On Thursday, Gus was worse. He would not walk. He looked miserable. And, he tried to eat my daughter's face. Not at all his loving, sweet, energetic self. So I called the vet to let them know, as we weren't scheduled to see her until the following Tuesday. We both agreed he should be seen immediately and she quickly made room for us in her super busy schedule.
My daughter was there to meet her for the exam. The news was devastating. Gus has laminitis in both feet. The vet took a few X-rays just to confirm it. The good news is that the condition is mild. The right side is not as bad as the left. The bad news is that this poor horse has been suffering from this for who knows how long. It started before we got him. However, it all makes sense now. . . The temper tantrums during riding, the tender foot walking on hard surfaces, the stiffness in his back legs. I feel like a complete ass for not knowing the symptoms and getting him help earlier!
The amazing news is that the vet feels, with aggressive treatment, he will make a full recovery. And Gus is loving it. He is locked up in his box stall (16x16. . . And he isn't so happy about that) with a dozen bags of Pro Pick Mini shavings. The first thing he did was start digging and then rolled like a puppy in a pile of leaves. He is also on Acepromazine and Bute twice daily. So his ability to see rainbow butterflies and leprechauns has greatly increased. My daughter also gets to ice his hooves twice a day, which he does not mind at all. It must feel good. He also likes to eat the ice while he's getting iced. As if this wasn't entertaining enough. . . He is also getting a lovely pair of Soft Ride Boots with the gel inserts for laminitis. Really!?!? Gel inserts!??! Yes!!! It's his very own set of LA Gear Hightops and Dr Scholls!! When he is better, he will be getting shoes with pads, too. He is not going to be happy about that, as he is barefoot now. However, he has really thin soles and no real foot, so it is a necessity and he will have to suck it up.
Total recovery time. . . 9-12 months. During that time, he will be able to take modified lessons and can be lightly ridden as long as he has his boots on.
We are so grateful the vet could see us sooner, and that we now know what is wrong with our boy. Some people look at me like I am nuts for keeping him. It could reoccur. It could get worse. It's going to be expensive. Yes. . . I know. But, like I have stated before. . . He is a beloved family member and you wouldn't put down grandpa because he hurt his leg. . . Would you??
No comments:
Post a Comment