hobbyhorse23
Well-Known Member
I've kept pretty quiet because for the first week I was gone all I heard from my mom in our nightly phone calls was that Kody's stifles were as bad as we've ever seen them with no sign of improvement at all. He could barely move around his stall because they wouldn't unlock and he was even dragging a toe on his walks, something he's never done. We kept reminding each other that he's always at his worst when he's been stalled so we shouldn't expect anything else, it's supposed to take 4-12 days to show any improvement, etc. etc., but as each day went by we were getting more and more discouraged. Kody himself was apparently bright and cheerful, but he was about the only one! 
Finally on Friday (seven days after his surgery) I asked Mom how he was and she hesitated, then very cautiously admitted that she thought, possibly, maybe, just possibly, he might be a little better. We both tried not to get our hopes up or think too much of it and went on our separate ways for another 24 hours. Saturday I called her and in a voice of cautious optimism she said she was now more sure he was improving although he was still locking up merrily. Improvement was only evident in the fact that he was now able to get unlocked on his own and was no longer dragging a toe, but hey! It was something. Sunday I called her from the airport and she said he seemed to be continueing to improve but she wasn't sure how much was her imagination and didn't want to say too much more until I saw him for myself. I promptly dragged my tired tail out to the barn as soon as I got home (suffering distinctly from jet lag) and endured the Wrath of Kody and a major hurt look and cold shoulder from Spyderman, both of whom were far too upset with me to allow a close examination. Kody did seem better though as he was no worse than he usually is in his pasture after a week+ of stall confinement with no turnout at all.
On Monday afternoon I got out to clean his stall and feed and found he was definitely, unmistakably improving. While he isn't using his hind legs much either from discomfort or perhaps a habit of expecting them to lock, the left leg was rarely locking and the right leg (by far the worst) was actually going a few steps at a time without locking. By the time I got him out for his second 15 minute walk of the day at about 10PM I even observed him backing a step or two without locking! :aktion033: That's pretty much a miracle right there compared to the last two weeks. He was walking out without locking up and I even watched him stop to graze and then move on without catching at all a couple of times. I'm not letting myself get too excited at this point but I tell you if this continues and actually becomes a permanent state of affairs I'm going to be so happy I'll cry. Kody wasn't mad at me anymore by yesterday and I had to laugh as I picked green sugar from his LikIt out of his ears, of all places. Silly boy.
So keep your fingers crossed for us guys! It took eight to ten days to see any improvement but there's reason to hope now and with your continued prayers we'll see this through. Kody is supposed to get his stitches out on Thursday and on Friday can be turned out in a small pasture for the next two weeks as he begins his cavaletti rehab. I'll keep you updated!
Leia
Finally on Friday (seven days after his surgery) I asked Mom how he was and she hesitated, then very cautiously admitted that she thought, possibly, maybe, just possibly, he might be a little better. We both tried not to get our hopes up or think too much of it and went on our separate ways for another 24 hours. Saturday I called her and in a voice of cautious optimism she said she was now more sure he was improving although he was still locking up merrily. Improvement was only evident in the fact that he was now able to get unlocked on his own and was no longer dragging a toe, but hey! It was something. Sunday I called her from the airport and she said he seemed to be continueing to improve but she wasn't sure how much was her imagination and didn't want to say too much more until I saw him for myself. I promptly dragged my tired tail out to the barn as soon as I got home (suffering distinctly from jet lag) and endured the Wrath of Kody and a major hurt look and cold shoulder from Spyderman, both of whom were far too upset with me to allow a close examination. Kody did seem better though as he was no worse than he usually is in his pasture after a week+ of stall confinement with no turnout at all.
On Monday afternoon I got out to clean his stall and feed and found he was definitely, unmistakably improving. While he isn't using his hind legs much either from discomfort or perhaps a habit of expecting them to lock, the left leg was rarely locking and the right leg (by far the worst) was actually going a few steps at a time without locking. By the time I got him out for his second 15 minute walk of the day at about 10PM I even observed him backing a step or two without locking! :aktion033: That's pretty much a miracle right there compared to the last two weeks. He was walking out without locking up and I even watched him stop to graze and then move on without catching at all a couple of times. I'm not letting myself get too excited at this point but I tell you if this continues and actually becomes a permanent state of affairs I'm going to be so happy I'll cry. Kody wasn't mad at me anymore by yesterday and I had to laugh as I picked green sugar from his LikIt out of his ears, of all places. Silly boy.
So keep your fingers crossed for us guys! It took eight to ten days to see any improvement but there's reason to hope now and with your continued prayers we'll see this through. Kody is supposed to get his stitches out on Thursday and on Friday can be turned out in a small pasture for the next two weeks as he begins his cavaletti rehab. I'll keep you updated!
Leia
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