This message is from: Brenda Simonson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Hello. My name is Brenda and I live in Sparta, WI, and have been a lurker here for over a year now. I consider the members on this list to be friends brought together by these wonderful Fjord Horses. Because of this, I am turning to you all in a time of terrible grief with a message to keep a close eye on your horses and to be in tune to their health.
I very suddenly lost my gelding Burt tonight to (what the vet thinks) colic. It was so sudden and puzzling that we still can't believe that it happened this quick. He was fine this morning and was up to all of his early morning tricks. He looked bright and healthy and devoured all of his grain and trotted out happily to the hay bunk to get his hay. Unfortunately it was Christmas and I went to visit some family. When I got home, my brother called me to tell me that Burt was sick and he thought it was some respiratory thing. (I want you all to know the story in case you may be presented with the very same symptoms. There is a lesson in everything - I am trying to sort this one out.) I called the vet and he was out within 20 minutes of the call. (The vet was at our place around 5:15pm.) I entered the barn to find my horse looking very dejected and listless. He stood near a gate with his head hanging to the ground. His mouth was hanging and he didn't want to pick his head up. He wasn't interested in either grain or hay and had nasal discharge. His respirations were rather heavy. The vet checked him over - his gums were purple/blue and his eye membranes were blood red. The vet could not hear any gut sounds and Burt was running a temp. His lungs sounded normal. He said he was confused about how his symptoms had presented. There was no sign that he had rolled, however, you could tell that he had discomfort because he would shift his weight from hind foot to hind foot. My brother had found him laying in the pasture when he hadn't come in for his nightly feeding. Again there were no signs of rolling or anything of that nature. The vet gave him banamine and penicillin for a potential infection - he was still puzzled. He also tubed him through the nose and nothing came out - which he thought was a good sign. While he was examining him, Burt even passed some gas. After the vet left, we kept a close watch on him. We tried walking him, but he wouldn't cooperate. We put him in a stall and all he wanted to do was dunk his head into the water as far as it would go. He pawed a bit with his front feet and occasionally stomped with his back. He tried to urinate and only passed a small amount. At that point I called the vet back and told him about the latest symptoms. He thought maybe a urinary tract infection or calcification in his urinary tract. He said to keep him posted and to let him know if it got to a point when he couldn't urinate - he would have to try a catheter. Two hours later (8pm) - and symptoms still seeming to get worse, he could pass no urine. I called the vet back - he would be on his way. 10 minutes later, Burt went down. What an awful sight. I thank God for my brother and his wife. They were able to keep a watch on Burt while I slowly lost my composure. I knew then in my heart that he was not going to make it. When Burt went down, I again called the vet - he was just leaving Sparta and would be at our house in 15 minutes. Burt didn't have 15 minutes. Shortly after I had hung up the phone, my brother and his wife came into the shop area to tell me that Burt had died. I wondered why. What did I do wrong? He looked fine this morning. No feed change, no hay change. It seemed like the freak accident was to strike twice on me in 4 years. (About 2 1/2 years ago, I had a Fjord who fell on ice and tore all of the ligaments in his hip.) How could something like that strike so quickly? I am still trying to figure things out. I am sorry that this is getting long, but I am writing this because those wonderful little (or big) Fjords are so good at hiding pain. I think he was probably in some discomfort and we didn't even know it. So please, watch yours very closely. Make sure that they are drinking water - especially when it is so cold out. Make sure you make a point of looking at each and every herd member to make sure that they aren't hiding something from you. Please. As I tearfully looked down at the motionless body of my Burt on this Christmas night, it started to snow softly. I know that he went to the Rainbow Bridge to join my other Fjord. I think they will get along well. I on the other hand am left here to mourn and wonder about the should have's. I don't know what could have been done differently. I am not sure if and when I may replace Burt. Loosing two in such a short time has a way of making you gun-shy. Thank you for letting me bend you ear tonight. I turned to you all because I thought you would be a sympathetic audience and I thought that someone out there may have gone through the same thing as I just did. Take care, Brenda Simonson _________________________________________________ The simple way to read all your emails at ThatWeb http://www.thatweb.com
