HOPEFUL SURGERY FOR FILLY?

[TINALEE]

IS IT JUST ME OR DO MINIS IN GENERAL HAVE ALOT OF PROBLEMS? I HAVE OWNED MINIS NOW FOR A YEAR.THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR HAVING FOALS.THE FIRST BABY WAS MY BABY FAITH WHO IS A DWARF.NOW I HAVE A GORGEOUS BABY GIRL WHO CANNOT STRAIGHTEN HER BACK LEGS.THE VET WAS OUT THE DAY SHE WAS BORN (ON THE 8TH) HE SAYS HER PATELLAS ARE ON THE SIDE OF HER LEGS.POOR LIL GIRL YOU CAN HEAR THEM POP EACH TIME HE MOVED HER LEGS.HE SUGGESTED PUTTING HER DOWN WHICH I SIMPLY COULD NOT DO WITHOUT GIVING HER A CHANCE.HE FOUND A SPECIALIST WHO WILL DO SURGERY TO TRY AND CORRECT HER PATELLAS.I AM HOPEFUL BUT ALSO NERVOUS.SHE IS SUCH A DOLL.SHE GETS ALONG THE WAY SHE IS BY DRAGGING HER BACK LEGS BUT IM SURE SHE IS IN PAIN SO ID LIKE TO GIVE THE SURGERY A TRY.ANYONE OUT THERE WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THIS PLEASE DO SHARE ANY ADVICE YOU MAY HAVE.SURGERY IS THURSDAY FOR LIL HOPE.MY DWARF IS NAMED FAITH,I BELIEVE THIS LIL FILLY SHOULD BE NAMED HOPE!FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT REMEMBER LIL FAITH SHE IS DOING GREAT,SHE IS A CHUBBY LIL GIRL! LOL WE FOUND A VET WHO KNOWS A BIT ABOUT DWARFS-WE NOW HAVE HER WALKING ON HER HOOVES NOT HER JOINTS

HOPE

FAITH

 

[HGFarm]

Awwww

: They are both adorable.

Well, you are getting 'broken in' to Minis the hard way. Hey, anything after this should be a piece of cake!

When I first started in Minis, I lost my first foal that suffocated in the sac, then had a mare that was a chronic aborter..... I was ready to just give it up and forget it.

I have never had a foal born that way or any experience with it- I would be interested to hear how this works out for the baby. Poor little thing.

 

[crponies]

Good for you for giving her a fighting chance; I hope it pays off for you both! I'm sorry you are having such a tough year with your foals. Breeding certainly isn't for the faint of heart. I'm glad to know Faith is doing so well. :aktion033:

 

[zoey829]

They are dolls!!! THe same thing happened to us. Unfort we had to put her down. I am so glad you are doing th surgury. PLEASE keep us posted. My heart goes out!!!!!

 

[Matt73]

I'd say you just had a bit of bad luck or something like that. Too bad you had a double whammy! Good for you for looking after them like they should be though.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Hang in there it does get better, our first foal was lost at 40 days old because of a misdiagnosed ulcer then we had our second who had a terrible bite but is loved and showing performance for a friend now Our third was great he was the first of our own breeding then we took a year off. The next year we only bred one mare and she had a late term abortion. Then we took another year off from breeding last year we had two very nearly perfect foals ( I say that because no foal is perfect) but they are very nice yearlings but we ended the year with Helen our blind little girl and though many would say we should have put her down she is a joy and a lesson every day. This year we only have one mare bred but we are changing our program some so next year there will be foals again. It to me is sort of trial and error we started with good horses and have tried to choose good matches but sometimes luck isnt with you at other times it is and everyone has their turn in the barrel eventually. My vet said that we should have smooth sailing from here on out since we had so much trouble when we first started. Wishing you and your babies good luck. As has been said here so many times before breeding is NOT for the faint of heart.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I'm so sorry you're going through this - and your little darlings. It looks like you are doing everything for Faith and she looks happy and healthy! :aktion033: I don't know anything about the problem you are having with Hope, but I can understand your desire to try the surgery. I pray it works for the little dear. I'd also understand if you changed your mind and decided not to do the surgery. I have a mare colic earlier in the spring and I got a call from the vet where she was (in LA) and they wanted a $5k deposit to start the surgery and we just didn't have it at that moment. I had to say no and fortunately everything turned out just fine without any surgery, but it could have ended differently.

I wish you well and please keep us posted. I would really like to know how it all turns out. Take care!

:

 

[appymini]

I had to put a foal down at 3 days old,2 weeks ago.With one back leg.That had possible PATELLA problem.. My vet is too expensive to get the xray started .300.00 for a xray.And the foal was already getting sick.I hope the operation goes all well And the best of luck. I just couldn`t put my mare and foal to a 8 hour drive to Guelph and pay there very high fees. I was quoted it would be close to a starting fee 2500.00.My vet wouldn`t do the operation at all.

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I had my sweet Wind Chill, who was born with this problem also. I did everything possible to try to hel/save her. WE went from vet to vet until I found one willing to try the surgery. Before surgery, we had a MRI, done and a cat scan done, both at our local human hospital. When I finally found a vet who would try, after being told there was no hope by other vets, my wonderful vet attempted to do surgery. Her first leg was working normal and goo, but when he went to roll her over to do the second leg he lost her. I have never heard a vet get so upset, almost to the point of tears. He really cared about my little girl and gave it his all. THe reason he lost her, was, her heart just gave out. Awhile back, I posted about this on someone who also had a foal born with problems...and I said then and I will say it again. I dont know how anyone can have a foal born that cant walk and let it lay, not doing anything about it to help it other them just hearing from a vet..things might work out.IMO~ I think that is cruel. I just couldnt do that, but thats ME. (AND, no, I am not saying everyone has to go out and spend a fortune on vet bills, but I do think if you have animals you should at least be SOMEWHAT responsible for them, and care enough to find out the exact problem, and take it from there.)

Your little foals are adorable. I do think you are one caring responsible owner to try to do everything possible to help your babies. It shows you really do care. I wish you the best of luck. If you would like to see pics of my Chilly, I do have a few of them on my website, and I can send you more. Corinne

 

[pamk]

Hi. Unfortunately I have some experience with this problem. I had a colt born in April with bilateral luxating patellas (same problem as your filly). I had my veterinarian research the possibility of surgery. He said a couple of vets would try it...but they would be handling the surgery like a dog patella repair..and equine legs are so much different..he was worried about the side effects from the surgery and the quality of life afterwards... My veterinarian said it is a very rare problem in horses and most equine vets never see a case of it...he even suggested donating the colt to LSU, OSU or Texas A&M for surgery but my colt would then basically become a "study" colt and I just could not do that to him..so I elected to euthanize.

I wish you luck in whatever you do...hopefully you can find a vet who has experience with equine luxating patellas and will do the surgery. Please keep up updated.

Take care, Pam

 

[Sue_C.]

Bless you for trying everything you possibly can, to make these little one's lives painfree, and as "normal" as possible. I do beleive you've already run the gauntlet of poor luck and pray that the following years will be easier on both your heart, and your pocketbook.

I do though, want to ask that you consider that these mares at least, not be bred to the same stallion(s) again; to lessen the chances of this happening again. Were it my mare that produced the dwarf...I would not breed her again, but that is just my opinion...some do.

 

[zoey829]

When my filly had this prob. My vet called Barboro's vet. He said he was the only vet in the area to treat this and it started at 6000.00 and he was not too hopefully. She could not stand at all and the bag didnt break. We didnt get the surgury but very sad. Good luck

 

[mmmorgans]

We had a colt born last night with exactly the same problem. Our vet told us to not make any rash decisions - but it is very hard to watch this little guy struggle to walk. He stands exactly like your little filly stands. I have been in tears over this as I was not expecting any problem with this foal - I was expecting a hard delivery as mom was a maiden - but this is very hard to deal with. Our vet suggested going to Saskatoon to the vet college - but I would imagine the surgery would be very expensive and I am questioning the quality of life afterwards - no guarantees. I tried bandaging the leg to keep everything in place - but the bandage just slips off and because the foal is a boy I can't wrap anything around his tummy to keep the bandage up.

I sure hope that your foal ends up OK - this is so disheartening as a breeder - makes me want to give up.

 

[zoey829]

I am sorry. It does break your heart. That is why these boards are so good they help one another. I thought I was the only one. We can be thier for one another. Your colt and the little filly are in my prayers

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

I did have plenty of questions as to what kind of llife and any problems down the road. My vet had preformed a few of these surgeries very successful. He also loves minis and is very interested in every aspect of them, from a vets standpoint. I was told she could possible get early arthiritius (sp) in that area, and she would also always have some sort of limp. I was also told the sooner the problem can be treated the better the outcome. Chilly was being treated in the beginning thru another vet, who really didnt know how to go about the surgery either. Chilly vould stand but it was so pitiful to see her. I guess the only way I could really describle her hind legs would be like in a locked "rabbit hop" position. (but Chilly didnt "hop") she was able to get herself up and nurse, and would hobble around. I was also told not to rebred this mare with the same stallion. I bought the mare bred, so I didnt own the stud, and the mare I did give to a friend for his 2 kids as a pet. I didnt want to take the chance of rebreeding her, even tho my vet said I could. She found the perfect home with all the love she can get from 2 small kids who adore her. Corinne

 

[Connie P]

I had a colt born one year with this problem. I chose to have the surgery done at MSU and he did fantastic and hasn't had any problems whatsoever. He is now about 6 years old. The surgery ran about 3,000.00 but was worth every penny. Wishing you all the best with your little one.

 

[TINALEE]

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.HOPE GOES INTO THE VET HOSPITAL TONIGHT,SURGERY WILL BE TOMORROW MORNING.I CAN ONLY HOPE FOR THE BEST.SHE HAS SO MUCH LIFE IN HER AND GOSH HER GORGEOUS EYES SAY IT ALL.WHAT A SHAME THESE BABIES HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS

I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED. AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE AND SUPPORT.

 

[lvponies]

Best wishes being sent for a successful surgery and an easy recovery for Miss Hope!!

 

[MBhorses]

:no: i am so sorry your foals are going through this. I sure hope for the best. We will be praying for them.raising any type of animal you will have good and bad years. We hope next year is better for you. Those two foals are just so sweet.

keep us posted.

 

[WeeOkie]

Tina,

I've been thinking about your little girl Hope this morning as she undergoes her surgery. I pray all goes well with her.

Rita