Geronimo (left) enjoys some nutritious feed with his 36-year-old friend, Miss TKarla went over to the corral this morning to feed a couple of old horses that get special food every day. She saw that Geronimo, a 27-year-old gelding who has lost a lot of teeth and is one of the recipients of Equine Senior feed, was lying on his side a long way from the corral, unable to get up, and being watched over by Miss T. That is a very bad sign, and often means the horse can’t be saved. She came back to the house and called the vet, thinking he would have to sedate the animal and then give him a shot to euthanize him.
But Ger is not the kind of horse who takes not being able to get up lying down. We went to the corral and found that Geronimo had managed to walk over then lie down again. Our neighbors, Bill and Megan arrived and we all consoled the horse and waited for the vet to arrive. Geronimo got up and looked like he was really straining to urinate then he laid down again. When the doctor arrived, we said we really wished we could help this old horse because he was one of Hilary’s best teachers as she grew up, and she wanted her own child, who should be born in May, to sit on Geronimo’s back—Ger would be his or her first horse. He donned a very long glove that went clear to his elbow and checked the rear exit to the horse, finding a whole lot of impacted feces and a lot of gas, which was pressing on the bladder. After giving Ger a shot of pain killer/muscle relaxer, the vet “tubed” him, putting a hose through a nostril and down through the esophagus into the stomach. He pumped water in then added a soapy solution of laxative. So far, Ger hasn’t passed his blockage, but when he does, we’ll surely know it; it’ll be a very large pile in the corral.
Right now he seems fine, with normal pulse and respiration and the usual appetite. We couldn’t be more pleased.
But Ger is not the kind of horse who takes not being able to get up lying down. We went to the corral and found that Geronimo had managed to walk over then lie down again. Our neighbors, Bill and Megan arrived and we all consoled the horse and waited for the vet to arrive. Geronimo got up and looked like he was really straining to urinate then he laid down again. When the doctor arrived, we said we really wished we could help this old horse because he was one of Hilary’s best teachers as she grew up, and she wanted her own child, who should be born in May, to sit on Geronimo’s back—Ger would be his or her first horse. He donned a very long glove that went clear to his elbow and checked the rear exit to the horse, finding a whole lot of impacted feces and a lot of gas, which was pressing on the bladder. After giving Ger a shot of pain killer/muscle relaxer, the vet “tubed” him, putting a hose through a nostril and down through the esophagus into the stomach. He pumped water in then added a soapy solution of laxative. So far, Ger hasn’t passed his blockage, but when he does, we’ll surely know it; it’ll be a very large pile in the corral.
Right now he seems fine, with normal pulse and respiration and the usual appetite. We couldn’t be more pleased.
3 comments:
We love you Ger Ger!!
36, wow. Didn't know horses lived so long. Happy new year!
Oh, so difficult that! Go Geranemo GO!! Only someone with horses knows the delight of counting "roadapples" , as that is when the crises is over. Go Geranemo Go!
Santiago, David's horse just lost his longtime companion and love, Ninety to the dreaded colic.
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