout the day) and if there was no big improvement by the following morning would call the vet out to PTS. So I organised the vet for the following morning and had the most terrible day. However, she seemed sound on all the other feet and there were no pulses in them and so I wondered if it was an abscess. I decided to bring her in from the sand and poultice. Within an hour she was visibly more comfortable and so my hopes were up. The following morning she was very comfortable indeed, and not resting the foot at all. There was no pus on the poultice, but I could see serum coming out of a line near the toe and so reapplied.
When the vet arrived she said that she didn't think it was an abscess, but instead bleeding and bruising from past bouts of laminitis, and that this could put the same amount of pressure on and cause just as much pain as an abscess. I was wondering if anyone else had come across this before?
She is almost sound today and happily trotting around. Vet told me to continue poulticing for a couple more days. She also dug a bit of a hole near the toe to aid drainage.
What a rollercoaster of emotions this is. I cannot begin to describe how much personality this horse has. I have never known it before or since. When I was talking to a livery about possibly putting her to sleep, she was incredulous. Saying the mare is 'larger than life' and how happy and well she looks. I told her that if she can't be a horse then she will be PTS no matter how much I don't want to do it. But when someone is standing there trying to persuade you not to do it, it make you feel heartless.
Anyway, for now she is happy and very much being a horse.