Watch out!! Alien cat.
Dr. Darling came today. The lab at Davis said we definitely have strangles. The symptoms are fever, poor appetite, depression or listlessness, and a thin watery discharge from the nose that turns thick and yellow.
Dr. Darling came today. The lab at Davis said we definitely have strangles. The symptoms are fever, poor appetite, depression or listlessness, and a thin watery discharge from the nose that turns thick and yellow.Strangles is a lot like strep throat in people. It is streptococcus equi bacteria that affects the upper respiratory lymph nodes. The nodes become enlarged and can abcess.
Most horses ages 1-5 are at risk, but any age horse can get it. Most horses show symptoms 2-6 days after being exposed. If the nodes rupture and drain, the drainage is highly contagious.
Most horses ages 1-5 are at risk, but any age horse can get it. Most horses show symptoms 2-6 days after being exposed. If the nodes rupture and drain, the drainage is highly contagious.
20% of horses remain contagious for a month after their symptoms disappear. For that reason Home At Last will remain closed for one month after the last horse's symptoms disappear. We do not want any other horse to get this from us.
Lacey is in with Babe. She has no symptoms. She was distraught when we put Babe in. We thought she might hurt herself if we kept them apart.
Babe has lost weight because she was not hungry. She's doing much better, but we are going to keep her in to keep an eye on her.
She thought you might like to see a Pony of the Americas' nose up close. Her Appy blood sure shows.
Pearl is probably the sickest horse we have at present. She has remained fevery with a lot of nasal discharge. Her appetite is improving.
Her nodes under her neck are swelling.
Jet is sick, too. Bute helps lower the fever and helps with the pain from the swelling.
Brandie's lymph node has broken a little but there is no discharge yet. Just a sore point.
Pico has been telling us for days that he doesn't feel good. He's in now, getting Bute, too. His appetite is a little better.
It's so hard to see these grand animals feeling badly.
The hardest part of the day came when Belle and Charles were evaluated. You can see Charles in the background. He had lost Belle and was calling and calling to her becoming more frantic every second. He cannot be without her.
When Belle came to us she was lame. She was supposed to be young but is in her late teens. Dr D feels she has an autoimmune disease similar to rheumatoid arthritis. We are going to try her on pain meds for another week, but if that doesn't work we will end her suffering. She is such a grand lady.
Dr D checked her front feet carefully.
Then her back feet. It was not good news.
If we have to put Belle down, then we will put Charles down, too. He showed us today that life without Belle would be torture for him. Dr D evaluated him, too. He said he knew he was getting plenty of good food, but Charles is not flourishing. In fact he is slipping week by week. Sometimes, blind horses cannot accept their blindness and life is not good for them.
The hardest part of the day came when Belle and Charles were evaluated. You can see Charles in the background. He had lost Belle and was calling and calling to her becoming more frantic every second. He cannot be without her.
When Belle came to us she was lame. She was supposed to be young but is in her late teens. Dr D feels she has an autoimmune disease similar to rheumatoid arthritis. We are going to try her on pain meds for another week, but if that doesn't work we will end her suffering. She is such a grand lady.
Dr D checked her front feet carefully.
Then her back feet. It was not good news.
If we have to put Belle down, then we will put Charles down, too. He showed us today that life without Belle would be torture for him. Dr D evaluated him, too. He said he knew he was getting plenty of good food, but Charles is not flourishing. In fact he is slipping week by week. Sometimes, blind horses cannot accept their blindness and life is not good for them.
Home At Last is about quality of life. We do not make euthanasia decisions lightly. We think and cry and think some more. We always choose what is best for the horse.
Charles and Belle have a special bond. They belong together. Belle chose Charles. She wanted to be his guide when other horses didn't want the job. 
Sometimes at the end of the day this squash and I feel just the same- wilted.
We do not use euthanasia as a herd management technique. We value the life of every animal here (except flies and mosquitoes). We do not take the responsibility lightly. We try to do the best we can for every animals. Sometimes that is the final act of kindness.
Charles and Belle have a special bond. They belong together. Belle chose Charles. She wanted to be his guide when other horses didn't want the job. 
Sometimes at the end of the day this squash and I feel just the same- wilted.
We do not use euthanasia as a herd management technique. We value the life of every animal here (except flies and mosquitoes). We do not take the responsibility lightly. We try to do the best we can for every animals. Sometimes that is the final act of kindness.
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