Livetoride19
Jul. 28, 2009, 10:25 AM
I purchased my forever horse a year ago exactly. He was a 2.5yr old OTTB colt from the track. At the time of purchase he was recovering from a tendon sheath injury, had scar tissue on his eye, and a clubby foot with a laminitic episode as a babe. I know- run right? However, his personality hooked me. He is cuddly, gentle, loving and completely sweet NO MATTER WHAT THE SCENARIO. I bought him knowing that shoeing would require more visits, the tendon would have to be wrapped, and his scar would need to be monitored. Whatever, these issues are completely maintainable. My trainer and I healed the tendon sheath by winters end. We discovered an allergy to sugar is what created the laminitis and previous founder and we able to dodge that bullet. He was gelded in October- but had an 'in-house' procedure due to an inguinal testicle- he healed well, but kind of slow. He developed swelling over his patella- but showed no sign of irritation or lameness- so I kept an eye on it. Keep in mind this whole year he has been ridden a handful of times but a tiny teenager, has been lunged at least weekly in-between illnesses- so he is not being overworked by any stretch of the word. He is simply growing up and being a horse- I will not put him in training until he is 4- also he was never raced, and only practiced a few times.
Moving on- this winter he developed some swelling on his jaw- which we determined was a tooth issue and had the dentist out (again- he was floated his first month off the track). The dentist determined it was a vet issue- and something was lodged in the tissue- be it tooth fragment or wood. Vet came out and took x-rays, to view that it was two adult teeth coming up at the same time creating some inflammation. The bump was about 1/2 the size of a golf ball. Vet said to wait for the cap to get loose, and we will re-evaluate then. Keep in mind, during this time, the horse showed no problem with eating or discomfort. One month later I noticed the bump was bigger and he spiked a fever. At this time, I had moved barns to have him closer to my parents because I spent my weekends there during the summer. A different vet came to see him and found that there was an abscess created under his baby tooth, so she pulled it out, cleaned it up and put him on SMZ's. The fever did not go away and the swelling became worse. The vet came back out to discover osteomylitis of his jaw…great. Bone infection. The infection was serious and I shipped him back to his previous barn and he was put on IV antibiotics immediately. After 4 days of 3 shots 2x’s a day, the vet did more x-rays to find the infection was gone- and actually didn’t understand how it could be that quickly. Is it possible the previous vet was wrong- even though he showed all the symptoms? Regardless, the infection was gone, he was back to normal temps and feeling himself.
Fast forward the past 2 weeks, and yesterday the vet was called once again- the bump on his jaw is bigger – now about the size of a lemon. There is no pain, no fever and he is eating normally. The bump is calcified bone. At the same time we noticed the bump was larger, his patella which had been deemed fine in December was bigger as well! Even though he was only being lunged 2-3 x’s a week and has NEVER taken a lame step. My trainer and vet are throwing the term Oseto HyperGenesis around. Which in non-vet speak means that whenever there is trauma to an area of his body- mass cells surround the area and almost build bone around the area. As you can tell by the amount of $$ spent on emergency vet calls- I am spent. I have spent the last 24 hours scouring the ‘net to find anything remotely close to this term- only to find nothing. Is there ANYONE out there that has any idea of what I am talking about- or maybe knows of a vet who specializes in strange issues with OTTB’s? I am so at a loss for my boy, and don’t want to have to put him down because I cannot afford the mounting vet bills. I need ideas…anyone.
Moving on- this winter he developed some swelling on his jaw- which we determined was a tooth issue and had the dentist out (again- he was floated his first month off the track). The dentist determined it was a vet issue- and something was lodged in the tissue- be it tooth fragment or wood. Vet came out and took x-rays, to view that it was two adult teeth coming up at the same time creating some inflammation. The bump was about 1/2 the size of a golf ball. Vet said to wait for the cap to get loose, and we will re-evaluate then. Keep in mind, during this time, the horse showed no problem with eating or discomfort. One month later I noticed the bump was bigger and he spiked a fever. At this time, I had moved barns to have him closer to my parents because I spent my weekends there during the summer. A different vet came to see him and found that there was an abscess created under his baby tooth, so she pulled it out, cleaned it up and put him on SMZ's. The fever did not go away and the swelling became worse. The vet came back out to discover osteomylitis of his jaw…great. Bone infection. The infection was serious and I shipped him back to his previous barn and he was put on IV antibiotics immediately. After 4 days of 3 shots 2x’s a day, the vet did more x-rays to find the infection was gone- and actually didn’t understand how it could be that quickly. Is it possible the previous vet was wrong- even though he showed all the symptoms? Regardless, the infection was gone, he was back to normal temps and feeling himself.
Fast forward the past 2 weeks, and yesterday the vet was called once again- the bump on his jaw is bigger – now about the size of a lemon. There is no pain, no fever and he is eating normally. The bump is calcified bone. At the same time we noticed the bump was larger, his patella which had been deemed fine in December was bigger as well! Even though he was only being lunged 2-3 x’s a week and has NEVER taken a lame step. My trainer and vet are throwing the term Oseto HyperGenesis around. Which in non-vet speak means that whenever there is trauma to an area of his body- mass cells surround the area and almost build bone around the area. As you can tell by the amount of $$ spent on emergency vet calls- I am spent. I have spent the last 24 hours scouring the ‘net to find anything remotely close to this term- only to find nothing. Is there ANYONE out there that has any idea of what I am talking about- or maybe knows of a vet who specializes in strange issues with OTTB’s? I am so at a loss for my boy, and don’t want to have to put him down because I cannot afford the mounting vet bills. I need ideas…anyone.