Our aging pony is showing signs of founder &/or colic

[CAM]

Last night when I went to the barn I noticed our kids' pony was stretched out like a park horse in the barn and as I watched she started rocking back and forth on her front and back legs. Uh oh! Not a good sign. :no: Pony is around 30 years old, 12.2h and has really starting to show her age this past year. She has been so healthy for us until now and she is just the sweetest horse. She used to do the PeeWee Rodeo: barrels and poles and has given our kids many safe trail rides. She is also the grandma pony when we wean our Half-Arab foals. She will even let them attempt to nurse off of her and will raise her leg so they can do so. They are as tall as she is!

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I have been on the phone off and on with the vet. Her temp is normal, no digital pulse, feet aren't hot, no foot pain. Her coat is not shedding out well this year either so the vet thought it might be an endocrine imbalance with a secondary founder issue. However, while I was on the phone with the vet this afternoon, pony started really bunching up in her back end and lifting her back feet up to her tummy and yawning. I told the vet is seems more like colic. She agreed. She has also been up and down with no rolling. She does have gut sounds but I have noticed no manure recently.

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She was at a point today where she wouldn't eat. Stood in the pasture while the others grazed and wouldn't take her medicine or grain. She was given banamine last night and vet said try bute today. Now that she thinks it could be a colic she suggested banamine again this evening. Please say a prayer for our sweet pony Ginger. We are suppose to leave on vacation Wednesday and will be out of cell phone range for a week starting Sunday! The vet asked that I go online and fill out there authorization form listing who is able to determine what we are willing to spend to take care of our pony and authorization to euthanize if we are unreachable.

Please keep her in your prayers.

 

[Pepipony]

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: Hope all turns out ok!

 

[Reble]

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: Coming your way....

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[Marty]

Deb I'm so sorry.

Ginger sounds much like our old pony Frosty.

He was fine one minute and the next, just suddenly everything came crashing down around him and I had to let him go. It was a very hard thing to do.

I know when they reach a certain age and get way up there you are supposed to be prepared for this stuff but you never really are. The hunching up her back sounds like she is gassy. Can you motivate her to walk or trot around some to see if she'll let off any gas? I am hoping that Ginger will ralley for you quickly and you will be able to find out what is going on with her soon.

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[CAM]

When I went to check on her she was standing in the field while the others were grazing. I brought her some food and she took one nibble, yawned four or five time and moved away to stretch out and yawn some more. She did start grazing after that though and has eaten some hay. Problem is she doesn't have much in the way of chewing surface on her teeth so most of the hay falls back out to the ground. She won't eat her equine senior, probably because she realized there was some medicine in it no matter how hard I tried to mask it. We watch her weight closely because if she starts to drop we need to get her back up before she is too far down. She is starting to go down again but I haven't been able to get her to eat much of anything. Oh and Marty, the llama chased her up from the lower field so hopefully that will help.

I am off to check on her again. Thanks for your support.

Edited to add: Just got an update on our mini mare Splash and her filly, in the middle of typing this, from our trainer's vet over the phone. I will post the details on my other topic on the main forum.

 

[nootka]

Oh, Debra and family, I am so keeping you in my thoughts...hoping for the best.

((hugs))

Liz

 

[Miniv]

Debra,

I'm so sorry for you, the pony, AND your mini mom with her foal.........You must be going out of your mind!

MA

 

[CAM]

Better news this morning with pony although a little guarded. She is eating well now but still "parking out" although not rocking back and forth or lying down. The best sign of all is she is acting very ornery toward the others who are trying to take her food away and pinning her ears. The spark is back albeit not quite as bright but there is hope! :aktion033: I will be watching her today to see if she passes any manure and is drinking water. Thanks for your support.

 

[nootka]

I'm glad she seems to be feeling better. I will hope that she continues to do so.

L.