Becky
Well-Known Member
I think this filly has a black cloud hanging over her!
Some may recall that we had a foal born on Sunday Sept 14. The mare had virtually no bag and no adequate colostrum. My vet came and tubed the filly with Seramune and the mare was put on Domperidone for a few days. The filly passed her IgG test on Monday and all seemed well. Or so we thought.
The following Sat I noticed a slight swelling to the left eye and some minor discharge. Examination of the eye didn't show any spots or discoloration but I started using triple antibiotic opthalmic ointment and turned mare and foal out for the day. Evening revealed a small blue spot in the eye and more antibiotic ointment was applied. Sunday revealed a decent sized corneal ulcer so the eye was medicated frequently through the day and the mare and foal were kept indoors. That evening I put them out for the night in the small pasture they had been during the day for the past week.
Monday morning found the filly with a gaping chest wound and an increasingly worsening corneal ulcer. Vet called again and came and sutured the filly. More meds for the eye. Biggest problem was that I was leaving in two days for the AMHA World show.
Charlotte offered to take her to their farm for care as her farm help would be there frequently during the day and spending the night. Things were going well until this past Wed when I had a call that the chest wound looked infected and a vet was called. The vet removed the sutures and cleaned and opened the drain area of the wound and started the filly on more antibiotics. Eye was no worse.
Friday morning I received a call that the filly had snot coming out of her nose and was coughing and not acting normal. Vet called again and this visit revealed that the filly could not swallow when nursing with milk coming out of her nose and mouth and was ataxic and lethargic. Also the corneal ulcer was beginning to melt and the vet recommended the filly come to their clinic for treatment. So, after several phone calls someone was found who could transport the mare and foal to the vet hospital. At the hospital, the diagnosis was that the filly had developed inflammation in her esophogus/trachea keeping her from being able to swallow. An N/G tube was run to feed her every two hours and she was muzzled to keep from nursing. IV antibiotics were started as she had developed aspiration pneumonia. The filly's eye had worsened from the time the vet saw her that morning to the time they made it to the clinic. One of the surgeons there debrided her eye and stronger opthalmic antibiotics were used.
The N/G tube was left in place until Saturday and was removed. All went well except for a slight relapse later on Sat and the filly was muzzled again and only allowed to nurse every 2 hours. Sunday the muzzle was removed and the filly allowed to nurse normally and no relapses occured. The eye was debrided again Sunday.
I got home yesterday afternoon and was able to bring the pair home. With lots of antibiotics and medications, hopefully the filly will recover. The vet stopped by this afternoon and checked the fillys' eye and it still looked ok with no more melting. She will be back tomorrow to check on it again.
Thoughts and prayers for this little accident prone filly would be greatly appreciated!
Some may recall that we had a foal born on Sunday Sept 14. The mare had virtually no bag and no adequate colostrum. My vet came and tubed the filly with Seramune and the mare was put on Domperidone for a few days. The filly passed her IgG test on Monday and all seemed well. Or so we thought.
The following Sat I noticed a slight swelling to the left eye and some minor discharge. Examination of the eye didn't show any spots or discoloration but I started using triple antibiotic opthalmic ointment and turned mare and foal out for the day. Evening revealed a small blue spot in the eye and more antibiotic ointment was applied. Sunday revealed a decent sized corneal ulcer so the eye was medicated frequently through the day and the mare and foal were kept indoors. That evening I put them out for the night in the small pasture they had been during the day for the past week.
Monday morning found the filly with a gaping chest wound and an increasingly worsening corneal ulcer. Vet called again and came and sutured the filly. More meds for the eye. Biggest problem was that I was leaving in two days for the AMHA World show.
Charlotte offered to take her to their farm for care as her farm help would be there frequently during the day and spending the night. Things were going well until this past Wed when I had a call that the chest wound looked infected and a vet was called. The vet removed the sutures and cleaned and opened the drain area of the wound and started the filly on more antibiotics. Eye was no worse.
Friday morning I received a call that the filly had snot coming out of her nose and was coughing and not acting normal. Vet called again and this visit revealed that the filly could not swallow when nursing with milk coming out of her nose and mouth and was ataxic and lethargic. Also the corneal ulcer was beginning to melt and the vet recommended the filly come to their clinic for treatment. So, after several phone calls someone was found who could transport the mare and foal to the vet hospital. At the hospital, the diagnosis was that the filly had developed inflammation in her esophogus/trachea keeping her from being able to swallow. An N/G tube was run to feed her every two hours and she was muzzled to keep from nursing. IV antibiotics were started as she had developed aspiration pneumonia. The filly's eye had worsened from the time the vet saw her that morning to the time they made it to the clinic. One of the surgeons there debrided her eye and stronger opthalmic antibiotics were used.
The N/G tube was left in place until Saturday and was removed. All went well except for a slight relapse later on Sat and the filly was muzzled again and only allowed to nurse every 2 hours. Sunday the muzzle was removed and the filly allowed to nurse normally and no relapses occured. The eye was debrided again Sunday.
I got home yesterday afternoon and was able to bring the pair home. With lots of antibiotics and medications, hopefully the filly will recover. The vet stopped by this afternoon and checked the fillys' eye and it still looked ok with no more melting. She will be back tomorrow to check on it again.
Thoughts and prayers for this little accident prone filly would be greatly appreciated!
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OH! So much for such a young one to endure. I'm keeping her in my prayers.
