Miss Daisy has been going downhill since Thursday, when she was 3 legged lame in the morning. Today has been very sad and frustrating. For one thing it is the week-end, so we have no vet service. Diane her owner came this morning and stayed all day, while we tried to figure out a way to help her. She laid down a couple of times and managed to get up, but for most of the afternoon she just walked around acting like she wanted to lay down, but was afraid to. At feeding time while I was feeding Diane called she needed help. I ran to the pen and Miss Daisy was up against the wall of the shelter, on her knees with her rear legs still up in the air and couldn't get up. I ran to get ropes and by putting a rope around her off back leg and pulling it out from under her, we managed to get her on the ground. Unfortunately she was very close to the wall and in fact her back was up against it.
Diane and I tried moving her and did manage to get her away from the wall, but not in a position to be able to roll her over or anything. So I called a couple of the neighbor's and they came right over and got her out farther in the pen, more in the open. She is laying out flat which is difficult for an equine to lay like that for any length of time. Their bodies aren't made for being on the ground for hours.
I talked to John, he is in Tucson and he suggested calling another friend here in the valley that knows how to work with large animals, to come help get a bale of hay behind her, so she can sit up on her breastbone. They can lay like that for a lot longer than laying down flat.
We did get the blood results back. She is Cushings, high glucose, certainly Insulin Resistant although we haven't got that test back. None of that explains why she couldn't walk on one of her legs for the last 3 days.
We did get the blood results back. She is Cushings, high glucose, certainly Insulin Resistant although we haven't got that test back. None of that explains why she couldn't walk on one of her legs for the last 3 days.
Even Diane is talking about letting her go. It is heart breaking to see her in this condition, but it's about time to think of what is best for her. I wish tomorrow was Monday.
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I called Joe a good friend that works at the Oasis Exotic Bird Sanctuary up the road from us to come down and help me get her up on her breastbone, by putting a bale of hay behind her. He has a lot of experience working with large animals. Unfortunately when Joe got here she had died. I assume from laying flat too long. She was very stressed from staying on her feet all day, and having to be pulled around. so all that messing with her was just too much and probably cause the fluid to build up quicker than it normally would.
Every loss takes a little bit of my heart with them, no matter if they have been here for days or weeks.
6 comments:
I am glad she has found peace at least, but very sorry for the loss. It never gets easier.
God Bless you Tish and John.
When this happens and I've been so involved, once it's over, I really play, "what if", did I do this right, or wrong? If we had did this, would it made a difference? Did we do too much or too little? When it's all said and done, we do what we can and what we think will help. Sometimes it just doesn't work out unfortunately.
You did your best, no one or animal can asks for more but it still hurts. I know how the what Ifs are like and you have to know you do your best for each one you care for.I am so sorry for having to deal with another hurt so soon.
Once again, my heart goes out to you. No words...
Thanks for the thoughts, just wish it was different.
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