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Posts: 1857
   
| When you run out of money or when there is nothing left to do?
The little mare that had the cut and then the surgery, has developed an infection in the joint now..... I've paid my deposit to start treatment but I don't have another 3500 to dump into a 2 yr old mare with the risk of still never being sound or even getting over the infection. There's a part of me that wants to give it a try, and I am, but then the realistic side of me says to just stop and put her down. I feel discouraged, beat, and not very optimistic right now. I just want to have my self a pity party...
I want someone to tell me what to do, im tired of making the decisions. This will be the second prospect to have failed in a row, first to epm and now her, do I dare try another if this one doesn't pull through! I've got a streaking LaJolla son waiting for me to pick him up and i'm scared to go get him....
I don't want to play no more!! 
Edited by FlyingJT 2015-01-23 2:52 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| Feel your pain. If the likelyhood of you being able to compete on the horse after treatment is pretty good, I say go for it. One time I had a finished horse that was awesome 1D, but he got sick and because he had really bad navicular I was having to maintain to compete I put him down rather than treat the illness. |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | FlyingJT - 2015-01-23 1:26 PM When you run out of money or when there is nothing left to do? The little mare that had the cut and then the surgery, has developed an infection in the joint now..... I've paid my deposit to start treatment but I don't have the 3500 to dump into a 2 yr old mare with the risk of still never being sound or even getting over the infection. There's a part of me that wants to give it a try, and I am, but then the realistic side of me says to just stop and put her down. I feel discouraged, beat, and not very optimistic right now. I just want to have my self a pity party... I want someone to tell me what to do, im tired of making the decisions. This will be the second prospect to have failed in a row, do I dare try another if this one doesn't pull through! I've got a streaking LaJolla son waiting for me to pick him up and i'm scared to go get him.... I don't want to play no more!!
I feel your pain. Mine doesn't have a do or die prognosis, but he is still lameish, no one can tell me why so I am kicking him out to pasture until at least late spring/summer. If he is no better, I will sell/give him away. He hasn't earned his keep in order to stay, but I will try my hardest to find him a companion home. He is 3 and I have been on his back maybe 5 times. So I understand where you are with one so young and who knows if you will ever get them sound. Good luck to you. I personally have pretty much given up on him. No more money. Mine isn't in pain per se, just not sure what the heck is going on. Even my vet agrees to turn him out. |
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 Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | I DONT have 3500 to dump into a 2 yr old. Is it going to cost that much just for meds and time? Usually when it gets to the bone there is no come back. That amount can purchase a sound horse. I say cut and run. Understand this is not my baby or buddy. Mine has laminitis so I face the same problem... oh what to do...hugs from afar.
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Expert
Posts: 1857
| cow pie - 2015-01-23 2:51 PM
I DONT have 3500 to dump into a 2 yr old. Is it going to cost that much just for meds and time? Usually when it gets to the bone there is no come back. That amount can purchase a sound horse. I say cut and run. Understand this is not my baby or buddy. Mine has laminitis so I face the same problem... oh what to do...hugs from afar.
Yep, 3500 for the antibiotics and stay, that's not counting what I have already paid for the surgery. I've given them the go ahead and put $1000 towards her but if she doesn't turn a corner soon I know what the decision is going to be. Thanks for the hug! I need a beer now, TGIF! |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I have had joint infection
And my vet flushed 20 litres of saltine through the joint, then injected an antibiotic in the joint left it for 24 hrs then flushed. Them injected HA 3 days later horse was sound after.
I would be asking about the treatment and the rationale to make the appropriate decision
Good luck |
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Expert
Posts: 1857
| cheryl makofka - 2015-01-23 3:02 PM
I have had joint infection
And my vet flushed 20 litres of saltine through the joint, then injected an antibiotic in the joint left it for 24 hrs then flushed. Them injected HA 3 days later horse was sound after.
I would be asking about the treatment and the rationale to make the appropriate decision
Good luck
Thank you Cheryl! What happened to get the infection?
They flushed it today and already injected with some antibiotics, going to flush it again tomorrow and do a regional antibiotic profusion, which they will continue to do everyday for the next five days. At that point they will let me know if they see improvement or if the infection is getting ahead of them. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1074
| It's a hard decision. I would agree with asking about other options. We had to make this decision about a year ago. We did colic surgery on our daughter's mare. Twelve days after surgery we put her down. Her intestines never kicked back in and she couldn't poop. We could spend another $2500 for a second surgery with a 20% chance of improvement. We opted to let her go. It was so hard! Prayers for you and the horse. Be assured that you did all you could do for the horse. |
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Expert
Posts: 2685
| personally, I wouldn't try and battle a joint injection on a horse that I did not honestly believe in my heart could pull through it and be a 1D horse. At work we deal with a lot of joint infections. Most in young horses. Some make it back and are able to compete no problem. Most older than 1-2yrs do not ever go back to the same work load.
I think it all depends on how you feel about the horse. For the one I have raised, heck yes. For the one I just bought, no... |
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 Banjo and Baby
Posts: 7259
Location: South of Canada and North of Mexico | Aw man that stinks!!! My gelding cut his tendon and tendon sheath and whatever else ? in Sept, had surgery and vet was worried about infection, said if he got an infection in the tendon sheath there wasnt much he could do as he has tried to save a few before after infection set in and he said none pulled through. He didnt think my horse would make a recovery either (told me at my 2 week post op appt). I kept him on stall rest for 1.5 months and he was getting so crazy I made a small turnout for him and put a horse with him and he so far seems to be sounds, havent lunged him or anything yet, just turned out with the other horses. Sorry I cant help but give you that little bit of info. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| FlyingJT - 2015-01-23 3:38 PM
cheryl makofka - 2015-01-23 3:02 PM
I have had joint infection
And my vet flushed 20 litres of saltine through the joint, then injected an antibiotic in the joint left it for 24 hrs then flushed. Them injected HA 3 days later horse was sound after.
I would be asking about the treatment and the rationale to make the appropriate decision
Good luck
Thank you Cheryl! What happened to get the infection?
They flushed it today and already injected with some antibiotics, going to flush it again tomorrow and do a regional antibiotic profusion, which they will continue to do everyday for the next five days. At that point they will let me know if they see improvement or if the infection is getting ahead of them.
Mine was due to an incompetent vet
He infected 2/4 joints by breaking sterile procedure. I was too young 16 to be confident enough to stop the vet.
My vet was out of country during this time, the vet who injected refused to reevaluate when I called informing him my horse could not move and had a fever, he said it was normal.
The most renowned vet clinic in the Alberta province also refused to examine the horse and sided with the injected vet stating without seeing the horse that it wasn't an infection.
My horse was maxed out on bute for 2 weeks before he was seen (this is when my vet returned) and the joint tap showed infection, he was immediately flushed and was back to normal within a week after treatment I think I was running him two weeks after treatment. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | When it rains, It pours.
When you look back on all of this in the grand scheme of things this will be nothing. Some times Bad things happen to good people, and some times bad s h i t just happens and there is no way around it.
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | cheryl makofka - 2015-01-24 12:30 AM FlyingJT - 2015-01-23 3:38 PM cheryl makofka - 2015-01-23 3:02 PM I have had joint infection And my vet flushed 20 litres of saltine through the joint, then injected an antibiotic in the joint left it for 24 hrs then flushed. Them injected HA 3 days later horse was sound after. I would be asking about the treatment and the rationale to make the appropriate decision Good luck Thank you Cheryl! What happened to get the infection? They flushed it today and already injected with some antibiotics, going to flush it again tomorrow and do a regional antibiotic profusion, which they will continue to do everyday for the next five days. At that point they will let me know if they see improvement or if the infection is getting ahead of them. Mine was due to an incompetent vet He infected 2/4 joints by breaking sterile procedure. I was too young 16 to be confident enough to stop the vet. My vet was out of country during this time, the vet who injected refused to reevaluate when I called informing him my horse could not move and had a fever, he said it was normal. The most renowned vet clinic in the Alberta province also refused to examine the horse and sided with the injected vet stating without seeing the horse that it wasn't an infection. My horse was maxed out on bute for 2 weeks before he was seen (this is when my vet returned ) and the joint tap showed infection, he was immediately flushed and was back to normal within a week after treatment I think I was running him two weeks after treatment.
Wow! You were VERY lucky for an infection to fester that long and your horse to come back so quick.
We had a very nice horse get a coffin joint infection and our vet was right on top of it, they were flushing him within 12 hours of us noticing the horse was ever so slightly lame, no fever yet. After 2 weeks at the vet hospital, multiple flushes, multiple regional perfusions and a seven shot series of Adequan IM we brought him home. He lived in a stall on low levels of Banamine and he hobbled around three-legged for two months. He eventually came back sound but honestly, it would have to be a very special horse for me to do that again.
Hugs to the OP, it is a very tough spot to be in. |
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 Living on the edge of common sense
Posts: 24139
Location: Carpenter, WY | A lot of the old timers will tell you the good ones especially try and die at least three times before they get it together :) make your decision and then do what you need to do or dedicate yourself to fix it. Would be my advice. |
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