It's a horse owner's WORST FEAR: Strangulating Colic... And it was lurking in Poco?!
It didn't raise my alarm bells much when I went out to feed in the morning and didn't see Poco -- that whole herd was ALL out in the middle pasture with rich grasses over night. But when I went out later (after morning telework) to check waters and do other chores, I didn't see her. I went looking for her and found her ON THE GROUND, and UPSIDE DOWN, rolling, banging her head and in complete distress... OMG?!!! I IMMEDIATELY got her to her feet, and she went marching into the barn... (on her own). I watched her for all of a minute and KNEW I just HAD to call the vet! They instructed to give her the banamine I had on hand, and they would be there as soon as possible... (about 40 minutes... all the while a ticking timebomb was strangling her intestines...)
In the meantime I started walking Poco, mainly to keep her moving so she wouldn't try to lie down, roll, or otherwise make a potentially bad situation worse. Or keep hurting herself from the pain -- she had banged and rubbed her head on the ground from the pain before I found her, and so her eye is shown all swollen and scraped up below... Then she was thrashing her leg up onto the feed trough in her stall (this is when I called the vet!). Her head injuries have since been determined to NOT be a long-term problem, but was just a side-effect of the pain she was in...
While trying to walk her, Poco seemed to have some neurological issues walking -- this turned out to be pain-related AND LIKELY related to the toxins that were being squeezed into her blood stream (it later turned out...). She attempted to grab a bite of grass or two, but wouldn't chew, only stood there with it hanging from her mouth. This was NOT GOOD...(?!)
When the vet got there, Poco's heart rate was already up to 60 -- WAY HIGH -- and she was panting and sweating as though she'd been in a marathon (we were only walking VERY slowly!). This again was NOT GOOD... She got a shot of Banamine in the vein, and we waited. No improvement. She tubed her through the nose to see if she had reflux, but she did not. We waited again. At this point her heart rate shot back up and the vet said she'd have to be referred to New Bolton for emergency diagnosis -- they have the equipment there that most large animal vets just don't have. So I'd have to trailer her in her condition almost to Philadelphia??? OMG??!
But what choice did I have? This was POCO, MY MAIN HORSE and companion for all these years??? I frantically hooked up the trailer and got stuff, organized a friend to go with me (Suzi, mainly because she had already been there with others so many times), and once we loaded Poco up with some more tranquilizers for the long trip, off we went....
Once unloaded at New Bolton, her heart rate had shot up to 80, and it only took them about 10 minutes to do blood and other workup and came out carrying a pinkish vial of liquid; the vet explained this should be a clear liquid like chardonnay wine, but it looked like pink grapefruit juice instead.... They said almost 100% that is was a fatty lesion that was strangulating her small intestine. They said the choices were operate or humanely euthanize her to stop her pain. They then said the chances of survival for this surgery were likely good: over 80% for initial recovery and 70% for long-term, and many horses go right back to their previous quality of life, trail riding, etc. I agreed to the surgery despite the CRAZY sticker shock... (again, this is POCO, my MAIN riding horse and companion I have spent SO MUCH TIME with over the last 11 years... She is BASICALLY MY ROOMMATE when we go camping together, you know?), and he agreed that if he cut her open and it was worse than we thought, he would put her down and not go any further or risk a lesser quality of life.
Due to Covid, we were not even supposed to be able to enter the facility, but we insisted that I at least be able to say good-bye --
in case it was my last opportunity?? They had already intubated her for surgery, but they brought her to the door and I got to hug her, to tell her to be strong, and if she had to go, please tell
Mark I said "Hi."
With that, we left her, and it was up to her and the veterinarians. We left for the long ride home, empty trailer in tow...
Later that night I was elated to hear that she had just gotten out of the 4 hour surgery, was on her feet in recovery, and was going to be taken to her stall for monitoring and rest. I was so numb at this point I could barely cry except a heave of relief, and try to plan for the payment...
More to come... (I only have a few pics -- I didn't have time to think of taking pics of Poco when she was in pain on the ground, with the Sunbury emergency vet, stumbling sedated, trying to load, etc.)
****AGAIN, WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW*****