Learning by experiene, well darn,

[Frankie]

Spent most of the past 3 days nursing, making comfortable a horse with founder. He is improving.

This morning I go out to feed and I have a mare cast against a barn wall.

Her baby is almost on top of her. Tore into the barn, pulled baby away who was none too happy. Get a hold of the mares inside legs, front and back and roll her back to me. She laid there for a few minutes, and then I helped her to her feet. SHE WAS A MESS! Got her over to water and she stood and drank forever. My first clue she had been down a long time. In the mean time baby is stopping his feet to eat, she finally allows him and he nurses for what seemed like forever.

Mare was sweating from head to toe, covered in manure as well. Gums extremely red, breathing fast and extremely wobbly on her feet. I check her over more and could not believe my eyes. She had huge swelling in her rear, soft tissue. It was softball size out, and about 6" long.

Didn't come here but for sure did not know what was going on. Need vet asap.

Got a hold of vet and out she came. Hardly no gut sounds at all. We tubed her, gave her banamine and she then munched on hay. The swelling is from baby or another horse who pawed at her, injuring her, trying to get her up. Baby too had a belly ache, probably from no food, then eating for a long time. The swelling has blood in it so we have to be extra cautious of her. The swelling has gone done some but is still pretty full and she is very very uncomfortable. She also has some swelling from straining. I just can not imagine.

She finally pooed at about 3 and it has some mass to it. Vet said very good, great indicator as not being twisted in her gut.

But now she is not eating. She is drinking good, but doesn't want much to do with food at all, even treats. My vet said, look at her. Would you want to eat? Let her gain some strength, keep bananmine in her, watch water intake and poo out take and if both are close to normal, do not worry at this point. Gum color is better and she has no temp.

Because of the swelled areas filled with blood, she has to be stalled. Not my thrill as she cast in an open barn last night and now I am stalling her. Am checking on her every hour.

All good thoughts welcome, she still is pretty rough looking and has a way to go.

Then at 11 a.m. my 2 year old dryer caught fire, at 11:35 there was a wreck in front of my house.

So I have only been to the barn and back, done most of that safely, and will try work tomorrow.

Have you had a horse cast? Other things to watch for and things to help her?

thanks so very very much.

 

[lilhorseladie]

wow! Carolynn, You have had your share of disaster lately. I hope all your horsey friends are getting better. I also hope that mare won't have permanent damage in her leg. It has to get better for you!

 

[minih]

Oh my goodness! We have had a horse cast but was there feeding in the barn at the time so she wasn't down long. No advice or words of wisdom, just wanted to tell you I will keep you and your mare in my thoughts! What a day!

 

[Frankie]

As a horse mom, I just suck buttermilk right now, I know. I hope it's not to much longer before I learn it all so it will all stop.

 

[Magic]

The stallion that we lost just a few months ago had been cast.

He got stuck in the fence and my friend whom I shared a partnership with the horse had been at work, came home and he was in bad shape. At first she was worried about his skinned up legs, but it was the colic that was bad. He had to have colic surgery, I watched it, and there was no impaction or twist, but his intestines weren't really moving. He went thru surgery fine but in the recovery room he just stopped breathing.

The vets couldn't revive him.

I'm sorry, Carolyn, I don't mean to frighten you, but you do need to know that what can happen in a cast horse is that their intestines slow down drastically. If your mare is not in pain though, she is doing much better than our boy did.

Can you hand walk her (ask your vet) and let her graze just a little bit? She'll need food in her system if it is to keep moving along. I'm glad she's passed manure. I'll be praying for her for you, surely she will be fine.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Unfortunately Carolyn, we never stop learning! I just pray that you soon finish learning the toughest lessons and start getting the more pleasant ones again. Check those good luck horseshoes on your barn door...I think one of them must have lost a nail and turned upside down! (And at this rate, if you don't go find it it will show up in somebody's foot.

)

Prayers for you and your sanity, as well as your mare.

Leia

 

[Horse Hugs]

What an evening. Sorry that you had to go through so much. Hope tomorrow is better.

 

[CharmedMinis]

All this stuff always seems to happen in waves, I know from personal experience.

My Ellie cast herself last fall. I came out one morning to find her wedged underneath the bottom board of the split rail fence. The rail is only about 12 inches off the ground and she had somehow managed to wedge herself completely underneath up to her ribs.

Once we got the board down it took her a while to get up, she was in shock. I have no idea how long she was like that, she was checked on at Midnight and I found her at 6 the next morning.

She had mangled her eye pretty good, on the ground thrashing about, the vet was worried she might lose it but it cleared up and is fine now.

Colic was the biggest worry, she was fine at the time and when the vet saw her 2 hours after we found her, but we oiled her and gave her banamine and kept a very close eye on her intake and output for 3 days. She had one belly ache on day 2 that lasted about an hour but she pulled through with a dose of banamine.

She was also in foal at the time and we had her ultrasounded 5 days after she got stuck and the foal was fine, and is fine........my little Karo who is now over 2 months old.

Keep your chin up and just try to remember that everything happens for a reason

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Hi Carolyn - you sound like you're having my run of luck! 2005 has been our year for vet bills! Althouh we haven't had one cast yet - caught in fences we do get from time to time, but nothing as serious as what you experienced.

Our injuries started in January with a punctured hoof at the coronary band, then March renal failure in a foal (he died), April two facial lacerations - one peeled her face and a dead hip locked foal, May hyperlipemia in a mare, June another laceration and eye removal (2 separate horses), August foal colic, another eye removal and our latest a case of WNV!

I'm so stressed by this, I don't want to go outside for fear of what else they may have done to themselves!

Fortunately all but the two foals have made it, including our stallion with WNV, he appears to be on the mend.

If I survive the rest of the year, I'm praying 2006 will be better!

 

[hhpminis]

Gosh darn it anyway Frankie. I have never had a horse cast for very long but it is always a fear of mine. Lets just think good thoughts and hope for the best.

I am sorry you are having a time of it, again.

{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}

 

[hairicane]

You sure had an awful few days!!! And it does seem to come in multples but surely u have had your share by now.Best of luck and hang in there.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Carolyn, you need to pack it all up. kids family pets and move here to the quiet hollow. Hugs and prayers coming your way.

 

[GREENWOODMINIS]

CAROLYN...GOSH, HUGS TO YOU...YOUR LUCK HAS NOT BEEN GOOD LATELY

BUT, I AM SURE IT WILL GET BETTER

I PRAY YOUR MARE GETS BETTER...HANG IN THERE!!!!

LIS

 

[SILVER]

Stupid question here, what do you guys mean exactly by cast.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

FIRST...there are NO stupid questions.

Being cast means a horse has lay down but too close to the wall or fence or gate with their legs on the inside wall side rendering them unable to get enough purchase to push up and back to get up. They struggle and wiggle and scrabble the walls many ending up side down.

It is very scary and important to get them up safely. One usually will grab the down side legs and roll. If that is not possible drag the horse away from the wall by the tail or rear leg just pivoting the angle the horse lies and help them up.

Check gum color and body temp. Many go into shock from the feaf, lack of water and blood flow. Banamine is super important for serious casts until you can get vet help if needed. Offer water room temp and soft hay. No grain for a while. Sometimes a sponge bath with tepid water is super if they are are sweated up.

The most important thing is to keep the horse calm and not hurting yourself or it while fixing the cast. Some panic and kick and thrash. It is worth the minute to take and calm and pet your horse assuring it that you will help. Use a soft calm voice and gentle hand. Panic and fast moves can only make things worse.

Remember your horse is already tired and scared and you are it's mom and he/she knows you will save her/him. Hope I explained it well. I hope others will give their input also. Maybe it's time for a new thread on casting again. We have so many new members.

 

[justjinx]

Carolyn--so very sorry to hear about all this! Hang in there--our thoughts are with you! jennifer

 

[Miniv]

Carolyn,

Keeping your mare and foal in my thoughts......

The suggestion of walking her out to let her nibble some green grass sounds like a good one, if she's able.

MA

 

[Sandy S.]

OH CAROLYN, WILL IT EVER STOP. MAYBE IT IS INDIANA. YOU HAVE BEEN IN MINIS THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME WE HAVE, AND YOUR LUCK WITH MINIS IS LIKE OURS, IF IT CAN HAPPEN IT DOES.

SURE HOPE THIS IS IT FOR YOU AND YOU HAVE HAD YOUR LAST MISHAP. YOU HAVE HAD ABOUT EVERYTHING HAPPEN, SO WISHING YOU THE BEST THE REST OF THE YEAR.

PRAYERS ARE WITH YOUR MARE AND FOAL!!

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]Carolyn Heres praying for a calming of the storm at your place![/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[weelittleones]

See this is what this forum is for! I had no idea there was even a word for it. One of my fillies had done this, but she was not down long and I was able to roll her over and she got right up. Now I know it can be serious. Thanks