Problem foal

ionafarm · Jul 31, 2006

We had a foal born that had contract4ed tendons and malformed bones in the knees in the front. He has had a very hard time standing and walking. We now have casts on him and had been going out every 2 hours to stand him so he can nurse. He is now able to stand on his own , but the casts make it hard for him to move much. Tomorrow we must take off the casts and see if there has been enought improvement for him to stand and walk with his leg problems. If we determine that there is hope that he will gain enough use of his legs to stand and walk- knowing that his legs will never be right, we will need to find a home for him. Other than his front legs he is beautiful, - a buckskin colt, with a beautiful head and a sweet personality. If it is determined that he can never stand and walk on his own, we will have to put him down. If he can we need a home for him, where someone can take him and bottle feed every two hours for a month and/ or teach him to bucket feed. He is only 5 days old. If someone is willing to take on this challenge, please let me know immediately. We have 90 horses and I work 2 jobs, and I just can't de4vote the time this little guy will need. thanks

MiniforFaith · Jul 31, 2006

Hope you don't mind, I pm'd you..

virginia · Jul 31, 2006

I'd be happy to take him. Just finished bottle feeding one for 3 months and still wake up for that 2am feeding. LOL plus I have a mare that is sadly looking for a baby of her own.

Ginny StP

Bess Kelly · Aug 1, 2006

Have you asked the vet about tetracycline for those tendons? For whatever reason, it helps if done right away. He may then be able to walk and have less issue with the knees. Just a thought.

I wish you the best!

ionafarm · Aug 1, 2006

Bess Kelly said:
Have you asked the vet about tetracycline for those tendons? For whatever reason, it helps if done right away. He may then be able to walk and have less issue with the knees. Just a thought.

I wish you the best!

Thanks to everyone that responded to my post. Mini people are just the best! We had put the little guy in cast and he got tetracycline for the tendons. When he got the casts off he could stand and today began to walk. the knees are still misaleigned, but he was really getting around. We found an adoptive home for him about 1/2 hr from home. that way his mom could go with him until he is weaned off. This wonderful adoptive mother is a physical therapist who can work with those legs " professionally" she also has a good friend who is a retired Orthoped, who has made casts and braces for dogs before. He is coming to see the baby on Friday to see if he can develop any device for this little guy. This home is turning out to be better than I had hoped for. We were so close to putting him down and now I am so glad we decided to give him a chance to show us what he could do. Again, thanks to all of you who offered him a home. It really took a burden off my shoulders to know that he would be able to find a home

Jenks · Aug 14, 2006

ionafarm said:
Bess Kelly said:

Have you asked the vet about tetracycline for those tendons? For whatever reason, it helps if done right away. He may then be able to walk and have less issue with the knees. Just a thought.

I wish you the best!

Click to expand...

Thanks to everyone that responded to my post. Mini people are just the best! We had put the little guy in cast and he got tetracycline for the tendons. When he got the casts off he could stand and today began to walk. the knees are still misaleigned, but he was really getting around. We found an adoptive home for him about 1/2 hr from home. that way his mom could go with him until he is weaned off. This wonderful adoptive mother is a physical therapist who can work with those legs " professionally" she also has a good friend who is a retired Orthoped, who has made casts and braces for dogs before. He is coming to see the baby on Friday to see if he can develop any device for this little guy. This home is turning out to be better than I had hoped for. We were so close to putting him down and now I am so glad we decided to give him a chance to show us what he could do. Again, thanks to all of you who offered him a home. It really took a burden off my shoulders to know that he would be able to find a home