Let's Look Inside

If it seems like there have been a lot of veterinary blog posts recently ... well, it feels like that's all I've been doing these past two weeks, taking animals to one of our vet clinics.  Today I took another full trailer-load to see Dr. Erin Taylor at Blue Mountain Veterinary Hospital in Missoula. 

First up was Luna, our blind mare.  On Tuesday night, as I was walking out to close up the barns about 10 p.m., I heard a lot of choking and coughing coming from Beauty's Barn.  I raced over and found Luna choking in her stall.  I called Alayne, who was over at Widget's House letting the dogs out one last time before bed, and asked her to come over to the barn as soon as she could.  Then I called Erin, who was still up because of a colic case.  She directed me to give Luna injections of acepromazine and banamine, monitor her for an hour, and then call her back.  The drugs got Luna relaxed, the choking stopped, and we finally went to bed.  On Wednesday she was fine.

But this morning, she was coughing a bit and had some yellow/greenish gunk come up, so I decided it was time for Erin to look at her.  In the photo at the top of this post, Erin is looking through an endoscope into Luna's trachea and esophagus.  Dr. Angela Langer is guiding the endoscope into Luna, while vet tech Courtney is holding Luna's head.

Here's another view of the same thing, taken a few minutes later:

There were no obstructions in Luna's trachea or esophagus, although on her physical exam Erin noticed Luna's neck was thickened.  She suspects that maybe some trauma was involved -- Luna perhaps getting kicked by her pasture buddy blind Hannah.  These two girls do squabble from time to time, and the hooves sometimes fly.  If that happened on Tuesday and she got whacked in the neck, it might have predisposed her to choking.  For now we are going to treat Luna with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and keep a close eye on her.

Also in to see Erin were:

-- Roy the old mule, who was in to get an appetite stimulant shot.  Roy isn't eating enough, and will often still have grain and hay in his feeder the following morning after being in his stall all night.  There's not another equine on the ranch who has any food left in their feeders the next day.  We are also going to be treating him for a presumed ulcer, and the medication for that (GastroGard) is arriving tomorrow.  That's a 28-day course of daily treatment.  Roy is now officially the world's most expensive old mule, although we love every dollar I mean every minute we have him.  Here's Erin giving Roy the shot, while Courtney holds him:

-- Domino, one of our blind Appaloosas, who was in for a penis/sheath exam.  He had been kicking at his belly a couple of days ago, and he didn't have colic.  The last time this started happening we discovered he had a sheath infection, necrotic penile tissue, and maggots crawling around inside.  Egads.  Today we learned that he was starting to get red and inflamed again.  Erin thinks he isn't dropping his penis enough when he pees, and he splashes urine around inside his sheath ... which then causes urine scalding, damaged tissue, and the whole icky cycle.  So we have a special compounded cream to apply.  (Guess who gets to do that.)  To make sure I don't get confused, Erin helpfully wrote on the lid of the jar, "For Domino's P.P."  I decided you didn't really need to see photos of the penis exam.  (You're welcome.)

-- Crazy Horse, our only sighted Appaloosa, an old boy who was in for a lameness exam. He was, of course, much better today than the past two days -- it's amazing what a trip to the doctor can do for you -- so Erin and I chose not to give him another course of steroids in his joints right now.  His last treatment was in October, and we only want to use steroids when you really, really need to.

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And that was today.  On Friday, either Alayne or I will head to Helena to pick up blind Dusty and blind Babe, who I dropped off on Wednesday for eye work with Dr. Brenda Culver.

Comments

[ginger & Tobias (the greythound)]

I know that all the great vets & the assistants have to pay their bills as well, but I think they should give you some sort of "frequent user" discount. You definitely help them as I know each visit isn't free. I wish I were in a financial position to help defray the costs.
Warm hugs to all,
ginger, Tobias & Tlingit

[Lisa]

Oh Roy you can't get better if you don't eat old boy! Feel better soon!

[Shirley & James, Portland, OR]

I only wish I had Roy's issue! :) This blog is a wonderful way to keep a heart connection to the Ranch. We are so grateful for the care you give these other- wise "throw away" animals. RDR is heaven on earth to ALL of them! Thank you Alayne and Steve for your dedication.

[The Taylors on Olympic Peninsula in WA]

GOOD GRIEF!!!! Much good luck with treating Domino's sheath and necrotic penile tissue problem. Ouch!!! Poor baby, must hurt like crazy , to have pain in that part of the anatomy. Steve, hope you are successful in applying the P.P. cream and congratulations(?) for being chosen to do the job. Are narcotics(before or after ) for either you or Domino prescribed for this procedure????? Thanks for NOT letting us share in this particular event, might be a little more than any of us needed to know about Domino!!!!! Would surgery be an option IF the p.p. cream doe not solve the problem? Later......Stay strong and well You will get through this......! Dr. Erin has a GREAT sense of humor, don't you agree? P.S,please DO NOT forget to warm your hand or the cream ,as Mary Ware suggested!!!! WE would not want you laid up due to a "right cross" from Domino, now would we ?

[Anne Crossan]

Thanks for posting great pictures of my Daughter Dr. Angela Langer. She left for college in 1998 and I miss her a bunch. She visits when she can but your blog brings me closer to what she is doing. All of her family out here in California are great fans of what you are doing. I have to say sometimes I can't read the info about some of these animals with out crying. They are very lucky to have people like you.
Signed: Proud MOM!

[Laura]

Egads is right. Nothing like finishing out the year with a bunch of vet bills!! Hope everyone is feeling better now. I love that Erin gave you a helpful note! Funny!!

[Karen]

Love your blog! Today was particularly funny.

[Mary Ware]

Steve,
I was wondering if Erin also wrote on Domino's cream jar "For Domino's P.P.".. and warm cream and hands before applying to Domino....or be ready to duck!!
Roy may be expensive, but he worth it, as are all of your animals.
Mary

[Debbie]

You guys sure have your hands full! Any word yet on what happened to Wobs?

[Andrew]

Thank you for not posting pictures of that exam, it is greatly appreciated. lol

[Carla Polastro-Nigro]

Once again, thank you for the wonderful care all your furkids receive!
Steve, I just love your witty writing style. Keep up the good work!:-)