Tonto vet history

The note I gave to the vet for Tonto's medical history
 

Summary

• about 20 years old
• up to date on tetanus, not on flu
• retired since 2013
• history of back pain, believed to be  muscular but not fully investigated
• has arthritis in hocks
• ringbone in front feet
• history of being a good dooer but struggling keeping weight on in recent years
• often has thrush infections in feet
• has had unusually mucky sheath of late which he has found uncomfortable
• suspected of Cushing’s but tested negative on tests
• has some behavioural issues – needle phobic (I have aural sedation to hand for visit)
• seems to have a very high threshold for pain
• condition is on the decline and debating PTS due to reduced quality of life
• owner wants to rule out all possibility of improving quality of life before deciding on PTS 

Summer 2011

Diagnosed with chronic ringbone effecting joint margins on both front feet in 2011. Was continued in light ridden work and prescribed bute as needed. Shoes were removed.

Autumn 2010 photo - the day I saw he was lame

Summer 2013

 

By 2013 Tonto was showing indications of increased pain. Some difficulty holding up right for when picking out feet and had a ‘goat-on-rock’ stance when saddle was presented to him, his back was also sore. Tried putting shoes back on, but didn’t help. We re-Xrayed and confirmed significant degeneration with damage surrounding the ligament connective tissue in front feet and arthritis in both hocks. October 2013 fully retired to field livery and on bute during winter months. Shoes removed.

 

Autumn 2014

 

2014 blood test for Cushing’s. Came back with normal result.

Summer 2015

Summer 2015 living out on lush grass field but not gaining weight the way he used to (now a healthy weight). Had some episodes of choke with his feed.

 

Autumn 2015

October 2015 started to loose weight despite good grazing, was seen separating himself from the rest of the herd, noted he seemed uncomfortable behind and had repeated episode of choke despite having wet feed. Teeth were investigated and rasped, on inspection there were some sharp edges, but nothing very significant. Tonto continued to loose condition and developed a mite infestation in his feathers. Saliva test revealed he had tape worm. Had a bit of a runny nose on and off. Bloods were taken which revealed slightly elevated white blood cell count but no other significant markers. Cushing’s re-tested with cortisone levels slightly higher than normal values but below threshold.

 Winter 2015/6

December 2015, was not coping with mud, with regular trips and falls in difficult footing so put on stable livery. He put on weight but appeared withdrawn on occasion. He started a course of catrophen to see if this could ease symptoms. A slight improvement was seen – but this realistically could have been optimism on the owners part.

February 2016, moved to a dry flat field to try and help mobility and living out. He was given an unlimited supply of hay and a daily feed and was taken off bute. Lost a little condition but not too much, occasionally seen standing with head lowered and withdrawn – but difficult to observe as field was remote.

Spring 2016

April 2016, moved to field livery at westlands. Re-tested for Cushing’s, again borderline but negative. Given a booster shot of catrophen. Continued to struggle with mobility but fairly happy in himself. Weight was healthy – but needed daily feeds to achieve this (always thinner than the other horses on similar grazing).

 

Summer 2016

June 2016, was seen weight shifting on back legs. Vet called to find he had fly strike in his sheath. This was treated but he still seemed uncomfortable behind. Seemed better after a night on box rest with limited socked hay. Pulses felt by farrier, but not by vet. Tested again for cushions, with a borderline negative result. Decided probably not lamanitic and so injected hocks with steroids (with a conservative dose for safely). When injecting vet noted there was very little space left in the joint margin (by feel). Some immediate improvement seen but not long lasting. Other bloods ran, no significant markers barring a slightly elevated white blood cell count. Weight healthy – but needing daily feeds to achieve this.

 

July – August 2016 continued issues with mucky sheath and having to work hard to keep weight on (feeds daily). Some weight shifting seen on and off behind.

Autumn 2016

September 2016 lost more condition – with some further muscle wastage and tucked up behind. Seemed depressed. Moved to rich grazing and extra fatty feed but no improvement. October 2016 moved to stable livery.

 

Ups and Downs

Operation get Tonto happy has been having highs and lows.

Two days after bringing them into the pony palace Tonto had a blip. He had been turned out in the drizzle without a rug and came in withdrawn, shaking and not eating. I only picked up the panicked calls from the yard at 10pm due to a work commitment. By the time I got down the next day he was brighter. I suspect the damp and cold of the previous day had made him uncomfortable. I was relieved he was feeling better - but it is a clear warning sign that he is very unwell. I decided to call the vet and up his bute to 2 per day.

The vet came out the following Monday - we got Pete out from Liphook who specialises in oldies. Fearing the worst I forewarned work, got my father to come along for moral support and wrote out Tonto's full medical history - I might post it here for the record. Just as I was explaining to the vet that I think it might be time for a difficult decision Tonto rallied. He buggered off during the 'trot up' dragging me into a parked car in his quest to get back to Sofie. The vet concluded that he still had fight in him, and with his case history it would be worth trying him on cushings meds as he has so many cushings symptoms.

Since then Tonto seems to be having more up days than down. We are starting a gentle introduction to try to avoid the 'paroglide veil' which is a common side effect of the meds. He still seems occasionally lethargic and a bit fussy on food - though has taken more of an interest in hay of late. I think he is putting on weight, and can now raise his front right foot - which is something he was struggling with last week.

He is still on two bute - it is hard to tell if improvement is due to new meds, or pain killers, or the extra TLC he is getting. If he continues to brighten we will try to reduce the bute to see if there is improvement without these.

I am desperately trying not to get my hopes up of a partial recovery, but it is hard to resist dreams of him making a miraculous recovery like some cushings horses have and even riding him again. But these are dreams, which are ignoring his history of arthritis chances are he will get a little better - but still be an ill horse. Probably just well enough to avoid pts, but not well enough to live out - making me entirely stressed and broke for the foresable future.

Pampered pony palace

So operation 'make Tonto as happy as possible' has started.

Step one: put Tonto and Sofie in the lushest field we could find. Sofie was ecstatic - she will be less so this morning when she realizes she will be muzzled from now on.

Step two: the pony palace. The yard went all out for me and they both had brand spanking new rubber matting and beds. The stables face opposite each other so they can see one another. Literally couldn't be a better set up.

I went to bring the pampered duo in. Tonto certainly seemed livelier, he was trotting up and down the fence line with Sof. I briefly tied up Sof up in the yard to groom leaving Tonto to potter about and investigate things whilst loose - but Sofies itches were back and she was destroying her neck on the tie rail so decided it was best to go straight to the palace.

Sof lead the way and marched nicely into her stable. Sof historically isn't a stable fan, so I decided to soften the blow by putting a foraging block in there to keep her occupied. This is meant to last a week or so, but she was so enthusiastic I don't think it will survive the night!

Tonto followed gaimfully behind - the other livery were marveling at him strolling after us loose obediently. When we got to the stables he was a little confused, so I ushered him into his box to investigate it. After a bit of sniffing he seemed quite happy. Even had a little bum scratch on the back wall. Other liveries came over to say hi - Tonto obviously found all the excitement a bit challenging, but it was happy energy not negative. I decided to let him chill whilst still hearing my voice by chatting to others a few boxes down. When I returned Tonto was bright eyed and bushy tailed looking out of his box, and Sofie had fallen into a food comor in her. Happy little ponies.

After an hour or so I gave Tonto his dinner and left. Fingers crossed they continue to be happy little horses, and Sof behaves herself on the way back to the field this morning.

Tonto's keeper

Since my honeymoon Sof and Tonto have been in separate fields. This has worked beautifully for Sofie – she has slimmed down to a healthy weight and is happy in a field with her mate Jessie and new bf. Her feet are looking much better and her mane is growing back.

Skinny Tonto having a cleantrax bath - stood like this for an
hour and a half

Unfortunately Tonto has been miserable. He is pinning for sof and is loosing more and more weight. He looks very lame and thin and is just soo sad. I tried leaving him out in the field for a fortnight to get him used to being away from Sofie – but he would forlornly whinny as I walked away leaving him at the gate and I could hear him calling for Sof from the distance. I cracked last weekend and brought him in. He was so delighted to come into the yard and see Sof but it also gave me a good chance to assess his awful condition. He is ribby, his back end is entirely withered and tucked in. His coat is dull and his eyes are sad. Just breaks my heart. I gave him a long cleantrax foot spar as his feet were black with thrush and a good cuddle. He was nuzzling me and falling asleep with his face in my chest, but wasn’t interested in hay and did just seem tired. He is in pain, and it just isn’t fair anymore. I asked him if had had enough, I got the feeling his answer was yes.

When I went to put them back out again he first marched us off into the field of green grass rather than follow the track to his field. I decided to humour him and grazed sof with him. When I went to continue to the field he refused to follow and just stood calling to us. He couldn’t have made it any clearer – I want to stay here with you.

I couldn’t bring myself to force him back to his field, not when he so unwell and the terrible decision seems to be looming near. Tonto is unlikely to make this winter, so lets make his last months as good as they possibly can be. Sod the cost.

The only way I could see of getting him the TLC he needs and keeping him with Sof that he loves without ruining Sofie’s health is to put them BOTH on stable livery. It will cost me a fortune, but for Tonto I’ll do it.

In November Liphook are coming to do a health check. I am going to ask them to look at Tonto with the view of – is there anything that can be done to improve his quality of life. If the answer is no, which I expect it will be, then I plan on letting Tonto out of his pain.

Funny how things work out, turns out Sofie’s ligament damage has come at just the right time. It has allowed her to be a comfort to Tonto and me when we need it most.

The soap opera world of feild dymanics

At the end of August I married my long-suffering horse-widowed partner. Given the circumstances I felt for once I should forsake the ponies and go away with him on honeymoon.

I have to be honest, I felt some level of trepidation leaving the horses for so long. Tonto continues to be a skinny bean and Sof is obese, so I had to split them or face one very fat or thin horse on return.

As luck would have it 'diet camp' has been set up in the neighbouring field to Tonto, and now that Jessie was in the mix I thought it was high time to separate Sof into diet camp. I was hoping it would not be too traumatic for T as he could still chat to her over the fence and had Jessie to occupy him.

Alas, all good plans go tits up. First problem is that diet camp was occupied by a particularly randy ginger pony who took a shine to Sofie. This very much got up Mr T's nose and he spends most of his days stuck on the fence line brooding over their new romance (I don't think Sof is really that interested in ginger Casanova - I think she is just using him for his body). Secondly, whilst I was away Jessy was also moved out as she was getting too tubby. This upset Tonto further. Finally the long grass field they were meant to move to whilst I was away never happened. Net result is that I had a very skinny and upset Tonto on my hands when I returned :(.

First things first I demanded T's field move to the long grass. Mission accomplished. The new field had three young geldings in there - but they are too young and timed for T to see them as a threat to his harem so they have all mixed nicely together. Unfortunately, despite the long grass, unrivalled assess to the remaining mares, Tonto is still pinning for Sofie. He desperately wants to come in, and resits being turned out again. Also, the yard seem to be having some trouble feeding him his meds. He is the only one being fed in the field, and the others mug the staff to get to his bucket. They tried taking him out to feed - but then he resisted going back in afterwards and reared at them. Understandably they are not happy about the situation. I haven't been having an issue, and I think Tonto is slowly settling so I am hopping that it will all calm down soon and I won't have to move him again. I am not sure he would cope with another field group change.

Sofie equally seems unhappy with her Casanova. She misses the girls, particularly Jessie and I often see her looking wistfully over the fence at Jessie's field. As Jess is on a low grazed field, with a only a small field a day I figured it wouldn't do any harm to move sof to where Jessie is. Might as well have at least one happy horse.

Oh pony dramas.

The crew cut

Unfortunately the dreaded sweet itch has struck again.

I am desperate for Sofie to have lovely long blond locks but it looks like this year it is not to be :(

After she had rubbed out 3/4 of her main I felt it was time to give up and start again. So disappointing after growing it for so long - but better to cut it now and give it the winter to grow back, then continue with a half and half scraggily mane. It also means I can get to the sweet itch to treat it.

The only ray of sunshine is that I have found an excellent product - netex itch stop - that seems to have quieted it all down. Fingers crossed with a rugless winter and netex next spring we will have the long main back for 2017.

New friends

It has been a bit of a battle balancing Tonto's need for constant feeding and Sofie's need for a diet. Whilst I don't want to split them up because Tonto adores Sof, in the long term I think I will have to.

I don't really know why T adores Sof the way he does. Sofie is a terrible gf. She steals his food, bosses him around, flirts with all the other horses in front of him, is physically abusive and never puts out!

I suspect she isn't that keen on Tonto, and just tolerates him. I think Tonto might be the horse equivalent of Albert Steptoe. Sofie seems to be desperate for someone else to talk to after months of isolation with T the dirty old man. In any case Sof has had 4 months of 'quite' turn out, so it is probably safe to allow her a few more friends.

So the plan is to put Tonto and Sofie back out with the mares. Hope Tonto develops a crush on a new unsuspecting mare and then move Sofie over to 'diet camp' next door.

As I lead them to their new field, I had to walk through a field with a horse Jessie, who used to be stabled at Tonto and Sofies old yard. She immediately recognised them, and when I opened the gate to let my two through, Jessie insisted on going with them. She charged through after them and I could not catch her to get her back out. That was that then, horses had decided, Jessie was joining T and Sofie in the ladies field.

Sofie is delighted, she has a new BBF in Jessie and follows her round the field like a puppy.

Tonto is delighted - he has a harem! (He doesn't seem to notice that all of his harem try to avoid him). He thinks he is the bees knees and has been prancing about the yard whinnying and pouring at all the other geldings to prove how much of a 'man' he is.

Currently there is a bit of a school disco situation going on. Where the three original mares don't want to talk to our trio. The two group stand at opposite ends of the field and seem to blank each other when they walk past. I am hoping that in time they will merge together more.

Unfortunately Tonto still thinks Sofie is the best thing since sliced bread... so no fat camp just yet. In a way I feel bad to take her out because Sof is so happy with Jessie. In the mean time, muzzle is back on.