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Post by akoehmstedt on Jul 15, 2008 17:12:14 GMT -5
Love the pictures! You guys look great.
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Post by larkspurco on Jul 15, 2008 21:44:18 GMT -5
LeahL, that's very interesting, especially the part about your trainer and Lady getting herself fired. My trainer is 10x the rider I am, and I think much of what makes her so good is she's just such a smart horsewoman. She knew Desi needed the consistency and security of having me in the saddle and wasn't afraid to say "no thanks." She's still very supportive and always asking how we're doing and offering suggestions. I did start him in a Happy Mouth mullen bit, but he actually seems more comfy in the cheapy egg-butt French link. For the time being anyway. He has a very low palate so I wonder if the Happy was too fat for him. He actually wears a 5 3/4" so I think yours would be too narrow, but thank you so much for the offer. I'll eventually look for another HS -- he doesn't dig the full-cheek HS--it's kind of fat also. OK - can't resist sharing more goat pics. Bamm-Bamm's sister Pebbles: Primrose tending to her kids:
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Post by leahlady on Jul 20, 2008 15:11:58 GMT -5
Those are such cute goats!!!!!! I feel like the really good trainers are the ones who can admit when a situation just isn't working for a horse - where as a not-so-good trainer would force the horse to accept it. For Lady, being in a stall/small paddock in a training barn, and being "schooled" 4x/week just wasn't a good fit. I'm glad you are still staying in touch with your trainer - after a cool-off period, Lady and I continued to get weekly lessons for almost 4 years from the trainer who "fired" her Horses are so funny with what bits they like! Good luck to you both and I look forward to seeing more pictures!
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Post by larkspurco on Sept 12, 2008 0:05:40 GMT -5
Hey guys -
Just thought I'd update your on Desi's latest brush with enigmatic illness.
A few weeks ago we had some stormy weather, and nine tornadoes touched down about 20 miles north of here. Desi took offense and had a mild colic. It was the first time he's colicked since the day I brought him home.
I gave him one dose of Banamine paste and he was better in 30 minutes. The next morning all was well. That evening I longed him and he was fine, but afterward I could tell he was feeling puny again -- not a colic but just not quite right. He didn't want any grain, but he was nibbling hay, drinking, pooping and peeing.
The following morning I was shocked to find that he had flooded his stall with urine, and clearly he was feeling bad, so I called for the vet. Before she arrived I noticed his pee was dark brownish red. I caught a sample and showed her.
She drew blood, caught a clean urine sample, did an exam and advised me to monitor his water intake. He ran a low fever all afternoon and evening. He continued to eat grass hay, drink water and pee every 15 minutes.
The next morning, his fever was down and his urine was nearly clear. He was bright-eyed and hungry. The vet called to report his kidney values (BUN and creatinine) were high and he had blood in his urine. She advised me take him to a hospital and put him on fluids. We discussed his improvement, and I decided to wait until she consulted with an internist, Dr. Bain, at Littleton Large. Bain suggested kidney stones or kidney damage.
Long story short: We decided not take him to the hospital. He continued to improve. I took him to Littleton the following week for a kidney ultrasound and repeated blood and urine work. His kidneys are normal. No kidney damage, no kidney or bladder stones, blood and urine were normal. Yay!
Bain had no explanation. He thinks Desi got dehydrated from the colic and that was enough to cause the kidney distress. I asked whether the Banamine could have done it and he didn't think so.
I don't think Desi was ever dehydrated. He is a good drinker and I'm sure he had been drinking well up until the evening of the colic. I just have this nagging feeling the Banamine did something.
Desi has continued to be well. He refused to eat grain or alfalfa for several days after the illness. He dropped a few pounds and has already gained them back.
Everything continues to be normal, except that he continues to drink and pee a lot. It is odd because he did this the first few months he was here. And he had been given a dose of Banamine for colic on day one. It makes me wonder.
Any guesses what's going on?
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Post by jodycat on Sept 12, 2008 8:42:39 GMT -5
I'm so glad Desert Spark is better!! That must have been really scary for you! I have less horse experience than almost anybody on this board, but I do know from cat experience that some drugs can have completely off-the-wall effects for an animal. In the case of my cat Sugar Ray (16+ years old), he has heart disease, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and Valium - Valium! - has caused his heart to race, up to 250 bpm. A vet internist in L.A. told me any drug can affect any animal (or person) in any way. Obviously we now know he never gets valium (I had gotten some for all three cats when I was moving to California to help my mom back in 2005). But most vets have never seen this before.
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Post by jodycat on Sept 12, 2008 8:51:17 GMT -5
Hmm. I found this online: It is always best to consult with your veterinarian before giving Banamine to a horse. Always take the rectal temperature before giving the drug, as it may mask a fever. In addition, take the heart rate if you can. It is essential to have a veterinarian examine a horse that you suspect is dehydrated before you consider administering this drug - giving Banamine to a dehydrated horse can result in irreversible kidney disease. A veterinarian can re-hydrate the horse with fluids before administration of the drug, thus avoiding these side effects. Banamine can also cause kidney disease in horses that have tied up. Severe cases should be overseen by a veterinarian. www.horse-previews.com/1196articles/1196vetcorner.html
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Post by huskiesnhorses on Sept 12, 2008 9:50:51 GMT -5
Awww POOR DESI!!!
Could it be kidney or bladder stones that he passed? That could explain the previous "colic" and if he was passing stones - that may have been the need to urinate every 15 mins as any of us that have ever had a UTI or passed crystals knows! That would also explain the blood in the urine and certainly a low temp wouldn't be surprising.
Are you feeding him alfalfa? If this is stones - you would need to switch him off that to something else.
Just my 2 cents. Hope it never happens again!!!
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Post by schwung on Sept 12, 2008 10:27:32 GMT -5
What Jodycat posted was interesting and good information, although it is strange to me that your vet wouldn't be aware of that if giving Banamine to a dehydrated horse was such a concern. I would definitely be careful about giving it to him again!
I am very glad to hear that he is ok and that you went the extra mile for him to get his kidneys checked out thoroughly, so you know for sure you aren't dealing with something more serious and you know he's going to be fine now.
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Post by larkspurco on Sept 12, 2008 11:30:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the feedback. He could have been passing a stone, but we will never know for sure because there's no evidence of stones now. He showed no signs of dehydration when I gave him the Banamine. Pulse, respiration, gums were all normal.
He gets some alfalfa but it's only a small percentage of his diet. Since there are no stones I am not concerned about feeding it. The hay in this area -- grass and alfalfa -- is known to be very high in calcium, so if that were a problem I'd have to look at some other way to balance the excess. I'm afraid to give him anything acidic because of his tendency toward ulcers.
He's such a high-maintenance guy!
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Post by huskiesnhorses on Sept 12, 2008 11:34:49 GMT -5
He's a diva that's for sure! And deservedly so! You remember I'm STILL his godmother!! That punkin punkin punkin!
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shekaberry
SAFE Volunteer
SAFE Volunteer Coordinator
Posts: 1,521
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Post by shekaberry on Sept 12, 2008 12:04:37 GMT -5
That is really scary and a hard situation to be in. I am glad your instincts were right and Desi is OK!!
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Post by larkspurco on Sept 13, 2008 11:02:22 GMT -5
He's a diva that's for sure! And deservedly so! You remember I'm STILL his godmother!! That punkin punkin punkin! Yes, I remember. In the interest of full disclosure, you must know he is autistic, bi-polar, claustrophobic, hyperactive, hypersensitive, narcoleptic, stubborn, neurotic, pathologically herd-bound AND highly intelligent. ;D Are you sure?
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Post by huskiesnhorses on Sept 13, 2008 11:50:04 GMT -5
Is that all you got?!?! Bring it!!! ;D
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Post by larkspurco on Sept 13, 2008 13:03:57 GMT -5
Actually, those were just his finer, more endearing qualities.
I forgot:
Tender-footed, thin-skinned, hard-keeping, needle-phobic, hot-tempered, accident-prone and snaggle-toothed. Oh, and he hates the goats.
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Post by huskiesnhorses on Sept 13, 2008 15:40:27 GMT -5
Actually, those were just his finer, more endearing qualities. I forgot: Tender-footed, thin-skinned, hard-keeping, needle-phobic, hot-tempered, accident-prone and snaggle-toothed. Oh, and he hates the goats. Awww a match made in heaven! I'm not all that fond of goats either! You knows I luvs him!!! Ah do!
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