Perplexing Issues with Bo

When I went out to do chores last night, I noticed that Bo's leg was swollen. It's typical of a cut like he has. I'll be hand walking him tonight after I get home from the paying job. I'd also planned on giving him banamine to ease the pain in the huge cut. It's such an unfortunate location where stitches simply won't hold.


The problem is, last night I gave him a pat on his shoulders while he was eating and something didn't seem right. It sounded hollow. So I went around to the other side and patted his shoulder in the same spot. No hollow sound. Back to the right side and pat the shoulder. Hollow sound.


I called the vet this morning and we chatted for a  bit. It's hard to say what it is but I'm guessing its' part of heart failure. The cut on his leg wasn't a puncture wound and if it was, it didn't go into his shoulder, it went down his leg and not into his chest.


Bo is text book heart failure now that I look at him. Distended belly and the weight falls off the top line to see the spine. That's exactly what I've been seeing and dealing with all year. Along with that the labored breathing and that's exactly what Bo has.


But the air pocket in his shoulder is still a stumper. I'm guessing there was some air somewhere else and it just managed to bubble up to his withers. Because it's not causing him pain, we'll treat him with banamine for five days to make sure that it doesn't bother him. He's already on unimprim until Thursday for antibiotics. I may extend those antibiotics to the same time as the end of the banamine and we'll see what comes of it.


I wasn't exactly expecting a couple of huge vet bills but I should know better. It's been awhile and we always seem to get the vet bills around the end of the year.


Bo has been a trial and error experience from the day he stepped into our trailer off the auction. I'm glad that we have him but so worried that I'm not doing enough. I may have cared for horses for just over 20 years but it doesn't seem like my knowledge goes far enough for all that I've had to deal with in Bo.


Bo could really use some good thoughts and well wishes. He's also love visitors that bring him Ramona feed. He's not allowed to have any other type of grain because it would makes his ulcers flare up (yet one more thing to worry about with him).

#GivingTuesday

The following are the faces of the Sanctuary. These are the current residents that call the Sanctuary home. We have had a number of horses come through our doors to call the Sanctuary home and are honored to care for them until their final breath on this earth.


I am so blessed this #GivingTuesday, to have these wonderful horses in our lives. I do not consider running the Sanctuary and caring for these horses a chore. It is my lifetime goal, my passion and I am honored to care for these warriors. They are no longer simply horses, they are family. They are MY family and I hope that they are YOUR family as well.


These pictures posted here are of our Sanctuary horses in their "everyday clothes". You see them as they are day-to-day just as I do. I hope that within these ramblings that you too can consider the Sanctuary horses yours as much as I consider them mine.


If you'd like to donate on this #GivingTuesday, please go to:
https://www.facebook.com/donate/791124067754893/1631701023561315/

Rain

Brego

Zeke

Lace

Bo

Chaos

Junior

Jim

Dude (w/ Lightening photobombing)

Mayhem

Maverick

Skippy

King

Tommy

Bo Update

What a blur the past few days have been. I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy their Thanksgiving. We spent some family quality time Thursday and Friday with my parents. The horses were content with new bales of hay so I know they were just as happy as me.


The weather has been absolutely beautiful the last few days. It's hard to believe that it's the end of November when the temps are in the 50s. After a stressful week at the paying job, it was nice to sit back and enjoy family and watch my kids play. Because it was so nice, we decided to take Saturday to simply relax and play at the park. Little did I know that I would return to an injured horse.


I have no idea how he did it, but Bo sliced his leg open. I have a theory on how. He'd only become injured if someone pushed him or if he felt cornered and he needed to move. I'm guessing that's what happened. But wouldn't you know, it was 5pm on a Saturday night when I discovered his injury. I knew something was wrong when he wasn't standing at the gate whinnying for me. When I saw him, he just stood there. Red flags going off! That's' when I noticed the huge cut on his upper right front leg. Bo masks his pain well so I knew he was  in a lot of pain.


I was able to get him into the barn and was on the phone right away to find out what to do. I was prepared to haul him to the vet but thank goodness for phones and text messages. After sending pictures and video, the vet concluded that the injury could not be stitched and it would have to be treated as an open wound. On the bright side of all of this, there are no flies to worry about.


I  washed out the wound, applied some nitrofurizone, gave him a dose of banamine, and left him in the barn with enough hay to keep him occupied until morning. In the morning, I let him out to wander the yard and he seemed like even though it hurt, he wasn't in as much pain. I couldn't coax him into taking his antibiotic Saturday night but I knew I'd have to get sneaky Sunday night.


I rearranged corral panels and put him into a pen close to the big herd. I don't want him to have to get chased around with an injured leg. He's close enough that he can still see and touch anyone. He wasn't too thrilled with me but I'd let him wander the yard all morning and half the afternoon so I'm sure he thought he should have been out longer.


Bo is a fantastic patient, except for giving him anything orally. Luckily the antibiotic is a powder so I can sneak it into his grain. I think he knows I'm trying to help but I feel bad that in trying to get the cut to heal, that I'm causing pain. I could never be a vet. Vets have stomachs and nerves of steel.


So for the next few days, Bo is going to be in a pen by himself so that he has time enough to recover and I can keep a close eye on his cut. My only fear is that this cut would cause undue stress on his already failing heart.


I thought he was doing ok but I'm not sure. Depending on which angle I look, he looks ok (not good but ok). If I look at him in another angle, he looks tough. He hasn't told me he is ready so I guess I wait. So stressful. Timing is everything and I want to make sure I do right by him. The world has handed him an unfair lot and I want to try to fix that as much as I can. The only problem is, how do I know when to let go? He has not told me he is ready. Even though I see days where he struggles, he hasn't given me the nod to say it's time. So I struggle and I worry every day.


But for now, we'll continue on as we have. He'll be in that pen for awhile until we both deem it ok for him to return to the big herd. I expect it'll be a week minimum before I put him back with the big herd. Oh the joys of horse ownership and care. They always seem to surprise you when you least expect it.

Penny checking Bo out. Bo was enjoying grazing while I set up his temporary pen

Penny supervising Bo eating his grain

Bo - He looks tough but we'll take each day as it comes

How can you resist that face?



Penny and Bo

Thankful Day 26

Thankful Day 26: I am thankful Bo is a fantastic patient and knows I'm trying to help him feel better.

Thankful Day 25

Thankful Day 25: I am thankful the vet is only a phone call and a text away.

Thankful Day 24

Thankful Day 24: I am thankful for time to relax and enjoy family and friends.

Thankful Day 23

Thankful Day 23. I am thankful for so very much. I am thankful for all the supportive people in our lives and in the horses' lives. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful Day 22

Thankful Day 22.

I am thankful for beautiful weather in November.

Thankful Day 21

Need to play catch up.


Day 21.
I am thankful for hay nets even if the horses aren't.

Help Us on Giving Tuesday!

On #GivingTuesday, Facebook and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will be matching up to $2 million of funds raised for US nonprofits through Facebook's charitable giving tools. Donations can be matched up to $50,000 per nonprofit, with a max of $1,000 per fundraiser or donate button, until the $2 million in matching funds run out. The match will begin November 28th at 8AM EST (7AM CST).

Borderlands Horse Sanctuary is participating in this #GivingTuesday event. On Tuesday morning at 7 am, please visit our Facebook page and you will find a Facebook #GivingTuesday Fundraiser with a Donation button. By clicking on this donation button, you can donate any amount using your credit card. The amount you donate to the Sanctuary will be automatically matched by the Gates Foundation. But be sure to donate as early after 7 am CST as possible before the matching funds run out.

Our Facebook page is located at:

https://www.facebook.com/BorderlandsHorseSanctuary/

#MyGivingStory

Check out my entry in the #MyGivingStory contest and then vote for us! Prizes include $10,000 grants to non-profits


http://mygivingstory.givingtuesday.org/fbcontests/profiletab/MyGivingStory/2730803

Thankful Day 20

Day 20: I am thankful for a 120ft hose to get from the barn to the mares' water tank. Beats lugging 5 gallon buckets.

Holiday Shopping Opportunity

The holiday shopping season is upon us! Did you know you can find Borderlands Horse Sanctuary on Amazon Smile? Just add us as your charitable organization on Smile.Amazon.com and a portion of your purchase will be directly donated to our shelter.

https://smile.amazon.com/

A Herd In Motion

Proof that the herd DOES in fact do more than just stand around. They actually DO trot and lope. Of course blogger won't put the pictures in sequential order and I'm too lazy to fix it. But you get the idea. :-)

Thankful Day 19

Day 19. I am thankful for these two handy tools. I won't leave home without them....well at least when I go out to do chores in the winter.

Thankful Day 18

Day 18. I am thankful my procrastination turned into me being ahead of the game. Found my thermal socks in 30 seconds of digging!

Thankful Day 17

Day 17: I am thankful for warm-ish weather. It beats single digit temps and needing to put on three layers of clothes just to do chores. (Sorry pics are all old, need to be on a different computer).