from the horse's mouth

general meanderings on horses, life (well thats the same as horses really), work (so I can afford to do the horses thing)

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Location: Scotland, United Kingdom

Tuesday, January 03, 2017

2016....from the rear view window

So my last post in May talked about wimping out of the 2016 Eriskay Trek. Turns out I made the right call as Rosie ended up off for May, June and July with what presented as a very mild case of lamimitis.

She seemed to be coming back into full health and was starting to do some light work towards the end of the summer when.... yep, here we go again, back on the laminitis roller-coaster. She's been off again since September. Both pedal bones have dropped (again) and updated x-rays in December show they are not back where they should be yet. She's still quite sore on off-fore, especially when the shoe is off :(  Her farrier is keeping an eye on the x-rays and adjusting the shoeing appropriately.

She has been tested a few years ago for Cushings and was fine but, given her age, I asked for a test to be done. And yes, she now has Cushings and is on Prascend. She isn't that keen on the tablet but puts up with it with just the occasional protest.

On top of all of that, the vet confirmed that a small lump on her hindquarters was indeed a sarcoid and we've got that treated too (in November). It had started as one small lump that was not a problem, but then a second larger lump developed alongside and she kept itching it :(


You can see  both the smaller lump (at about 11 o'clock) and the central "problematic" lump. The wider circle shows the margin that has been treated - the scab should eventually come off of its own accord. It is already starting to lift slightly as the fur grows under it. It was treated with 3 doses of Liverpool cream at 3 day intervals. After the first treatment, she rubbed it and it looked like Texas Chainsaw Massacre when I came down to give her breakfast .... luckily she only did it the once.

Anyway, I'm hoping 2017 will be a better year for her ....

Duds and Fi have been doing their thing. We have had a relatively mild winter so far and they've only had a couple of (separate) weeks where they have had rugs on..... even wimpy Fi has coped :)