It has been a year of unique medical challenges for some rescues. Sometimes despite the best care provided by our team and veterinarians and the veterinary hospital, issues arise that are not simple.
Star Donkey is a good example, her osteoarthritic hyoid bones are a rare problem and the subsequent nerve damage is unpredictable. After the hospital, she has had antibiotics twice a day and multiple eye medications three times a day. With our focus on a continuing good prognosis - we persisted and she will now slowly move off eye medications and will begin her lifetime pattern of eye ointments since she cannot fully control blinking. This is an example were a vast amount of hard work and medical care pays off. No coffee breaks here on some days!
Gypsy Minihorse's colic trip to Tuft's Veterinary Hospital was happily pretty straightforward. We know we cannot provide IV fluids here, so that and imaging helped us get her back on track. Our spunky mini is doing well like the camp she is.
Walter the Boer Goat is also a perfect example of a truly hopeful case and he is now beginning to integrate with the other goats - once we knew he was not contagious, we knew he had the invitation to stay with us.
Monroe Alpaca is doing well on Optimune eye drops so his eye feels so much better now. His castration appointment is coming up and he will be a lot less stressed soon.
Jingle will need some attention to his annual flare up of cold afflicted arthritis, but we hope a short round of Adequan will help. He is sweet, beloved and not quite as robust in his genetics.
Ms. Roger Pig (she joined us a year ago, the time goes so fast) has been getting better and better - she gets intensive skin care, Animal Caregiver Emma sewed her a fleece jacket to wear this winter too! With persistent targeted care, her movement is easier and less painful. Go Roger! She loves cuddling with her buddy Tofu Pig!
Several birds have gone in and out of the Healing Haven Barn throughout the year, and mostly have healed from bumblefoot infections or other small ailments. Our veterinarians help us figure out exactly what each needs for medications
We literally have done just about everything to keep the minihorses from eating the ground under the hay. A new abdominal xray next month will let us know if the newest change made a difference. We are trying the dirt paddock for them, instead of the stone dust paddock this month, and will see if that will help the “sand colic” in their gut! Now if we can only rake up the oak leaves faster than Lollipop can eat them!)
Pony Boy is improving, looking very solid and is quite playful! He is on a lot of Cushings Disease medication, so we can’t push that much higher. He is walking well, and his farrier is pleased. So far, so good.
Sweetie Pony is on a smaller dose of Cushings Disease medications, but she is aging so we keep a close watch on her as well for any geriatric problems popping up.
Penny Blossom Pig is both a picture of how getting a diagnosis is important, and how that information is not always enough. She is cleared for the chemotherapeutic cream on her squamous cell carcinoma, but we are a little concerned about her weight loss, and if anything has spread internally. She is perky, has a great appetite and she is happy to do pigtastic things, so that is all we can ask.
All of this is simply the normal and expected part of sanctuary life.
Remember, “Quality of Life not just Quantity of Life”.
We aim for both quality and quantity!
