Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sometimes the world sucks

Just some catch up things today. I had to euthanize a horse this week. She had an incurable foot problem that could have been prevented if some idiot had gotten preventative care done on time. I hate euthanizing horses most of all my hatred of euthanasia, since 1) they do not die well, and 2) what other euthanasia do you do where you risk getting fallen on by your dying patient? Which almost happened- the fall on part. Luckily I saw she was going down and got out of the way in the nick of time.

My cat on IV fluids is hydrated and eating some on her own this morning, so progress is being made. We have this weird blend of busy and dead going on this week, after Monday's craziness today has only ONE appointment. Well, I can catch up on my blogging! Hope something not boring happens tomorrow!

4 comments:

Evil Transport Lady said...

That stinks! I hope that "owner" doesn't get another horse!

Hugs to you!

Real cab driver said...

I'm going to follow your blog, I like it.

Someday I may ask you to tell me how to let go.

Why do humans have to outlive the better creatures we surround ourselves with?

The Old Man said...

I read your blog because you obviously care (or you wouldn't be a DVM). Couldn't do it myself - I cry WRT animals too easily: and I'm a combat vet. Thanks for your work.
Euthenasia has GOT to bite the big one for a healer. Don't let it stop you.

Mrs. Dreamer said...

I'm sorry you had to do this for a horse that had a preventable condition. As a pet/horse owner I do appreciate your work. As you know, horses have to be maintained, they've been bred by humans, for humans, to live in human conditions, so need to be taken care of by humans. They are NOT mustangs. Plus not living in the desert means more hoof care anyhow.

I sadly had to call upon a veterinarian recently to put down my up and coming gorgeous horse. He had weird hind-end lameness issues I was battling with him, took him to numerous vets, neurologists, surgeon, 2 negative EPM's, always vaccinated for West Nile, etc., etc. Finally found out he had dynamic wobblers. Took him back to the neurologist and he then saw the severe ataxia and said, wow, this is bad, this is what you saw before bringing him here last time, and then he didn't show this at all when I saw him before. I nodded through tears. That my horse would do this at home, and other odd things under saddle, but always looked 100% sound for all of the vets. He then started falling down in the pasture, I stopped riding him a few days before when it just felt like he lost control of his hind-end.

I brought him back to the neurologist just to make sure and had a myelogram done, then decided to have him euthanized while he was under general anesthesia since wobblers was confirmed. I was grateful he never really suffered. He didn't know what had happened to him and had played hard in the fields right up until I loaded him on the trailer the day before he was put down. I thanked the veterinarian for helping me through this.

Preventions goes a long ways. Again, thank you for your compassion and hard work!