Shiver Me Timbers

Vet Visit in the Rain

It turned colder, windier, and decidedly wetter last night. I'd put the Boy's sheets in the washer and they were not dry yet, so I had to resort to some other option--somewhat raggedly rain sheets out of my collection of abused horse clothing.

Fortunately I managed to find three suitable ones, taped in places with duct tape, but largely in one piece.

Good thing. By morning it was utterly miserable out there.

Now, just to make you all envious, my vet appointment was for 10:15 AM.  At almost exactly 10:15 AM the vet truck was pulled up to the barn and Dr. McAndrews started getting out here equipment.

In short order, we began working on the horses. Chance was first up, dosed with tranquilizer for his teeth floating, and vaccinated for flu and rabies. We drew a Coggins on him as well, and rigged him up for his floating. He was an exceedingly good boy and just needed a basic float with no specific issues. Dr. McAndrews finished up by cleaning his sheath and then giving him a strangles vaccine in his nose.

Tucker was next. For all the basics, he was a star, but for the floating, he did try a few annoying head bobs when she examined him . Strangely enough, when she started the actual floating--she uses an electric grinder, he was quite settled and almost seemed to enjoy it. He does have a cracked tooth, but it doesn't need any special treatment right now. He needed some hooks filed off in the back and his front incisors are strangely more worn on the right than the left, so she evened them up a bit. Once again, sheath and strangles vaccine and he was done.

Same procedure of Toby who was, as usual a perfect gentleman. He did not need a full float as his teeth were in really good shape--except for the front incisors which are worn down from all his cribbing.

We took a blood test for Toby's Cushings and poo samples for worming. Chance was rather naughty about that as he'd not dropped any manure in his stall, so Dr. McAndrews had to extract some. Chance took exception to the procedure and had to have a chain over his gums to settle him down. He gets scared of things and then tries to barge over whoever is handling him--in this case me. I suspect I need to spend some time making him a little more respectful in hand, so I will work on that as the season progresses.

All in all, it was a good, if not long morning as the work was not done until a bit after 1 PM.

I left all three Boys in for another hour or so until I was sure the tranquilizers had worn off.  They are back out now, but spending most of the time hanging out in their stalls eating hay--well Toby and Tucker are in one stall and Chance is nibbling hay at Tucker's door.

Dr. McAndrews will be back in two weeks to finish up the rest of the vaccines and discuss the test results for my worming program and Toby's Cushings.

It is so cold and miserable out there I don't even want to go back out to feed later. But, as we all know, no matter the weather, horses need to be cared for.

I will add a carrot to everyone's feed for being such good boys.