Silas on Day 13

A call to the vet this morning outlining our concerns and Silas' progress/lack thereof saw us heading in to town to grab a bag of Milligans milk powder (we've been using Anlamb) and some ketoprofen (anti-inflammatory) injections. He's now had two feeds of the Milligans, including a nice 1.5 litre feast at 2.30pm. Hopefully things will start moving through a little more smoothly soon! We're going to start stretching his feeds out a little more so that he has longer between feeds for digestion and we have more time for, well, for living! His hock and stifle are still very swollen and he is still leaking urine from his umblical stump, *sigh*.

Rosie the last of the outside mares to foal has waxed up - the wind here is near gale force and, quite frankly, the weather right now sux! Fingers and toes crossed for a successful and uneventful foaling in GOOD weather!!!!

Silas on day 12 pt II

So the stump has not closed over, his temperature has gone up to 39.4 today but is at 39.3 at present, he requires a LOT of encouragement to rise to his feet and is obviously in not inconsiderable discomfort. Let me think, what else? Oh yes, we just had our pet sheep shorn and he has a massive tumour on his belly and the shearer recommended euthanasia. What a great day!

Silas on day 12

Back by popular demand, photos of Silas! It looks like the hole in his umbilical stump MAY have closed back over so HOPEFULLY we can avoid surgery. He's OK today. Has mooched about in the paddock for a bit and has been drinking well. He's very sore, poor baby, and currently resembles a pin cushion as he is getting five shots a day! His temperature has dropped to between 38.3 and 39.1, which is a lot better than the 39.8 he spiked at yesterday - Does this mean we are on the way up? I sure hope so! I hope you like the photos, I loved taking them.

Pretty boy

Luf me Da
My little coo friend
On a missh

Chillin'

and relaxin'

Silas Update

It's been six days and I have not provided an update on Silas' condition. To be honest, I am scared to write about him because, as soon as I say something positive, something negative seems to happen. I am sure I am some sort of a jinx as, he will be going great guns and then I go to feed him and there is something wrong. Whether it is an increase in temperature, a marked decrease in appetite or a sinister swelling or lameness, it seems that these bumps in the road raise themselves when I am at the steering wheel.

The good news first. Silas' feeding has increased well and the worst of the constipation seems to be over (thank God we got the milk dilution sorted!). Yesterday he drank 13.5 litres, his biggest day yet. But, there is bad news ... Silas has pain in both hocks and considerable swelling in one. His temperature has been over 39 for three days and, aside from the few hours immediately after he gets his anti inflammatory injection, he is very lethargic and dull. This morning he is lame on his 'good' hock and I am depressed and upset. Blood tests indicated infection, although my vet, who has told me to call any time of the day or night on his home number, is confident it is not joint ill and believes that it is more likely irritated bowel due to the constipation with the hocks being secondary. I just wish he would be all better and start behaving like the enormous, obnoxious draftie he is supposed to be!

I made the chick at the checkout cry yesterday. Fortunately I know her but it all started with an innocent, "how are things going?". My reply was to dissolve into tears and splutter a brief explanation. I think the folk in the queue behind us decided we were both quite mad but thankfully no-one said anything.

Nick is off to the vet this morning to update him on the hock lameness and I am sitting here waiting for a test to come through as the first stage of a job interview. My head is all over the place so I don't hold out much hope for this job!

No photos yet today, perhaps I will bring myself to take some a little later but, to be honest, I am too scared to take pix of our dear little boy. I want to wait until he is strong and happy so I can show him off to the world. Right now he is kinda all pathetic with his sad little face and bandaged hocks. I just want to scoop him up and tuck him up under my duvet at my feet here in the living room. Don't be surprised if that is what I end up doing ...

We've just today seen him urinating through his navel stump so he has developed patent urachus due to straining with the constipation. This means he could require surgery and intensive care. He's right off his feed now and a very poorly little chap. God I really hope he is going to be ok.

Congratulations Mindy Girl & Robbie - It's a girl

Born at 3.30am this morning, a delightful brown filly. Slightly eventful foaling in that the mare decided to roll over and over and over and over and over again in a very agitated fashion immediately post foaling, scaring the heck out of all of us. I zoomed inside to grab the phone and call my vet and came back out to find Millie cleaning her baby and quite happy. Phew! Her owner was there to see her first few steps and she found the milk bar and has fed, pooped and peed and slept and fed, pooped and peed and slept some more.

Isn't she a beauty!

God speed Jack

Jack was my good friend Karen's best friend. They were together for 20 years and on Saturday their partnership in this life was over when Jack took a tumble in the paddock and suffered a catastrophic injury. Jack was three days shy of his 25th birthday. The one biggest gift we can give our animal friends is to free them from pain when they are suffering. Karen was able to do this for Jack and was there when he most needed her just like he had been there for her for all those years. I don't know what to say to Karen. The loss of a lifetime companion like Jack is devastating and the gap that their parting leaves is vaste. We love you Karen and we're so very sorry for your loss. Jack was ever such a lucky pony to have his little girl for nearly his entire life.

RIP Jack