It's Always Something

This was supposed to be a post about our first trail ride of the year and all the snow we've been getting, however, Jetta had other plans...

Sooo much snow for our area

Snowy confo shot

I borrowed my roommate's trailer and made it to the barn all excited to tack Jetta up and head out. Instead, when I got there I found Jetta pawing in her stall. Not that unusual since she just had her stall cleaned and she likes fresh bedding, but when I put her in cross ties she could not stand still, pawing agitatedly which she never does. She pooped twice in those first few minutes so that was good. I started walking her around the arena and she got worse, legs buckling, trying to kick her belly and bite her sides. I gave her a dose of banamine and continued walking her, I couldn't get a hold of my roommate (the vet I usually use) so I called another vet and he said to give it 30 to 45 minutes for it to kick in and if she wasn't comfortable he could come see her. 45 minutes later she was magically much more comfortable, eyes bright, ears perked and no longer pawing or trying to lay down. I was so relieved. I've never seen her in so much pain, it was so hard to see her like that. I stuck her back in her stall where she nibbled at her hay that she had left that morning (which is so unlike her to leave food uneaten).

I took the trailer home and put my truck away and came back. Jetta was now laying down in her stall. She didn't seem 100% comfortable, but she was no longer breathing hard and didn't show any signs of trying to roll. She had pooped again. I asked the BM to keep an eye on her and went home for a shower.

When I got back an hour later, Jetta was still laying down, she was kind of grunting with every breath and no longer seemed happy. Though she still wasn't trying to roll. I called the vet I talked to previously and he was worried that she was brewing an impaction so I might want to take her to the vet school hospital. I finally got a hold of KP (the roommate vet) and she said that I could bring her to the house so she could palpate and tube her when she got home from work.

Poor uncomfortable baby

My friend KG came to keep my company and brought me warm things to drink while we waited for roommate's husband, DG to come pick us up and take us to the house. I had bought Jetta a heated water bucket and she drank about half of it before we loaded it up to go home.

Once home, KP palpated Jetta but didn't feel too much. Nothing seemed impacted, but her colon was pretty full. We tubed her just to be safe. Jetta did NOT like having a tube stuck up her nose, even with sedation on board. So that was a struggle. But she got a bucket full of water and mineral oil on board so hopefully that helps. Her heart rate was still at about 60 bpm before the whole ordeal so she still wasn't very comfortable.

I woke up at about 2am to check on Jetta. If her heart rate was still at 60 bpm then I could give her more banamine to keep her comfortable. She ended up being at 42 bpm so I held off on the banamine. I gave her a couple handfuls of hay (she was very angry that she was not being given any food) and went back to bed. In the actual morning I checked her again and she was quite upset that she hadn't been given any food. She could barely stand still while I took her heart rate again, it was about 36 bpm so that was good! I gave her half a flake of hay, she pooped again (basically this post is all about the poop) but she hadn't drank any water.

Feeling a little better

At lunch I checked on her again. Still no water drinking, I couldn't see if she had pooped again, but her HR was 32 bpm and she was bright and happy seeming (besides being starved to death). She got another half flake of hay and some electrolytes to see if that would get her drinking.

And then tonight, she seems to still be doing well. But still no drinking. She had pooped and still had a HR of 32 bpm. I gave her some gatorade in her water so I hope she likes it! Fingers crossed she starts drinking (because I might have to) soon because I can't take any more stress right now.

Pre-colicking snow selfies

We'll take any and all good thoughts we can get!