HC Minis - new pics pg 172

[chandab]

I don't feel like going back and looking at what I may have already said or not said, so will give a full update on what I know right now.

Last week, vet was out to examine Honey as she had blood in her urine; we did blood tests, urine culture and US. Blood tests were back in two days, they showed high blood glucose, low creatinine, one type of white blood cell high (the one that indicates infection). And, she has glucose in her urine, so her kidneys are fitlering like they should. Vet suspects should could be the start of IR or even Cushings; but since she has an infection it might be throwing everything off. Urine culture results came back yesterday, she has an E.Coli infection, which Tucoprim/Uniprim (SMZ powder) should take care of, but since she has glucose in her urine which is feeding the bacteria we are going to give her a higher dose for a longer period of time. That's what I know about that right now.

She's been off the offending feed for 3-4 days, she had two days of bute to ease her discomfort then switched to BL Pellets, and she is now getting around better. I might have to make some paddock adjustments and rearrange a little bit to accommodate everyone's changing needs, but it looks like things are getting back to normal.

Farrier is supposed to be here tomorrow morning, and boy do I have a long list of needy horses...

 

[chandab]

Baby boys saw the farrier today; Monte and Junior had some very long toes, so they got themselves a little trim and another halter lesson. Manny's little toes are just fine for now. I was surprised... Monte was very good for the farrier, Junior tried to kick a couple times, little stinker. After their sessions, they werne't too happy with me.

 

[Wings]

They never are

 

[AnnaC]

LOL!! I agree Bree - we mostly end up doing ours out in the field as part of a game, lots of scratches by one person while the other does the trim. Works really well for us. This year little Wizz has had to have her back feet trimmed/rasped quite regularly already as she was a bit 'down' on her heels and has a tendancy to throw the toes.

 

[chandab]

It's amazing how quickly little feet grow!!!! Give the boys a little hug from Auntie Diane for being good little rascals!!!

Not after what they pulled today. I don't have regular pasture set up for the minis, so I used portable panels to make grazing areas for them. I had to move the panels to new grass today, so that means I can't just open the gate and let them out, they have to be caught and led to and from their pasture from now on. One mare didn't want to be caught, and both older boys wouldn't follow mom, they took off cross country and thought the hay yard was a good place to play. Finally, Monte ran through the open gate, but not Junior he ran around the outside of the grazing area at least a dozen times before the spotted the gate and went through it instead of taking off when he saw me. I know, this was more or less my fault, as I didn't grab the baby halter, but I thought they'd follow mom, wrong! So, tomorrow, we'll use mom halters and baby halters and go out to pasture one pair at a time.

 

[Wings]

Little rascals!!

I promise I didn't giggle when I read that though... honestly

 

[chandab]

Tonight when I put them away, I led the older mom and baby pairs separately, and then Bonny and the extra mare as a trip with Manny following (he's still a momma's boy through and through). Took Tana and Monte first, all was pretty good til we got to the narrow pathway to the barn entrance, Tana wouldn't go, so Monte threw a fit, finally got them into the drylot. Next was Misty and Junior, once caught, Junior was a little trooper and just followed along with mom, no problem. Last, was Bonny with Manny and the extra mare, Showy; both mares haltered, Manny loose; no problems, all went right to where they needed to be. It'll take me longer at chore time, but these little trips to and from the "pasture" will be really good for the babies (and bonny, who has been naughty about being caught). I have 3 baby halters on order, so hopefully I picked the right size, and we can get to work halter training all babies. [And, perhaps I can get registration pics taken.]

 

[Wings]

You're right it will be good lead work for them

Glad they behaved better for you tonight.

 

[AnnaC]

Well I laughed out loud!! We never halter our foals until after weaning anyway. This year it was easy as at Cathy's place the barn opens directly into the field, but I well remember two years ago at my place when I had 13 mares and foals to move back and forth from barn stables to field - great fun, but then I just love naughty babies. LOL!!

 

[chandab]

You guys are no help at all. Laughing at me in my time of "dispare".

If I had help I might be able to get by without haltering babies, but just me, its not going to happen. Junior and Monte are taking to their halter and lead and following mom just fine. Manny is still a momma's boy, so getting by wiht just following mom to pasture. I need to move some more panels and make sure they all have enough pasture to last.

 

[Wings]

We are SO bad at being helpful

I got lucky with my place, it was set up to be able to run horses from paddock to paddock with only one person. Fantastic when you have to move naughty babies!!

:ThumbUp

 

[chandab]

We are SO bad at being helpful

I got lucky with my place, it was set up to be able to run horses from paddock to paddock with only one person. Fantastic when you have to move naughty babies!!

:ThumbUp

If I had more say in the matter, I'd set up like that too. But, we run cattle first and fore most, so everything is set up to making working cattle easier. The horses are my hobby.

 

[chandab]

Wish I would have had a camera, video would be even better... I moved all the mares and babies out to pasture, and started hauling water, when I got back to the pasture with the water, Monte was sitting on his butt wiggling around (like dog sitting), I thought maybe something was wrong, so I went in to check on him, he jumped up and seemed fine, so had a thought.... Is he itchy? So, I scratched him bum a little, then some more, yep, very itchy.

 

[chandab]

Last week, vet was out to examine Honey as she had blood in her urine; we did blood tests, urine culture and US. she has an E.Coli infection, which Tucoprim/Uniprim (SMZ powder) should take care of, but since she has glucose in her urine which is feeding the bacteria we are going to give her a higher dose for a longer period of time. That's what I know about that right now.

She's been off the offending feed for 3-4 days, she had two days of bute to ease her discomfort then switched to BL Pellets, and she is now getting around better. I might have to make some paddock adjustments and rearrange a little bit to accommodate everyone's changing needs, but it looks like things are getting back to normal.

Farrier is supposed to be here tomorrow morning, and boy do I have a long list of needy horses...

Just a little update on Honey, she's feeling much better. Still two more weeks on SMZs. She felt better almost immediately after her trim; if I remember right, she did have a small abcess (they go hand in hand iwht laminitis and since she is still recovering, they still pop up now and then). I'm sure the feed was part of her problem, as she started feeling a little better almost immediately after taking her off that feed. I've been making minor adjustments to her diet to find the right combination for her, and I think I'm close, now to wait to see if she gains some weight before winter sets in. She's feeling better, as when I put her out to grass, she's actually moving around and grazing instead of standing at the gate to go back in starting about 5 min after putting her out.

 

[chandab]

This sounds very good. Praying for her continued recovery and you to be able to find the PERFECT combination of feed for her.

Don't know if I can find perfect, but I'll take the combination that puts weight on and doesn't make her feet sore and she'll eat it.

 

[chandab]

That will BE perfection!

Well, for me perfection would be one product that would do it all, but I'll take the above mentioned criteria in a mix of my own.

 

[AnnaC]

So glad that she's feeling better Chanda. Good luck with finding the perfect mix! Do Milk Thistles grow in your area of the US? They say that these plants are extremely good for the liver and they come recommended for laminitic horses - to help the liver rid the body of the build up of toxins. One of my girls had a mild 'episode' of laminitis this year (not a known sufferer) and we offered her a few milk thistles - she went mad for them, ate them up completely, stalk and all! So we picked a couple a day for her for about a week, by which time she was just picking off the 'flowers' and the leaves and leaving the stalks, before she finally refused to even bother to look at them. The slight change in her stride had gone and she has shown no more signs since.

I do have another full laminitic here who, when she gets a bit dodgy, makes a beeline for dandylion plants - would eat them all day if she could!! Dont know if she thinks they will help her pee all the toxins from her body, but if she wants them, she gets them!! I think it wonderful how they seem to know what will help them! Used to have a stallion that occasionally had mild colic - he went for gorse plants (ouch!), picked at them for about 10 miutes and he was then fine again!!

 

[chandab]

Not sure if we have milk thistle plants around, but the fenced yard around the house is full of dandelion, so I can always lead her down to the yard and see if she shows interest in dandelion.

Wish I knew more about what plants are good for what, mostly just hope to know which are toxic so I can irradicate them.

 

[chandab]

You are SUCH a good horsey momma!

Hope she continues to recover completely!!

Thank you, I try, but some days I feel like I'm going in circles and getting nowhere.

 

[chandab]

Yesterday, Honey went on walk-about further than usual, and was clear over at the main mini barn, which drove poor Topper absolutely nuts. And, she trucked back to her barn when I sent her on her way. Don't know if its the change in diet, the trim, the addition of BL pellets or a combination of all of the above, but she's definitely feeling better. Now, if she'd just start gaining weight before winter.