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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 8, 2007 22:07:53 GMT -5
I absolutely know it isn't true that "when things are going to good, something bad is bound to happen", but somedays it feels true. Today is one of those days.
Assurance colicked tonight. It appears to be an impaction colic. It came on very suddenly, this morning he was fine, eating normal, pooping normal ( I still always look), he looked fine this afternoon around 2 and at 400 when my ranch helper went to go get him, he was bad. She brought him into his stall and he went nuts. Rearing, hitting his head on the roof, he put several holes in the walls before I could get him out. He was in a great deal of pain. I took him out to the round pen, knowing it would be safe in there for him. For 30 minutes he was wild, untouchable, rolling, rearing, slamming into the walls. I was able to get a pulse when we first got to the round pen, it was about 60. By the time the vet arrived it had dropped to about 44. It felt like it took forever for the vet to arrive. Did the usual, tube, dope, and pray. I turned Assurance out into his big paddock for the night. He likes to move when he hurts and if anything is going to help move the impaction thru it will be movement. I am crushed tonight. I can't really believe this is happening. He was so close to being ok.
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Post by cybercat on Feb 8, 2007 22:34:20 GMT -5
OH, I am SO sorry...jingling for both of you tonight...is there someone who can help you through the night?
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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 8, 2007 22:50:38 GMT -5
yes, my husband will take turns with me tonight. Just checked on him and hes up, so thats good. Very, very sad about this.
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NanciK
Super Pooper Scooper
Posts: 0
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Post by NanciK on Feb 8, 2007 22:54:38 GMT -5
Michelle, we are all jingling for you and Mr. A. You've been to Hell and back with him already. Thank goodness he has you to comfort him. You two will get through this, I know it.
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Post by jenm on Feb 8, 2007 23:00:22 GMT -5
I'm glad to hear Assurance is doing better. I've always loved this guy. Please keep us posted and we'll keep jingling for a swift recovery. Hopefully the weather up there is cooperating. Your end is supposed to get a bit more rain than where I am.
JINGLES!!
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Post by gratefulknits on Feb 8, 2007 23:10:47 GMT -5
Michelle, I'm praying for you and Assurance tonight. Please take care of yourself through all of this.
Hope
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Post by beejoyfulmk on Feb 9, 2007 1:04:05 GMT -5
praying for you all!!!
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Post by atticus on Feb 9, 2007 2:10:29 GMT -5
Jingles to my favorite Assurance!! Hang in there buddy (and your mom and dad too!)
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Post by nalasmom on Feb 9, 2007 3:13:07 GMT -5
JINGLESSS
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Post by cvl on Feb 9, 2007 9:08:53 GMT -5
You guys have been through alot!! Sending huge NY jingles your way. Hoping Assurance is feeling much better this a.m.
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Post by rodeo51 on Feb 9, 2007 10:15:05 GMT -5
I am sorry to hear about Assurance MK. Will be keeping you in my thoughts. Hang in there!
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Post by Admin on Feb 9, 2007 10:15:27 GMT -5
Jingles from the barn and humans here!!!!!
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Post by swissgrl on Feb 9, 2007 10:16:05 GMT -5
Sending tons of Jingles for Assurance and you. Hope he's doing better this morning.
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Post by Tockita on Feb 9, 2007 10:16:12 GMT -5
Waiting to see an update!
Hope he's feeling better today.
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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 9, 2007 11:42:05 GMT -5
Assurance is better this morning than he was last night. Hes definitely not back to normal, but there is improvement. It looks like he pooped at least 2 times last night, maybe 3. Its hard to tell because of all the rain we are having. He was hungry this morning, so I gave him a small pan of wheat bran mash with electrolytes and probiotics in it. He seemed very sad this morning, he stayed at my shoulder as we walked around the paddock looking for poo. He doesn't seem to be in the kind of pain that requires intervention, hopefully it will continue that way. I wish I knew what caused this, but I don't.
Thank you for all the good thoughts, I really do think they help.
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Post by gratefulknits on Feb 9, 2007 12:14:50 GMT -5
MK, I know we talked about this when I was out last week, but do you think it could possibly be an enterolith? Could the vet Xray him at your place to find out? If he has one of those "ball-valve" enteroliths it could behave just like this...
I am really relieved to hear that he's better this morning. I'll keep you both in my prayers ...
Hope
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Post by agilitygal on Feb 9, 2007 12:27:28 GMT -5
Poor guy. This sounds just awful. . .and, scarey. There's got to be a reason why this happens to him. So much is unknown in both animals and human science. I join in wishing you all the best.
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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 9, 2007 12:29:06 GMT -5
Hi Hope,
I am very worried its an enterolith. It scares me just to say it out loud. If it is I don't really know what we will do, Davis isn't really an option for us, I spent every penny of my 06 & 07 vet fund (for the whole ranch) on Assurance last year. I am praying, praying, praying that isn't what it is.
The other possibility is the restriction bands in his colon caused from the dorsal colitis & scarring, became inflammed. I am holding out hope that this is the reason. But truthfully I just don't know. Time will tell.
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Post by gratefulknits on Feb 9, 2007 12:42:14 GMT -5
Maybe we could ask Katie to approach the Horse Welfare Fund about helping with an eval at Davis? The fund was able to raise over $2000 for Reggie, and I'm sure with all of us working together we could at least match that for Mr. A. Would you mind if I talk to her about it?
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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 9, 2007 14:03:36 GMT -5
No that would be fine with me.
I should say that part of my fear about the entrolith, is that I know Assurance isn't a very good canidate for surgery.
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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 9, 2007 14:09:43 GMT -5
Here he is Sheri. Recent pic.  Pic from last summer when he started to get sick  |
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Post by paintedlady on Feb 9, 2007 14:12:49 GMT -5
 Lots of prayers coming from Vancouver Get well soon!!
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Post by mickeyfan3 on Feb 9, 2007 14:28:47 GMT -5
What a handsome guy! Lots of prayers and jingles for Assurance coming from Livermore......keep us posted.
Stacie
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Post by watermarkfarm on Feb 9, 2007 15:55:23 GMT -5
Crap, Michelle!!! I just read this.
The medical assistance fund will not be officially up and running (as in, taking donations with a 501c3 status) until this summer. However.....we could still gather donations to fund some diagnosis for A. ---- I am sure his fan club here would make it happen, tax-deduction or no. Assurance is practically famous.
You know....I have found out that Davis is really no cheaper than either Pioneer or Loomis for this stuff. So there are lots of options. We could hunt around and find out who is the best at diagnosing these things.
Hope, do you know much about enteroliths? I am only the urolith queen....
Katie
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Post by gratefulknits on Feb 9, 2007 16:14:45 GMT -5
No Katie, I don't know much about them. I wondered about it though because I'm taking an Intro to Equine Health class at the junior college. When the lecturer (a local vet) was talking about enteroliths it sounded just exactly like what M. has described with Assurance: sudden onset of symptoms and nearly as sudden improving, over and over again. In fact, when she was describing it I actually got a chill up my spine thinking of Assurance and his woes. I know that the really large enteroliths are more common in the right dorsal colon, which is apparently where Mr. A has been the most troubled. The smaller enteroliths are actually more dangerous because they can cause a complete obstruction, but the larger ones are notorious for being "on again/off again" trouble makers. The one the prof. brought to class was the size of a cantaloupe. These big ones roll up to where the colon starts to narrow, and they obstruct temporarily. After a while the stone rolls back and the obstruction is relieved. An acidic diet is actually somewhat protective from developing these things, but surgery is needed to cure them. That's what I know!
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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 9, 2007 16:16:01 GMT -5
Hi katie,
yep, crap! Options other than Davis are definetly worth researching. I am not sure what my next step will be, hes still doing better with every hour that passes.
After talking with my ranch helper this morning we both remembered that Assurance has been getting Seras hay scraps for the last two weeks. Very small amounts of fine stemmed, soft orchard grass. He was doing so well eating those little bits that we both forgot about it. Its entirely possible that the hay scraps were to much for him and they caused irritation, inflammaiton, and then an impaction.
So its possible we found the cause but really hard to swallow knowing I may have inadvertantly caused this to happen.
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Post by caryn on Feb 9, 2007 16:18:23 GMT -5
OH NOOO!!! I am so sorry Assurance is sick. My hopes and prayers are with you and your beautiful boy.
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Post by mkgbuegel on Feb 9, 2007 21:08:10 GMT -5
Assurance is still improving tonight. Hes pooped 3 times today. I noticed a big improvment in his mood tonight.
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Post by jenm on Feb 10, 2007 0:35:36 GMT -5
Yay for Assurance! Keep these updates coming Michelle...
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Post by outspoken on Feb 10, 2007 10:08:19 GMT -5
Oh Assurance, please, get better!! Mk, hang in there. You two have been through enough!!
Jingling very hard! and loud!!
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Lots of prayers coming from Vancouver 
