Boodle
Well-Known Member
I'm looking for a totally unbiased and detached opinion from you all here, as i'm truly unable to decide what to do for the best.
I've owner my 14.1hh welsh d x nf 15yr old mare for 3 and a half years now.
2003 consisted of us getting to know each other, we had problems I admit. She was strong, bolshy, bargy, dragged me whilst being lead and ridden, bolted, broncoed... you name it she pribably did it. Jumped out of show rings, out of jumping paddocks, ran away at shows, refused to be caught....
In 2004, January she was diagnosed with laminitis, it was decided this was caused by the sudden frost we had experienced which released fructins in the grass etc etc.
In february it was considered to put her down. We decided to give her a week to pick up and if no improvement... we'd say goodbye. However she did pick up, and by July 2004 I was able to take her out for inhand walks and she was improving greatly. By the end of 2004 she was hacking out and even trotting.
2005, was a fitness year. Trying to get her back to her previous level of fitness, with lots of reschooling etc. And by this point we trusted each other after months of her lying in the stable and me spending hours on end just talking to her and grooming her and willing her to get better.
2005 was a very good year for us.
In 2006 she went lame in April, only ever so slightly. but the vet was called in case of another bout of laminitis. Despite lack of heat in her foot, no digital pulse etc, we brought her in and padded up her feet as a precaution.
She appeared to get better but gradually she became more and more lame.
After many misdiagnosis', many tests, scans, nerve blocks, she was diagnosed with acute arthritis.
Once this was discovered she could improve as it was obvious box rest was just making her more stiff.
Despite some on/off lameness she seemed ok most of the time and by July we were back to normal. In early October she suffered a puncture wound to the inside of her off hind. After some box rest, many antibiotics and alot of tears she did make a recovery.
Throughout Autumn/winter 06 she was lame alot of the time, and had more diagnosis' of Arthritis in her other hind, in fetlocks and in her knee.
In mid November I found her in the field, down. She was flat out and in alot of pain. The vet came out and we were considering letting her pass on there and then... but after alot of discussion we said we'd give her till the next day to pick up. And the next day she had picked up.
It was at first suspected she'd fractured/shattered her pedal bone, but upon more investigation it was suspected she'd either had something puncture her foot and she had a foreign body in there, or it was a severe infection.
She's had alot of remedial farrier, more vet visits than I care to remember and an incredible amount of patience.
Yesterday she deteriorated again after 2 months of box rest, and 3 different vets cannot find the cause of this latest problem, although it is suspected she may have something along the lines of a deep seated abcess... how we don;t know.
My question, after a lot of rambling is; when is enough, enough?
Have I put her through enough?
The outlook for her is ALOT more box rest, as she has had areas of her foot cut away, so that needs to heal.
I don't care that i'll probably never ride her again, all I want for her is a quality of life to the extent of being allowed to be turned out. Because this is all it takes to make her happy.
If there was no hope of her ever going out again I would not be trying to keep her going.
She still has SO much life in her yet, and she is still as happy and content as she always was despite the box rest. I spend hours on end with her, and as she is just in my garage she has visitors throughout the day who all bring her cuddles and kind words.
Do I fight again for my absolutely beloved Laminitic, Arthritic, rising 16yr old Welshy cross, or do I call it a day and say goodbye to the best friend I ever had?
As I simply do not know what to do anymore.
The vet says he's willing to fight for her as she;s still happy and she hasn;t given up. However he also says if I feel that this is enough, he doesen't think that letting her slip away would be a wrng decision.
Really he says its up to me. And so does the farrier.
I just don't know what to do anymore. And I don;t want to give up on her, but I think I may be being selfish on this.
Sorry for the monster post.
I've owner my 14.1hh welsh d x nf 15yr old mare for 3 and a half years now.
2003 consisted of us getting to know each other, we had problems I admit. She was strong, bolshy, bargy, dragged me whilst being lead and ridden, bolted, broncoed... you name it she pribably did it. Jumped out of show rings, out of jumping paddocks, ran away at shows, refused to be caught....
In 2004, January she was diagnosed with laminitis, it was decided this was caused by the sudden frost we had experienced which released fructins in the grass etc etc.
In february it was considered to put her down. We decided to give her a week to pick up and if no improvement... we'd say goodbye. However she did pick up, and by July 2004 I was able to take her out for inhand walks and she was improving greatly. By the end of 2004 she was hacking out and even trotting.
2005, was a fitness year. Trying to get her back to her previous level of fitness, with lots of reschooling etc. And by this point we trusted each other after months of her lying in the stable and me spending hours on end just talking to her and grooming her and willing her to get better.
2005 was a very good year for us.
In 2006 she went lame in April, only ever so slightly. but the vet was called in case of another bout of laminitis. Despite lack of heat in her foot, no digital pulse etc, we brought her in and padded up her feet as a precaution.
She appeared to get better but gradually she became more and more lame.
After many misdiagnosis', many tests, scans, nerve blocks, she was diagnosed with acute arthritis.
Once this was discovered she could improve as it was obvious box rest was just making her more stiff.
Despite some on/off lameness she seemed ok most of the time and by July we were back to normal. In early October she suffered a puncture wound to the inside of her off hind. After some box rest, many antibiotics and alot of tears she did make a recovery.
Throughout Autumn/winter 06 she was lame alot of the time, and had more diagnosis' of Arthritis in her other hind, in fetlocks and in her knee.
In mid November I found her in the field, down. She was flat out and in alot of pain. The vet came out and we were considering letting her pass on there and then... but after alot of discussion we said we'd give her till the next day to pick up. And the next day she had picked up.
It was at first suspected she'd fractured/shattered her pedal bone, but upon more investigation it was suspected she'd either had something puncture her foot and she had a foreign body in there, or it was a severe infection.
She's had alot of remedial farrier, more vet visits than I care to remember and an incredible amount of patience.
Yesterday she deteriorated again after 2 months of box rest, and 3 different vets cannot find the cause of this latest problem, although it is suspected she may have something along the lines of a deep seated abcess... how we don;t know.
My question, after a lot of rambling is; when is enough, enough?
Have I put her through enough?
The outlook for her is ALOT more box rest, as she has had areas of her foot cut away, so that needs to heal.
I don't care that i'll probably never ride her again, all I want for her is a quality of life to the extent of being allowed to be turned out. Because this is all it takes to make her happy.
If there was no hope of her ever going out again I would not be trying to keep her going.
She still has SO much life in her yet, and she is still as happy and content as she always was despite the box rest. I spend hours on end with her, and as she is just in my garage she has visitors throughout the day who all bring her cuddles and kind words.
Do I fight again for my absolutely beloved Laminitic, Arthritic, rising 16yr old Welshy cross, or do I call it a day and say goodbye to the best friend I ever had?
As I simply do not know what to do anymore.
The vet says he's willing to fight for her as she;s still happy and she hasn;t given up. However he also says if I feel that this is enough, he doesen't think that letting her slip away would be a wrng decision.
Really he says its up to me. And so does the farrier.
I just don't know what to do anymore. And I don;t want to give up on her, but I think I may be being selfish on this.
Sorry for the monster post.
