Well, it has been a rough coupla days…
The first day looked promising and then, well…
…there hasn’t been any miracle cure as I had dreamed. In fact, she might be a bit worse.
When I arrived at the hospital, she was being trimmed without medication!!
HERE IS WHAT IS UP
Tess arrived at the hospital. Upon further examination, it was concluded that she had necrotic tissue on both (yikes) of her front soles. Her backs have bruising. The bruising could be from them being too long because we couldn’t trim her – or from abscesses starting (praying that this isn’t it).
Dr.E glued on shoes to raise her soles off the ground. He added hospital plates so he could treat/harden her soles and keep the area clean.
To my amazement, Tess was able to stand and have all of her feet done without pain medication or blocking. Wow! I felt encouraged. I even shed a few tears as I saw her there.
I was totally relieved to see her back hooves trimmed.
DR, patient and master farrier.
THE NEXT DAY
The next day, however, she showed signs of pain. We aren’t sure if it is because they removed her hoof cinches in order to apply the shoes… or if it is something else.
Here is my email exchange with Dr. E.
FROM DR E. (10:40am Sunday)
Dear Dawn,
Our girl looks better this morning. Her digital pulses (is a subjective reference for inflammation within the hoof) are decreased when compared to yesterday. She is moving a little better. Her soles are still draining from the abscesses and the edema of the visible tissues underneath her sole is slowly decreasing. These are all small changes but at least they are not drawbacks. She liked the extra support provided to the rest of the foot. Is she still weight shifting and lifting her limbs? Yes, no doubt. She has a lot going on and a long road ahead.
I THANK YOU for sending me the information and for staying active and engaged. All options and suggestions will be considered and executed if appropriate. Things to keep in mind are that because of the condition of her soles, abscesses, etc. it is not possible to use some types of therapeutic methods such as wooden shoes, casts, epona shoes, etc. I need access to the bottom of the foot once or twice a day to check progress, change topical medications, clean foot, treat abscess/drainage… That is one of the reasons she has a reverse shoe with a treatment/hospital plate. I can access the toe area and the entire sole this way. Once I receive the straps (Hoofcinch), depending on how she is doing, I may nail on a reverse shoe, so that I can have access to the hoof wall as well and be able to place the straps. If the reverese shoes are not working by then, they’ll come off then or sooner. We’ll see when we get there. One day at a time. :) One more comment I’ll make is that even though the rotation may not be severe….for some… the condition of the foot is one of the biggest challenges/limitations. Such condition is not visible on x-rays, yet extremely important. “Dont treat the x-rays…treat the patient!” :)
Keep the info coming…keep the prayers coming…keep the love for Tess coming…we need it all!!!
Sincerely,
Eduardo De La Cruz, DVM
Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center
2973 Penryn Rd.
Penryn CA 95663
(916) 652-7645
Her own personal and amazing and awesome mister fan!
FROM ME (SUNDAY AM):
Thank you for the report.
I will come visit her later this afternoon.
She was horribly droopy when I first arrived yesterday but after she had the fan and mister, she brightened considerably.
Langdon was very considerate.
(I have less time to visit her next week so I am doing what I can now.)
–Yes, I know it is bad – worse than the X-rays… and thank you for giving me the formulas to why some things work and some things won’t.
Equations and formulas help me pull the big picture together.
Please don’t give up hope. This mare has great strength and resiliency, and so do I.
I owe her the best since I listened to my vets instead of my gut for the last month. I feel responsible for not having asserted myself and just driven her to Loomis/Davis/Alamo Pintado when I thought I should… I know shuda/coulda/woulda doesn’t work here, but it weighs heavy on my heart.
I have a fleet of angels and the support of thousands of strangers – I know this cannot cure her, but if I call in all my favors from my army – she at least has a chance.
Tess will tell us if she’s had enough… I will be strong for her if the time comes.
Carry on, my friend. And, thank you.
MT is listening to the food cart going by… She looks so regal with her fan blowing on her like that!
FROM DR. E (2:13 PM SUNDAY):
Thanks! I don’t give up easy, so no worries. We will continue with progressive treatments and ideas. She’s a great gal! Big hug!
Eduardo De La Cruz, DVM
I brought a book and sat with her today. She was happy to have the company.
FROM DR. E (7:15 PM SUNDAY)
I just looked at Tess. She seemed a bit more uncomfortable than this morning. I gave her pain meds and added butorphanol, an opioid that helps with pain too. Lets see what tomorrow brings.
Eduardo De La Cruz, DVM
A quick drink…
VISITING HOURS
I visited with her all three days. HOT. Wow, it is way more inferno-like in the valley…. Tess was wilting. So I asked if I could bring down a box fan and mister for her. They said SURE!
So, I did.
But, when Dr. Fielding saw what we were doing, he ran to his office and rolled down a super-duper fan and mister combination number that he had from the Grand Opening party.
Wow!
MT has the most AWESOME fan/mister set-up. It blows strong but not wet, if you know what I mean… you can stand in front of it and feel the cool, but you don’t get soaked.
Very nice.
She loves it!
I’m hoping the rental company forgets that it is there – for a while!…
If you need to purchase a heavy duty fan/mister combo, check out this brand. It is awesome – it doesn’t soak you at all!
If I spent too much time reading, she’d come right over and bump me with her nose… she wanted me to rub her face as she ate nearby.
NEXT STEPS
Tess is very sick and they are not sure what is causing the founder cascade. This is bad. They have her on every kind of medication that could help with pain, inflammation, Metabolic syndrome, they are soaking her hay and monitoring her every move… her feet are packed and every effort is being made to harden her soles and combat infection.
If she is still sore tomorrow, they will probably pull her shoes and figure some other way to elevate her sole and also have access to clean and apply hardening solutions.
My girl is in trouble. I’m not going to lie to you – this is not good.
As the farrier who trimmed her said, “Why didn’t you bring her down here a month ago?!”
Yes… I ask myself that over and over and over again.
My response…
Because no one said I should…-? Is that an answer?
Sigh. Huge, heavy sigh.
But, we are doing everything possible and available. If she can hang in there, so can we.
She laid down after eating. I kissed her forehead and told her the tech would be around to give her pain meds – and that he would reevaluate everything in the morning… It was difficult to leave her. She hasn’t been off the farm in 6 years.
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You and Mama Tess are in my thoughts and prayers always. You write so lovingly about her and describe her so well I feel as if I know her. Have they thought of trying stem cell therapy? Thanks for the updates. I check my email every day for news on MT.
Dawn, please do not beat yourself up! You are a wonderful horse parent. No one is infallible. You are in probably the top 1% of horse parents in being alert — hindsight is 20/20 as we all know. Love and best wishes and good vibes for your darling Morgan girl.
Mama Tess and her Mama are courageous gals. Please know you are both in my thoughts today. The vet does sound like an angel here on earth for her and everything is being done that can. You know in your heart and mind you did the best. Don’t be hard on yourself for last month. Tess loves you and knows you are there for her.
Keep hope and the misters going.
Prayers for healing are heading your way.
You are right, you have an army of friends and strangers pulling and praying for you and Tess. Hugs from Florida.
{{{hugs}}}} prayers being sent for you and Mama Tess!
Sending you and MT hugs and prayers.
I’m praying for Tess. I’m praying for you. I have a 13 year old PF gelding five years after we found he had foundered. Now we are trying to barefoot trim him to reverse his coffin bone rotation of the ‘hind’ bones that I had x-rayed by chance because I wanted to know why his white line was so sepeated when he was trimmed. He is a trough guy too. I hope everything turns out well for you two. I have no resourses here where I am, you are so blessed.
Healing prayers going to Mama Tess.
Comfort prayers going to you, Dawn.
I can empathize with you and know the stress you’re under. Mama Tess is tough and so is her owner. Hang in there!
Dawn,
We are all learning something from MT’s journey. I am so thankful that you can spend time with her at the hospital. You have a marvelous vet. Sending hugs.
I agree with Melissa Snell… Hindsight is always perfect. Praying for MT and you. Hang in there!!
All that we can do is pray and sometimes that is enough. I wish I could write something that
would take away all of the pain but just know that all of your friends are praying for Mama Tess.
Please don’t blame yourself.
You and Tess are in my thoughts and prayers.
Still sending thoughts and prayers to all involved! She sure is a beautiful mare!
Not home owner vets, homeopathic vets!!
Have you checked her liver? When talking to some homeowner vets they mentioned the liver as being a cause for founder. It’s been awhile so I can’t give more details then that.
Keep your chin up Dawn. Mama Tess is a fighter. We are all praying for her.
Love Christine. xx
Praying for you and your dear girl. PLEASE don’t beat yourself up with what ‘might have been.’ These are Heculean efforts. She can feel and sense your love and care. And no matter what, she is in the hands of the Creator…either here or in Heaven.
What a wonderful doctor!
((())) hugs…..
Wonderful updates. Please don’t beat yourself up for the woulda/shoulda/couldas. Tess has the best “family” a horse could ever want, and you have taken heroic measures to help her. And now you’ve got an amazing Veterinarian to give her that extra boost back to good health. Maybe not perfect, but for us oldsters (Tess and me..I don’t know how old you are!) everyday is a good day!! You are an inspirational horse owner, and I’m honored to share your blogs with my other “horsie” friends.