...and ordered a stay of execution for Queen Estes.
She was much, much worse this morning despite the four a.m. pooping episode. I called the vet, told him it was time to put her down. Took just over an hour for him to get up here and she looked even worse by the time he got here. He tranquilized her, gave her more banamine and we discussed treatment options, none of which were feasible. Mom and I agreed it wouldn't kill her (pardon the pun) for her to have a "last meal" since the plan was to put her down, we just had to iron out the logistics, so Mom threw her a handful of hay.
At the lodge, we got the numbers for local disposal services, decided to tube her one. last. time.
We bundled up, because it was raining cats and dogs, and headed back over to the pen. And there stood my horse: eyes bright, ears forward, looking for more food.
She's still not moving much poop and what she is moving is laden with sand, but it looks like she's stepped off of the banana peels she had three of her hooves on.
We loaded her in the trailer and took her for a twenty minute ride hoping to shake some of the poop loose. She didn't poop in the trailer, but she sure was excited to get back to the lodge and trotted her way back to the pen, announcing *loudly* her return home.
If I didn't know that she'd literally been at death's door two hours ago, I would have never guessed.
I'm more than just cautiously optimistic at this point, I'm full-on optimistic that she'll pull through.
Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and prayers.
9 comments:
Keeping fingers crossed - and sending best wishes and thoughts to you both.
I posted this comment at your mom's(I think) blog this morning about the preventative 'weapon' we use against colic. I'm fairly certain it saved my gelding from it last month.
"So sorry about Estes - keeping her in my prayers.
I live on the central TX-OK border. I'm sure you know we're in the midst of a summer long drought. We have virtually no new grass growth and the grass that's here has been eaten down to the ground so our horses are eating a lot of dirt/sand when they graze. perfect colic inducing conditions.
Wanted to share our preventative weapon - we add 1 cup of powdered wheat bran to every horses feed bucket, at every feeding.
We started doing this last month (per vet recommendation) when my gelding started showing signs of a stomach ache. He got better so there's no way to be sure it was early stages of colic. If indeed it was, the wheat bran stopped it.
Colic issues aside, wheat bran's cheap and it's good for their digestive system.
I hope Estes stays on the road to recovery and feels better soon.
God Bless."
Good news! Glad Estes is getting better, just read all these posts. Its a really awful thing colic, lost two of my own to it over the years. Not pleasant at all. Good luck and keep us all up to date!
Praying for estes!!! I am glad things are looking up but I will keep the prayers up as I know it can be a up hill, down hill thing with colic.
Thank God. Literally.
Goodness! So sorry about your Estes there. I hope she pulls through it. Theres been so many horses sick/dehydrated/colicy/heat stroke this year it makes my head spin.
Still praying.
YAAAAAY!!!
I'm sooooo glad Estes feeling better! She's so fiesty i just know she'll beet that colic. We'll be thinking of you.
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