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| Photo copyright Wings, 2014; all rights reserved. |
Yes, he's both.
Twenty minutes after this was taken, he managed to get both of us but good while we were trying to medicate him.
After another 15 or 20 minutes of fighting with him, we finally got him doped. And by "doped," I mean orally syringed with a combination of Powdered psyllium and powdered flaxseed and powdered probiotics and aloe juice and a dash of molasses to make it go down more easily.
But for a horse who's been injured and abused around the mouth area, it's a battle, and it takes some strategy. And by "strategy," I mean that we feed a lunge line with a loop end through the chin band of his halter, wrap both ends around the hitching post and feed the leather end through the loop, make damn sure it's his right side next to the post, so as not to rip out his IV cath, and then I crank on the lunge line with every ounce of strength I have. [It's showing in the biceps and triceps, by the way.] Then Wings grabs his snout, jams the syringe into his mouth, and pushes the plunger. Then we release the lunge line and get the hell out of the way.
Some days it works better than others.
And five minutes after that mess, here he is:
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| Photo copyright Wings, 2014; all rights reserved. |
He's on his third round of IV fluids (4 bags), and otherwise, we're just going to be managing him the way we have been. The only difference is that now, we're looking at this as a management plan spanning a period of months, not days.
Also got a great compliment from the horse vet today. Out of the clear blue, she said to me, "And you make a great 'vet tech.' If I could afford it, I'd hire you in a minute."
Not bad, for a non-pro at all this stuff, huh?
<3 just a thought - have you offered to put the mixture in a tub and see if he will just eat it? he might surprise you! worth a try, maybe? explain to him that if he EATS this, then you won't have to do the wrestling stuff!
ReplyDeletesometimes they surprise us! more molasses maybe?
i had a "pony" on isoxuprine - tasted like crap - bitter and more. i started making him special "oatmeal cookies" and giving them to him - he thought they were the BESTEST cookies in the world - and never guessed what was in them! maybe that way?
i am so glad he is better - will keep sending him good vibes! and you, too, and wings, three, and all the rest of the critters the rest of the math!
Oh; BELIEVE ME, we've tried. No go. He's very soft, but also very strong-willed, and very definite about what he wants - and doesn't want. So he ultimately left us no choice, because the only way he survives is for us to get it into him somehow. Fortunately, as you can see from the second photo, he's not really holding it against me. :-D
Deletehow I wish I was there to hug you all, Aji. (and to help with Ice's meds!) and I just want you to know how thrilled I am that you're cautiously optimistic, I know how much this means. ps. you're both just shining!
ReplyDeleteHiya, Darlin'! And thank you, SO much, for all your unflagging support through all this. You'll never know how much it has kept us going, all three of us. And thank you - the "shining" thing might just be sweat and fatigue at this point, but sweet of you to say. :-D
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