So much to tell

I haven't posted in quiet a while.  I had my hands full and it was sad to post.  On August 31st.  I went out to see the horses and LeeAnn B went down there with me.  Sarge was pretty bad off - heaving with each breath.  Biscuit was ok.

I talked with Miss Jean (she had just returned from her summer home and hadn't seen my horses), LeeAnn P, LeeAnn B and Linda.  They suggested I call Vinton Equine so I did but they couldn't see the horses til tomorrow at 2:30.  I had 3 wedding cakes to make and Betty was already at my house so I went home to start baking a bazillion cakes...needed to pay those vet bills.

I got a call from Miss Jean...she and LeeAnn P had gone down to see Sarge and Biscuit and Miss Jean called Vinton and used her clout to get me in that day.  She called me and said come get 'em...you can take them now.  She was so worried and upset when she saw Sarge.

Betty said she would bake the cakes by herself so I went to the barn and picked up my horses.  Lee Ann P hooked my trailer to the ranch truck and she and LeeAnn B went with me.

It was raining a little - got over to Vinton and they were terrific.  Dr. Appleton examined them both, pulled blood panels, did ultra sounds of their lungs and scoped them.  Biscuit was still full of edema around his ribs - he has a huge varicose vein in his throat but other than that - both of their lungs were without scars, panels were ok, scoped area ok.

The difference was Dr. Appleton and Dr. Findley said to give them Dex 3cc's a day and then start backing down to 2cc's, 1.5cc's, 1cc, then a .5cc.  Some horses maintain on .5cc a day.  He also said to give it to the orally - that they have had much better results with that.

That is good news - Biscuit had a HUGE area on his right neck from the heavy shots I had to give my poor boy.  They also said they didn'est really see any benefit from Benedryl.  All in all, a $492 vet bill.  But, I appreciated the 2nd opinion and their expertise.  I had tears in my eyes talking to the doctor.  He pretty much said the same thing about how long Sarge had.  He said that moving him up north wouldn't necessarily help - he'd find something else to be allergic to.  Ugh.

So, I brought them home and put them upfront where they weren't exposed to the seedheads of the hay.  They stayed up there for a month - I gave them their medication every single day.

Barry and I went to Yellowstone in September for a week.  LeeAnn P made sure they got their meds.  The horses were better before I left and when we were gone they improved 100%.  I came home to a non heaving Sarge.  :-)  Biscuit still had a lump on his neck but it was going away.

A week and a half after coming home from Yellowstone I went to Florida.  That morning Lee Ann P helped me put them down in their own pasture.  I know they were so glad to get there...the little paddock, eating alfalfa sure put Biscuit on rocket statis.

I brought Biscuit up one day and he coughed a little on the wash rack and while taking him back...so his meds were upped again and then I worked on weaning him from it.

In the meantime, I got my Sharon Saare Saddle in the first week of September before we left for Yellowstone.  I rode Biscuit in it in the arena for about 20 minutes.  I LOVED IT!!!