Sunday, March 06, 2011

Lucy's front feet are really starting to worry me.  For about the last week she has really had trouble walking.  The problem with Pedal Osteitis is once they have it, the usual progression is downhill.  Lucy has been here over 7 years & her feet had been neglected for a long time then.  We have never had her x-rayed, but she has been trimmed on a regular basis, & fed a low starch & sugar diet, except for what "snacks" are available on the 30 acres.  

Last fall she ate too many mesquite beans & had a bout of founder, but really recovered pretty quick.  That's when we started putting her in boots, which she seemed to appreciate.  In January both she & Jenny foundered, neither one of them were bad, they just walked slowly & like they were walking on broken glass.  Jenny came out of it quick, & is now walking better than she has for months.

Lucy has continued to get worse, & is now standing with her hind feet parked under her body, to take as much weight off her front feet as possible. She is standing " over " her knees, & when she does move she lunges rather than walk.  I hope this is just a bad time for her, but she has such a long history of bad feet & poor hoof wall, I'm afraid she doesn't have enough working bone & lamina left in her feet to let her be comfortable.  We will do whatever is available to help her as long as she has a chance for quality of life.  But we will not let her suffer.  She is Buster's security blanket, and I don't even want to think how he will react without his Lucy girl, if that is what happens.. 

2 comments:

susan said...

So sorry to hear about Lucy. I know you won't let her suffer - it must be awful to feel pain with every step.

Whatever happens, she had years of love and safety with you & John and her longeared buddies.

Tish said...

It's hard to have to realize sometimes there is no more. We will try everything & as long as she is perky & demanding like she is so far, we'll work with her.