Update on my Filly!

[clpclop]

I posted here a about 2 weeks ago regarding my 5 month old filly Bella who caught her halter on a fence and jerked herself loose. I had the vet out a few days later and she gave her some anti-inflammatory injections and I was told to keep her quite for awhile. After a few more days, I noticed Bella was absolutely not herself. Ears back all the time, head listing to one side and slight ataxia. I called the vet out again and she agreed with me that there is something else going on. As I held her for 3 hours, she was xrayed, sedated, given in IV drip of DMSO, and an anti-inflammatory. The vet was going to consult a surgeon over the weekend and let me know. I received a call on Friday night and was told the surgeon wasn't too worried, but was concerned about a ball shaped shadow on her upper vertabrea, sort of behind her ear. I'll find out more this week, but I'm so sad that this had happened to my wonderful, beautiful little Bellal that was so, so sweet and loving. Now she's afraid and sullen and it just breaks my heart.

I heard that somone else had a foal with a fractured neck. I'd love to find out who that is and ask questions.

If anyone knows this gal, please ask if she could contact me.

Thanks,

Karen

 

[Mona]

Awww, that's too bad. I remember your post about your filly. I sure hope she'll be OK. Thanks for the update, and keep us posted.

 

[Bluerocket]

I have never had that experience - I hope your filly will be ok and that it is not as bad as it could be.

JJay

 

[virginia]

Pain must be causing her change of temperment. Has your vet given her any Banamine? Or maybe a tiny bit of Bute, very tiny bit! My prayers are for her quick recovery.

Ginny StP

 

[clpclop]

As a matter of fact, my vet is in the process of calculating the bute dosage. She's never worked on mini's before and so hopefully Bella will get a little relief from that.

Thanks for the thoughts.

Still looking for the gal who had the foal with the broken neck. If anyone know who she is...please let her know I'm curios about her experience and outcome.

 

[Minimor]

If the vet isn't positive there is a fracture--perhaps the vertabrae are just dislocated? "Bent neck" is an injury that can be caused by a horse pulling back when tied, or like your little filly, getting their halter hung up (or tangled/hung up while tied)--the horse will hold its head to one side & have one ear not working right. There can be a fracture in such cases, but it can also be "just" a dislocation and/or torn muscles. From what I've heard, some of these cases do heal in time.

I can't really offer you any help or suggestions, just want to extend my best wishes to little Bella!

 

[twister]

:no: So sad that your beautiful filly is hurt, hugs and good thoughts for a speedy recovery coming your way.

Yvonne

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

Oh Karen, I'm so sorry for you and your little filly. Please keep us informed! I truly hope everything will work out for her.

 

[clpclop]

Geez...I can't thank you all enough for your kind thoughts. When something like this happens you feel so alone, so it's so important to hear the encouragement from those who "know".

Again...I'll keep you all posted.

Karen

 

[cherylsminis]

:no: I am so sorry to hear of your little fillies injury. I hope all goes well with her.

 

[MagicTheMini]

I think it was Lisa of Ruff N Tuff minis that had the filly with the fractured neck. She may be at nationals right now.

I hope your filly gets better! L

 

[Vicky Texas]

Bumping this up for the owner. I hope she is doing better. Any word from the Vets?

Is she at home or at the Vets? How old is Bella? I will keep her in my prayers.

Vicky

 

[nootka]

Hi...checking in on Bella (I have a bratty little Bella myself, a five month old weanie).

Hope she's going to be ok.

Curious, when she injured herself, was she just turned out w/her halter on or...?

(not passing judgment, just trying to figure out what happened as maybe some people don't realize the dangers of leaving halters on (ESPECIALLY weanlings) when they are turned out. I am sorry this happened to you and only trying to help avoid other future troubles. If there was another thread that stated more of what happened and I missed it, I'm sorry! I certainly don't mean to add insult to injury.

Liz

 

[clpclop]

I had put her halter on so I could take her and mama for a walk. While I was putting on mama's halter, that's when it happened. So goes the old saying "It was only for a minute".

I think the buckle on the halter caught on the chain-link fence and she got caught for just a few seconds and yanked herself free. I saw the yanking and ran over to her, but she released herself by the time I got there. It all happened so fast and now the damage is done.

I'm picking up my bute or banamine today and hopefully that will give her some relief. I've been giving her the shots of the anti-inflammatory, and the vet will come back in a week to take xrays of my colt who is 4 months to compare with her 5 month old bone structrure to see the differences. The are concerned with a ball-shaped shadow behind her ear, but they are not sure what it is. Could be totally normal for a 5 month old mini or it could be some sort of fracture. It's apparently in a difficult area to diagnose.

Mind you...I do not live in an area where mini's are prevelent and I know my vet is not use to working on them. She is being totally dilligent in conferencing with the surgeons and other vets, so I feel confident in her care.

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers. I just miss the way she was... so very much

 

[nootka]

Aw, the poor little girl. Yes, it does figure things happen so quickly it sounds like something that could happen to any of us (I know I leave my halters on my weanlings while I am waiting for the farrier sometimes and in the barn working, but more often than not these days, I figure he can just wait while I catch 'em and sometimes he has to help me. *LOL*)

I do think it's good that she is young, she may well be able to heal 100% and I do hope that is true....I wish you had better medical help for her in your area though as miniatures are JUST SMALL HORSES for cripe's sake!

I will keep hoping she heals up and can get back to being a normal baby!

Liz

 

[ThreeCFarm]

I hope you aren't being charged for the photos of your healthy, sound colt just for the vet to use as comparison! A mini's bone structure is no different from a big horse.

I hope things turn out well for your little girl!