The Founder Warrior came today – bless her…
She was just at that big convention in Nashville that everyone else who is into horse feet – went to.
I missed her while she was gone (she kept in contact via email) and again was amazed that she was willing to make the 5 hour roundtrip to see our girl so soon after returning to her home from across the country.
She was feeling good today!
FOUNDER WARRIOR WAS PLEASED WITH TESS!
There is no question that Tess is very lame and there is still the paralyzing notion that she may have a fatal coffin bone infection.
But…
Today, the FW felt that Tess was moving around much more then previously and seemed considerably bright.
(I didn’t tell her that I broke down two days ago and called upon every horsegod in the vicinity to help us…)
The FW thought Tess’ coat looked great and her weight was good… other than the fact that she was horribly foundered and lame, the mare looked very perky and healthy!
The FW was amazed at how bright she was – considering… (Note the several small, cushioned mats… I use them constantly. Easy to move and perfect for placing under sore feet. You can get them at Bed Bath and Beyond)
CORONET BAND
I might have mentioned earlier that Tess’ coronet band is our fear area. We know she has necrotic tissue under there and we know the new hoof is not attaching properly because of it. The hoof wall has to connect to the lamina or she will never be sound. We fear the infection here is what threatens her coffin bone.
Because her circulation is compromised – and the bones of the feet are so far away from the heart anyway – it is almost impossible to heal a coffin bone infection without surgery. And, I am told that Tess is not a candidate for surgery due to her age and compromised condition.
That is why we sent in the maggots. To go after the necrotic tissue and try to stop the infection from migrating to the coffin bone.
But, the maggots have not been able to get in under the coronet band, until the very last application. The wall and coronet band opened up just enough to let the little buggers in… I’d see them crawl up her hoof wall and disappear into a miniscule crack in her outer hoof. Kinda creepy and cool at the same time.
Her coronet band and hoof wall softened up enough so the maggots could finally get in to the miniscule cracks and do their work!
The maggots around her coronet band looked like a tiny, Hazmat suited crew of white cleanup men…
Anyway, today, when the FW looked at Tess’ coronet band she said, “I cannot believe how this mare holds onto that coronet band. If anyone were to look at this, they would not believe that it hasn’t ruptured or separated. I mean, LOOK AT IT! But, it is still together, God bless her. She is fighting to keep her hoof together! Let’s just hope the next round of maggots cleans it all up for us and she heals.”
(I didn’t tell her that Tess was incredibly sore the last few days and that I got on my knees and held onto her hoof and begged Horsegod to heal her…)
She had to trim the right foot on the outside because Tess wouldn’t hold up her foot long enough to use the nippers. It worked fine!
She was able to get the wall trimmed up enough that a rasp could finish it off – instead of making her hold up her right hoof and bearing weight on her bad foot.
TRIM AND XRAYS
MT was a very good girl for her trim and Xrays, considering.
According to her Xrays, she had once again grown huge amounts of sole (Thank you, Theraplate). Her right foot is growing back perfectly! The rotation has abated and all the new tissue is attached. Phew. Total success on that foot.
However, on the left foot (the bad one), it was clear that the new wall had not attached.
All that the FW could do was trim off more of the dead area and hope that the last batch of maggots arriving tomorrow will finish the clean up.
The news which I am holding as GOOD NEWS – so far – is that the Xray does not confirm or deny bone infection. It isn’t clear one way or the other.
So, I’m going with no infection and pushing forward.
This is the right foot. The good foot. It is healing perfectly and the new tissue is adhering to the lamina as it should. She is growing huge sole! Thank you, Theraplate!
This is the left foot (she is not bearing weight – which is why her pastern is at an angle, she is pulling back). It is growing lots of sole – but the wall is not adhering to the lamina – yet. Too much damage and necrotic tissue. More maggots on the way. And, perhaps revolutionary stem cell treatment for this hoof…
We had a tough time getting her to point her toe for this one… this is the uncertain view. We cannot confirm or deny a coffin bone infection. I am choosing to believe we have no infection.
POTENTIAL TEST GROUP PROTOCOL – moving forward
While at the seminar the FW recently attended, Chip from Theraplate, told Tess’ story to certain attendees at the convention.
One vet in the group spent an hour poring over all of Tess’ past Xrays.
He graciously decided to offer us the ability to procure the medicine and technology being used in a new (closed) Founder study. It involves stem cells harvested from fat cells. Those stem cells are profused into the limb. It helps with bone regeneration… along with a drug that inhibits bone degeneration.
All of this helps with circulation which is the goal – to get enough circulation down there to help her white cells get rid of the infection.
We’ll see… the procedure has to be done in a hospital setting. We also need to figure out which of the two labs in the US (are there more?) would be able to harvest her fat cells into stem cells. And, we have to make sure she could handle the transportation back to the equine hospital.
The Founder Warrior has already offered her services for free – just to be involved with something so new and experimental. Maybe the vet hospital will also offer their services for the same education. I will work on that when we have all of our ducks in a row.
For now, our girl is good. She is good.
This is the huge, cavernous hole at her toe that the maggots cleaned out of necrotic tissue… Amazing. Huge. Scary. But, clean. (I couldn’t get a clear shot.)
Here is a view where you can see the hole at her toe in relation to her sole. Finally, we can see the frog! Thank you, Founder Warrior!
I CAN CHOOSE TO BELIEVE WHATEVER GETS ME THROUGH THE DAYS…
A wise person once told me that when an outcome is not clear, you can choose what to believe until you know the outcome. You can choose to believe the worst, or you can choose to believe the best…
And as I finish writing this, I picture the barn in my head… it is filled with spirits of all kinds… people I have loved, animals I have loved, spirits I don’t know and beings I feel are benevolent… all hanging out in the barn. Taking turns working on Tess… some are casually talking to each other, some are flying about, some are floating and playing… all the while, Tess absorbs the energy sent her way.
I picture myself going into the barn and all the entities simply carry on… as if I wasn’t there. Chatting, playing, healing, loving… being.
That is how I will picture the barn from now on – until they are no longer needed to engulf her in their cushiony arms.
I called in my chips. And, I’m praying they all listened and are gracefully doing what they are there to do.
Heal her.
Phew! Mama Tess was tired after all of that… time for a girl to nap!
DECEMBER BUCKET FUND: Mollie is newly rescued at the same wonderful facility (BHFER) as Betsy Rose. She is far from safe but she is up! Click image to go to the Bucket Fund!
DECEMBER BUCKET FUND: Betsy Rose, starved in her own pasture, is coming along nicely but she has quite a ways to go…
DECEMBER BUCKET FUND! CLICK IMAGE! Look at this sweet, old pony who was dumped by his family after working for many years… Abandoned and starved after giving his entire life.
That mare…. she is amazing. She has THE prettiest eyes I think I have ever seen on a horse. She is Special with a Capital S. You are, too, Dawn. Your determination and perseverance are mind-boggling. I have a chronically ill pet myself and I know what a drain it is, emotionally and physically (in your case – my pet is tiny). I’m actually glad you had a meltdown the other day and Hubby was there to hold you, because I think it was overdue. And I know all about the “hold them and bawl and pray” thing, too.
I’m glad you have the Founder Warrior on your side and if the experimental surgery is possible, I hope it will happen. I know you would like other horses to benefit from Mama Tess’s treatment, and she would agree if she was able. We will be keeping our fingers crossed!
Vet Stem was the name of the company we used for a badly torn ligament. They are in CA. The stem cell treatment worked very well, Cody was almost well when he coliced badly and we had to put him down. Good luck and many prayers for MT and you.
You are such an awesome person, you do so much for all these poor creatures that are abused, and unloved , the Horse God better help Mama Tess, you both are so worthy!!! Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers!!!
Dawn – I love your “choose to believe the best” attitude! Too many times people get stuck on the pessimistic side, and it becomes their down fall. You are Tess’s biggest advocate – and she needs you positive! Hugs to you and to Tess.
My the Horse Gods continue to support your efforts to heal Mama Tess.
You are both in my prayers.
Hugs, Marge