Vandy
Aug. 7, 2009, 10:18 AM
Have you ever had one of those days when you practically have to pinch yourself over and over to make sure you aren't dreaming?
I was at wits' end with two of my young, promising, recently purchased mares. The first was suddenly neurologic (posted about her on another thread); pending diagnosis we were discussing putting her down. Second mare went from NQR after hock injections to head-bobbing lame and just plain funky all over for no apparent reason - flexions, exams, behavior, diagnostics, just plain didn't add up. Looking at retiring her due to lack of funds for further diagnosis.
My vet, I'm sure, felt like the greatest hero ever yesterday. Neurologic mare had ear ticks, and mare with unexplained lameness was having a reaction to either the scrubbing soap or the carbocaine used in her hock injections, a reaction my vet has seen only 4 times in 12 years of practice. Both mares should be able to return to training in a week. Total bill for yesterday was about $200 including lots of meds.
I am fully aware that diagnostics on either mare could have run into the tens of thousands had my vet not been so intuitive. Sure the costs of the mares' tests/exams prior to yesterday haven't been cheap, but have been extremely reasonable - less than $1K.
Here's to the great vets of the world...Thank you, thank you! I am trying to figure out a nice gift for my vet and his family - I'm already paying his kids' college tuition, but maybe a restaurant gift certificate or something would be nice :lol:
I was at wits' end with two of my young, promising, recently purchased mares. The first was suddenly neurologic (posted about her on another thread); pending diagnosis we were discussing putting her down. Second mare went from NQR after hock injections to head-bobbing lame and just plain funky all over for no apparent reason - flexions, exams, behavior, diagnostics, just plain didn't add up. Looking at retiring her due to lack of funds for further diagnosis.
My vet, I'm sure, felt like the greatest hero ever yesterday. Neurologic mare had ear ticks, and mare with unexplained lameness was having a reaction to either the scrubbing soap or the carbocaine used in her hock injections, a reaction my vet has seen only 4 times in 12 years of practice. Both mares should be able to return to training in a week. Total bill for yesterday was about $200 including lots of meds.
I am fully aware that diagnostics on either mare could have run into the tens of thousands had my vet not been so intuitive. Sure the costs of the mares' tests/exams prior to yesterday haven't been cheap, but have been extremely reasonable - less than $1K.
Here's to the great vets of the world...Thank you, thank you! I am trying to figure out a nice gift for my vet and his family - I'm already paying his kids' college tuition, but maybe a restaurant gift certificate or something would be nice :lol: