Colic - Italy - It's all just too much......

[Nikki Italy]

Why do these things happen on the most inappropriate days, ie. today, New Years Day, a Sunday, late afternoon in torrential rain and then it got dark. To start.... I went out to give the horses their hard feed after lunch and saw Sabina standing oddly in the middle of the field. Called to her, and she didn't want to know, just stood tucked up. I brought her down to the house and tied her there with Coco the Shetland so that I could observe and sure enough there she stood, kicking and being uncomfortable. I called the Vet.... the one on duty said to give her the injection I had in my fridge, an anti-inflammatory and if in 2 hrs she hadn't improved I was to phone again for advice... My own Vet was away. She was awful 1 hr later and the Vet on duty found one who could come out, he had flu. By this time it was raining hard, dark and we have no light outside, but I managed to rig up my summer outdoor lights in under the arch of our old barn. The 'visiting' Vet arrived, and began listening to her gut... she was extremely aggitated. He turned and said her entire gut had 'stopped'... Whaaaaaat? He said her 'digestive system' had completely stopped working and she was filled with gas and fermenting....'Oh' ... said I weakly..... he said either she has 'the' operation, or he will put a tube down her and fill her with tepid water and hope that moves it all. I went for that.

Now, I have to make a point here... I have had Sabina for 5 years, and have tried with everything I possess to make my relationship with her as relaxed and as happy as possible, all IH in everyway, I think. I think, that everything I have ever strived for with this, (let's face it..) very difficult horse, (frightened of everything) has been for one purpose only and that was to help her trust and believe in what I or hopefully another human being put in front of her.... tonight, that has all gone out of the window. Firstly, having listened to her gut, he asked me for the buckets of water... which I duly rushed off to get, he meanwhile decided 'twitching' her was good as he had to put a tube down her nose into her stomach, to then pump the tepid water down to activate the stomach... (we hope). The whole thing was a disaster, she wouldn't have anyone touching her nose the way she was feeling, she wouldn't let anyone anywhere near her with 'that thing' in his hand... I was then asked to get some baling twine, and he then 'twitched' her ear SO THAT HE COULD TIE THE BALING STRING AROUND HER NOSE, THEN REMOVE THE 'TWITCH' FROM HER EAR AND PUT THAT ON HER NOSE WITH THE BALING STRING. He messed it up time and time again and I was trying deperately to keep a) me calm and b) Sabina just remotely calm,... no go. He did eventually get the damned 'twitch' on and proceeded to feed the tube down her nose and she went balistic.... he was twitching her hard, and she still went ballistic... he pulled the tube out and it was covered in blood and mucus and he said he had scraped her nasel passage and 'not to worry'... I exaggerate not, blood was pouring from her nostril... My story will end here as it all got too distressing, she had to be twitched a dozen times before he got the tube down in the right place.... her nose-bleed did stop but she collapsed at one point, she just was giving up. He said she was in dire pain, I say she was scared out of her wits and was just 'giving up'... he DID get the water down her, he DID stay to tell me that her gut was on the move again, and he WILL come back tomorrow..... meanwhile I am in some sort of shock, let alone Sabina... when I hit the Vet for striking my horse with the stick of the 'twitch' he thought I was mad..he hit her several times, yelling at her, before I could come round from the other side and pull/yank his arm away from her and wallop HIM. (he had to walk away and compose himself) I have never experienced such rage and anger ... the whole thing was a nightmare... BUT I think he has saved my horse...

I've put a rug on her and she's tied up outside... Coco will keep her company and this Vet is coming round to check tomorrow and be paid... What can you do when all you've ever done with a horse is good, kind things and they learn to trust you and THIS sort of thing happens. It was an emergency, but she will have to start all over again... oh dear, oh dear. and I don't even know if she's out of the woods yet... I feel so emotionally exhausted... I will let you know the outcome.

[jor]

Goodness me what an ordeal!!!
I do hope you and sabina recover, poor girl.
Must say I nodded to myself when you said about whacking the vet for hitting her, ive been known to let rip at a vet for smackign and swearing at a horse during a vetting and would do it again in a second, good for you!

I really do hope she will be ok and get over the traumatic experience quickly.

Best wishes and cyber hugs!

[smudge]

Gawd. So much of that is familiar with a pony I had stomach tubed - it was a horrendous experience and we lost her regardless
Fingers crossed for your mare, pour yourself a big, strong drink and take a long deep breath.

[roo]

Blimey Nikki !!!! I'm hoping she and you make a speedy and full recovery. Keep us posted. We had a vet hit one of our boys about two months ago. I wont ever use him again unless its a real emergency and I cant get the new vets out! Do let us know how you are both doing later on wont you?

[Ann NF]

Bloody hell Nikki!

This is what happened to Rufus ( my old chestnut TB who you met the first time you visited). Complete gastric shut down due to impaction colic. He ended up having four hot water and liquid paraffin gastric washouts in as many days, was on a drip for 24 hours at home, but he DID pull through and lived for another two and a bit years.
However, Rufus was given IV sedation and a painkilling injection before these treatments. He was a gentle, obliging old boy but was in great distess initially and sedation was the only way to tube him.

If the vet needs to repeat the washout, can you insist that Sabina gets sedation and analgesia first? I assume from what you said that she didn`t get this tonight? Poor old girl and what a thing for you to cope with on a Bank Holiday. Apparently sudden very cold weather can do this as the horses don`t drink enough but are eating dry hay and they then get an intestinal obstruction. It can also be a worm induced thing at this time of year. Whatever - I shall keep everything crossed for you tonight. What a good job you got a good night`s sleep last night. I second Smudge`s suggestion of the big strong drink!

[gwenoakes]

Oh Nikki - I really do wish you well and will keep everything crossed, as cant do Reiki, maybe even spelt it wrong too. Hopefully she will realise it was for her benefit, even though it was a bit brutal, and she will still have some trust in you when she gets over this. XX

[gwenoakes]

Sorry just read my post and no way do I condone hurting/hitting any animal.

[Nikki Italy]

Thanks for all your kind messages.... she's still standing the same and hasn't poo'ed. I asked about 'sedation' (she even has it occasionally for her shoeings) and was told it would 'mask the effects'... so, I don't know...... I feel I don't know anything very much at the moment other than worry.......

[KoLaTo]

Hugs coming for you and Sabina Nikki, I had my old boy tubed once for 'choke' but the vet insisted on sedating him and painkillers 1st and refused to start before he was sure this had worked, bearing in mind that my old man wasn't moving an inch anyway and you could have set a bomb under his nose he was that distressed with the choke, cannot believe that this ar*sehole vet of yours has done this. I would pen a very strong letter of complaint to the surgery for what he has done for your poor lass even thou he has helped eventually.

[miggy]

What a terrible ordeal for you both i feel so sorry for you , i have my fingers crossed and hope the outcome is a good one

[kofihorse]

Nikki, what an ordeal for both of you. And I can only imagine how distressed you both are at the moment. I really do hope that Sabina is feeling better as the night goes on. Just concentrate on that if you can. Leave the worrying about how she will take the shock of it all to one side just now, I know it's difficult, but one thing at a time maybe is easier to get through - fingers crossed. I can't do much else but send positive thoughts to you both. Hugs.

[+*+*Holly4Horses+*+*]

What a terrible ordeal for you both i feel so sorry for you , i have my fingers crossed and hope the outcome is a good one

[kas]

Ah Nikki, I will send some healing to the lovely Sabina - and you. Try not to worry about after-effects from the stress, she may surprise you and not associate this with the rest of her life.
Like some of the others, I'm sure they can be sedated for tubing... As for hitting her, well, how thick is that? Talk about making a bad situation worse.

[Ann NF]

We had to wait until the morning for Rufus`s first poo after the washouts Nikki. Then he stopped again the next day and needed another washout. It can take a while. Hope you wake up to find a nice pile in the morning. Take care.

[beck]

Oh Nikki what a horrible experience. Don't know what else to say but sending hugs to you and Sabina.