RE: [RC] colic and the fragile horse - Susan E. Garlinghouse, D.V.M.
No, it’s a fairly tried and true
technique. You don’t come across it too often, because
nephrosplenic entrapments aren’t as common as other types of colic.
Epi and exercise don’t always work, though, but I’m very glad it
did for you and Woody.
Since forewarned is forearmed, you might
consider taking Woody for ultrasound evaluation at OSU or Bend, especially if he ever pulls this trick
on you again. Not often, but some horses that do it once like to do it
again. There’s a reasonably simple laparoscopy procedure to close
the ‘loop’ the bowel is sneaking through once and for all. I
don’t know cost, but it’s not open abdomen and a *whole* lot less than colic surgery.
They just incise a tiny little window in the side and go in with a camera, a
flashlight and some suture material. I saw it done at ColoradoState
and it was pretty slick.
Good luck!
Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, MS
From:
ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mary Carroll Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2005 5:19 PM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] colic and the
fragile horse
Hi everyone,
I had planned to go to the Grizzly Mtn ride this
weekend. But, the fates had more in store for me and my partner
Woody. He stopped eating goodies on Sunday, stopped eating hay and
drinking on Wednesday. My vet was going out of town, the vet I was
referred to was going out of town, the vet I ended up with was ...12 yrs old...
Woody spent Wed thru Fri at the vets and she didn't catch what was
wrong. I am trying to be fair...but it's hard. He was sent home
Friday with wormer (Panacur purge stuff, no banamine).
Friday night the barn owner called me and we then spent until 12:30
with an experienced vet. It turned out that Woody had a nephro-splenic
displacement (Sp?) and we were able to remedy this through decreasing the size
of the spleen with adrenaline, then lunging the snot out of him.
Amazing! voodoo stuff! This was our only chance to fix it before
hauling to OSU or Bend for surgery.
I am so grateful to the vet who helped us out. He was compassionate
and knowledgable. I am still not totally relieved...every day I see Woody
healthy, I feel a little bit better.
Anyone else come across something like this? I cannot find
anything on the net-must be a new technique.
