Author Topic: My boy (part 2) (Read 5568 times)

egglady · « **on:** March 22, 2011, 09:30:17 am »

some of you will remember reading about my cob, Benson that was diagnosed with severe articular ringbone late last year.

Well he coped well through the winter. in fact the snow actually made his life much easier - it was so dry that he was able to have stable bandages on to keep his legs warm and be out quite easily.

this damp weather isnt making it so easy for him. like everyone else's field at this time of year, he seems to be standing in mud wherever he puts himself and i'm noticing when he turns round, he keeps his back feet planted and kind of pirroutes round on them - if that makes sense. so i'm guessing that somewhere behind isnt easy for him either. i did speak to the vet about that last year as i thought that was part of the problem, but vet said ringbone was the biggest problem and no point in causing him more distress by investigating something else as well. i have mixed views on that but as he is on bute (well danilon) every day anyway, i suppose it is helping with whatever pain is there anyway.

the last few days i am noticing that he does seem to be less happy. i put them in the school in the morning so they can have a nice roll on something soft. he is taking ages and ages, going round and round in circles, going half ways down, then back up again and sometimes not even rolling in the end at all.

it's so hard to know for sure when the time is right. he's one of those stoic horses that just seems to puts up with whatever life dishes out to him, so he doesnt really show me how he feels. yes i can see that walking isnt always easy for him, but then the other day for some reason he cantered from one end of the school to the other!

just thought i'd update you and also see if anyone had any pearls of wisdom they'd care to share with me.....well a crystal ball would be better

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2011, 06:19:42 pm »

My friend had an ex racing standardbred with shot up legs and she managed to keep his quality of life good on bute for a good many years. He was her life, she polished every shaving in his stable. But tho we thought she wouldnt ever recognise when 'the time' had come, she did, when she felt, ignoring the stiffness and all the physical stuff, that he was not as happy as previously, not as interested in life, not trying to drag her or trying to bite her when she groomed him. That was his time.

Based on what you have said about your lovely neddie, I would be looking more at his mood and happiness level than the physical, unless that becomes overwhelming ie maybe ok if he cant roll, but not ok if he lies down and struggles to get up/gets cast in the stable etc, that would be a signal to me. Some peeps would call a halt earlier, before anything like that could happen, and some would leave it later, but for me chronic physical degeneration or a downhill slide in happiness would be 'it'....

I really sympathise.

sabrina · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2011, 09:38:07 pm »

This is one of those really hard decision we all hate to make, you will know in your heart when the time comes

Pony-n-trap · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2011, 09:47:22 pm »

My boy has locking stifles if he loses fitness and muscle, to turn he plants his back feet and pirouettes round. Might not be anything to do with his stifles but you described what he does.

I hope he lets you know if and when the time comes, big hugs to you. xxx

faith0504 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2011, 11:28:07 pm »

I think you and him will know when the time is right, i think you will see it in his eye,

such an awful thing to go through, my thoughts are with you both,

loosey · « **Reply #5 on:** March 23, 2011, 09:25:52 am »

Always a horrible decision to make but you clearly love him and I'm sure you will do the best by him.

A friend of mine has a horse diagnosed with ringbone, although maybe not so severe and he is happy as a companion on Devils Claw right now.

Hugs to you both.xx

egglady · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2011, 03:20:35 pm »

thanks for your messages everyone, i do really appreciate them.

checked into locking stifle but don't think that's the problem with the back end, it seems to be further up i think.

and yes, he is very severe with his ringbone plus it's articular which is the very worst according to the vet

i just spend hours with them today, just sitting and watching him moving around. not that he did much moving, cheeky monkey decided standing beside me and having various parts of his anatomy scratched was way more fun!! So at least i know he is still enjoying that....

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2011, 03:51:35 pm »

he's clearly taking the same approach as my no longer poorly sheep Ewephemia who now insists on hand fed dock leaves 3 times a day - getting us humans right where they want us....slaves to their every need and want, and we dont mind a bit :-)) I find horses when poorly are the most affecting of animals, they are so big and yet so vulnerable and dependent on us.

BTW Benson says just a bit to the right, no up, yes thats the spot....:-)))

egglady · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2011, 09:01:36 pm »

Quote from: lachlanandmarcus on March 23, 2011, 03:51:35 pm

he's clearly taking the same approach as my no longer poorly sheep Ewephemia who now insists on hand fed dock leaves 3 times a day - getting us humans right where they want us....slaves to their every need and want, and we dont mind a bit :-)) I find horses when poorly are the most affecting of animals, they are so big and yet so vulnerable and dependent on us.

BTW Benson says just a bit to the right, no up, yes thats the spot....:-)))

you are sooooo spot on

)

rip · « **Reply #9 on:** April 02, 2011, 10:16:31 am »

i am in the medical profession so i make the comparison with my animals as far as health, in human terms.
They totally rely on us for and end to any suffering and we can give it. humans ........no such get out card.
We can give pain relief if needed to make daily activities easier, just like giving grandma pain control for dodgy knees so she can still potter around safely.
Our animals do not need to prolong suffering just to satisfy the human need to avoid making that difficult decsion they expect our love for them to be of the highest importance when looking into their eyes not blinkered by guilt or human logic.
I believe although some animals have a short life, what matters is the care given in that time. If you have given the care and love and can look into his eyes as a horse the answer is looking right back at you, whether or not that time has come!

egglady · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2011, 07:49:59 pm »

just to let oyu all know, that with the weather making the ground like concrete, I think my beloved boy is finding life quite challenging just now. Lying down takes him ages and of course he is thumping down on rock solid ground which can't be very comfortable for him.

having spent the last few days monitoring him, I think the time might have come.......

How do I deal with this overwhelming sadness......

white-blazes · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2011, 08:26:23 pm »

I'm so sorry the time has come. Nothing I can say will make you feel better. I have had two of mine pts, but both were youngsters. One was 18 months old (damaged stifle) and the other was my first and only homebred from my beloved mare. He was 22 months old last March when we had to have him pts. A gate had fallen on him (from rubbing his bum in it) and sliced through tendons and ligaments. Nothing the vet could do. He was my dream horse, a clone of his dam. Both my situations were different to yours as I had no choice but to do what the vet said. I hate to think of the day when his dam (19yrs) and my other mare (18yrs) suddenly become old ladies.

My thoughts are with you. Oh, one thing I did with both my boys was to cut a piece of tail off them. I still have the hair, and maybe one day will treat myself to a bracelet made from them, there are some lovely jewellery sites that do such things.

little blue · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2011, 08:28:03 pm »

poor you, and poor boy too.

It is the toughest decision to make... my heart goes out to you

ellied · « **Reply #13 on:** May 06, 2011, 10:02:16 am »

sad news if this is it, but you'll know better than anyone when it is time - so trust yourself to make the right choice at the right moment and no regrets either way..