First of all, I know you lot are all very kind and non judgemental so would appreciate some honest advice from you knowledgeable people but am feeling a little fragile so be gentle. Sorry, this is going to be long.
Background, Harvey is a 17 year old IDxtb, I have owned him for 5 years, he has been retired for the best part of the last 4 years due to hock spavins in both hind legs. He also has a shiver but this does not seem to be degenerating and causes him no real bother.
He is not straightforward to manage, the spavins I can manage on devils claw through the summer and half a bute a day through winter which he seems to be sound on. He can be very stressy, he can be very difficult to leave alone in the field, even though there are horses in fields either side of him, he can get very stressed, calling and trotting back and forth, he used to jump out of fields when this happenned when I first got him but his gammy back legs have at least put pay to that, although he did come through a gate during the winter. It seems like he has his 'herd' so the horses in his field and the two who he used to be in a field with, and no other horses will do as company if that makes sense? So the horse who lives in the stable next door to his, if he is in, Harvey will still stress, call and box walk, as his neighbour is not one of his herd, but if I bring Bob into his stable opposite, he calms right down, as Bob is one of 'his'.
I also have to manage his weight as he is to be kept 'lean' to keep the weight of his arthritic legs. He is out 24/7 on a fairly small paddock with short grass just now, I can feel ribs, and weigh tape him weekly.
Yesterday, checked him in the morning, all fine, about 7.30, as both his field mates were going to a show, moved him to a paddock with longer grass, but this grass is not lush, as he tends to get far less stressy if he has something to eat. I have used this approach with him before with no ill effects, no weight gain etc as is just for the time he is alone, so matter of hours.
Got back yesterday, went to move him back about 3.30 pm and he was on 3 legs, holding one front leg up. As was such sudden onset, assumed abscess, called vet out, walked him slowly into stable. Vet came about 45 mins later, by this time he was resting a back leg. Diagnosis - laminitis. Pulses in all 4 legs, worse in front leg he was holding up. Gutted does not even start to describe it, thank God my very lovely friend Sarah had stayed with me or I would have been in even worse state.
He is on bute, has front shoes pulled off (he has very flat front feet so even tho retired he is kept shod, tried taking shoes off but he was in lots of pain), has thick foam pads gaffer taped to both front feet, deep bed, soaked hay, at least 4 weeks box rest. Vet back out on Friday unless I feel I need vet before that.
Vet said he could have done with losing few kilos but did comment I had done well to keep him at that weight given he was retired, so thinks underlying cause likely to be EMS.
As he is so stressy, kept Bob in with him last night and swapped for another member of his herd for the day (very kindly said I could 'borrow' him and put in in my stable opposite). Bob will need to come back in at 6 pm tonight when other horse goes out to be ridden.
My dilemna is what to do for the best for him. I have a few concerns, 1. he hates box rest at best of times, he was not very happy this morning, will go back up at lunchtime and check. 2. will need constant companion for the box rest, so minimum of 4 weeks of either keeping Bob in 24/7 or relying on kindness of others to borrow his other herd members. 3. long term management, is it fair to put him through all this, and then have the concern of paddocks with little / no grass whilst making sure he has the correct company, as if left alone, will just stress.
Not to mention trying to obtain hay to keep him in soaked hay, plus his companion, for a month.
This is all a bit fresh in my head, lovely vet who came out yesterday said I could call her for advice, so think will see how he copes today and the call her tomorrow to have sensible talk about long term prognosis and what is best. Am not wanting him to go through 4 weeks of box rest if is not going to manageable, or fair to him, long term, and would it be kinder to let him go whilst sun is shining on his back?
Sorry for this being so long, all wise words gratefully accepted.
Background, Harvey is a 17 year old IDxtb, I have owned him for 5 years, he has been retired for the best part of the last 4 years due to hock spavins in both hind legs. He also has a shiver but this does not seem to be degenerating and causes him no real bother.
He is not straightforward to manage, the spavins I can manage on devils claw through the summer and half a bute a day through winter which he seems to be sound on. He can be very stressy, he can be very difficult to leave alone in the field, even though there are horses in fields either side of him, he can get very stressed, calling and trotting back and forth, he used to jump out of fields when this happenned when I first got him but his gammy back legs have at least put pay to that, although he did come through a gate during the winter. It seems like he has his 'herd' so the horses in his field and the two who he used to be in a field with, and no other horses will do as company if that makes sense? So the horse who lives in the stable next door to his, if he is in, Harvey will still stress, call and box walk, as his neighbour is not one of his herd, but if I bring Bob into his stable opposite, he calms right down, as Bob is one of 'his'.
I also have to manage his weight as he is to be kept 'lean' to keep the weight of his arthritic legs. He is out 24/7 on a fairly small paddock with short grass just now, I can feel ribs, and weigh tape him weekly.
Yesterday, checked him in the morning, all fine, about 7.30, as both his field mates were going to a show, moved him to a paddock with longer grass, but this grass is not lush, as he tends to get far less stressy if he has something to eat. I have used this approach with him before with no ill effects, no weight gain etc as is just for the time he is alone, so matter of hours.
Got back yesterday, went to move him back about 3.30 pm and he was on 3 legs, holding one front leg up. As was such sudden onset, assumed abscess, called vet out, walked him slowly into stable. Vet came about 45 mins later, by this time he was resting a back leg. Diagnosis - laminitis. Pulses in all 4 legs, worse in front leg he was holding up. Gutted does not even start to describe it, thank God my very lovely friend Sarah had stayed with me or I would have been in even worse state.
He is on bute, has front shoes pulled off (he has very flat front feet so even tho retired he is kept shod, tried taking shoes off but he was in lots of pain), has thick foam pads gaffer taped to both front feet, deep bed, soaked hay, at least 4 weeks box rest. Vet back out on Friday unless I feel I need vet before that.
Vet said he could have done with losing few kilos but did comment I had done well to keep him at that weight given he was retired, so thinks underlying cause likely to be EMS.
As he is so stressy, kept Bob in with him last night and swapped for another member of his herd for the day (very kindly said I could 'borrow' him and put in in my stable opposite). Bob will need to come back in at 6 pm tonight when other horse goes out to be ridden.
My dilemna is what to do for the best for him. I have a few concerns, 1. he hates box rest at best of times, he was not very happy this morning, will go back up at lunchtime and check. 2. will need constant companion for the box rest, so minimum of 4 weeks of either keeping Bob in 24/7 or relying on kindness of others to borrow his other herd members. 3. long term management, is it fair to put him through all this, and then have the concern of paddocks with little / no grass whilst making sure he has the correct company, as if left alone, will just stress.
Not to mention trying to obtain hay to keep him in soaked hay, plus his companion, for a month.
This is all a bit fresh in my head, lovely vet who came out yesterday said I could call her for advice, so think will see how he copes today and the call her tomorrow to have sensible talk about long term prognosis and what is best. Am not wanting him to go through 4 weeks of box rest if is not going to manageable, or fair to him, long term, and would it be kinder to let him go whilst sun is shining on his back?
Sorry for this being so long, all wise words gratefully accepted.
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