Pop Goes The Abscess?

So I accidently deleted my previous post which I'm so annoyed about because I really liked it but i'm not about to rewrite it for a 3rd time sorry to say. I will just be brief in the recent events. Easter he was worse than ever on that foot to the point of hardly bearing weight on it. I had to ask the vet if I could give him something for the pain because it was that bad. So after the ok I gave some bananime that evening & he had to be stalled due to the incoming rain because I couldn't have his boots soaked & soggy considering I wasn't able to pick up his left foot because he couldn't bare all his weight on the right. So after a not very cheerful Easter holiday the next day rolls around & he was having his massage therapist out. My mom was thankfully able to be there since I had to work. She reported back to me that he was walking so much better than he had been the day before. With hearing that my heart jumped & skipped at even the thought. Could his abscess have finally popped & we can start moving forward again? His massage & energy work revealed a very sore back, hurt knee, & his heel was bothering him which is where the farrier said his abscess is/was. I was very thankful she fit him into her schedule she is always there for Ben when he needs her the most & helps him out so much. A lot of what she found is related to his abscess & rolling off the trailer. So I go to the barn that evening to see how good he is myself & to do our new evening routine that included soaking & animalintex. He was walking so much better than the day before I was elated.  He still was not 100% but he was 75% better than the day before! He was clearly much happier as well he was walking around his field a lot more than he had been doing the day before. I let his farrier & vet know of his recent progress.

So that brings us back to today. I decided to let his feet air out of his boots now that he was willing to shift his weight around again so of they came! He was still walking on his toe without the boots but he was testing out his heel to see how it felt. He is such a trooper through all this & tries his hardest to get through it all. So I gave him a good grooming & let him go almost an hour boot free in the field. He let me pick out his other hoof & reapply both boots with no problem. That alone is a huge step. He still isn't 100% yet but we will get there. These boots have been amazing for him I don't even know were he would be without them during all this! He has been wearing them for 5 days now with being turned out all day & night & they have held up great so far & fit perfectly. Thank you easyboot clouds!

Then there was an abscess?

So after Ben had a very nice birthday the next day the barn worker tells me Ben is lame. Ok I think maybe his hock is bothering him from his trailering incident. I thank him & go check things over myself. Well he was lame alright but it was not his hock it was his right front plain as day! His leg felt fine no heat anywhere maybe some very minor swelling on the back of his fetlock but nothing crazy. My heart sank & I went into panic mode. A few phone calls later I had a vet appt. scheduled for that day. A few more phone calls & a good friend insisted she look at him before the vet if I wanted so I agreed. She is a great horsewoman with many years under her belt & I value her opinion a lot. She came to look at him & after much checking it leads to the foot. A pulse was felt & with the sudden onset lameness to that degree points to it as well. So she helped me wrap his foot after a struggle because he hates that leg fussed with on a good day! So foot wrapped nice & good with animalintex pad in place & back to his routine he goes.

I knew wrapping his foot daily was not something I want to continue to do simply because he does not tolerate it. So I had a pair of boots in mind for just this situation. Easyboot Clouds! I start my search online to get ahold of a pair only to find every store backordered due to popularity. So now what...I go onto Dovers website in hopes they even carried they boots low and behold they have them & in his size! So I order straight away & have them overnighted. I hadn't received my shipping conformation yet so I contacted the company to find I had missed the time cut off for overnight shipping due to the fact I couldn't locate these boots took me that long! I felt panicked but then they said they would see what they could do & after a few mins they told me they where running my boots to the truck as we spoke just so he would have them the next day! Talk about great customer service! I had the boots delivered on my doorstep by 9:40 AM the next morning!

I rush over to the barn to get the boots on his feet to provide him with better comfort until his abscess heals. I was hoping I got the right size I luckily had measurements of his hoofs already from a few months prior for a different pair of boots so I had the size. I wanted to try the left front on first since that is his bigger foot & it wasn't wrapped. Getting him to put all his weight on his right front to pick that left up was a challenge . He didn't want to but did for me like he knew I just wanted to help him so he picks it up long enough for me to do a quick clean & put the boot on. It fit perfectly. Relief that at least I had the correct size! Now the challenge of putting the other boot on. I first had to take off his wrap which after 20 mins of struggling I still couldn't get off... thankfully a very nice boarder came along at the right time & helped me get it off & even soak his foot & place his boot on him. He walked noticeably more comfortable with the boots so I was feeling much better. He was still hurting but not as bad as with nothing or just the wrap.

I had sent my farrier a message & he offered to come take a look at his foot & I eagerly agreed the more people the better. So he comes out checks him over thoroughly & he has an increased pulse, positive on the hoof testers in his heel & heel bulb area. I knew it was the back of his foot because he would place the toe down but didn't want to put full weight on the heel if possible. Farrier carefully trimmed his foot a little but nothing obvious could be detected so he didn't want to continue looking or fear he would have even bigger problems if he tried being invasive about it. My farrier is truly wonderful he is so kind & patient with Ben especially considering Ben is not a model citizen for his toes to be done, but he never looses his patience never raises his voice nothing just gives him tome & continues to work. He loved the easyboot clouds & said they were a great fit for him. He helped me reapply his boot & apply his animalintex pad for the evening.

Despite clearly being uncomfortable Ben is always such a trooper through everything he just keeps walking along & knows his limits. He is still being turned out day & night because the best thing for an abscess is to keep them moving! That & him playing merry go round in a stall would be crippling to that leg for him. I have not given him any pain medications for two reasons one his ulcers & two with abscesses you shouldn't really do pain meds unless absolutely needed because it can slow down the process. It breaks my heart that he has to keep having things go bad for him recently & I probably seem like the worst horse owner. I clean his feet daily & maintain them every 4 weeks with his farrier trimming them. He's been barefoot for going over 3 years now. I try but I suppose I just can't ever be good enough.

Happy 27th Birthday Ben!

Today Ben & I (& close friends) celebrated his 27th birthday! We started off the morning with a good grooming session since he is shedding up a fur twister, which took place under his favorite tree while he ate from his nibblenet that hangs off the tree. I brought him a flake of his alfalfa hay & he dove right in after grooming session. Once he was full he made his nest as I call it & fell asleep in the beautiful sunshine & warmth. He had a special friend come & visit him as well who bought him a present of another bale of his lovely alfalfa hay! He got some extra treats today naturally since it is his special day, but only those acceptable for his recovery of course! His dinner had a little something special in it his mix & mash two handfuls mixed in (its all he ate when he was very sick). The evening I gave him his usual medications but brought him another flake of alfalfa because of course he's the birthday man today! after munching on that for a good while he followed me around & when I went to leave he went in his corner & fell asleep. So all in all a pretty relaxing day for him especially in comparison to yesterdays events. I can tell he's tired today from yesterday. He isn't used to so much going on especially with being in recovery.

So what exactly did Ben get for his birthday? He got a Nibble-N-Go nibblenet in his signature blue color, 2 bales of gorgeous western alfalfa hay, Beet Treats, Hilton Herbals Treats, & his special feed which is Cavalor Fiber Force! I feel very blessed to have this birthday to share with him & many more to come. We have been through a lot together recently & hopefully his 27th year proves to be a better one than last. I still will not ride him until his colonic ulcers are resolved however long that may take.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip to the Hopsital round 2

Well today was the big day. I got an ok amount of sleep myself knowing he was at least in the indoor ring & not playing the merry go round in his stall all night. I get to the barn & find him starring out the window that has the view of the fields & he looks over at me then back out the window giving me a hint as to where he really wants to be (as if I don't feel guilty enough). So I grab his halter he willingly comes over hoping to be turned out & fed but once he realizes that's not my plan his mood changes to cranky real quick. So I get him groomed, dressed & ready, & he unhappily gets in the trailer. I could see his displeasure & he was angry about the entire situation he wanted us all to go fall in a hole. So off we go with a hungry & angry Ben.

We arrive & I go to check into the office as usual were they then get a tech to come unload your horse from the trailer. Well As said before Ben doesn't unload well always & he was in rare form this morning. The tech approached & I told her he can fly off the back sometimes so you have to watch. Well I suppose she didn't head my warning very well. My mom had his lead rope up by his head attached by the window & he had been unclipped from the actual trailer (luckily) so the tech gets on with him & Ben gives her a moment but realizes at the same time there is nothing behind him so since she was hesitating & did not grab his lead rope he proceeded to shoot backwards at top speed catapulting so fast that when he got off he rolled on the ground.....I didn't see the whole thing I was on the side of the trailer I just saw my baby on the ground! He got up real quick & easy but my heart dropped as I watched him closely for any signs of injury. The tech looked shocked & embarrassed . I was annoyed because I do warn people how he is & hope they can handle him safely.  I give my mom a lot of credit she held his rope as much as she could hoping the tech standing next to him would take over though she did not but she had to just let go, there's no holding 1111 pounds back. The tech assured me the vet would check him over thoroughly. Good thing we where at a vet I suppose.

Now it was time for his exam. They told me he had sustained a superficial cut on his hock & by his hoof from his fall but otherwise was fine. They clipped, cleaned, & applied cream to his wounds & then began the gastroscopy. I wasn't really sure what to expect with these results. He had been doing a lot better than before that's for sure but you never know how long something like that will take to heal you know? So as we went on the vet was very pleased by what he saw! He was fully healed in the squamous mucosa in the greater & lesser curvature , & the glandular mucosa of the pylorus was improved with mild ulceration/inflammation still present. We also repeated the Succeed test & he still has colonic ulcers which are very hard to treat so not too surprised there. So overall good results we're not out of the woods yet but the sun is looking a little brighter with the almost fully healed gastric ulcers. The vet even said that he must like his meds!

New medications schedule given to me was a little bit of a relief in a sense of it's easier for everyone involved. His Gastrogard will be a weaning off dose of 1/2 tube for 30 days now, the Sucralfate will only be given twice a day (yay!), & the Misoprostal will continue to be the same which was 8 tablets once a day. He is also switching off the Succeed Vet formula & moving to the Assure instead to compliment when he gets the Assure Plus monthly for sand removal. He is to continue the Alfalfa as well. Thankfully he does not need to be rescoped again & only needs a succeed fecal test in 30 days which means no fasting & no trailer escapades!

After all the medications & discharge instructions Ben was awake & ready to leave. He walked happily on the trailer were he was greeted by tons of hay! He happily ate the whole ride home. As we got back to the barn my nerves sky rocketed because he had to come off the trailer. So thankfully the barn guys came & unloaded my precious man safely off the trailer & he was still on all fours! They knew how to handle him so he didn't get hurt! So thankful for my barn & all the workers there! Took him right to his field & brought him his alfalfa hay, breakfast, & his usual hay. He didn't even know were to begin he was so hungry he ate from every place his mouth could reach! I left him to his nice afternoon to enjoy himself. When I came back to medicate & check up on him later he was a very happy man outside eating all the hay he could! He would not leave his feast corner with his water trough & hay all in one area plus his neighbors hang out right across from there as well & he must see them!

All in all it was an experience & I'm thankful for the positive results & hoping we fight these colonic ulcers better this time around. So this fight is still not over we are not stopping until we have a clean test! Keep checking in for updates & Ben's birthday is tomorrow so special post then!

 

 

 

Night before the scope

Well tonight is the big fasting & of course it's a nice evening out. Ben was fully enjoying himself this evening eating his hay, took a little nap, then he grazed around a little, then he saw his neighbors playing so as they were cantering he decided to join in a lap along the length of their fields with them. I was so happy to see him just being a horse. It's been awhile since I've seen him like this & it was really nice. Of course I feel like a horrible mom because he has to be taken away from his friends, brought into the indoor with just a bucket of water & no food... oh the joys of gastroscopy...not so much. I'm not looking forward to the long drive even though he is a good man about trailering it's still a lot physically for him to balance himself & use his muscles like that. At least the weather is supposed to be in our favor this time around instead of rainy like before! I'm hoping for some positive improvements with the test results.

On a side note for Ben's birthday & an early Easter present his grandma got him a big beautiful bale of western alfalfa hay that has the sweetest aroma coming from it. If they could sell perfume that smelled like that I might actually consider the stuff! Nothing smells better than great hay! She also got him some of his special feed & a Nibble-N-Go nibblenet which is a baby nibblenet to hold his alfalfa hay. Gave him his first slim flake today & he enjoyed it! He went from his alfalfa hay to his regular hay back & forth until the alfalfa hay was gone. He is a character!

Tune in tomorrow for the test results!

 

Spring Into Changes

Today is supposed to be the first day of spring & it is freezing & now that evening has rolled around the snow has moved in. With much consideration I opted to keep Ben in for this evening. He got about 10 hours outside today plus he's been out since Tuesday day & night. I chose to keep him in because the weather was snow mixed with rain & dropping temperatures as the evening progressed. I have a vast array of blankets all of great brand & quality but I still always question if they can handle a full evening of that much precipitation? He does have a run in shed a very nice one might I add,but alas he is Mr. Stubborn & chooses to snooze in the worst weather. So he happily agreed to come to the barn with me & I applied a generous amount of a product called calm balm a fellow boarder very nicely gave to me for him just for this situation. He got his medications like always & gave him a nice grooming along with a fresh dry blanket ....next came the part were I put him in a stall.... So he had his treats waiting like usual & he ate them without hesitation like usual & holding my breath as I watch him finish & wait for him to begin that horrible pattern he instead begins eating his hay ...contently might I add... Ok so he's done this before also he eats some hay for a very short time then starts the merry go round so I go off & fix a few things waiting to hear that sound.... Nothing yet... 10-15 mins & he's still eating hay. Its a miracle! For now at least this point in time I will take it. Here's to hoping he has a restful evening of eating lots of hay & napping quietly!

So on another note his appt. Is approaching so quickly I'm becoming a bit more apprehensive naturally... The fasting, the trailering, the angry looks, & my sleepless evening ... Im hoping for some great results this time around! Also found a place that carries beautiful alfalfa hay & though I've been doing the soaked cubes & he enjoys those figured since his birthday is Wednesday this week to treat him to a big bale & a special Nibblenet to go with it. He will only be getting a small portion of it at a time because he is just used to the cubes at this point so super slow introductions are always a must! His specialist wanted him on alfalfa either the hay or cubes soaked so that's why I'm even doing the alfalfa in the first place per his vets orders for his particular needs & situation with his ulcers. At least the weather is looking better After tonight & he can resume his usual turnout routine of all day & night again .

Things I've Noticed

Since Ben has been on day & night turnout I have noticed some changes in him even though it's only been since Monday we started this. He used to creak when he walked in his hind fetlock areas & in general in different spots randomly, well I haven't heard creaking...at all lately? I'm very pleased about that & hoping it means he is physically feeling better with his arthritis! He comes in twice a day for two of his three meals & when I went to see him after he finished his breakfast this morning & was waiting to be turned back out again he was calm. I opened the stall door where he eagerly greeted me half stepping out waiting for his halter to be placed on him & off we went at a nice pace to his field. When he got there he ate his hay, drank his water , & back to his hay again. He seems very calm but content with things. His next Dr. visit to check his ulcers is this coming Tuesday so keeping my fingers crossed for a clean scoping!! On another note Happy St. Patrick's Day to those who celebrate as Ben & I do every year!

Making Changes

So after my frustration post I knew I had to make some changes. Ben continued his stall walking every evening. He would eventually stop at some point because he ate his hay bag until there was hardly any left & always ate all his meals. For whatever reason his stall was causing him stress & that would prohibit any healing of his ulcers despite all the medications he is taking. They say horses speak but we need to listen, well he was screaming at me & I chose to listen. I asked my barn if it was some how possible for him to be turned out pretty much 24/7 except for bad weather & he would eat his meals in his stall. Naturally it would have to be discussed at first. While I was waiting on an answer he continued to walk. He walked a total of 4 days & it only took 2 days to get an answer & he was freed from what he felt like was a prison . I can never thank my barn enough for everything they have done for us. We are not anything special either. We don't take lessons, we don't show, do clinics, nothing, but that never matters to them. They have always put his & my best interest first. I am truly lucky to have found them ( thanks to a friend who was already there) . Even the boarders are so helpful & supportive of each other & keep an eye out & that's so appreciated . My one friend goes above & beyond giving him medications, mixing meals & supplements , & trailering him to his appts. I am truly lucky to have these people in my & Ben's life. I am forever thankful . 

Tonight he started his first official turnout. I can not tell you how nice it was to see him relaxed & not stall walking for once. I left the barn smiling from ear to ear. I still can't stop smiling because he's not walking in circles! I don't know what caused him to hate his stall all of the sudden whether he related it to something negative since his ulcers arrived or what actually came first, but I am listening to him as much as I can. 

So next week we have our 4 week recheck gastroscopy. We trailer all the way back north to see how well he's healed. It won't be exactly 30 days for the recheck but I'm told to have it done a few days before so he doesn't stop medications. We have our bumps in the road & some delays in healing & I'm sure more hurdles to over come, but we have a great support system in place & that's the key. 

Frustration

Well we were doing good for a short while but you know how things like to treat certain people. Back to stall walking we go where he stops no one knows..... It feels like a slap in the face & a bucket of cold water thrown at me . I'm so angry I can't even describe it yet so sad at the same time. The multitude of feelings flowing through my body right now are just indescribable. I feel like we have taken a thousand steps back it's ridiculous. What am I supposed to do? He's on every medication you can possibly be on for ulcers! He's on anxiety medication suppose that's not enough either! Do you ever just get that frustrated you just can't even explain it. So what now he hates stalls is that it? Sure he's never loved them but he's always tolerated them , never been a nut case in them before. I don't even know what to think at this point. I am mentally broken down. Physically drained. Why is he so miserable but outside his stall he's a happy little lamb. Its getting to the point if not already of me just turning him out 24/7 & being done with the stall. Is he trying to tell me he's been done with it & I just suck at listening once again? I don't know apparently I'm the worst owner on the planet clearly.

Yes this is a depressing post but I warned you all its not fun & games getting into it. Until next time for my venting session....

Looking Up

Ben has now been on his medications for just over 2 weeks now & he is doing well at this point in time. Since starting the Assure Plus his manure has become normal again thankfully, & he has been fine in his stall as well. I'm relieved that he's showing so much positive changes currently. His hay bag that gets filled in his stall has been almost empty by morning now which it hasn't been in a long while. He has been finishing all his meals with all supplements included, even the herbal ones! I keep his meals soaked with water since he is eating them good that way & its another way to get more water into him even though he is drinking just fine. He will be getting another gastroscopy in about 2 weeks to see if medications need to be continued along with another succeed fecal test.

He had his massage done today by his favorite massage therapist that he has been seeing for over 4 yrs now. He was not as bad as I expected. He had his usual areas along with the added issues from his ulcers mainly the hindgut is apparently his worst area which is what I thought anyway. He was found to have a broken energy field from everything that's happened to him recently, but it was able to be mended so he should begin healing better now. So here's to keep looking forward!

                                              
                                                A ray of hope in a clouded condition

A step forward & a step backwards

When your horse is diagnosed with ulcers of any kind people may look at you like what did you do wrong, because clearly its a management issue right? Wrong. Ulcers are just created by high grain, not enough forage, over stressed by performance , & socially awkward horses right? Wrong again. Anything your horse might consider stress whether you do or not can cause an ulcer in a minimum of 5 days research proven. Surprised? I'm not. Do you ulcergard your horse every time it steps on a trailer to go anywhere? No? There's your risk right there whether your horse trailers good or not. I want to make people more aware of how easily this can happen, because it took me by surprise that's for sure. Even if your horse is turned out 24/7 with a herd on no grain & has all the hay it wants, a change in herd dynamics is enough stress for a horse to cause ulcers. Surprise, surprise. Sure your horses chances are a lot lower than your average show horse but the risk will always be there regardless & your horse might be that percentage that is more predisposed than others. 

Ben had been showing very good improvements within the first week of being on his medication. He was no longer stall walking like he was prior & eating like a champ. His hay intake increased nicely as well. His whole demeanor was becoming softer, his eye was happy again. I had to get used to what it was like having a somewhat normal routine again at least for that day & in that moment.

After a week & a half on meds we had a set back. I had him in the indoor ring walking around in the evening like usual & he spots the new small pony for the first time. His eyes get wide & he's glued to the window unable to move the anxiety beginning to consume his body. I knew I had to get him away before it escalated further. I pull him away but he was so transfixed he kept pulling to get back over & was getting more elevated. At last the pony disappears from view to my relief . I let him go over to show him there is no longer anything there & it took him at least 20 mins to calm himself fully afterwards. All over a small pony. I could have kicked myself. Here I am trying to keep him as stress free as possible & of course it just happen to be walking by & naturally he reacts because that's how he's wired. I knew this was going to be a problem. Not 30 mins later he had his first pile of loose manure. It could be a coincidence & have nothing to do with the pony & the pony is just a small piece in the puzzle, but none the less it happened. I put him in his stall he was ok at first then to my dismay he begins to walk his famous circle that I have come to know & dislike. I fall to pieces inside. My stress level begins rising. I knew I couldn't just stand & watch him walk with my stress plus his we would be feeding off each other. I changed him to a Back On Track cooler for the evening & when I left he was looking out at me as I quickly walked away. I knew the barn staff would be checking on everything shortly & giving him his meds along with his night feed & would alert me If there was a problem. Another breakdown in the books for me. We where doing so well & then this! Why couldn't he just keep doing well? Why did he have to keep having some type of problem? I could ask myself these questions all night.

I talked to both vets & neither where overly concerned at this point. He is just to start the Assure Plus a little earlier to see if it helps resolve the loose manure which he has had for 2 days now. Last night he was as calm as a cucumber not one lap was had while I was there! I was very pleased about that but he still had the loose manure going. I want him to be perfect. I want to fully fix everything. Over the years I have grown to accept a few things but I don't give in very easily if I do.

The long road to recovery begins

After being given all of these medications I felt overwhelmed. I had just been given some type of answer that I had been hoping for, yet I felt like the walls where still pushing in on me from all sides. I have a great support system of family & friends thankfully. No better friends than your barn friends right? They have been so helpful through everything & the barn staff has gone above & beyond caring for all his needs (especially since they where about to be high maintenance). My mother is for sure my biggest supporter out there. She's my anchor when I'm loosing myself in this storm of events. She is always right there beside me helping me care for Ben & his needs. My vet has been another rock in all this. She has always been there answering all my questions at anytime no matter how crazy. Without these people I don't know how well I would be coping, if you can call it that, because sometimes I just breakdown anyway. I'm not perfect I don't try to be but I do try my hardest to research & choose the best options for Ben that I'm able to do.

I'm not the most organized person there is so being handed so many meds & having to figure out a schedule was going to prove to be a challenge. The Sucralfate is the biggest of challenges not only is it dosed orally via syringe but it's also to be given 4xs a day...yup 4xs a day. Then comes the Gastrogard. Should be simple enough right? Nope has to be spaced apart from the Sucralfate & given 1-2 hours before a meal... challenged again. Lets not forget Mr. Misoprostol! Luckily this is the easiest which is just put in his food & he eats it up no problem! So after much configuring & discussing with who was going to be able to do what doses, low & behold a schedule was born! It's been working nicely & copies where given out to anyone involved in his treatment plan along with a copy hanging in the room where his meds are kept.

 Ben doesn't love taking his medication but agrees to it as humbly as he can. Once a nice routine was established I decided to add in a feed designed specifically for horses with ulcers & other digestive issues. Welcome to the line up Cavalor fiberforce! It is low sugar & low starch with alfalfa hay pieces pre mixed in. So I began the slow process of adding in the new food. I eventually was building him up to eating a full scoop Fiberforce & 1/2 scoop of his Triple Crown Senior given 3 times a day & weaning him fully off the mash & mix. He also was started on soaked alfalfa hay cubes to help with stomach acidity. He is given all his meals soaked & actually eats it fine that way where as before he hated soaked feed. Things seemed to be looking up?

His appetite returned nicely as did his water drinking increased to a healthier level. The stall walking decreased & he seemed much calmer than what I was used to. I was beginning to see the horse I had known & adored again. Could it possibly mean he was coming back to me? I shed some tears but it was tears of quiet happiness for the moment we where in. Every time my phone goes off at any given time my heart skips a beat & I have to rush to see who & what's wrong because once you go through something like this you don't let it go that easily. Time heals all wounds right? Well I am giving Ben all the time he needs to heal, he is my beautiful pasture pal currently & even if I never ride him again just having him right beside me means the world. I just want him healthy again. This journey is not all going to be smooth sails & happy tales , its going to have it's up & downs. You just have to keep pushing forward & try to see the little improvements as a step towards a better one. Trust me it's much easier said than done. Ulcers are not an easy or cheap fix, they don't just go away forever it's a battle that will be constant. You can't let it beat you down, you have to beat through it. Try & try & try again until something works. 

If you would like to keep following our journey through recovery as we go through it keep checking back for updates. 

   

On our way home

We had a very smooth trip back to the barn even with the rain. I had a lot running through my mind. I was glad we found something. We could move forward to some degree & maybe things would finally start to improve. I was in contact with my regular vet & she has always been so helpful & nice to us both through this whole ordeal, & had the office get his new prescription supplements ready so I could pick them up that day. As I starred back at the trailer & then to this bag stuffed pack with bottles of medication I thought to myself I really hope this makes a difference because we where both going crazy.

We arrived back at the barn & I found someone who helped me unload him since as stated earlier he tends to fly off the back. He walked off pretty nicely this time to my surprise. At least that was one less worry behind me & only about a thousand facing us. The weather was really bad that day they where even calling for tornado warnings at some points which is very odd in our area so he was kept inside. I walked him in his stall he was very "up" from his days events but manageable all the same. I hurry to get him some of his mash & mix made up & refill his hay bag with fresh hay. He dove into his food like he hadn't eaten in years but he was fasted for a long time lets not forget. He takes a few laps in his stall but was so focused on his food & drinking like a camel that is all he wanted to do. I breathed a sigh of relief for that moment.

I get all his food & medications in somewhat of an order temporarily & head home for some food myself. The next stop would be picking up his prescription supplements at our regular vet. Luckily the vets office isn't too far especially after the trip we had that day. Picked up his supplies & headed home for a little bit longer. Later that evening I go to check on him to see what I would find who I would find was more like it these days. I slowly creep over to his stall my heart beating out of my chest & I find him eating his hay. No walking. I took a deep breathe. I go over he drank a lot & ate almost all of his food in his bucket. I take him out to let him in the indoor & after 20 mins he settles. I bring him back, give him a good grooming & put him back in his stall....He was ok in there for the first time in days. Another sigh of relief. While he still had minor walking he was improved a lot already. I felt like maybe I would be able to sleep for the first time in a long time...just maybe.

The next day I received a phone call from the Dr. at the hospital in regards to his other test result. It came back very positive. I anyone saw my face I'm sure the color was drained from it. He was then diagnosed with colonic ulcers that where bleeding. The vet gave me the options since he had been showing some improvements with the current medication to just stick with the Gastrogard & Sucralfate & "see" how he does or adding on an additional medication. I asked him what he recommended doing & he said due to the severity of the positive test results he recommends treating. Well we then had our answer medication number 3 joining the fight. I wasn't going to play anymore games the wait & see approach or trying things. I was going to go after the ulcers that had made my son so uncomfortable for so long with everything I could. Meet Misoprostol. Luckily this was dosed once a day & can be mixed in with his food! 

After hearing all this I felt like a bad owner. How could I have let this happen. How could I not have done these test sooner. Sure I was working with my vets the entire time he was having any problem people even call me a "helicopter mom". I was told I was doing everything right but then how did everything go so wrong? I asked the Dr. at the hospital & he said some horses are just more predisposed to ulcers than others & with his tendencies to have some anxiety & internalize his feelings I suppose that's maybe what happen. We will never know for sure. We found he has cataracts so maybe his vision has decreased this year causing him to worry more? I could run through things in my mind all day & I do. He is not your big show performance horse anymore doesn't even take lessons, he does not receive high grain volume his food is beet pulp based & split between 3 feedings, he eats from a nibblenet & has hay available all the time whenever he wants. He had been on supplements for "ulcer" support but clearly that didn't matter did it? Ulcers present in many different ways sometimes with only one symptom.

More to come about his recovery process in following posts

Trip to the hospital

So after deciding on Monday of that week in February that I was taking him to the hospital I made the appt for that Wednesday . As a side note I would like to add that I try to keep Ben as healthy & in shape as possible. He gets massages every 4 weeks, chiropractic work along with acupuncture every 8 weeks,& his feet trimmed every 4 weeks. He gets blood work done routinely 1-2 times a year to make sure everything is as it should be. He's lightly ridden & we just have fun together. He was just tested for Lyme this summer & was thankfully negative. I also had him tested for EPM this summer & he came up low positive so vet felt it wasn't indicative to treat so I put him on vitamin E as a support to that. Now that I gave a little more into the type of care I give him back to our journey.

The night before the visit was one of the most stressful nights for us both. I don't believe I slept nor did my barn owner or some of the workers. As stated in previous post he had to be fasted so no food... & he had to go in a stall to ensure he didn't eat anything... Well that didn't go over very well at all. To save a long story We tried him in a double stall , his stall, gave him ace per vets instructions, & he finally was turned out in the indoor ring for the evening. He would again not stop walking himself up into a sweat & have himself more cuts on his face by hitting his head on things. This was not the horse I knew he was unrecognizable & my heart was shattered.

Next morning I found him sleeping in the indoor, but when he woke & came to see me he was grinding his teeth which was new I've never seen him do that before. I assumed because he was fasted & wasn't allowed his gastrogard the night prior. Got him dressed in all his Back On Track gear & in the trailer & off we went.

Bens a good traveller in a sense he is very used to it from being a show horse all his life & he is very steady during the ride. He never got used to coming off though he tends to fly off. So after over an hour drive up north we arrive & I check in. They take him to a holding stall until the exam room was ready & straight away he proceeds to stall walk mindlessly. I go to the office area & wait until they are ready for us knowing I can do nothing to calm him.

After a short while they where ready for us. I go to the exam area & there Ben is being checked over. All came back normal for his physical upon arrival . He gets sedated & the gastroscopy begins. As soon as they reached the areas I saw them & knew exactly what it was. The dreaded ulcers . What I did not expect however was the amount , severity, & bleeding shown on exam. He was graded as having grade 2 and 3 ulcers in the squamous mucosa greater & lesser curvature, & glandular mucosa of the pylorus. After the gastroscopy the vet recommended an ultrasound to be sure there was nothing else going on because he said you can be fooled thinking it's just the ulcers sometimes. So we went ahead & did the ultrasound to get a better look at things. The ultrasound showed no significant abnormalities. He was found to have a smaller kidney on one side so they did a transrectal ultrasound to rule out kidney stones as a source of his issues. None where found nor any abnormalities. The Dr also did a fecal blood/albumin test for colonic ulcers which we would have to wait for the results until the next day. They also found he had cataracts especially on his right eye which means his vision is decreased to a degree. I have noticed he hits his head randomly especially on the right side so that explains that.

Medications prescribed where of course the gastrogard for 30 days along with Sucralfate dosed 4xs a day for 30 days. He was also to be put on anxiety supplement of some sort & alfalfa for his stomach. My regular vet had that covered she immediately put him on Shen Calmer & Stomach Happy. He was to continue the Succeed Vet Formula , & Assure Plus because again even this Vet who is a specialist said it was the best product out there for sand removal.

After all the discharge instructions & medications & Ben waking up from sedation , they gave him his first dose of sucralfate for the ride home & he had hay waiting in the trailer. He was happy to go home! So off for our hour long drive in the rain we went.

Next post the arrival home & the recovery process begins.

Where it all went wrong?

I will keep this as brief as I can without missing the important details because I feel this is very important for people. Last year I decided to move Ben to a different barn that was a better fit for him. Our other barn did not have the turnout he needed & he was beginning to have stifle locking issues due to it which he had never had an issue with up until then. There was only one place to really ride & that was the indoor ring because the outdoor was suitable if it was just rained on otherwise it was not as soft footing wise as I personally would like for Ben. Other than those few things it had excellent care which is why we stayed. Ben experienced his first "choke" episode in the winter at my previous barn & then another not too long afterwards, one only the vet needed to attend thankfully. We had some issues with how he needed to be managed & he had lost a lot of weight so I made the big move to my current barn.

I hate moving Ben my goal is to find him a forever barn always. So with much research we found where we are now. It has trails directly off the back of the property & an indoor ring, outdoor, owners right on property, fed free choice hay. The biggest thing the turnout. Ben would now have a big field to be in all day long finally. When I moved him of course I was a nervous wreck but who isn't? I loaded up the Ulcergard tubes & put him on Vitamin C more immune system support & off we went. He stayed on Ulcergard for close to a full month when we first got there because I knew he was a nervous type of guy. He blossomed at this barn. He was putting weight back on eating hay like it was going out of style & was just so relaxed & happy. He had his spooky moments & hyperactive ones but that is not abnormal for him after all he is an in shape Thoroughbred.

We had such a blast learning how to trail ride when the weather warmed up & I knew a friend from a previous barn there & made a new friend. We became a little trail riding group. We trail rode all summer long & Ben had never looked so good he was at his maximum weight per his vets (never heard that before). He was pure muscle & shine all thanks to waking the trails 3 times a week. He was getting great quality grass hay in his Nibblenets both outside & indoors unlimited, 2 scoops Triple Crown Senior twice a day, 1.5 pounds Nutrena Empower Boost. That was all & he was on the same food at my previous barn minus the free choice hay but he was supplied hay through out the day. Supplement wise he was on Platinum Performance CJ formula, Smartdigest Ultra, Salt, U-gard, & Vitamin C.

He started not finishing his hay as much as he used to some days but then was normal others I mentioned this to the vet & not much was thought about it. I knew he was having his teeth done in the next two months so I figured maybe he needed them done sooner because he still looked fabulous & was acting normal. This was very late summer time wise. Next came not finishing all his grain. That was told to be attributed to his supplement that he had once eaten with no problem. He was only leaving a handful or two at a time each feeding sometimes less or sometimes he would eat just fine. So we tested him without his Platinum Performance CJ for a week & he ate all his food. So you think oh there ya go there's the answer right? We went back & forth trying different CJ flavors for a month until I finally just gave up entirely with it.

September rolls around. I changed him to SmartGI ultra instead of just plain smartdigest ultra for the added stomach/ulcer support. Two days into that supplement I go to the barn that evening & he was pawing, lip curling, & restless. He was experiencing his first ever colic episode in the 6 yrs I have had him. Vet immediately called. He was given a fluid to make him drink a bucket of water (the name escapes me) & a shot of banamine. He was fine afterwards it was a mild gas colic which was possibly thought to be the new supplement or the weather change maybe. You know they never really know what causes it 100%. He was put on Aloe Vera Gel twice a day afterwards & switched back to smartdigest ultra. He did good for awhile.

Fast forward to December mind you he had blood work & it was 100% perfect this month. The end of December something wasn't quiet right with him. He began stall walking obsessively. He was still eating, drinking, passing things through normally & weight wise fine. He would settle after I took him out & tended to him so maybe he was anxious I was coming? After a week of this I decided I wanted a vet to look at him to figure something out. Well the evening before the day I was going to call he didn't eat his dinner....hmmmm... so I walked him around gave him banamine orally & put him back in his stall to see what he did he settled & started eating some food. I thought ok but I'm still calling the vet tomorrow. Next day rolls around Ben doesn't eat his breakfast. Good thing I was having the vet out anyway. Vet comes (January 2nd Happy new year) drenches him with fluids via tube & IV fluids, along with banamine & a short course gastrogard for a few days. He was then put on Papaya puree as well.

That entire month of January he was not a great eater we kept going back & forth with the vet maybe its this supplement maybe its that one. Why? Because when you took out supplements he would eat fine but he would also eat it with the supplements some days also. I moved him to 3 feedings a day 1.5 scoops Triple Crown Senior to split it up more so it wasn't so much in one feeding. When he left food it was again never more than 2 handfuls if that much. He was eating hay fine. Everything else was working & his weight was fine. He was also put on Assure Plus for sand even though he was always on Sand clear vet felt it was a superior product so he started his 5 week purge per the package instructions. 

February rolls around. The worst & best month I suppose. I decided to start him on Succeed Vet Formula for the best GI health possible & take him off the smartdigest ultra clearly it wasn't cutting it! He had left some food in his bucket one night not much but I was desperate so I gave him banamine & saw a tube of gastrogard & gave him 1/4 tube. The next day he was back to normal so I continued the 1/4 tube (mind you I was always in contact with my vet every time I did something with him I don't self treat) Shortly into this month He began stall walking again & not eating I got a call from my friend... Ben's possibly colicing again. I automatically call the vet on my way to the barn so it saved time. He had spasmodic colic given the usual banamine & drench & this time vet gave him the Panacur Power Pac. 3 days later same situation again I was in tears at this point broken down. Why did this keep happening what was I doing wrong what was I missing? Everyone had been telling me I was doing everything perfectly & a great mother to him but I did not feel like that at all. My friend walks in picks me off the floor literally & helps me get him through the colic type episode. Vet was not needed at that point. I decided to start him on a course of Gastrogard it just pointed to ulcers but no one thought he had them. I did so I proceeded. He was doing better than ever for almost a full week with the Gastrogard he was eating drinking I saw Ben again for the first time. That was short lived because that weekend everything went down. He was fine that Saturday fully normal in every way. Yes his weight had dropped about 50 pounds, but if you where constantly sick back & forth wouldn't yours? I get a call bright & early that Sunday Ben coliced overnight he was found cuts all over his face dried up sweat everywhere , blanket torn, pawing, not eating, wild eyed. I cried the entire way to the barn. When I arrived I didn't even recognize the horse looking back at me. He had clearly been rolling in his stall manure on his legs dried up, dried blood from cuts that covered his face, curled fur from the sweat that coated his body. He was through the worst & settling down but none the less vet called again. I was told this was just something he would do & I was told to treat him medically myself & he didn't really have answers as to why. My friend had inquired if it could be ulcers he said no because I had him on gastrogard. He was given banamine & drenched the usual we had become so accustomed to. He did not recover though & bounce back like he always did. He refused to be stalled from then on. Every time he was put in a stall he would walk nonstop. He would not eat his usual Triple crown Senior & only ate some hay. I even gave him another dose of Banamine that Sunday evening which was ok per the vet he had seen. He still was not himself I called the office after I was again in tears Monday morning. I spoke with this time our usual vet who had been working with us & knew Ben & I very well. She recommended feeding him a mash & gave me a few options as to figuring out what was wrong with him. She said I could try a few other supplements or take him to the hospital for a "scope & scan" as it's called. After careful consideration I chose not to keep wasting money on supplements that may prove nothing & try & find some real answers. So I opted for the hospital trip. I was reluctant because he had not been trailered in over a year since we moved barns & it was over an hour away. He would also need to be fasted as well or 12 hours. I needed answers I owed him to help figure this out. In the meantime he was turned out 24/7 due to the fact he would not go in a stall. I found a mash that was healthy & perfect thanks to a friend called Cavalor Mash & Mix & he began eating again. He was doing ok until our visit. Also a side note during everything he always had normal manure & he only became slower motility wise only sometimes during a big episode otherwise it was considered normal all along.   

Next post will be our visit to the hospital. 
Here are some photos from throughout the year & some of this year.
I do some photography & he is my best subject.