This was Jenny big girl this morning while her foot was soaking. Ears up & willing to chase me down for a treat. It is so difficult to think that unless we can figure out something to help her, Wednesday will probably be her last day. She is in excellent health, only 12 years old & still goes out with the others. But she just has one good foot left & unless there is a light at the end of the tunnel for her, I see no reason to continue to torture her. She does not enjoy being soaked & wrapped & all that goes with it, even with treats in the offering. If this is going to be her life, I think it might be time to let her go. There isn't a more stubborn person on the planet than I am, when it comes to my animals, & I'm am more than willing to fight the good fight. But not at the cost of her not having quality life.
Ruthie is still hanging onto her little one.
I'm not sure how it is positioned, this morning she had more bulging on the right side. Lysa thought she saw it moving, but I didn't see it.
Right now Boaz's knee is acting like it might actually heal over. We've been working on it almost a year.
January 2012
1st debridement
2nd debridement
December 2012
I don't know if it will actually completely heal, but it is certainly headed in the right direction. It will always be a scar, hopefully with enough elasticity to not crack open because of being on the knee. It doesn't seem to bother him at all, certainly doesn't slow him down. Most donkeys prefer to "mozy" along, Boaz doesn't mind running with or without a reason.
4 comments:
Tish & John,
No one struggles more than you on behalf of sick and injured and elderly donkeys, but sometimes ending suffering is the kindest thing we can do for them, whatever their age. I know you will do what is best for her. Hugs and try to have a good Christmas.
I wish these experiences didn't have to be educational on my part. Even now I can think of many things that might have worked better for Jenny, if only either I or the vets would have thought of it.
I am so sorry to hear about Jenny, I don't know if you follow my blog, but my little Ramsey had to have a portion of his coffin bone derided and a lateral hoof wall resection done. He is doing well, but I know if his foot looked like Jenny's, I would be thinking about putting him down as well. I don't know if any of this can help at this point, but the way I have been treating his foot seems much different than Jenny's treatment. I have been using a product called Equisilver to treat his foot. I keep the hoof bandaged at all times with breathable bandaging material. The vets at Cornell were adamant that his foot had to stay completely dry, they said never, ever soak it. I have no idea if any of this would help Jenny, but it might be worth trying. The Equisilver is not expensive, it's about $35 for a bottle that will last a couple of months. The bandaging material has been the most expensive items. Also, I know you are on the other side of the country, but I think you could have the vets at Cornell consult on the situation. You can send all of her records and X-rays via email and get a second opinion. They have been very good to work with and I have been very impressed with their dedication and skill. They treated my little donkey like royalty. Just in case you want it, their number is 607-253-3100. I think they are closed except for emergencies until after the new year, but are generally good about responding to such calls.
Whatever you decide, I know it will be the right decision. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, there is just no winning. Quality of life is what really matters. Boaz's knee looks so much better at least. Well done.
Merry Christmas and good luck.
I've used silver nitrate on Boaz's knee & really was happy with the results. I'll always wonder if something like that would have helped Jenny. When she came home from the clinic, she wasn't even on antibiotics, & did very well until this abscess blew above the resection. After that everything has been reactive rather than proactive, unfortunately. I'm so glad Ramsey is doing well, give him a hug. I would imagine that was Elasticon tape you were using on him.
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