Dakota Illness Update 4/10/09

[Bo B Bunny]

We aren't sure what is wrong but Kota has a sinus thing going on. Horses don't normally get snotty noses...... and I am terrified it's a disease called Strangles.. they actually get pus pockets/abcesses that burst in their head and neck. He's had his shots for it but they are not 100% effective and he's in a barn of racers and studs.... a high risk situationfor this (I didn't know that before).....

Anyhow, he's eating and all but I'm worried sick.... :cry2

If it is strangles, he can't have antibiotics cause it makes bast**d abcesses all over the body.... (that's what they are actually called)..... and it can be deadly.

We have to let it run its course...... we can't bring him home until we know for sure..... the vet is aware and keeping tabs.... he might need some tests..... I've been driving about 30 min across the county one way to get to him and check him at least once and sometimes twice a day. The stable manager is really good and watching him but he's my boy..... :cry1:

 

[undergunfire]

When I went to visit a vet's office for my equine class, I saw a horse there with something called "pigeons disease" or something like that....and it was puss pockets. The horse was very sick. Is Strangles and the "pigeons" thing the same thing?

I am very sorry . I do hope he gets better. I thought your horses lived with you, for some reason.

 

[Elf Mommy]

Oh NO!!! He will definitely be in my thoughts. Can you share some photos of him with us in this thread?

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Oh, wow, Amy that's a similar thing but it attacks their chest if I am right. Still, it's puss pockets...... it's also called False Strangles or Dryland Strangles...... It's caused by a different bacteria. Strangles is a strep virus from what I do know.

Yes, my horses normally live across the road from me in my SIL's barn. Kota is at a barn being ridden for us...... he needed some training and this guy is just WONDERFUL with horses. Kota was afraid of loading in a trailer.... that's how I got hurt - loading him to go to this guy. Then, we went over to take him to the fairgrounds and he hesitated and didn't want to go in....... fussed, and froze at the door to the trailer........

Five minutes later (I AM NOT JOKING!) he was walking into the trailer on his own.... I don't know how this guy does it..... honestly I watched and I saw nothing out of the ordinary, but amazingly the horses react to him. Everyone who has had a horse with him calls him "The Horse Whisperer".... it's awesome!

These aren't the best pics...... he tends to move whenever I try to get his picture LOL!

 

[slavetoabunny]

How's Dakota doing today? I'll be keeping him in my thoughts.

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

hope he is getting better, we will be thinking of him. He is beautiful

 

[tonyshuman]

He is such a beautiful horse. I hope he gets better soon.

 

[naturestee]

ray:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Thanks everyone :hug:

I didn't get to go see him today since we were gone from 8 a.m. to 11 pm.... we had a thing in Indianapolis we spent the day at - Hoosier Horse Fair and Expo. Lexi has waited all year for it (we go each year and she can't wait from one to the other) because Stacey Westfall was there..... we got to actually meet her and talk to her a couple of times.. Lexi learned some cool things from her clinic also.......

However, we did see our trainer guy and his wife today at the HHFE. I asked how Kota was and he said "he was alive this morning....." his normal comment for any of them! and then he added "His feed tub was completely empty" which is a good thing. He's a man of few words... but I didn't want to push the whole snotty nose issue since we were all eating lunch together..... I know that if he was really bad, the vet would be called in an instant......

We'll go see him tomorrow morning..... and pray that it's no worse.

I've read some things and apparently it could be equine flu.... which isn't nearly as bad. He's been vaccinated for that as well..... but again it's not 100% effective.

Thank you all again..... I'll let you know tomorrow what we find out.

ETA: If you've never seen Stacey- check this out..... she rides with no bridle or saddle and she does reining (really fast movements/stops/slides/spins).... she's awesome!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-7v8Ck1crg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-7v8Ck1crg[/ame]

 

[Saffy]

He's utterly gorgeous !

 

[kherrmann3]

I am sorry to hear that Kota isn't doing well (or at least has a snotty nose). I don't know much about horses, so I don't have any helpful words for you. Well, aside from wishing your handsome, chestnut boy gets better soon!

:clover:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Thanks everyone! I think we're going to go over and check on him in just awhile.

Kota is such a character at times..... he's the one that will come up and hug you but if he's sleepy and you rub his face or scratch his mane..... he'll fall asleep with you TRYING to hold his head.... horse heads are VERY heavy LOL!

 

[kherrmann3]

I was reading back over what you said about the trainer, and the first thought that popped into my head was "horse whisperer". I saw that people call them that already, but a lot of people don't believe that they exist. Personally, I do. I bet you were trying to tug your hair out trying to teach Kota that it was OK to go into the trailer! The "horse whisperer" did it in minutes! They make everything look so easy!

 

[firebird96ta]

Sending good thoughts to Kota. He's a handsome boy!

Snotty noses aren't that uncommon, depending on the amount of discharge. If it's a light amount and he's behaving/eating normally, it might not be anything to worry about (but us good horse mom's worry anyway, lol). Good on you for talking to the vet. Did you happen to switch hay recently? My boys get snotty when we get a load of hay that isn't as good or has a larger amount of timothy. Dust content, and all that.

Can I ask about your trainer? I might be looking for someone to put a refresher course on an App and a Belgian, and I'm only a couple hours from Indy. Feel free to email me so we don't clutter the thread

 

[Bo B Bunny]

He DOES! and we ran into the girl who introduced me to him at the horse fair yesterday and I said "GUESS where Kota is!!??" and she said "DON'S?!?!"

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Improvement! Kota ate all of his breakfast, was nibbling on hay and took a couple of treats when we got to the barn. No swelling so it's likely not strangles.... probably just a cold/sinus infection. He is shedding like a fool and we brushed him out, took him outside and messed around with him, then let him graze for a bit on the grass. His nose was a little snotty but nothing like it was the other day. He enjoyed the sunshine, warm tempsand attention......

It's supposed to get cold and snow this week. I hope it doesn't make him sick again!

I'll post some pictures later.

 

[Leaf]

I'm glad to hear theres some improvement!

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Thanks! The dog is doing great BTW..... she loves those treat things!

We went back to the Horse Fair tonight and watched hubby's cuz again in the second half of the Ranch Rodeo contest. It is fun! The first half was last night..... I'm exhausted......

Tomorrow we have to clean stalls, clean house, and go see Kota again.....

 

[myheart]

It is so good to hear that Kota is feeling better. Maybe he just missed you, and thought that if he looked a bit sick, he would get to see you more often... Such a smart little guy...

myheart

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Or Maybe he thought he'd get some of his nummy Apple treats LOL!

Lexi got this photo yesterday I think it was..... he's feeling better but still looks kinda rough. He was watching the babies outside... he loves those babies!