Assorted Updates

Ben is doing very well now that he has gotten used to his Cushing's medication.  The dragon still occasionally peeks out, but it is rare and he is feeling very good.  Feeling good enough to lead a minor escape this morning when he found a bit of fence knocked down by deer.  They only made it out into the back pasture, which has been closed for months, but they certainly thought they were getting away with something.  I left them all to their little bit of larceny because they couldn't get in real trouble and we all need a little fun now and then.

The vet is scheduled to come out on Thursday to draw Ben's blood for a new ACTH test so we will see if his meds need any adjustment.  He is currently on 1/2 a tablet of Prascend per day and I am hoping that he will not need a higher dose.

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Emma has completely healed up from her Caslick's procedure and it seems to be helping.  She has stopped trying to rub on the gate all the time and she just seems happier.  This used to be a daily occurance...

I can't blame her, having hay chaff in unmentionable places would make me grumpy as hell too.

Emma barley spoke to me for several weeks after the procedure, but after three weeks I removed all the stitches and she finally relented and grudgingly forgave me.  She has kindly allowed me to provide neck scratches and ear rubs once again.  

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Tessa is doing great down at Riding Buddy's.  She and Hawkeye are fast friends and RB is happy to have her around.  Tessa had managed to lose a few pounds when she first went down to RB's, but now that she is more relaxed and not so worried that Hawkeye will get too far away from her, she has gained it all back.  She managed that on a limited amount of low-sugar, late-cut grass hay fed out of slow feed nets.  She is still an honorary donkey in that regard - all she has to do to gain weight is daydream about food.  

Not that I can cast any stones in that direction.  

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Hawkeye is also doing well on his Cushing's medication.  His latest blood test showed levels in the normal range and it is clear that he feels better than he has in a long time.  His feet are also doing better, which is the clearest indication that the medicine is helping him.  He is barefoot this winter for the first time in several years.  He has not been able to stay sound without shoes for quite some time so I am very pleased that he can do without for a while.

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I haven't posted anything about Ramsey's foot for quite some time because (knock wood) there hasn't been anything to post.  

(Please send up whatever prayer you'd like that I did not just jinx myself by typing that out loud!!!)

I trimmed everybody's feet this afternoon and they all look good.  Ramsey has finally accepted that Ben is a part of the herd and I actually saw them tentatively playing together a while ago.  I would not go so far as to call them great buddies, but maybe it will happen.  Someday.  If we all live long enough.

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Rosie is the one horse I am working on right now that I am truly worried about. I haven't written much about her, but she belongs to a friend and she foundered a few months ago.  She had been doing really well and I thought we were on the way to a full recovery when she foundered again last week.  

The real trouble with Rosie is that neither the vet nor I can figure out WHY she has foundered.  She is not overweight, she is on a diet of late-cut, grass hay.  She did not break into the feed room or get into anything she shouldn't.  There is no sign of infection, fever or illness.  She lives with another horse and a donkey, who are both in great shape.  

Rosie is a puzzle.

We had her tested for Cushing's and the vet and I were both very surprised when it, and all her other blood work came back normal.  Rosie is also going to be seeing the vet this week and maybe we will know more afterward.  In the meantime, she can use any good vibes you can send her way.  

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Farm Buddy may have some big, exciting news to share, but I told her she had to write the blog post.  I suggest you all nag her unmercifully.  

For now, all I can give you is a little hint....