The visit with Dr. Mike Foss today went very well! I -really- like him.
He seems very knowledgeable, and he has a wonderful way with people and
horses. I heard from many people that I was very fortunate to be seeing
him and that he was a wonderful vet. Gosh, what would I do without the
"net"?
The lameness I noticed in Special Monday afternoon, that was much worse
last night, turned out to be an abcess -not- a pulled tendon. She did
have some small pull and soreness in the tendon (just a minor pasture
accident). The lameness was coming from an abcess. The vet pulled the
shoe and dug out the channel to the abcess. He thinks that she had some
minor ding in her hoof, maybe an abcess started. And when she got her new
shoes with the pads (1 1/2 weeks ago), the sore cooked and turned into an
abcess. So, it wasn't my imagination, she was off. He says she's
slightly off in the other front hoof too, and wants me to have the other
shoe pulled. And he says NO MORE PADS! He says that in this wet, muddy,
weather; and with the kind of riding that I do (hard on feet), that it
just makes a nice little 'abcess poultice'. He says that when it's healed
(about 3 weeks), she needs "wide web shoes", and that I ought to buy Easy
Boots to use for long, rocky, hard rides. Then when I get home, I can
clean out her hooves and the boots.
He drew blood and is going to do a complete blood work-up, and chem scan.
He's going to check her Selenium and Vit. E levels. The results of
those tests should be back in about 2 weeks. The CBC will show
if there's any physiological problem with her having a hard time holding
her weight. He checked her teeth and they're fine. He says he thinks she
weighs 850-900lbs. and is 100-150 lbs. underweight. But not terribly so.
About her diet; he was not very critical of what she's been getting, but
wants me to make some changes.
-Change from Manna Senior to LMF Endurance formula. The same 6lbs on off
days and 9 lbs on ridden days. During her stall time with the abcess, he
wants her to have about 4 lbs a day.
-Keep giving her the Timothy hay. Basically as much as she'll eat (free
choice).
-With the LMF Endurance, she won't need any other vitamin supplements. No
more NW Supplement. After the chem level tests come back we'll know if
she needs any Vit. E or Selenium supplements.
-Stop giving the Special Blend (oat hay, alfalfa & molasses). He says
that with the LMF she won't need it.
-Keep giving her the 2 cups of oil per day.
-See if I can get her to eat more rice bran. He'd like her to get 3 cups
per day.
He doesn't think having her on the grass pasture had anything to do with
her tying up. And doesn't think I should cut her feed down more on her
off days.
About her conditioning:
-He doesn't want me to try and do rides 2 weeks apart, he wants me to
stick to a once-a-month schedule. (But I already knew that) *:)
-He says that after a race, she definitely needs a few days off. And
agrees that with a horse like Special, there's a fine line between
over-conditioning, and not doing enough. But thinks that 2 days off,
lunge on the 3rd day, and light ride on the 4th or 5th day, is a good
schedule. He doesn't think time off -before- a race is that important.
He thinks that she needs light rides before a race.
-For her regular conditioning, I will try hard to stick to: 15-25 miles
once a week, 8-15 miles 2 times a week. On days that I don't ride, I will
lunge her (once or twice a week).
About the tying up:
-He thinks that maybe I possibly set her up, by giving electroytes too
often when they're not really needed. I've been giving them on days of
15-25 mile conditioning rides. On the day she tied up, I didn't give her
any.
-He doesn't think being in heat has anything to do with it.
-He understands that if she ties up again, there's a real good chance I'll
-have- to walk her out. He says just go slow and take -her- time. He
gave me a tube of Banamine, which I will carry with me from now on for
emergencies. If I think she's tying up, I will give her -1/2- a dose,
just to help her get back.
-If it happens again try to get a urine sample, and have the vet out right
away to draw blood! He says just tell my regular vet that he says he
needs it done. Then I can take the samples to him, and he'll run them.
-Several people suggested giving Baking Soday. He says * NO * ABSOLUTELY
NOT! He says that the system of an endurance horse, who's being intensely
trained, is already -very- alkaline. And that Baking Soda can be FATAL to
an endurance horse. He said that when endurance was first getting
started, several horses were killed because they gave them Bicarbonate of
Soda when they were tying up. Now they know better. Hopefully.....
Well, I think that concludes my book for the day....*:) I posted this
-very long- message in hopes that what I'm learning might be able to help
somebody else. I really want to thank everybody who sent me notes and
helpful hints! Thanks alot you guys!!!
Now the BiG question is...What to do to keep from going *CrAzY* in the
next 3 weeks???!!!??
@-',--- MARISA ---',-@ **************************
............................. * No rain.... *
purpl2@teleport.com * No rainbows...*
Portland, Oregon **************************