Re: questions on slow recovery (long)

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

Just my non-vet (yet) opinion, but there are a number of conditions that can
still be hanging around and causing a bit of bellyache, and those can vary
wildly in how fast they resolve themselves, or even *if* they will resolve
themselves.

No offense to the vet you spoke to earlier, but you're the owner and
ultimately it's your decision to decide whether or not you'd like the mare
looked at harder and/or treated.  Vets get called all the time to look at
symptoms that may or may not turn out to be relevant, it's all part of the
game---shoot, you'd be amazed at the numbers of horses (other critters, too)
that get hauled into the CSU Vet Hospital in the middle of the night because
just calling the local vet wasn't good enough, by golly, they wanted their
horse looked at by a board-certified surgeon.  Call another vet, and ask
that they come give her a look.  You can briefly mention the first vet that
didn't choose to come out, but make sure the point of the conversation is
that you'd like her looked at.  It might all be nothing, might all resolve,
but making a call and spending a bit for a thorough exam is probably worth
your peace of mind.

Good luck,

Susan G


----- Original Message -----
From: <RhndLev@cs.com>
To: <horsesctr@egroups.com>; <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 10:58 AM
Subject: RC: questions on slow recovery (long)


> Last weekend, I had a horse colic for the first time ever.  I had just
> brought her and her foal in from the back pasture to get the foal
accustomed
> to the paddock and stall where he's going to be weaned.  Mom, however,
> reacted badly to the change from pasture to hay and a pelleted complete
feed.
>  I managed to get the mare up and walking; she defecated and drank.
>
> My regular vet had quit practice.  The vet I've lately begun using did not
> come because she said, based on what I told her, she did not believe the
mare
> was in danger.  Called it a "minor digestive upset."  I told the vet I had
> never experienced colic before and wasn't really comfortable with my
ability
> to assess the horse's condition such that we could do a diagnosis over the
> phone.  Vet said I knew more than the majority of horses owners and was
> slightly overprotective to boot, and she was comfortable.  Also told me
not
> to give banamine unless the mare became much more uncomfortable and to
give
> her about half her regular feed in the morning.  Well, Mom remained so
> uncomfortable -- wringing her tail and shifting her weight from one back
leg
> to the other -- that I gave her banamine that night.  I followed the vet's
> instructions in the morning and the mare ate VERY slowly, which is unlike
> her.
>
> It's been since Sunday and the mare continues to appear stressed to me.
I've
> kept her at about half rations because she did not seem eager to eat or
drink
> until this morning and remains very lethargic.  She has deep lines around
her
> eyes and her flanks are sunken.  I've been warming her water and have
begun
> adding warm water to the pelleted feed because she appears dehydrated to
me
> (skin tenting on the shoulder -- slow capillary refill).  I also added
> "Digest Aid" to her food to assist with digestion.  Her anal tone is good,
> and she was enthusiastic about her food for the first time this morning.
>
> So, since the vet is not returning my calls, I'm wondering if anyone can
tell
> me if it's normal for a horse to take this long to recover from what the
vet
> says is only a "minor digestive upset"?  Also, should I go ahead and wean
the
> baby?  Will that make Mom feel better or worse?  The mare, by the way, is
22
> years old.  I don't know if that makes any difference.
>
> Rhonda and Special
>
>
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