June 9th, 2006 AM
Guarded but optimistic. I checked on him several times over night and each time he was just laying
down sleeping. No rolling. This morning when I went out he was up and visiting with another horse
over the fence. He seemed brighter and certainly much better than yesterday morning. And the best
news of all, he pooped 2 times. I know that doesn't mean he is out of the woods yet, but it made me cry.
Crying over poop, most people wouldn't understand that.
I offered him some mash, he didn't want it, must be to soon for that kind of food. So, glad hes a smart
horse. I offered him a few blades of grass, that he took. So the plan today is for the vet to come back
out and check on him, antibiotics, gastrogaurd, and a little grass to try and get things moving in there
just a little bit. I really hope the worst is over and hes going to be OK.
Noon
He is moving around allot. He is beginning to eat a little. Hes had a small pan of green grass and a
small pan of bran mash and oat pellets. He hasn't had any water yet, but its still early.
10pm
Assurance is still improving. He ate little bits of grass and mash thru out the day. He pooped, peed,
and drank water today. He even walked away from me when I went out tonight at 10 with needles in
hand to give him his antibiotics. He didn't get to far but he was feeling good enough to try and get
away from me. Hoping things continue to improve.
June 10, 2006
Even better news. 9 poops between 5pm and 9am this morning. To many pee spots to count and he
nickered at me for food. Hes hungry!!! I don't want to jinx it but I think hes going to be ok.
Here are some updated pictures from this afternoon. I took him out for a walk around the property to
snack on a little grass and visit with the other horses. The weird dark spots on his coat are from the
fly spray, its sticky.
Guarded but optimistic. I checked on him several times over night and each time he was just laying
down sleeping. No rolling. This morning when I went out he was up and visiting with another horse
over the fence. He seemed brighter and certainly much better than yesterday morning. And the best
news of all, he pooped 2 times. I know that doesn't mean he is out of the woods yet, but it made me cry.
Crying over poop, most people wouldn't understand that.
I offered him some mash, he didn't want it, must be to soon for that kind of food. So, glad hes a smart
horse. I offered him a few blades of grass, that he took. So the plan today is for the vet to come back
out and check on him, antibiotics, gastrogaurd, and a little grass to try and get things moving in there
just a little bit. I really hope the worst is over and hes going to be OK.
Noon
He is moving around allot. He is beginning to eat a little. Hes had a small pan of green grass and a
small pan of bran mash and oat pellets. He hasn't had any water yet, but its still early.
10pm
Assurance is still improving. He ate little bits of grass and mash thru out the day. He pooped, peed,
and drank water today. He even walked away from me when I went out tonight at 10 with needles in
hand to give him his antibiotics. He didn't get to far but he was feeling good enough to try and get
away from me. Hoping things continue to improve.
June 10, 2006
Even better news. 9 poops between 5pm and 9am this morning. To many pee spots to count and he
nickered at me for food. Hes hungry!!! I don't want to jinx it but I think hes going to be ok.
Here are some updated pictures from this afternoon. I took him out for a walk around the property to
snack on a little grass and visit with the other horses. The weird dark spots on his coat are from the
fly spray, its sticky.
June 11, 2006
Still improving, this morning on our short walk he felt good enough to give me the defiant race horse
head toss, when I walked in a direction that he didn't like. Big Smile.
He was hungry this morning and he missed Connie when we walked out of the paddock. Hes
beginning to get back into his body. Hes becoming aware of his surroundings again, its a wonderful
thing.
June 12, 2006
Today is the last day of antibiotics for Assurance!!!! He will continue his gastro guard for another 3
weeks. He will continue to eat only soaked pellets and mash for the next 2 weeks, but we are making
good progress. Hes feeling better every day, I am so truly amazed at his recovery.
June 13, 2006
Well, I may have spoken to soon. Assurance went down hill this afternoon. Vets been out, hes back on
antibiotics and pain meds. Vet is thinking todays incident is ulcer related but isn't sure. We will watch
him thru the night and see how goes.
8:30pm
Utterly depressed tonight. The pain meds that were supposed to work for 6 to 8 hours only worked for
2 hours. I gave him more, we will see. Talked to the vet again, she said to keep up on the pain meds
and give it every few hours, he may improve. ugh.
June 14, 2006
No better news this morning. He was down all night, only got up to move to another spot and lay down.
Hes not interested in food. Gave him pain IM pain meds every 2 hours thru out the night per the vets
direction. My non horsey husband is even trying to help. He gave him a stomach massage last night at
3am. Assurance seemed to like it, any comfort we can give him at this point is great.
If things don't improve I fear we will have to make a decision that I am dreading, but we are definitely
entering the "Quantity vs. Quality" stage. This totally sucks!!!
PM
He's hurting, but I can control it with pain meds. He is pooping a little but not enough, he is peeing a
little but not enough. He is eating a little but not enough. His temp is fine, no fever, and his heart rate
is ok, it doesn't indicate out of control pain. But Hes really not getting any better. Hes dropping weight
so fast now and hes getting bed sores. The vets think his ulcers are getting worse.
He may improve, and he may not. My worst fear is that I keep him going only to have to put him down
days later. Then the flip side, since hes doesn't seem ready to leave this earth, shouldn't I honor that
and do all I am capable of to help until he decides he doesn't want to fight anymore.
My vets are divided, the older vet says thinks putting him down is the way to go, but that vets very
open about what he thinks of rescue horses and money. He says what I spend trying to save this one
could go to just buy another, I hate it when he says stuff like that. The younger one thinks I should
watch the horse and let the horse tell me, but she also adds that shes becoming very discouraged
about his ability to recover.
June 15, 2006
Well, Assurance had a horrible night. At 3am I was going to make the call to have the vet return and
do the unthinkable, but my non horsey husband said just give it a couple more hours. I did just that
and to both are amazement , Assurance was up and eating at 5:30am. He had pooped several times in
those 2 hours.
2:00
Hes been doing pretty well all day. His pain is under control and hes been eating, drinking and
pooping. The vets are shocked, I don't think they believe me when I say he really is doing better.
Today all Assurance wants to eat is dry orchard grass, he doesn't want any mash of any kind. He
doesn't want any green grass either.
5:00 and he is still improving. Afraid to get to optimistic, but so far so good. Hes also needed very little
in the way of pain meds today.
8 PM
This big grey horse is going to make me grey. He is still doing ok, but at around 8pm he started to get
real painful. Gave him more pain meds, and now hes back up eating and drinking. So technically hes
still having a pretty good day. I will dose him again at midnight just to make sure the pain doesn't get
out of control. My non horsey husband will watch him tonight so I can get some sleep.
Still improving, this morning on our short walk he felt good enough to give me the defiant race horse
head toss, when I walked in a direction that he didn't like. Big Smile.
He was hungry this morning and he missed Connie when we walked out of the paddock. Hes
beginning to get back into his body. Hes becoming aware of his surroundings again, its a wonderful
thing.
June 12, 2006
Today is the last day of antibiotics for Assurance!!!! He will continue his gastro guard for another 3
weeks. He will continue to eat only soaked pellets and mash for the next 2 weeks, but we are making
good progress. Hes feeling better every day, I am so truly amazed at his recovery.
June 13, 2006
Well, I may have spoken to soon. Assurance went down hill this afternoon. Vets been out, hes back on
antibiotics and pain meds. Vet is thinking todays incident is ulcer related but isn't sure. We will watch
him thru the night and see how goes.
8:30pm
Utterly depressed tonight. The pain meds that were supposed to work for 6 to 8 hours only worked for
2 hours. I gave him more, we will see. Talked to the vet again, she said to keep up on the pain meds
and give it every few hours, he may improve. ugh.
June 14, 2006
No better news this morning. He was down all night, only got up to move to another spot and lay down.
Hes not interested in food. Gave him pain IM pain meds every 2 hours thru out the night per the vets
direction. My non horsey husband is even trying to help. He gave him a stomach massage last night at
3am. Assurance seemed to like it, any comfort we can give him at this point is great.
If things don't improve I fear we will have to make a decision that I am dreading, but we are definitely
entering the "Quantity vs. Quality" stage. This totally sucks!!!
PM
He's hurting, but I can control it with pain meds. He is pooping a little but not enough, he is peeing a
little but not enough. He is eating a little but not enough. His temp is fine, no fever, and his heart rate
is ok, it doesn't indicate out of control pain. But Hes really not getting any better. Hes dropping weight
so fast now and hes getting bed sores. The vets think his ulcers are getting worse.
He may improve, and he may not. My worst fear is that I keep him going only to have to put him down
days later. Then the flip side, since hes doesn't seem ready to leave this earth, shouldn't I honor that
and do all I am capable of to help until he decides he doesn't want to fight anymore.
My vets are divided, the older vet says thinks putting him down is the way to go, but that vets very
open about what he thinks of rescue horses and money. He says what I spend trying to save this one
could go to just buy another, I hate it when he says stuff like that. The younger one thinks I should
watch the horse and let the horse tell me, but she also adds that shes becoming very discouraged
about his ability to recover.
June 15, 2006
Well, Assurance had a horrible night. At 3am I was going to make the call to have the vet return and
do the unthinkable, but my non horsey husband said just give it a couple more hours. I did just that
and to both are amazement , Assurance was up and eating at 5:30am. He had pooped several times in
those 2 hours.
2:00
Hes been doing pretty well all day. His pain is under control and hes been eating, drinking and
pooping. The vets are shocked, I don't think they believe me when I say he really is doing better.
Today all Assurance wants to eat is dry orchard grass, he doesn't want any mash of any kind. He
doesn't want any green grass either.
5:00 and he is still improving. Afraid to get to optimistic, but so far so good. Hes also needed very little
in the way of pain meds today.
8 PM
This big grey horse is going to make me grey. He is still doing ok, but at around 8pm he started to get
real painful. Gave him more pain meds, and now hes back up eating and drinking. So technically hes
still having a pretty good day. I will dose him again at midnight just to make sure the pain doesn't get
out of control. My non horsey husband will watch him tonight so I can get some sleep.
