The equine hospital has a new vet who called early this morning, and we determined a plan of action. She was glad I hadn’t given Siete any doxy yet because she wants to do a blood test. Last year, the result was “moderate positive”, meaning that the Lyme Disease was either coming or going from Siete’s system. If we test again now, we can see where it is compared to the previous test and know what Siete’s threshold is for getting sick. It’s a drag that it takes so long to get the results from the test, but I hope to just start the doxy tomorrow after the vet comes and draws the blood. Of course, all of this will cost a considerable amount of money but the vet won’t start the antibiotics without the blood test. It’s times like this when I wish I had a horse trailer or was able to split the farm call with someone else.
My little money pit is happily eating grass right now. She’s got an entire pasture full of it, but the grass on the other side of the fence always tastes the best. It’s glorious weather, and since Siete doesn’t seem to be so lame, I will leave them out until she lets me know that she wants to lie down in her stall. Silk was really fired up yesterday because she wanted to be grazing and I kept her in with her daughter. It’s funny how Siete wanted to be right with her mommy, like any kid who’s feeling sick. Silk usually just stands over her in the stall, but yesterday was such a beautiful day, and her patience wore thin.
Today, it’s my patience that’s being tested. I wish the vet had been able to come this afternoon. I’m going to go out and buy a cheap grinder that’s dedicated to crushing doxy pills and a couple of new big syringes with plungers that slide easily. The ones I used last year are so mangled and bent from Siete’s teeth that it’s hard to push the plunger to the end of the syringe. I looked into a pill wrapper that Arlene at Grey Horse Matters found. The medicine is so bitter that I don’t think there’s any chance that Siete would eat it even if it was coated with molasses. I have a gut feeling that we should just do it the way it worked before. Thirty days, twice a day, it’s going to be a challenge.
5 comments:
Good to hear Siete's feeling a little better. Darn those vets for keeping you waiting so long, but you sure did the right thing in not starting the doxy til more blood was drawn. I sacrificed my coffee bean grinder to Lyle years ago - it sure beats the old mortar and pestle when you've got a bunch to do. I've tried everything to extend the life of those dosing syringes...cooking spray, olive oil...and have found nothing that works.
We'll keep sending good thoughts your way.
So glad to hear the vet is involved and Siete will get treatment. I empathize with the antibiotics - when Rafer Johnson was gelded we had to do it twice daily for 10 days and he quickly became weary of it, even mixed with applesauce.
Someone recently mentioned somewhere online that bitter tastes are best neutralized with salt, not sugar. I hadn't thought about it, but it might be something to try.
I may have asked this before, and if so, I apologize in advance, but have you considered doing a consult with a homeopathic vet about treating the Lyme disease?
Awhile back, when I myself had the tick bite and took antibiotics, I did a lot of reading about alternative treatments. There's a vet in CT named Stephen Tobin who has had very good results treating equine Lyme with Ledum and using nosodes for prevention. Some of his equine patients' owners who also had Lyme's also tried his treatment and found it very helpful.
In some of the papers I read, as I recall, the titers came back much reduced for Lyme spirochetes after the treatment, which I think means less possibility of relapse (or flare ups, I guess it would be).
Anyway, more fodder for you as you sort this out! And hopefully the vet can assist with pain management so Siete can be comfortable until the treatment kicks in.
Thanks for the update - I was fretting along with you!
Glad the vets got in touch and she will get a blood test to see what's going on with her. Hope she feels better soon. You know the best way to administer her meds if she needs them, but I saw those roll up squares and figured they might be worth a shot. I know she's hard to dose. Good Luck and let us know what's going on with her. Poor little girl.
So sorry to hear that Siete is sick. I hope she has a speedy recovery.
I am curious to hear if it is Lyme again that is giving your little mare such a tough time. The blood work will help answer some questions for you. I am glad she was feeling well enough to get out and graze!
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