sam72431
Well-Known Member
My 26 year old mare has been at a veterinary hospital since August she has been on loan for past 8 years as a companion and is now coming back to me due to loaners ill health. Sadly she had an accident and this has prompted her return to me as well as the vet visit
She’s in a hospital that isn’t one I would choose in an ideal world but is one that loaner is a client of. The practice is about 2.5 hours from me and due to various reasons and my other commitments I’ve been unable to visit in the last month. I’ve been having daily calls from them and have been told she is doing well.
She went in for wound management due to the size of superficial wounds to front and back legs. Wounds are healing well which is good and have agreed she will do rehab there before coming home to me in a few weeks time where she will be going to grass retirement livery which will suit her better being out than in a busy yard where she doesn’t like being on her own and tends to get clingy.
I visited her yesterday and if I’m honest I’m shocked at the weight she has lost. She has always been a good doer and when on box rest previously has put weight on not lost it. They have continually told me she is calm and settled and doing well. I had also been told that she had some localised swelling on the cannula site which she had rubbed and they had removed it.
It now turns out that in actual fact the neck is infected with some sort of contagious bacteria that had spread up and down the neck to the throat latch. I was only told that this week when I was told it had come back but not as bad as before. Yesterday when I arrived at 4pm she had no hay she was very quiet and settled so not stress based. I took her out for grass for around 45 mins and when I came back she had been given what I assume was her evening hay net which on sight looked at a guest to be around 4kg no staff to ask for her to have more.
I’ve spoken to them today and raised concerns first of all I was told well she’s being fed correct amount and don’t want to over feed and risk compaction colic I queried why not feed Speedi beat and grass to keep things moving. Apparently she’s having correct amount but I said well that can’t be possible I can see every rib and she has muscle wasting and fat loss over neck and hind end. I was then told it was due to how unwell she had been I then said well that’s strange as I’ve not been made aware.
So now I am thinking should I move her to my vets who I trust more, do I take them on face value they will increase feed and I think I could send over a treat ball for her and visit again I’ve also got a friend more local to them that can visit or do I get her to a yard and do the rehab myself. Very tricky as she is quite easily unsettled and as calm I’m not sure it’s best.
Also to add she is very much not a typical 26 year old she looks about 15 with excellent teeth!
She’s in a hospital that isn’t one I would choose in an ideal world but is one that loaner is a client of. The practice is about 2.5 hours from me and due to various reasons and my other commitments I’ve been unable to visit in the last month. I’ve been having daily calls from them and have been told she is doing well.
She went in for wound management due to the size of superficial wounds to front and back legs. Wounds are healing well which is good and have agreed she will do rehab there before coming home to me in a few weeks time where she will be going to grass retirement livery which will suit her better being out than in a busy yard where she doesn’t like being on her own and tends to get clingy.
I visited her yesterday and if I’m honest I’m shocked at the weight she has lost. She has always been a good doer and when on box rest previously has put weight on not lost it. They have continually told me she is calm and settled and doing well. I had also been told that she had some localised swelling on the cannula site which she had rubbed and they had removed it.
It now turns out that in actual fact the neck is infected with some sort of contagious bacteria that had spread up and down the neck to the throat latch. I was only told that this week when I was told it had come back but not as bad as before. Yesterday when I arrived at 4pm she had no hay she was very quiet and settled so not stress based. I took her out for grass for around 45 mins and when I came back she had been given what I assume was her evening hay net which on sight looked at a guest to be around 4kg no staff to ask for her to have more.
I’ve spoken to them today and raised concerns first of all I was told well she’s being fed correct amount and don’t want to over feed and risk compaction colic I queried why not feed Speedi beat and grass to keep things moving. Apparently she’s having correct amount but I said well that can’t be possible I can see every rib and she has muscle wasting and fat loss over neck and hind end. I was then told it was due to how unwell she had been I then said well that’s strange as I’ve not been made aware.
So now I am thinking should I move her to my vets who I trust more, do I take them on face value they will increase feed and I think I could send over a treat ball for her and visit again I’ve also got a friend more local to them that can visit or do I get her to a yard and do the rehab myself. Very tricky as she is quite easily unsettled and as calm I’m not sure it’s best.
Also to add she is very much not a typical 26 year old she looks about 15 with excellent teeth!
