Post by dancha on Nov 9, 2009 15:01:33 GMT
Hi everyone, at the moment i have a very poorly pony, she came to me in the middle of summer, under weight and very shy but looked healthy enough, she was then wormed and turned out with my other mares, she soon became boss!!
The ponies in the field are checked twice daily by my husband but with the recent lack of light i decided to go and have a quick look on thursday 5th, Meg my 2 year old sec B was led down, not unusual, but i went and gave her a mint, which is unusual as she wont usually take it off you unless she feels safe, i then made her get up, and to my absolute horror she was a mess, her legs and tail covered in what i can only describe as cow muck and her body weight half of what i last saw her.
I called a few friends and immediately someone came in a trailer and picked her up and off we went to the vets. on arrival the vet checked her gums-normal her heart rate-high but expected as she was on the box and her temperature-normal, she then asked us to take her off the box so she could take some blood samples and a poo sample. it was only once we did this that things started to go down hill!!
her blood pressure was so low that the 2 vets were struggling to get any out, the vet couldnt even get any poo out of her.
they then let us inside to have a proper look at her in some good light, she then had a better look at her gums which had a very dark purple line around her teeth, the vet said this indicates toxins in the body, either ingested or created by the body because of something else! they then put some fluids into her via a tube gave her some jabs and sent us home, the vet was not very hopeful on her survival through the night, we had to try though!
She stayed in the back of the wagon and me and my husband danny stayed with her, i had no sleep at all but she seemed settled, lying down and then getting up for a drink through the night.
The next day the vet came back and gave her 5 more jabs, and said if she hadnt improved by the following day they would consider taking her in and putting her on a drip.
At this point she also said to be suringing things into her, we got some natural yoghurt for probiotics, some ribena for sugar, some bread, haylage mix carrots and all the usual goodies, that afternoon a lady at the farm also made her a banana mix, banana, hot milk, sugar, weetabix and some acidosolous for her digestive system.
Friday night was awfull. I went down around 8.30pm after i had a bath and an hour at home, she was led down and when she tried to get up she was stumbling all over as though she couldnt get her front leg infront of her, (later to discover she had probaly been led on a nerve and it was through a nurological order rather than weakness), however afer seeing this i was sure she wasnt going to make it through the night and i was in a pretty bad state!!! i rung my mum and my husband in tears, they then said they would go and check on her and i went to a friends for a quick tea!
My husband and my mums boyfriend rang to let me know what they thought, my mums boyfriend david said she looked like 2 different ponies, her eyes were bright she was quite alert and seemed content, but after that the rest of her body looked liked she was giving up!! I rang the vet who said it depends what expense we want to spare, he said in the morning we could take her in and put her on a drip but if we wanted to pursue this route we should probaly do it sooner rather than later, if we thought we could look after her adequatley enough in the wagon he would come and put her on a drip in the there.
After a quick discussion with my parents and hubby we decided she deserved a chance, whilst she was still fighting sureley we should do the same!!! (deal with the vets bill at a later date!!)
The vet came around 10.30 and was with her around 2 hours, struggling to get a vein that wasnt going to collapse on him to put the canula into to.
My mums boyfriend could see how exhausted both me and my husband were after the previous nights lack of sleep, so he offered to stay with her. we pinned her into the wagon using straw bails so she couldnt move about and pull her drip out, the straw bales also doubled up as a bed for david to stay over night! me and danny stayed with her untill the first bag of saline had finished, i then changed it and went home for some much needed rest. i went back to the yard at 7 on saturday morning, david was exhausted, meg was mush the same, the 2nd bag of saline had finished so i called the vet down, he put her on one last one and said after that she would have to start trying herself.
her bloods had also come back at this point, she had a high White Blood cell count, liver damage and was serverly lacking protein, the vet said all these were to be expected from such an ill pony!
That night the drip came out so meg was allowed the run of the wagon again. she didnt want to eat, drink or lie down, but she did seem to have perked up abit, when david was trying to get her headcollar on to disconect her from the drip she nipped him and wouldnt let him put it on, i was delighted with this news!!
She also had a temperature and her heart rate had dropped significantly, the vet said the fact she had a temperature unlike before was a sign that her body was trying to fight!! that night she slept stood up, david once again slept with her. I arrived early the next morning to take over, she wanted a drink but still no food,
We again started to suringe things into her, protexin quick fix (probiotics) yogurt, milk, banana concoction, guiness and eggs and milk for protein! she is still very poorly but seems to be picking up very slowly. that night she even had some haylage and was drinking well, i sponged her legs and tail to try and make her feel abit better, i have been brushing her eveyday just to try and help with circulation. last night (sunday) we left around 11.30 and i was back to the yard for 6 this morn, i was amazed when she wanted some carrots. this morning she has eated 2 uncle joes mint balls, 2 carrots 1/4 apple and a bite of haylage, she also had some yoghurt and banan concoction!
This dinner time after spending all morning with her trying to coax her to eat something horsey she finally had a much of some happy hoof, i was delighted!! it is amazing!! she then had a much of abit of mix too and a small mouthful of haylage!!
So thats where were upto atm, i am asking for any suggestions as too what is very palatable and what will keep her strength up, i will try anything atm and the more people i ask the more knowledge i will get to help her.
im sorry if this is spelt incorrectly and the grammar is poor, but when you have a seriously ill pony and a major lack of sleep its the best i can do!
Keeping my spirits up and praying for a miracle. the poo samples should be back from the vets at the end of this week which will help to determine what is wrong with her.
thanks in advance guys and sorry to chunner onnnnnnn........... i wil try to post some pics of meg before and now and keep everyone updated as to her progress, but please bear with me as i havent seen my comp since the early hours of saturday morning due to pony sitting!!!
The ponies in the field are checked twice daily by my husband but with the recent lack of light i decided to go and have a quick look on thursday 5th, Meg my 2 year old sec B was led down, not unusual, but i went and gave her a mint, which is unusual as she wont usually take it off you unless she feels safe, i then made her get up, and to my absolute horror she was a mess, her legs and tail covered in what i can only describe as cow muck and her body weight half of what i last saw her.
I called a few friends and immediately someone came in a trailer and picked her up and off we went to the vets. on arrival the vet checked her gums-normal her heart rate-high but expected as she was on the box and her temperature-normal, she then asked us to take her off the box so she could take some blood samples and a poo sample. it was only once we did this that things started to go down hill!!
her blood pressure was so low that the 2 vets were struggling to get any out, the vet couldnt even get any poo out of her.
they then let us inside to have a proper look at her in some good light, she then had a better look at her gums which had a very dark purple line around her teeth, the vet said this indicates toxins in the body, either ingested or created by the body because of something else! they then put some fluids into her via a tube gave her some jabs and sent us home, the vet was not very hopeful on her survival through the night, we had to try though!
She stayed in the back of the wagon and me and my husband danny stayed with her, i had no sleep at all but she seemed settled, lying down and then getting up for a drink through the night.
The next day the vet came back and gave her 5 more jabs, and said if she hadnt improved by the following day they would consider taking her in and putting her on a drip.
At this point she also said to be suringing things into her, we got some natural yoghurt for probiotics, some ribena for sugar, some bread, haylage mix carrots and all the usual goodies, that afternoon a lady at the farm also made her a banana mix, banana, hot milk, sugar, weetabix and some acidosolous for her digestive system.
Friday night was awfull. I went down around 8.30pm after i had a bath and an hour at home, she was led down and when she tried to get up she was stumbling all over as though she couldnt get her front leg infront of her, (later to discover she had probaly been led on a nerve and it was through a nurological order rather than weakness), however afer seeing this i was sure she wasnt going to make it through the night and i was in a pretty bad state!!! i rung my mum and my husband in tears, they then said they would go and check on her and i went to a friends for a quick tea!
My husband and my mums boyfriend rang to let me know what they thought, my mums boyfriend david said she looked like 2 different ponies, her eyes were bright she was quite alert and seemed content, but after that the rest of her body looked liked she was giving up!! I rang the vet who said it depends what expense we want to spare, he said in the morning we could take her in and put her on a drip but if we wanted to pursue this route we should probaly do it sooner rather than later, if we thought we could look after her adequatley enough in the wagon he would come and put her on a drip in the there.
After a quick discussion with my parents and hubby we decided she deserved a chance, whilst she was still fighting sureley we should do the same!!! (deal with the vets bill at a later date!!)
The vet came around 10.30 and was with her around 2 hours, struggling to get a vein that wasnt going to collapse on him to put the canula into to.
My mums boyfriend could see how exhausted both me and my husband were after the previous nights lack of sleep, so he offered to stay with her. we pinned her into the wagon using straw bails so she couldnt move about and pull her drip out, the straw bales also doubled up as a bed for david to stay over night! me and danny stayed with her untill the first bag of saline had finished, i then changed it and went home for some much needed rest. i went back to the yard at 7 on saturday morning, david was exhausted, meg was mush the same, the 2nd bag of saline had finished so i called the vet down, he put her on one last one and said after that she would have to start trying herself.
her bloods had also come back at this point, she had a high White Blood cell count, liver damage and was serverly lacking protein, the vet said all these were to be expected from such an ill pony!
That night the drip came out so meg was allowed the run of the wagon again. she didnt want to eat, drink or lie down, but she did seem to have perked up abit, when david was trying to get her headcollar on to disconect her from the drip she nipped him and wouldnt let him put it on, i was delighted with this news!!
She also had a temperature and her heart rate had dropped significantly, the vet said the fact she had a temperature unlike before was a sign that her body was trying to fight!! that night she slept stood up, david once again slept with her. I arrived early the next morning to take over, she wanted a drink but still no food,
We again started to suringe things into her, protexin quick fix (probiotics) yogurt, milk, banana concoction, guiness and eggs and milk for protein! she is still very poorly but seems to be picking up very slowly. that night she even had some haylage and was drinking well, i sponged her legs and tail to try and make her feel abit better, i have been brushing her eveyday just to try and help with circulation. last night (sunday) we left around 11.30 and i was back to the yard for 6 this morn, i was amazed when she wanted some carrots. this morning she has eated 2 uncle joes mint balls, 2 carrots 1/4 apple and a bite of haylage, she also had some yoghurt and banan concoction!
This dinner time after spending all morning with her trying to coax her to eat something horsey she finally had a much of some happy hoof, i was delighted!! it is amazing!! she then had a much of abit of mix too and a small mouthful of haylage!!
So thats where were upto atm, i am asking for any suggestions as too what is very palatable and what will keep her strength up, i will try anything atm and the more people i ask the more knowledge i will get to help her.
im sorry if this is spelt incorrectly and the grammar is poor, but when you have a seriously ill pony and a major lack of sleep its the best i can do!
Keeping my spirits up and praying for a miracle. the poo samples should be back from the vets at the end of this week which will help to determine what is wrong with her.
thanks in advance guys and sorry to chunner onnnnnnn........... i wil try to post some pics of meg before and now and keep everyone updated as to her progress, but please bear with me as i havent seen my comp since the early hours of saturday morning due to pony sitting!!!