So this very old horse, riddled with tumors, and today I noticed a small hole at the point of the frog. You could see clear inside the hoof, clear fluid mixed with red coming out of it. Vet confirmed founder. By a visual assessment, no xrays because of budget reasons. For me this is a kind of pro bono type situation, the horse is like that dog lucky, with no tail, missing legs and one eye and I just like it. Anyway the vet suggested 'Lilly Pads'. Any info or advice on this situation would be appreciated. PS this poor horse is on deaths door, but until they realize what NEEDS to be done, I am just attempting to make the poor thing comfortable. PSS the laminae wasn't that stretched, actually it wasn't stretched at all?? PSSS again no budget, or I would have them calling one of you guys so I could witness and assist in a hoof resection. PSSSS Do the treatments and heart bars work if the condition is this advanced?
IMO, treating this is way above your current 'pay grade' and since the owners are unwilling to spend the money it will take to do the job correctly, and considering the other factors, the owners would be doing the horse a kindness by putting it down. My experience with lilly pads is that they are useless. If you are still bound and determined to work on this horse, then I suggest you take some photos, post them and see what help/advice we can offer.
Sadd as it some times were just prolonging the missery for the horse and owner and maybe ourselfs .there are times that the owners are looking to us for hope thats not there .if you and the vet aggre that there is no hope and you know the pore thing is suffering it might be the best thing to sit down with the owner and tell them its time to let go .ive only had to do this a few times over the years and it suckes on so manny levals.i live for these animals i make my living whith them and im horibull about defeat but its the right thing to do
Y I am totally in agreement there, in no way do I possess any delusions that I could pull off a major hoof resection, lol. I believe under strict supervision and guidance I eventually can and will advance to this pay grade. I have seen videos of resections, and I watched Mark do one in school, but that was in 1997. As far as videos go well I have seen plenty of brain surgery videos but I am not about to saw open someones cranium and go rooting around in their frontal cortex.
Tejun.. as others say suggest putting down..BUT.. if they refuse ..its on .. the chance to hone a new skill set .. research go with it..
I had this thought, but I think I am going to call the vet and talk to him, and see if he thinks I should have the 'talk' with them. I already told them, one day he will lay down and he won't get up. I also said if you find he is laying down more than he is standing that is a strong sign that it is time.
Had a stud years ago ,vets and big time shoers said had no chance .owners wanted him to last as long as possible boulth for emoshanal and finanshel reasons.he did a.i so no need to run for the roses.i would pad him up frog support the hole nine .a few months his feet are roting ,pull pads use A BAR. To mutch presher built a memphus bar ,good a month or so back to the pads .in three years he wore every thing including the sink .owners were impresed world class trainer was impresed i lernd loads but if he was mine i would have put him down.not all bad though one of the packages i came up with on him helped a few ponies and got the attetention of a hall of fame shoer who taught me a little more .so who knowes .only you can dicide what the right thing is
Go for it......and learn from it......take notes and all photos of your progress.......this is a learning experience you may never get again; or one that is similar....and you know how to handle the next one that comes by. make handmade shoes for it, [If needed]......and keep going. have them talk to the vet and you and have them sign a waiver that this is an experimental shoeing and the out come will be euthanasia. have the vet give them the same type of paper. you will need it for legal reasons; if they decide you did something wrong. put the photos up here and so everyone can chime in on the progress. make a time line; you might have this in the next 10 yrs.+ as a lecturer on a farrier symposium and you will need these photos and notes. Good Luck! Linda PS I had one many years ago; it was an Arabian stallion that I was painted shoeing it; and it is on hoofgreetings on the BC13. he finally died; but I learned more from that shoeing; than all the normal shoeing I have had over the last 23yrs of shoeing.
IMO "no budget" means the client thinks the horse is not worth the investment. If they thought the horse was worth it they would give up cable TV, cell phone, and live on PB&J for a few months to fund saving the horse.
Tejun:................on general discussions; page 13, hammer-in honeys; page 2, post 28 is the picture of me with the Arabian stallion that raced at Delaware Park, owned at one time by the 2nd Crown Prince of Dubai [now the Prince of Dubai] and I was photograph and painted by Ameer Whitman of California and made into a lithograph [which I have 2] and business cards of today.
