First time taking a horse in for surgery: what to expect?

[fivestrideline]

Well, ProStride is done. We shall see.

Vet was delighted to report that he’s improved! He’s now 3.5/5 lame vs 4/5 last month… yeah I mean improvement is improvement but ouch. Considering he was sound before (or I can’t spot a lame horse or feel one under saddle. And I absolutely can, but it’s all making me question).

This horse cannot have NSAIDs, but the vet doesn’t think a single dose will kill him so we are monitoring him. If he needs a bit of bute here and there for extreme cases like injections, he will get some. We plan to start expanding his paddock a bit next week - if the injections don’t do anything he’s going to be slowly introduced to turnout anyway.

I won’t lie… this experience has turned me off of the whole horse ownership thing. Not just this horse, but the KS one has not helped set the stage either Honestly, I haven’t touched any of mine since Christmas besides checking that they’re alive, and I have no desire to do so. I expect I will be supporting at least the two retirees forever, but I think I’m done. These horses are likely to be my last, I think. Hopefully the world stays together enough that I can continue to support the overgrown pet farm animals.

[Simkie]

I’m sorry this has gone so poorly Fingers crossed the prostride gets him over this hump.

I totally feel you on the backing off and being kinda done, and went through something similar after going through the ringer with my neck horse. I eventually came back to it but it took awhile. Time and distance helps.

[NaturallyHappy]

@fivestrideline

This horse cannot have NSAIDs, but the vet doesn’t think a single dose will kill him so we are monitoring him.

Can you use Tylenol?

[fivestrideline]

Yep. He’s on some as needed but Tylenol doesn’t go after the same types of inflammation as NSAIDs. For example, my vet said using Tylenol for post-vaccine reactions wasn’t really effective. But we do use it as his painkiller of choice.

[NaturallyHappy]

Gosh…it worked great for me w vaccines. Very interesting.

[fivestrideline]

Huh. Well, next time we may use it just in case, can’t hurt might help. And I’ll pass data along to my vet.

Tylenol is one of those things that seemed like a new revelation to my vet while I’ve been using it for a hot minute. I know vets are hesitant to suggest off-label or new medications without proper testing so I’m not saying they weren’t correct in their assessment, but it was funny to stand there and listen to the explanation while holding an Amazon box of giant Tylenol bottles. But hey, I’m just thrilled to have options!

[fivestrideline]

Update: pony has settled in to somewhat limited turnout with no drugs! Yay!

I need to get an update on soundness now that the ProStride has had a chance to settle, but I’m thinking that we are just going to start expanding him to full turnout regardless. Obviously if he’s dead lame that’s one thing but I can’t afford to keep throwing things at the wall. He either heals or he doesn’t, is unfortunately where we are right now. He can have time, but according to my vet our options are another surgery to maybe clean something up (not happening) or noltrex/similar injections, and time. And luck.

Horses. I’d like to ride sometime this year. Hasn’t happened yet, but maybe one day

[kaya842]

I’m so sorry you (and the pony) are going through it. I really feel for you. I know how trying emotionally and financially it was putting my coffin bone horse through her second surgery and maintaining after. I didn’t fully feel it at the time, but now that she has passed I realize how much her day to day care had been weighing on me. I’m not trying to be a downer just trying to sympathize and add that it can/ does get better. I’m really enjoying riding again (someone else’s horses at the moment, I too feel the strain of ownership is a bit much ATM). Hugs to you. Hugs to your ponies.

[fivestrideline]

Well. Some of that was a RIDICULOUSLY overdue vacation, some was seasonal depression (I have that and ye old regular depression cause why not), and some was overwhelm and stress.

Having the rehab case at a full service barn has helped SO much. I’ve realized I need to relinquish some control in order to have the best experience, and I also NEED an arena… all weather, if not covered or indoor. I just need consistent footing when apparently we swing wildly from bone dry to swamp, these days.

Fingers crossed, we are bumping Mr Rehab down to regular board and introducing him to turnout. I’ll see how that settles before we try hopping on him to start tack walking, but I think it’ll be better for his brain and ours if we get him some calm time outside before trying to keep a lid on under saddle. If he can’t stay sound under saddle, he will just stay on regular board for ~ 6 months before I try again.

Meanwhile, the retiree came out of winter pretty rough, and now is looking rough again as the grass comes in. I assume this is an “I’d rather eat grass than hay” strike, but the grass isn’t ready to sustain him 100%. So that’s exciting. Hopefully that won’t continue, but I’m about to throw some pellets or fat or something at him so I don’t feel like a bad mom. He gets a full ration of complete feed and a V/M, but apparently this year he wants to make me redo the regimen. Yay

[Mango20]

I’m still tracking along at a similar pace. My coffin bone surgery candidate just had her check up 12 weeks out from surgery (or maybe 13 or 14). Bone looks great, screw looks great, joint looks great, but the patch started leaking fluid on the trailer ride up there and apparently she has an infection in the hole they drilled for the screw. They feel like it’s not involving the screw since her hoof has grown quite a bit to move the hole lower. So now I’m back to daily soaking and wrapping, and a horse with about a 1/2" hole in the side of her foot. I’m to soak/wrap for 6 days, but am not sure if I’m supposed to keep wrapping after that to keep it sealed, or if we’re expecting it to close up on its own by then. We’re doing about 3 hours of solo turnout in a small electric paddock.

I also have a 31 year old who came out of winter having lost a ton of muscle. I’ve upped her grain significantly, but I think her time is coming soon.

My only other horse is a 12 hand pony, who luckily is very sound and healthy, and I’m small enough to go trail riding on him.

[fivestrideline]

@Mango20

I also have a 31 year old who came out of winter having lost a ton of muscle. I’ve upped her grain significantly, but I think her time is coming soon.

Ugh I’m sorry. I worry about my retiree - every winter/year he struggles more. Never enough to call the vet, but more than he should for the amount he eats and for being 12. 13? Something.

Jingles for your surgery pony! I’m just glad we don’t have anything to wrap right now - I can’t imagine what you’re dealing with

Mine FINALLY is on regular turnout - apparently he is THRILLED and also a mud ball. they gave him a bath but he’s making up for lost time by grinding the muck in as much as possible, apparently. Fine with me, as long as he heals! We are going to let him have a while on turnout and go from there.

[fivestrideline]

Well, going back into group turnout has certainly agreed with this guy! He’s always just a lamb but now that he’s out he’s living his best life.

Would anyone be willing to look at a hand jog video and give me soundness feedback? I won’t lie that this experience has made me question my eye for lameness. I don’t want to post it publicly as the person jogging him isn’t me and didn’t consent to being posted online (I doubt they’d care but I prefer to be careful). I just want a new set of eyes on him that doesn’t cost me a farm call and lameness exam. I’ve got to call the vet to the other barn and I’m trying to spread the pain a bit

[PonyApocalypse19]

Can you hear any differences in the foot falls in the trot up? If they don’t sound rhythmic then there might be something still going on. Same though, my eyes catch on things that may not be a lameness per se, so I fall back on what do the foot falls sound like.
Glad he’s doing better on turnout!

[fivestrideline]

Oh good call. I’ll go have a listen!

[NaturallyHappy]

@fivestrideline

I’ll go have a listen

My go to, as well.