Updates

I haven't been posting much mostly because there hasn't been much, until now. Monday the vet came out do the second round of spring shots, and I had called and asked her to look at Stella's leg. I had taken her off the antibiotics and the wrapping as a test for less than a day late last week when things seemed to be almost 100% improved, and within less than 24 hours the leg was swollen and hot again.

The vet called me back after her visit and agreed: the swelling was not moving, although it has been limited to the anterior portion of the hock (but within a few hours of the wraps off, her lower leg starts to fill back up) and the heat was not encouraging. We made an appointment for her to come back out today at four to flex her and possibly take an ultrasound of the leg to see if she did damage any of the internal structures. Most likely scenario if she did is bone bruise or chip, but with that comes lameness and I haven't seen any so far. She can be stiff coming out of her paddock, but she is free to move 24/7 and shows no signs of lameness in the walk or trot on the line.

The other piece of our call is what bothers me more. The vet expressed concern over her condition: she said she "knows how good of care I take of her, but her condition doesn't show that". I'm inclined to agree, and it's something I've noticed over the past couple months. Stella hasn't been in consistent work for over a year, so no one expects her to be a mean-lean-riding-machine, but she has serious atrophy over her topline, especially from her sacrum into her gluteals, which are non-existent and look like black diamond ski slopes. She also has developed a belly, similar to what you see in horses with a parasite load or old horses whose toplines have slackened with age and use. This mare is wormed on a schedule, so this surprised me when I started to notice it (which is only as she has begun shedding out, it's amazing what winter hair can hide).

In the grand scheme of things, I've been noticing changes in her since earlier this year, but after having a vet say it to me, I'm both embarrassed and upset with myself for not having addressed it sooner. My vet certainly knows how well cared for she is, and her words were kind and not accusatory, but still, no one wants to be told their horse looks sickly. I think the stress of the weather changes, of being in heat, and of the injury have definitely added to her ragged appearance: she's been looking a bit depressed lately and somewhat lethargic. But I can't blame it all on that handful of factors.

So in addition to the scan of her leg, we're going to collect and fecal sample to test for her egg count, and pull some blood to check her selenium/vit. E levels, the most likely cause of the muscle wasting. I find this odd, too, since she gets a full serving of a mineral & vitamin supplement twice a day, and we have our hay tested and know it's good.

Fingers crossed...I feel like I say this a lot nowadays, but then again, it's been vet visit after vet visit for almost a month now. Something's got to give.