Please Pray for SeAnna
SeAnna coughed a few times last week, but she didn’t have a temperature and her appetite had been great. But on Sunday morning at breakfast, she coughed and sounded like she may have been experiencing a choke (blockage in the esophagus) but there was no discharge from her nose or mouth. Her thyroid also appeared to be enlarged which caused concern that a cyst or tumor may have been pushing against the esophagus. I took her temperature and it was elevated at 102.6 so I gave her Banamine and called the vet.
We’ve had quite a bit of experience with choke because of Betsy Rose. She had dysphasia (difficulty swallowing) due to a neurological problem. Betsy choked multiple times over the years and, in the end, she had totally lost her ability to swallow. Sadly, we had to let her go.
Dr. Cardona examined SeAnna, and to rule out a mechanical issue in the upper airway, he scoped her. He discovered a lot of mucus at the base of her trachea which was indicative of infection. Blood was drawn and the results revealed a lower respiratory infection. SeAnna’s treatment plan includes a course of antibiotics and she will be in the quarantine paddock for awhile. It’s thought she’s not contagious but it’s better to be safe than sorry. She will be reassessed later in the week and if we aren’t seeing improvement, Dr. Cardona will ultrasound her lungs.
SeAnna had been abandoned for many weeks on a piece of property several years ago when a hurricane came up the east coast. She came to us skin on bones. Her rehab went well and she’s one of the sweetest mares you could hope to meet. She is 21 years young and once she is over this bug, she will be looking for a forever home again. Please keep her in your prayers.
We don’t know what SeAnna’s vet bill (including medications and supplements) will be, but it’s not going to be inexpensive. If you would like to help SeAnna, donations may be called directly into the vet’s office, El Sol Equine Practice, at 352-671-3737. You may also donate via various means on our website at www.bhfer.org or via our PayPal address: bhfer@earthlink.net. If donating via PayPal, please designate your donation for ‘SeAnna,’ and if you select the tab for ‘Friends or Family,’ no fees will be deducted from your contribution. All donations are greatly appreciated and no amount is ever too small. Thank you!
