EqTrainer
Aug. 24, 2009, 04:07 PM
I have been very lucky these last few years, in that my working student comes and farmsits for me when we go on vacation. Until last week nothing had ever gone wrong while I was gone and I'd gotten pretty comfy with going away.
But last week, while we were gone, it was discovered during a routine dental that LMEqT's pony had a temperature.. a VERY HIGH temperature :eek: She had no other symptoms. I was a wreck but the vet and my farmsitter encouraged me to stay where I was as it was assumed to be a virus. My farmsitter was doing Rinitidine around the clock, taking temps every hour and administering IV banamine (so glad I have a farmsitter qualified to deal with such things!) and checking in with me. The po's fever would not stay down w/out the Banamine throughout the next day. We decided to pull blood and look for any clues.. sure enough, the blood indicated it was something other than a virus and she was started on IM Naxcel that day. Temp went down and stayed down and - knock on wood - has stayed down since w/out Banamine.
We left a day our vacation a day early, but because of Hurrican Bill, not because of our dear pony.
I would have never thought that I could have stayed gone while one of my horses (and the dearest one of all!) was sick but I knew - I really knew - that there was nothing more I could do, than was being done and that she was getting the best possible care and attention. That was a GREAT feeling, in spite of it all.
My working student/farm sitter has been considering opening a farm sitting business - I hope she does, everyone deserves a vacation!
But last week, while we were gone, it was discovered during a routine dental that LMEqT's pony had a temperature.. a VERY HIGH temperature :eek: She had no other symptoms. I was a wreck but the vet and my farmsitter encouraged me to stay where I was as it was assumed to be a virus. My farmsitter was doing Rinitidine around the clock, taking temps every hour and administering IV banamine (so glad I have a farmsitter qualified to deal with such things!) and checking in with me. The po's fever would not stay down w/out the Banamine throughout the next day. We decided to pull blood and look for any clues.. sure enough, the blood indicated it was something other than a virus and she was started on IM Naxcel that day. Temp went down and stayed down and - knock on wood - has stayed down since w/out Banamine.
We left a day our vacation a day early, but because of Hurrican Bill, not because of our dear pony.
I would have never thought that I could have stayed gone while one of my horses (and the dearest one of all!) was sick but I knew - I really knew - that there was nothing more I could do, than was being done and that she was getting the best possible care and attention. That was a GREAT feeling, in spite of it all.
My working student/farm sitter has been considering opening a farm sitting business - I hope she does, everyone deserves a vacation!