virginia
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 1,319
- Reaction score
- 0
Yesterday, Nell had a very BIG day. I took her to a Veterinary Surgeon for evaluation. Dr Scott Reiner is a very big bear of a man but when he got to Nell, he got down on his knees to talk to her. She loved it.!!
He spent over an hour evaluating her leg, both inside and out. She stood so nicely for him, I was amazed. It could have been the treats he was giving her. LOL
Dr Scott and I spent the next hour going over the possible avenues of treatment and no treatment at all. The first was to do nothing. In his opinion, that really was not a solution. He felt that he could very definately help Nell. If she wasn't operated on, he said that in a very few years her bones and joint would deteriate to the point that she would be in very bad pain and would have to have her foot amputated or be put down. I too felt this was not an option. What convinced me were the xrays. I had some taken by my Vet Jeannie when I first got Nell, back in December. Dr Reiner (Scott by now) compared the two sets and even I could see the difference. The bones were getting worse. Her Coffin bones are still viable, but the ankle bones joint is just about gone. So he has high hopes that he can fuse that joint and he will be able to straighten her foot to the point that she will be able to walk almost normally on it, thereby giving her a chance to live the 30 or 40 years she should.
We also discussed in detail the possibilites of infection. Scott said in all honesty. that there is always a possibility of it occuring. In order to help prevent it, I have agreed to let Nell stay there for her recovery period of about 4 to 5 weeks. Nell will be in a removeable cast. They will daily change bandages, keep her on antibiotics and rehabilitate her.
We then discussed another possible avenue and that was amputation. Apparently, this is getting to be a great final solution. I really was amazed. There is a vet in VA that specializes in it. Dr Reiner himself has amputated several cows feet and installed prothesis. They are specially designed indivdually for each animal. They have done dogs, cows, horses and even a donkey. While very much intreged, I did not persue this particular solution. But, I think everyone should at least keep it in mind for the future. Who knows, someday one of us might have need of this knowledge for one of our own precious minis.
Nell was supposed to have the surgery this morning, but Scotts Anithesiologist is out with FLU. He called around for a substitute but no takers, they are all busy. So, we may have to wait till next week for the surgery. I HATE WAITING!! It took me this long just to find a surgeon willing to work on minis. Turns out that Scott also has boarding facilities and they are full of Minis!! He's a knowledgeable Equine Mini Vet. well, not just minis, but he does know them and their foibles..I didn't know this till after I was there for a while. I think I LOVE him. LOL
Now, on to the hard part. MONEY, Scott has very generously said he would do all this for his costs, because Nell is a Rescue and we are a Non Profit Rescue. The bill would have been appx $2,500 to $3,000 (which in NO WAY could we afford) The bill now will be around $1,500 to $1,800. That too is very expensive for just one Mini. Soooo, we are allocating all the funds from the CMHR Auction to the Teddy Fund. For all the new people, this fund was established when Teddy the Dwarf came into our possession. We were too late to Help Teddy, and had to have him euthanized. It was a bad day all around. People on the Board were so generous that we established the TEDDY FUND in his memory to help all the other Dwarves that came our way. Nell will be the very first receipient.
So, we are going to have a big push on the Auction. We need ALL of you to donate items and to bid on the donated items. We are in the process of setting this up, so within the next few days, expect to see the Auction take off. We, of course will accept any monetary donations too, just note on the check or Paypal that it is for the TEDDY FUND or for Nell directly.
AND, PLEASE SAY PRAYERS FOR NELL. She is such a sweetie and it is really amazing how she has taken to people after being so isolated all her short little life.
Thank you ALL
Ginny
www.chancesminihorserescue.org
He spent over an hour evaluating her leg, both inside and out. She stood so nicely for him, I was amazed. It could have been the treats he was giving her. LOL
Dr Scott and I spent the next hour going over the possible avenues of treatment and no treatment at all. The first was to do nothing. In his opinion, that really was not a solution. He felt that he could very definately help Nell. If she wasn't operated on, he said that in a very few years her bones and joint would deteriate to the point that she would be in very bad pain and would have to have her foot amputated or be put down. I too felt this was not an option. What convinced me were the xrays. I had some taken by my Vet Jeannie when I first got Nell, back in December. Dr Reiner (Scott by now) compared the two sets and even I could see the difference. The bones were getting worse. Her Coffin bones are still viable, but the ankle bones joint is just about gone. So he has high hopes that he can fuse that joint and he will be able to straighten her foot to the point that she will be able to walk almost normally on it, thereby giving her a chance to live the 30 or 40 years she should.
We also discussed in detail the possibilites of infection. Scott said in all honesty. that there is always a possibility of it occuring. In order to help prevent it, I have agreed to let Nell stay there for her recovery period of about 4 to 5 weeks. Nell will be in a removeable cast. They will daily change bandages, keep her on antibiotics and rehabilitate her.
We then discussed another possible avenue and that was amputation. Apparently, this is getting to be a great final solution. I really was amazed. There is a vet in VA that specializes in it. Dr Reiner himself has amputated several cows feet and installed prothesis. They are specially designed indivdually for each animal. They have done dogs, cows, horses and even a donkey. While very much intreged, I did not persue this particular solution. But, I think everyone should at least keep it in mind for the future. Who knows, someday one of us might have need of this knowledge for one of our own precious minis.
Nell was supposed to have the surgery this morning, but Scotts Anithesiologist is out with FLU. He called around for a substitute but no takers, they are all busy. So, we may have to wait till next week for the surgery. I HATE WAITING!! It took me this long just to find a surgeon willing to work on minis. Turns out that Scott also has boarding facilities and they are full of Minis!! He's a knowledgeable Equine Mini Vet. well, not just minis, but he does know them and their foibles..I didn't know this till after I was there for a while. I think I LOVE him. LOL
Now, on to the hard part. MONEY, Scott has very generously said he would do all this for his costs, because Nell is a Rescue and we are a Non Profit Rescue. The bill would have been appx $2,500 to $3,000 (which in NO WAY could we afford) The bill now will be around $1,500 to $1,800. That too is very expensive for just one Mini. Soooo, we are allocating all the funds from the CMHR Auction to the Teddy Fund. For all the new people, this fund was established when Teddy the Dwarf came into our possession. We were too late to Help Teddy, and had to have him euthanized. It was a bad day all around. People on the Board were so generous that we established the TEDDY FUND in his memory to help all the other Dwarves that came our way. Nell will be the very first receipient.
So, we are going to have a big push on the Auction. We need ALL of you to donate items and to bid on the donated items. We are in the process of setting this up, so within the next few days, expect to see the Auction take off. We, of course will accept any monetary donations too, just note on the check or Paypal that it is for the TEDDY FUND or for Nell directly.
AND, PLEASE SAY PRAYERS FOR NELL. She is such a sweetie and it is really amazing how she has taken to people after being so isolated all her short little life.
Thank you ALL
Ginny
www.chancesminihorserescue.org
