Let’s start with the news that Maggie is okay. But boy, did she have us worried!
Last Friday evening, we noticed that Maggie simply wasn’t quite herself. Taking into consideration the amount of manure in her paddock, coupled with her demeanor, we felt that she may have been colicking, so we called a vet to come out. Upon arrival, the vet assessed her, tubed and oiled her and ran fluids. Once a rectal examination was done, the vet removed a good amount of healthy-looking manure and after running five more liters of fluids, she felt that things were looking up for Maggie. We were advised, however, that should Maggie take a turn for the worse, it would be in her best interest to admit her to the hospital. We finished running the fluids and took Maggie out of her stall for a little walk, but after she started to paw at the ground, we felt strongly that she still had an issue and it was imperative that she be immediately transported to the hospital, despite the horrific weather and torrential rains that we were experiencing at the time.
Once at the hospital, an ultrasound and tests were done. We were advised that Maggie might need surgery – there was an issue in the small intestine.
They ran blood tests every few hours, gave her fluids, and managed any discomfort in hopes the issue would resolve without surgery. If Margarita did not improve or if her condition worsened, she would go into surgery. It was time to pray!
On Saturday morning, the vet called with the good news that Margarita remained stable throughout the night, and they believed the issue had resolved. Whew! They started a slow refeeding protocol planned to keep her another day or two to ensure that she could eat, process the food and pass manure without issue. Surgery still had not been excluded, so she wasn’t completely out of the woods.
We were prepared to do whatever was in Maggie’s best interest, in accordance with the vet’s recommendations.
Other than this episode, Maggie has been doing great since we brought her in. She has gained 300 lbs., her coat is shiny and her eyes are bright. She has free roam in grassy paddocks and access to shelter 24/7. Grazing and walking is a natural thing for horses – it helps keep the gut happy. Maggie is a sweet and happy mare who shares a paddock with her best friend, Gabe, who missed her so very much.
Fortunately, Gabe got his friend back yesterday. We are so very grateful for answered prayers!
Sincerely,
Theresa
