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Post by DianneC on May 23, 2009 10:15:52 GMT -5
How is Lyric doing?
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Post by kigercat on May 23, 2009 17:20:19 GMT -5
I got the barn this am and Lyric was laying down. Went in and gave her the oral ACE to be ready for the vet. She didn't act like she wanted to get up so we just let her stay down till the vet got there. After the ACE kicked in she alternated between laying out flat napping and sitting up nibbling the hay and grass leftovers around her.
Vet got there and with Lyric still laying down was able to do a lot of moving of the hip and rotating things around. Then when Lyric didn't want to get up she did the rectal while she was still down. pulled a lot of poop out and was trying to get a good feel of the pelvis to determine where it might be broke (her opinion at this time is that it is broken). Lyric's bladder was full so she couldn't get a good feel and when she brought her glove out there was fresh blood on it. My sister told me later the very last piece of poop that was taken out before feeling for the break had blood on it. Not dark been through the digestive tract blood, but fresh red stuff.
Because of the blood she did not want to sedate further and continue the exam or ultrasound today. Lyric has pooped since the vet left and I did not see any fresh blood on the poops.
Verdict is she will probably have to be put down. Hip is not broken, pelvis is. But she still doesn't know where. Her hind end muscles have atrophied which make it hard for her to get up once she's down. She does not know the source of the blood...possibly from all the manipulations she did both before the rectal and the manipulations of the leg area while she was doing the rectal.
Thursday we will do an internal ultra sound and she is bringing another vet along to help with the examine. If the break in the pelvis is in the joint she will need to be put down. If the bones are not aligned where the break is they more than likely will not heal up properly and she will need to be put down as she would most likely always be in pain.
If they can't find the break on the ultrasound (always a possibility) I don't know what I'll do at this point.
She didn't feel that Lyric has improved much the last 2 weeks.
IF the bones are lined up and it's not in the joint I may opt to manage for pain and give it another couple weeks tio see if we can get a healing callus on the break. No mater what though the vet does not feel she will ever be breeding or riding sound. If lucky she will be a pasture pet and able to get around comfortably (I'll take it if I can get that).
Right now she is in A LOT of pain. To be expected if you'd seen the manipulations she just went through!!! She's a little squirly again because the pain makes her want to be left alone. I buted her right away with new stuff but she still didn't eat much of her pellets...she did dive into the fresh grass though.
I am a wreck. another 6 days (Hopefully the ultrasound WILL show what is needed to know) of pins and needles and hoping against hope that there is a glimmer she can heal to be a pasture puff.....
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Post by DianneC on May 24, 2009 1:34:50 GMT -5
I'm so sorry for both of you, anyone would be a wreck. We'll all be pulling for her to be a pasture pet. That what all my Kigers want to be when they grow up!
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Post by stlkigers on May 24, 2009 10:07:51 GMT -5
I'll say prayers for her and you both....I'm so sorry, it's gotta be one of the absolute toughest roads you are on right now, especially with it being such a freak accident.....Come on Lyric....we're all pulling for you!!!!!
Angela
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Post by kigercat on May 25, 2009 12:49:24 GMT -5
Well all the research I've been doing isn't so doom and gloom as the vet tells me.
BUT...I think the real key is I need to get her imobilized more. She's been in a 12 x 12 stall and she gets around all over in that and I think it's preventing giving the break a chance to start healing properly.
Kim came out and we almost have a stall converted down to 8 x 10 using extra panels and plywood and hay bales...the actual floor space is 8 x 8 because the front 2 feet has her hay bucket and water bucket etc. But am thinking bringing in the back hay bale wall another 2 feet and scrunching her so she really doesn't want to lay down or move around much for the next couple weeks.
I'm still doing the ultra sound on Thur...but really leaning towards giving it another 2 weeks in smaller space and see if some healing can take place, UNLESS the news is so bad there is no chance for healing (crushed joint, sharp edges that could cause internal bleeding, broken off pieces etc).
Short of a full fledged sling, any ideas on how to keep her from laying down for the next couple weeks? We had a real struggle getting her back up on Sat after the vet did the exam on her. I don't think she'll stock up as bad as before as she does take tiny amounts of weight on the leg and even stood on it to pick up and stretch the good leg on several occasions now. Laminitis may still be a concern if she has to stand on only the one back leg for an extended time. But the weight shifting might help keep that at bay?
Keep good thoughts...she hasn't given up so I'm not gonna quit on her. As long as she's alert and eating and not showing distress and depression I'll give nature a chance to do some healing. But if she stops eating and loses that spark I'll have to make the call. Right now I'm thinking keep her as comfortable as possible and hope it starts to heal.
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Post by angelsdream on May 26, 2009 9:18:02 GMT -5
I hope things work out for you and Lyric. So sorry to hear all that is happening. Maybe try making her stall smaller - keep her from moving around so much and she may learn to lean on the wall for support some. I dont have any idea's on how to keep her from laying down. Besides putting her up in a sling, taking the weight off her legs a bit, like Barbaro.
Please let us know how Thursday comes out. .. Good Luck and Im praying for ya
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Post by DianneC on May 26, 2009 18:36:53 GMT -5
Hey Kris, there is some interesting information in the broken pelvis thread, you could email Michelle and see what she used for the broken neck as well.
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Post by kigercat on May 27, 2009 21:04:32 GMT -5
I practically memorized all Lil's info about Issabella!...In fact I call her every few days an pick her brain on what did issabella do at this point....Lil has been a SAINT!!!!
My Vet wrangled a bunch of us yesterday to help assist her and another Vet in the round up of unhandled 3 yr QH stallion that had gotten loose (other Vet's client). She was assiting him in gelding and repairing a hernia....which took place immediatly after capture. That guy will never get onto a strange trailer with a mare coaxing him in again! Probably woke up going what the #&^$*# happened??!!
The Vet that was working with her on this operation is going to return the favor and come and assist her with Lyric's exam Tomorrow (6/28). He has some newer? more high tech? equipment and my vet told me last night on the drive to capture the runaway that they think because Lyric is such a small horse they may even be able to get an x-ray of the area.
I talked to him briefly after the colts operations last night to confirm times and all and told him I'm not expecting huge miracles. That I want her first and formost to have a good quality of life and if all she'll be is a big pasture puff than I am happy with that. Anything above and beyond is just a bonus. I also told him that if it was something that could heal up well but would put her at risk if she ever got pregnant I would also have her spayed down the road after she was recovered from this ordeal.
My gut says that if they (Vet) know you are willing to go the extra mile for the horse and accept that you may end up with a moderatly gimpy horse that will just be a pet for possibly 30 or so years they might have a tendancy to look at the situation differently. After my Vet gave me the initial doom and gloom report and watching me basicly have a break down her stance sort of changed when in discussing the ultra sound and what to do till then, and talking about possible outcomes etc, when she said if it heals she will probably ONLY be pasture sound and I said SO...that's fine by me she sort of got more optimistic about things.
Maybe Vets get a little guarded in these situations because horses are such a big expense and there are a lot of folks that feel if the horse isn't pulling it's weight either as a riding functional horse or breeding animal they wouldn't mess with it and just put it down and cut losses. I do know (NOW) that she gives the worst case scenerio so that you are prepared for the worst instead of painting a really hopefull picture then have it be bad.
Right now taking things a step at a time. Tomorrow at 4 is the next step. If we pass this one the next step is a looooong one, with still no guarantees.
Lyric has done something kind of funny. Ever since we moved her to the smaller stall (which she HATES) she has built herself a mountain in there. She has dug all her bedding (including some of the dirt and clay underneath so it's a dreadful looking mess) up into a mound she can stand in...I go in to clean and respread things back down and by the next check on her she has her hill again. And she builds it the same way each time. Maybe it helps her stand better and support that bad leg by giving it the hill to rest just a little higher than the other foot (hope it won't make the leg heal shorter though). Or maybe it just gives her a better view of the horses across the way and in the field, or maybe better access to the "forbidden" wall of hay that's lining the back of her "new plywood stall wall" to give it solid support. She's back to cleaning up her pellet mush again (broke it to 3 smaller meals a day instead of the 2 bigger ones), dives into her bucket of grass, eats all the alfalfa except the tougher stems...I couldn't get her to eat plain grass hay anymore after I started giving a little alfalfa with it, and now she enjoys her new snack bar in the back (plain local grass). Go Figure! LOL
If she's in this 8 x 8 for a while I may need to rebuild the top layer of my wall at some point =) And I won't mind one bit!!!
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Post by DianneC on May 27, 2009 22:09:06 GMT -5
Good for you Kris, she has just the right owner in you. I know what you mean about vets not thinking people want to spend the effort and money on a horse that might not be "perfect". I can understand people who can't handle it, but am glad you are giving her a chance for a good, if "non-productive" life. I'm amazed at people who think its totally OK to keep their horse in a 12x12 stall for life except to be ridden. That's productive? Its great to see too that she has so much will to survive. Not sure what her mountain is that she digs, but its hers!
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Post by kigerfan on May 27, 2009 22:53:22 GMT -5
When Firefly was in a stable, she would dig a large depression in one corner of the stall. Every day she dug it and every day the fellow covered it back up before I could get to him. Finally, one day I was able to catch up to him as he was getting ready to cover it up. I told him to please leave the spot alone, that's where she sleeps! She was digging herself a bed and he was covering it over. When I moved her, I took a great big bucket of the dirt in and around her bed area and moved it to her new home so that she would have familiar smells awaiting her in her new place.
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Post by lilnagy on May 28, 2009 18:40:28 GMT -5
Hey everyone, Christine just called me and Lyric was being put down. This was the first horse she ever had from the wild and gentled herself, and in addition to losing her sweet filly, it is bitter to see the dream lost. She wasn't ready to get on the board and write, so i told her I would do it for her. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Lil
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Post by kigerfan on May 28, 2009 21:15:39 GMT -5
I'm so very sorry to hear that  I hope she know she has friends all over that are feeling her pain and unhappiness tonight. We will keep her in our thoughts and prayers, what a terribly sad time. |
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