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donna72_uk
Gold Member
 England
1123 Posts |
 Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 7:11:11 PM
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Star has had a terrible time lately
On the 18th of october Star came in from the field with a kick to his nose it was quite swollen so i bathed it and gave him a bute he seemed ok so i thought we had got away with it!On the 22nd of october he just didn't seem quite right when he was eating his feed he started to shake so i called the vet i told her and showed her where he had been kicked and she said it was nothing to do with the symptoms he was showing she then diagnosed colic! i stayed with him for the majority of the night.The next morning i noticed his face was swollen he also had a foul smelling discharge coming out of his nose so i called the vet again she said it might just be primary sinusitis so he got put on antibiotics one a day for five days he did seem to perk up a bit but he still had discharge coming out of his nose I asked for more antibiotics which the vet said ok but if there was no improvement after a few more days he would have to come in for a head x ray.Well i ended up taking him in for a head x ray as i needed to know what was going on.This is the pic from the first x ray i don't know if you can see it but there is a slight dark mark on one of his teeth.
 The vet came back to me and showed me the x rays she said where he has got fluid in the sinus he will need a operation she said the dark mark on the tooth is caused by the fluid draining on to it she did say it might be the tooth but on looking at the x ray she didn't think it was.So i was going to book an appointment for him to come back for the operation when she said i can do it now if you want so i agreed to have it done there and then.She had quite a bit of trouble doing it on her own and i stayed in with him the whole time anyway she said it was a success.
Look how sad he looks.
He was back on antibiotics i had to flush iodine through the catheter twice a day for two weeks he was such a good boy bless him We had a few problems the catheter came out so the vet had to put it back in anyway he did seem to improve.The vet came out and took the catheter out she was happy how everything had gone.A few days later he had a lot of pus oozing from the hole in his face it also smelt quite bad so the vet came out again and she eventually took a culture as i had done a lot of research about this problem and it always said a culture must be took straight away to get them on the strongest antibiotics.The results came back and he was put on neopen which i then had to inject him for five days which i didn't like doing at all  He did seem to improve a bit but then it started again pus oozing out of the woundAfter trying several antibiotics i was actually thinking he isn't going to get better and i might have to have him put to sleepI decided i was going to get another opinion as this had been going on for a long time and i couldn't let Star suffer anymore so i spoke to Rossdales and they were willing to see him but i needed a referral. On the 2nd of december another vet from the same practice was on the yard i had a chat with him and showed him Star and he said the vet who i had been dealing with had alerted him that she might of left a piece of bone in his face i said that i had spoken to Rossdales and i would prefer to take him there when he said he would now take over the care of Star and could i bring him in on the 9th of december so i decided to give them another chance.They did another X Ray he then cut a much bigger hole in his face he thoroughly flushed the sinus he also found the piece of bone that was left he also looked with the camera when he then said i have found the problem it is the tooth i was quite relieved in a way as i needed to know what was causing this he was continually looking with the camera when he found some conjured pus he then said that was the problem so he flushed it out put another catheter in then Stitched him up gave me more antibiotics which were metronidazole in tablets which he had to have 7 in the morning and 7 at night i had to crush them up and add water so i can syringe it into his mouth he also had baytril that i had to syringe as well he had to have this for a few weeks i was also flushing him with iodine solution twice a day this went on all over Christmas it was just awfuli kept in constant contact with the vet as pus was still coming out he then suggested i put the baytril straight in to the catheter still no improvement i kept thinking i have got to make a decision as it wasn't fair on StarThe vet came back out on the 29th of december this is what Star looked like then
The vet had a look at him then said well it might be that tooth as it looks suspicious he said bring him in on friday and i will give him a general and have a good look,well as you can imagine i had lost a bit of faith so i asked to be referred to Rossdales which after a few arguments they eventually referred me
In the meantime i had spoke to other vets which had been on the yard and they had looked at my x rays and said straight away that is a tooth problem and there was no way this horse should of been put through all this they also said it was quite likely the kick that had done it!So off we went to Rossdales on the 13Th January which took nearly 2hours Star travelled greatHe had the x ray and straight away they said it was the tooth!They asked me to leave him there so they could get there dental expert to look.Leaving him was the worst but i knew he was in good handsI got a phone call that afternoon to say when they look into his mouth they could see exposed pulp and receding gingiva none of the other vets had looked in to his mouth beforeRossdales said they were going to extract the tooth orally the following day and they would ring me to let me know how it went.I was completely in bits just thinking of what Star was going to go throughI received a call at lunchtime to tell me sorry we couldn't do it today so we need you to collect him and we will try and do it next week i just couldn't believe it So off i went to collect him again.While Star had been ill i was constantly looking his condition up and it was always saying Tooth is the most likely cause but when i had been saying to my vets they kept saying we don't think that is the problem i had also found an equine dentist which when i told him all the problems he said it sounded like a tooth fracture and he also agreed it was probably down to the kick.On our return from Rossdales i spoke to the dentist again he said he would try and extract orally he also worked with some vets which were not too far away from me,He would use there vets practice and have one of the vets with him constantly so they could sedate him and nerve block him they all sounded quite professional so i agreed to take Star on the 29Th of January.It was a very long procedure the dentist spent nearly 4 hours trying to loosen the tooth which was going really well when it just shattered i just couldn't believe it Poor Poor Star he had been so goodSo they gave me two options they could either give him a general or they would go through his face as it still hadn't healed properly and they would try and knock it out while the dentist pulled through the mouth.They had never performed this before but as Star was a good patient and the tooth was very loose they said it could be done.I agreed for them to do it that way as i was petrified of him having a general.So this was going to be done the next day and they would ring me when everything was OK.I received the call at 1.00 to say everything had gone to plan what a relief The dentist said the tooth was so rotten if my old vets had bothered to look in his mouth they would of seen how bad it was!
is him not long after he has got a drain in.
I brought him home on the 1st of FebruaryEverything was going good he had the stitches out and the hole was getting smaller.Then we had another set back his face swelled up again and pus started to come through the wound i just couldn't believe itI took him back to the vets at the end of February they x rayed him and they found a tiny piece of bone so he had to have his face opened up again
It was quite upsetting as as you can see from the pics it was healing up nicely.
Anyway it was 8 weeks ago now since his last operation and touch wood he seems to be on the mend
My yard manager has been great through this awful time letting Star have separate turnout with two small ponies but she now feels he should go out with the rest of the heard which is 27 geldings i just cant take that risk as he has had so much bone removed from his face and obviously it is still very fragile so now i have got to find a new yard for StarI'm so sorry for the long post but poor Star has had a dreadful time but i am so glad he is still with me that is why i need to protect him
This is what he looked like last year at a local show
Thanks for reading
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Donna
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Edited by - donna72_uk on 03 Jun 2009 3:42:19 PM
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Zan
Platinum Member
Scotland
3213 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 7:25:21 PM
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| Poor Star. It is very sad when you put your faith in professionals and they let you and your horse down. How sad that you now have to find a new yard after all this so that he is safe. Good luck---I hope you find a wonderful place where you will both be very happy. |
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moatside
Platinum Member
England
3224 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 7:26:43 PM
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| Poor boy! I am not a fan of turning horses out in large groups ( my old girl took a kick to the head which resulted in brain damage and 18 months of box rest/limited turnout) so I can sympathise. |
www.spanglefish.com/kasanarhythmbeads/ |
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SarahA
Silver Member
476 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 8:08:22 PM
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| That poor boy, and poor you, i cant believe they didnt look in his mouth:( glad things are looking up and fingers x you find him a lovely new home. |
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marionpack
Gold Member
England
1073 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 9:23:00 PM
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| What a terrible ordeal to go through, can't believe the vets didn't look in his mouth, hope you find a nice new yard, whar area are you in? |
Berkshire
   
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Delyth
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1425 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 9:53:08 PM
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| Crikey I had no idea, poor guy. Sometimes vets drive me to despair - just so glad you got to the bottom of things. I agree with your decision, a field with 27 geldings is OTT !! |
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firstlady
Gold Member
Wales
767 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 10:38:10 PM
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poor lad has had a really rough time of it by the looks of the pics fingers crossed he's well on the mend now must have been so worrying and frustrating for you
but I think Star has lived up to his name and is a real Star being a model patient during his ordeal
all the best for the future with him |
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rosie
Platinum Member
England
3662 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 10:41:00 PM
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what a terrible time you & your horse have been through!
Agree with your decsion about a new yard.
Good luck for the future. |
     
Last picture courtesy of Sweet Photography |
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linziemberton
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 11:31:11 PM
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What an amazing little chap having to go through all of that and he is looking so well at the end, you did really well, it must have been so hard and so depressing for you both.
xx |
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vjc
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4952 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 11:36:00 PM
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| oh dear you have both been through the mill glad he is getting better and good luck with your new yard. |
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sarahlock
Platinum Member
England
1535 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2009 : 11:54:25 PM
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OMG poor Star what an ordeal hes been through !
27 geldings ?
Cricky
Luckily i`ve never had to turn my 2 girls out with others but years ago i had to turn my 2yr old gelding out with a few others , he got kicked & got a huge infection in his leg which cost me a fortune !
I hope you find somewhere nice for your lovely boy ! |
     
Brixham (South Devon ) |
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precious
Platinum Member
England
2253 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 08:20:37 AM
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Poor star n you!
I know what it feels like to have to keep going not knowing whats the cause.
Sounds like he is on the road to recovery tho fingers crossed :)
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Gemma Thompson
Birmingham West Midlands
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Pasha
Platinum Member
England
3622 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 09:30:55 AM
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OMG you have been through A LOT!!! Well done for not giving up though and seeking second opinions!! That's why I spend my life on the Internet! I trust my vet 100% but I always thoroughly research anything he tells me to make sure I understand and all the variations and different treatments!
Unfortunately, some vets get a bee in their bonnet, decide what they think it is and are blinkered to any alternative suggestions! They are only human after all, although sometimes it's hard to make excuses for them!!
I hope Star goes from strength to strength and you get out and about again soon xxx
P.S. 27 Geldings?? Bloomin heck!! We like to keep to a manageable 3 per field, although the showjumpers and eventers all get lumped together - 6 in total! |
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sparky
Junior Member
41 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 10:45:56 AM
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Oh blimey, that is awful, well done for perservering with it, and finally getting the right result.
I have to say I've been so impressed by Rossdales so far, we have a mare there at the moment who had her tooth removed on tuesday, and also had to have her sinus operated on to clear all the blockage of pus from it. When I think what you have been through I feel so lucky that we have escaped so lightly, and that our vets thought the operation was too complex for them,and they referred us straight away!
My greedy horse had already started eating by the time we spoke to them yesterday, less than 24 hours after the operation! Lets hope you are able to get back to normal soon.
Monique |
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nikki
Platinum Member
Wales
4384 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 10:55:12 AM
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crikey donna!
you and star have certainly been through the mill. So glad he's better now.
thats shocking about your vets! I'd get new ones if you can! |
pagey |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 11:00:15 AM
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| I would be more than tempted to ask for my vet bills to be refunded as they misdiagnosed the problem. And agree, 27 is another accident waiting to happen. |
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donna72_uk
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 12:47:53 PM
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Thankyou so much for your replies it means alot
There is alot more to the story but i tried to keep it as short as possible.
At the moment Star is in a very small paddock with another horse but he has been getting very stressed out and he now has developed a coughI did ask my yard manager if he could go out with the old and laminitic horses but i was told NO she actually said that she had been patient enough with all that had gone onSo i really need to move him asap as i cant have him stressed out!My new vets and the dentist have been fantastic since they took over his care and they have said there is no way he should go out with that many horses.I was going to take my old vets to court but as i have had so much stress myself i just feel i am not srong enough.
I live in Romford Essex and Star is Stabled a couple of miles away so if anyone knows of a small yard please let me know Thanks |
Donna
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Eeyore
Gold Member
1181 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 1:36:08 PM
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What an ordeal for you both
That photo of Star last year is beautiful, he will soon be like that again and hopefully you will find a yard where you are both happier.
I'd have a nervous breakdown if I had to put my gelding out with 20 odd others! Good luck with your search |
Heléna
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 1:48:32 PM
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Gosh you have both been put through the mill. Hopefully now he is on his way to a full recovery.
Sorry I cant help with the livery situation I live in The North but hope you get something sorted out really soon.
On taking your old vet to court, I would just leave it, horrible to say but your new vet and the hospital would have to go against your old vet and they just wont do it!!! And the stress of it all would make you more anxious!! I for one would be fuming about it aswell but vets and doctors just wont testify against one another.
Janet |
     
Sunny Cheshire |
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Nut
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2009 : 1:53:09 PM
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| Here's hoping you find a lovely new yard and he continues to improve under the care of you and your new vets There are a few people in Essex on here I beleive, maybe start a new thread looking for livery and sure someone can help x |
     www.ndlarabians.webs.com
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donna72_uk
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2009 : 6:12:12 PM
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| I have now told my yard manager i am leaving next weekend |
Donna
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2009 : 8:24:34 PM
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Have you found somewhere to go? I know someone in Romford who has a few Arabs and Anglos and does take a few liveries, don't know if she will have any room. If you want me to find out give me a ring and I will ask them. She and her husband are lovely people and real "horse" people.
My mobile is 07805415220 if you want to ring me. I don't like giving out other people's numbers without their permission.
Barbara |
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Zenitha
Gold Member
England
1078 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2009 : 8:39:35 PM
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Oh what a lovely, beautiful, brave horse 
He's been through so much (and so have you) and just took it all - he sounds absolutely lovely.
No way should he go out with all those horses ( 27 ? Thats ASKING for trouble ) I really hope you find a lovely place to keep him, in a safe environment. He deserves it. Keep us posted ! |
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Kash
Platinum Member
England
3777 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2009 : 8:47:01 PM
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What an ordeal Hope he is now well on the way to mending.
Good luck with finding a new yard.
Lauren |
      
Photographs by Emma Maxwell and Peter Grant |
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ACGODFREY
Silver Member
United Kingdom
440 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2009 : 8:52:43 PM
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My word, I really feel for you and Star with all you have been through. Just a word of encouragement that my boy had an upper tooth removed and some of the bone around it in under GA in 2003 (after many many months of serious infection and lots of antibiotics) and was left with a massive hole that you could fit a hose pipe in . The op took place mid June and so with all the flies it did not heal brilliantly quickly. However, about 1 year later there was no sign of the physical trauma of the op as it healed brilliantly.
Hope poor Star continues to recover well and that your new place of residence only does small turnout groups! |
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GHALEEM
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2028 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2009 : 9:00:08 PM
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I'm so glad to hear Star is on the mend, what a nightmare! He seems to be a very special horse and is lucky to have a lovely owner like you Good luck with your new place.
Michelle |
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