Traumatic and exhausting day.

[FionaM12]

I finished work after a 24 hour shift today, called home to get the Christmas dinner prep started, then went to see to Mollie. She was happily grazing, really seems settled in her new home. I brought her in and gave her a very small feed as a reward.

But somehow I made an uncharacteristic mistake. Even when I feed a very small amount of dry food, especially if it includes pony nuts, I ALWAYS add water. An experience of seeing a horse choke on pony nuts (he was okay in the end) many years ago means I know the importance dampening food.

Always except today. Somehow I forgot. It was literally only about half a scoop of a high-fibre mix and a handful of pony nuts, but Mollie choked. I was alone on the yard (unusual on this yard, but it's Christmas Day...) with my poor girl who was stamping, groaning, gurgling and coughing. She looked so panicky. It was really frightening.

I called the vet.

By the time the vet arrived, Mollie looked much better. She'd coughed up a load of saliver and that seemed to ease things. However the vet wasn't happy with her tummy noises, felt she could be colicking and gave her an injection of Buscopan.

I did come home eventually for my Christmas Dinner (which OH had valiently finishing cooking while I was away) but I hardly ate a thing and was hopelessly distracted. I skipped the last course and rushed back to check Mollie. She was munching hay, called to me when I arrived and seemed quite her normal self. My daughter's boyfriend left the table too and offered to come with me. I was glad of the company and we chatted to Moll for a while and agreed she looked fine and cheerful.

Bed now. I'm utterly exhausted and feel quite tearful. So cross with myself for forgetting to put water in her feed. The vet was very sweet, and told me not to beat myself up, but I felt dreadful.

I hate to think what the Chrstmas Day call-out charge will be! As long as Mollie's okay, I don't really care though. When your horse is suffering, I'm sure I'm not alone in saying I'd remortgage my house to see her right again.

 

[ChwaraeTeg]

Poor you That is much too long to be working on shift. No wonder your made a mistake.
Glad Mollie is OK and hope you will now be able to have a good nights sleep.
Teg

 

[Chestnuttymare]

Choke is quite scary! especially on christmas day, you must have a word and tell her not to be so inconsiderate in future seriously though, pleased that she is ok, get a good night sleep and have a better one tomorrow. x

 

[starryeyed]

How horrible for you, must have been very scary. Please don't blame yourself, as CT said, you'd worked a very, very long shift and must have been exhausted! - and everybody makes mistakes.
The important thing is that she's okay, so try not to dwell on it too much - get a good nights sleep and give her lots of cuddles tomorrow x

 

[Trinity Fox]

Ahh bless you dont beat yourself up, it was an unfortunate mistake I am sure you will not make again.
I am sure it made a very stressful day for you but put it behind you your horse will forgive you and will already have forgotten.

 

[PeterNatt]

Well done to you for recognising a medical emergency and to your vet for an immediate response. You both did very well and now your horse is back to normal.

 

[Jazzy B]

My pony chocked on me once, its horrible and frightening and after a 24 hour shift (agree also far to long to work) you must have been exhausted so easy mistake to make with feed, so don't beat yourself up have lots of cuddles with your girly this morning and enjoy your boxing day!

 

[skint1]

I also think you did the right thing, the Vet bill probably won't be as big as you think. I'm also glad that your OH is supportive, mine would do his nut in those circumstances.

 

[SamanthaUK]

My friends 17hh warmblood was brought in from the field and she was choking, stopping and coughing, coughing up phlegm.

My friend and I brought her into the stable where she was still choking. We ended up calling the vet having tied her up so she wouldn't eat her straw, feed or hay.

The vet came and put a tube down her throat and into her stomach to see what was happening and turns out she had a massive piece of grass lodged in her throat. Once that was removed, she stopped choking and calmed down..

Safe to say, we needed a strong cup of tea after that. Never being so panicked in all my life.

Phew.

 

[FionaM12]

Thanks everyone. There are times when your instinct just says get the vet, Christmas Day or not. The panic in Mollie's eyes and her distress were frightening.

No tube needed Sammy, thank goodness, that sounded horrific! It had cleared itself by the time the vet arrived, but I didn't know choke can lead to colic and it was such a worry when the vet said she thought that might be happening.

All seems fine today. Mollie's settling really well at the new yard, much better than she did when I first got her.

 

[ABC]

My horse was fed unsoaked sugarbeet once, it expanded in his throat and caused choke. I was up there at 3 in the morning with the vet and the vet had to tube him. The bill wasn't half as much as expected and we were there for a few hours. I think it came to £200 when I expected it to be £500ish.

Glad Mollie is okay and hugs to you, I know how scary it is xx

 

[sadiedeb]

Try not to worry = happened to me the other week and still feel tearful - was busy so asked hubby to feed them - and about 1/2 hour later lady who lives opp field saw echo make a funny noise and then collapse - she rushed to get me and when I went in field he was down with gunk coming out of nose - really scary got him up and kept rubbing his neck and walking him - stuff still pouring she phoned her vet who said keep walking him - managed to get hold of my vet but by then gunk had stopped and he was calmer (glad he was because I was a wreck) just kept going out every hour in so with torch to check on him and he was fine - but I got in and burst into tears

 

[shadowboy]

Oh poor you. Don't worry about it. I think most of us have experienced choke at some point and it is horrible to watch. I hope mollie is still well and happy. X

 

[carthorse15]

Poor you! Happened to me last year, small handful of chaff as forgot his carrot - was just one of those things. Horse was perfectly well after all the drama . Don't beat yourself up! You and Mollie enjoy your new yard and have a large sherry!

 

[Ibblebibble]

stressful at the best of times but even worse when you're alone so glad she's ok Fiona, you did the right thing by getting the vet so don't beat yourself up over forgetting to dampen her food, after a 24 hour shift and then having all the christmas festivities and feast on your mind it's not hard to see how you could forget
Hope you have a stressfree boxing day

 

[horsesatemymoney]

Poor you and I also don't think the bill will be as much as you expect. What an earth do you do that requires 24 hour shifts?!

 

[jendie]

You did just great. The important thing is to know when you need help, and you knew and made sure you got it.

Enjoy your new horse, she looks gorgeous.

 

[misterjinglejay]

I've had choke with Mister Jay; it always looks terrible, and the horse looks really scared, but, usually, it soon clears up, with only a sore, swollen throat left.

I did exactly the same thing as the OP, and just forgot to add water to his nuts and chaff. These things happen to all of us. No need for recriminations.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Well done for coping so well, its a horrible thing to experience at the best of times, but Christmas day makes it extra poignant.
Darling Molly certainly managed to make herself the star of Christmas, bless her, but what a lovely supportive family you have.

 

[MissSBird]

Everyone makes mistakes - the important thing is that you recognised the emergency and got the vet out without thinking twice about the extra call-out, which is more than some owners would do at this time of year. I know someone who saw a horse with choke and just walked away without bothering to even contact the owner, and only mentioned it to her several days later when she passed her on the yard...

 

[angelish]

owch bet that will be expensive
as long as she's ok there worth it though

one on our yard came in with a fat infected leg yesterday but have managed to deal with it ourselves without the vet as we were worried about the cost of a xmas day call out for something that wasn't really an emergency

 

[FionaM12]

Poor you and I also don't think the bill will be as much as you expect. What an earth do you do that requires 24 hour shifts?!

I'm a support worker with learning disabled adults. The 24 hour shift is called a "sleep-in", the idea is that we stay overnight and get some sleep. I find it doesn't work that way, being a lone worker responsible for the safety of a group of people I find I just stay awake and listen most of the night!

 

[rhino]

Sorry, I missed this post earlier. Hope Mollie is doing well today and please don't blame yourself x