stay STRONG CARMEN!
SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2017
This post is breaking my heart to write...
After all we have done and continue to do for Carmen, she is still not improving. These past couple of months have been insane, hence why our updates haven't been as regular. However, this does not mean we have not been doing anything. Most of this is a waiting game... All through June & July we had our vet here. Carmen's nasal discharge was not going away, so we had nasal x-rays taken to check her sinus cavity & mouth (since we had her teeth floated shortly after she came to us). She had been on SMZ - it goes away & comes back...no change in discharge. She had been on stronger antibiotics and the same thing occurs. It goes away and then it comes back. We have not been able to move forward with extracting Carmen's tooth because she is still not stable enough according to our vet. She is concerned that if we extract this tooth with her insulin levels still being so high that we could shock her system and lose her... So we moved forward with flushing her sinus. This consisted of our vet having to drill a hole in to the sinus cavity and then flushing her sinus weekly. We were hoping that it would buy us some time and we would be able to get her insulin levels down to a number that would allow us to extract her tooth.
Carmen's diet consists of Sentinel LS as grain with flax seed, hoof supplement (to help with her feet), organic apple cider vinegar with mother, plain beet pulp - NO MOLASSES, Rx: Prascend (recommended dosage for her Cushing's), and soaked hay (to draw out sugars). Not to mention fresh water. Carmen's water buckets easily get dirty with her soaked hay, soaked feed, runny nose, etc. To promote drinking we ensure her water is checked multiple times a day and occasionally dumped and refilled multiple times a day, but at the very least both buckets are dumped and cleaned daily.
Carmen's hoof angle and growth are closely monitored. She needs trims more regularly to ensure that we bring her toe back slowly, so that we do not cause more discomfort. After taking new radiographs (x-rays) of both front hooves last week, we received more bad news. Carmen's coffin bone is not receding back to normal position and her right coffin bone is still slightly rotated. Our biggest fear is Carmen's coffin bone coming through her sole since there has been no change with her frequent trims. Our vet recommended our farrier, who specializing in laminitis, put special shoes on Carmen now that she has some solid hoof wall built up and plan a new regimen for her hoof care. She will be receiving special shoes on ALL FOUR hooves this coming week!
After all we have done and continue to do for Carmen, she is still not improving. These past couple of months have been insane, hence why our updates haven't been as regular. However, this does not mean we have not been doing anything. Most of this is a waiting game... All through June & July we had our vet here. Carmen's nasal discharge was not going away, so we had nasal x-rays taken to check her sinus cavity & mouth (since we had her teeth floated shortly after she came to us). She had been on SMZ - it goes away & comes back...no change in discharge. She had been on stronger antibiotics and the same thing occurs. It goes away and then it comes back. We have not been able to move forward with extracting Carmen's tooth because she is still not stable enough according to our vet. She is concerned that if we extract this tooth with her insulin levels still being so high that we could shock her system and lose her... So we moved forward with flushing her sinus. This consisted of our vet having to drill a hole in to the sinus cavity and then flushing her sinus weekly. We were hoping that it would buy us some time and we would be able to get her insulin levels down to a number that would allow us to extract her tooth.
Carmen's diet consists of Sentinel LS as grain with flax seed, hoof supplement (to help with her feet), organic apple cider vinegar with mother, plain beet pulp - NO MOLASSES, Rx: Prascend (recommended dosage for her Cushing's), and soaked hay (to draw out sugars). Not to mention fresh water. Carmen's water buckets easily get dirty with her soaked hay, soaked feed, runny nose, etc. To promote drinking we ensure her water is checked multiple times a day and occasionally dumped and refilled multiple times a day, but at the very least both buckets are dumped and cleaned daily.
Carmen's hoof angle and growth are closely monitored. She needs trims more regularly to ensure that we bring her toe back slowly, so that we do not cause more discomfort. After taking new radiographs (x-rays) of both front hooves last week, we received more bad news. Carmen's coffin bone is not receding back to normal position and her right coffin bone is still slightly rotated. Our biggest fear is Carmen's coffin bone coming through her sole since there has been no change with her frequent trims. Our vet recommended our farrier, who specializing in laminitis, put special shoes on Carmen now that she has some solid hoof wall built up and plan a new regimen for her hoof care. She will be receiving special shoes on ALL FOUR hooves this coming week!
UPDATE!
SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2017
Carmen blew two more abscesses last night in both of her back feet...
As if we hadn't gotten enough bad news on Carmen, our vet just contacted us with MORE...
We received some of Carmen's bloodwork back... HER CUSHING LEVELS HAVE DOUBLED.
Now, we expected them to be a little high with the season and the stress, but not doubled. We are still awaiting her insulin level results to come back, but our vet is concerned with how much more this mare can take.
Please, Carmen... stay STRONG... WE LOVE YOU... AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!!!
As if we hadn't gotten enough bad news on Carmen, our vet just contacted us with MORE...
We received some of Carmen's bloodwork back... HER CUSHING LEVELS HAVE DOUBLED.
Now, we expected them to be a little high with the season and the stress, but not doubled. We are still awaiting her insulin level results to come back, but our vet is concerned with how much more this mare can take.
Please, Carmen... stay STRONG... WE LOVE YOU... AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!!!
ANOTHER UPDATE!!
SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2017
Carmen's insulin levels came back normal - THANK GOD FOR SOME GOOD NEWS!!!
Her Rx: Prascend (Cushing's medication) has also been increased to hopefully bring her Cushing's levels down
To everyone who has been following her story - thank you for all of your prayers & comforting words. We will continue to fight for this wonderful girl!!!
Her Rx: Prascend (Cushing's medication) has also been increased to hopefully bring her Cushing's levels down
To everyone who has been following her story - thank you for all of your prayers & comforting words. We will continue to fight for this wonderful girl!!!
Carmen - standing patiently WITHOUT sedation for x-rays to be taken of sinus & teeth
Our vet had to drill into sinus cavity & leave open for weekly sinus flushing... look at her KIND EYE! Even through her pain she is the sweetest horse!
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