UPDATE:
Trick passed away today.
He began to bleed out of the mouth, refuse food, and we just could not get him up for the world.
He passed away peacefully, just a few deep breaths and stillness. He'll be buried tomorrow under the tree he often grazed beneath.
Thank you all for your kind and supportive replies. As soon as possible I will post pictures of him, his injuries, and note the results of the blood test we wish had been done sooner.
Any prayers or thoughts for my husband are greatly appreciated, he is taking this loss hard as his first horse and close friend.
ORIGINAL:
On the 28th of September, I called my horses to the barn for dinner, and my husband's horse, Trick, did not follow the others. He just stood in the far pasture staring. I got a rope and marched up to him and found him soaked in sweat, bald spots on his left side (cheek, shoulder, leg, side, hip) and a small bloody hole on his right, back fetlock.
I checked the fences, thinking he had gotten a leg stuck and fallen hard, but found nothing sharp or bloody. He had been perfect that morning, and not much does that much that fast. And fight injuries did not look like this. He refused to walk until my husband got home and used treats. It was a long walk. Trick kept his leg stiff and straight, slowly, one step at a time.
The vet arrived the next day and suspected colic. Well, maybe it would give him that bald spots from laying, but not that hole on the other side. Still, I wrapped his leg, gave him Bute, and put him on short term stall rest.
Two days later, Trick did colic. My husband and I spent hours that night keeping him up until he pooped. The next day, his bald spots were skinned, bloody spots. I continued to 're-wrap his leg, the hole getting bigger and dripping pus full time, and now put cream on his other side.
He began to eat and drink better, his leg hole still looking bad, but he was alert...until that weekend. I arrived for his third check in Friday evening and his hip spot was squirting blood like a horror movie. I called my neighbor and she and I did research. The only thing we could find similar was a rattlesnake bite that was not treated in time. I called the vet.
A vet arrived the next day and announced Trick has cellulitis. But...our research seemed so accurate... No. Cellulitis. Well...okay. We started him on antibiotics, more Bute, and iodine cleaning.
The hip hole has grown to be his whole hip. I drain it several times a day of blood, pus, and foam...
This week, he has started to gain weight back he'd lost, limp better, and the washes in his hip began running out clear all the time. I was encouraged.
This morning...
I found him down in the stall. No fever, no bloody mess, and he was pooping fine. But I couldn't get him up. I alerted my husband I may get him from work to say goodbye, and called out myself, sobbing. I petted him as he closed his eyes, groaning each breath. Even vet team work all morning did not work. He quit responding. We started the tractor and pulled him out to prepare, but he eventually staggered to his hooves out in the grass. He shook and stumbled a lot, but even after a full exam, it is unknown what really brought him down.
He has a heart rate of 90 that isn't slowing...
I don't know what to do.
I'll post pictures tonight...
Trick passed away today.
He began to bleed out of the mouth, refuse food, and we just could not get him up for the world.
He passed away peacefully, just a few deep breaths and stillness. He'll be buried tomorrow under the tree he often grazed beneath.
Thank you all for your kind and supportive replies. As soon as possible I will post pictures of him, his injuries, and note the results of the blood test we wish had been done sooner.
Any prayers or thoughts for my husband are greatly appreciated, he is taking this loss hard as his first horse and close friend.
ORIGINAL:
On the 28th of September, I called my horses to the barn for dinner, and my husband's horse, Trick, did not follow the others. He just stood in the far pasture staring. I got a rope and marched up to him and found him soaked in sweat, bald spots on his left side (cheek, shoulder, leg, side, hip) and a small bloody hole on his right, back fetlock.
I checked the fences, thinking he had gotten a leg stuck and fallen hard, but found nothing sharp or bloody. He had been perfect that morning, and not much does that much that fast. And fight injuries did not look like this. He refused to walk until my husband got home and used treats. It was a long walk. Trick kept his leg stiff and straight, slowly, one step at a time.
The vet arrived the next day and suspected colic. Well, maybe it would give him that bald spots from laying, but not that hole on the other side. Still, I wrapped his leg, gave him Bute, and put him on short term stall rest.
Two days later, Trick did colic. My husband and I spent hours that night keeping him up until he pooped. The next day, his bald spots were skinned, bloody spots. I continued to 're-wrap his leg, the hole getting bigger and dripping pus full time, and now put cream on his other side.
He began to eat and drink better, his leg hole still looking bad, but he was alert...until that weekend. I arrived for his third check in Friday evening and his hip spot was squirting blood like a horror movie. I called my neighbor and she and I did research. The only thing we could find similar was a rattlesnake bite that was not treated in time. I called the vet.
A vet arrived the next day and announced Trick has cellulitis. But...our research seemed so accurate... No. Cellulitis. Well...okay. We started him on antibiotics, more Bute, and iodine cleaning.
The hip hole has grown to be his whole hip. I drain it several times a day of blood, pus, and foam...
This week, he has started to gain weight back he'd lost, limp better, and the washes in his hip began running out clear all the time. I was encouraged.
This morning...
I found him down in the stall. No fever, no bloody mess, and he was pooping fine. But I couldn't get him up. I alerted my husband I may get him from work to say goodbye, and called out myself, sobbing. I petted him as he closed his eyes, groaning each breath. Even vet team work all morning did not work. He quit responding. We started the tractor and pulled him out to prepare, but he eventually staggered to his hooves out in the grass. He shook and stumbled a lot, but even after a full exam, it is unknown what really brought him down.
He has a heart rate of 90 that isn't slowing...
I don't know what to do.
I'll post pictures tonight...
Last edited:
I have had two different vets here, and neither did one! I tried to bring it up today, but there was so much commotion going on, I got talked over. I got the number of a third vet, but she won't call me back! I don't have the money to go to the equine hospital with him at this point. 
