10-4-2019 Morning update from QT/Kathy: The edema on Dalton’s belly is going down quickly and he was in good spirits this morning.  I’ll pick up the red cell today.  I may have found some good alfalfa at a decent price so we’re making the trip to check it out.  150lb bale of “premium” for 20.  Got my fingers crossed it is good hay. (Alfalfa purchase is to help transition him to what is fed at TIER).

VERY EXCITING NEWS FOR DALTON COMING SOON.  STAY TUNED.

Sweet, Sweet Dalton was a star for his doctor visit.  Vet estimated Dalton's age to be in his 20's and not 12 years old as we had been led to believe.  He will need to have his teeth floated.  He has a scar across his tongue from an old injury most likely cause by a bit. 

The day before the vet arrived his sheath was swollen and by the time the vet got to the facility there was some edema on his belly.  Vet cleaned his sheath (a couple beans were found) and vet will revisit if needed.  Sound, no lameness noted.  CBC (blood work) indicated slight anemia perhaps from parasites/worms.  Kathy had wormed him recently and will do so again in about 10 days.  Red Cell (vitamin-iron-mineral supplement) recommended.    

Dalton is Dalton.  Good ole reliable Dalton.  Eats well, drinks well, super laid back and agreeable.  He is just uncomplicated.  Easy going & accepting.

Showing no signs of any illness brewing.  Hoping he dodged a bullet. Dalton is putting weight on slowly.  The hard part is going slow on feeding so as not to cause founder, colic, etc.

Hard to believe they’ve only been here a week.  

Update from Quarantine Manager Kathy:

Dalton is doing great.  No signs of any kind of discharge this morning. Eats everything he can.  I’m going to introduce a small bit of alfalfa beginning tomorrow.  Need to run get some today.  I’ll grab the dewormers will I’m there and get that done in the next day or two.  I know Dalton will forgive me for it.  Hoping Wiley will too.

(Gail comment:  Dalton looks like he was getting bullied some at the feedlot with all those scrapes/bite marks.  Talked to Kathy this morning and mentioned it.  She said he wasn't as beat up as Wiley.  It just has to be so very stressful to be tossed in with strangers every week or so when you are going through auctions, feedlots, etc.  Juggling for position and just trying to survive!!)

Just found out the boys will be seeing the Senior Veterinarian on Thursday, 10/3/2019.  Kathy will haul them to the Veterinary practice about 8 miles down the road.  If we waited until the senior vet was available to come to the QT facility it would be longer.  Also, it will be cheaper this way than having to pay for a Farm Call.

9/24/2019 EVENING UPDATE

Evening update.  Both horses pooped and peed so I won’t be doing checks throughout the night.  Wiley didn’t eat all of his flake of hay but drank about a half a bucket of water.  Dalton cleaned up all the hay but didn’t drink much water.  It appears as though he’s a dunker.  Neither horse cared about the wheelbarrow in their stall but Wiley was concerned about the picker.  Dalton didn’t seem to notice and just kept eating. Dalton cleaned up his meds tonight.  Wiley still picking at it but he’d eaten enough I’m hopeful they will all be gone by morning.  My guess is he won’t take too kindly to oral meds if it comes to that. Dalton is far more familiar with treats.  He ate a piece of pear and a small alfalfa cube. Wiley wasn’t interested in either.  I left a small pile of soaked cubes in Wiley’s stall with the hopes he will develop a taste for them. That’s about it.  Wiley has a very weird pastern angle on his right front. I’ll try to remember to take my phone in the morning and get a pic.  And Wiley had finished his meds by 10.

9/25/2019 AM UPDATE

6:37 AM

Morning update.  Both water buckets empty this morning and I refilled them at 10 last night.  Forgot to take phone so maybe this afternoon when I get home I’ll get those pictures.  Dalton cleaned up everything last night and licked the mats clean.  Huge wet pile and lots of poop piles.  Very food motivated. Nickered at me this morning. So cute. Wiley is soooo goopy eyed this morning and strings of snot. I wiped away what he’d allow but will need to halter him and clean it well this afternoon.  I also think I’ll have to put something on it.  It’s very yellow so I suspect super acidic and probably burning the skin. He ate about half his hay last night but cleaned up the grain with meds and the small pile of alfalfa cubes (soaked of course). It appears as though his foot doesn’t hurt him as bad.  I gave him another dose of bute this morning and think I’ll just go to one a day for the next couple days unless I can get to the abscess and relieve the pressure.  This morning he was much better about the stall pick but he wants to turn his butt to you when you approach him.  I don’t feel threatened but it is one of those behaviors that isn’t allowed so we are working on that.  He let me touch his leg this morning and unweighted it so I left it at that.  The bottom line of his neck is odd and kind of bulges. While I was scratching on him I ran my hand across it and he penned his ears.  I’d like to get a vet appt next week and have one of the more senior vets look both of them over. 

NOTE:  Now you see why I love this Quarantine facility.  Kathy at Starburst Ranch is the best!!

UPDATE-Dalton & Wiley

The boys were picked up from the kill pen and made the trip to the vet for their runny noses and for Wiley's hoof issues. Both boys are now on Uniprim for whatever Crud it is they have going on. Lungs are clear...thank goodness. Wiley's eyes are full of goobers as is his nose.

The hoof issue was on Wiley's left front and appears to be an abcess. (Whew!). Vet dug it out as much as he could, but Wiley wasn't too sure about it. Abcess will take awhile to resolve and Kathy at the Quarantine facility will be soaking that foot...if he cooperates. HA!