How I'm spending my Christmas break

One of the sessions of the horse classes I teach involves a game called, "Do you call the vet?" It covers some of the basic things that can go wrong with a horse, what the signs are, and what you do about it. The title of the game is kind of a joke because as any horse owner will tell you, the chances are extremely good that yes indeed, you should call the vet. 

While I was sick earlier this week, J. took over all horse related duties. He told me Emmy was acting a bit odd, lying down and such, but then would get up and seem typical. He and P. were keeping an eye on her. When I finally felt well enough to go out to the barn yesterday morning, she still didn't seem quite right and looked a little uncomfortable. Since this had been going on for several days, I made the call to the vet. 

I'm glad I did. She has a pretty significant case of impaction colic. Essentially it's the equine version of being extremely constipated. Yesterday she received a dose of mineral oil down a nasal tube. Since nothing has changed this morning, the vet came out again and Emmy got a second dose. The vet did say that Emmy might need a third round in the morning before we see progress. This would be bad enough on it's own, but Emmy is also completely on isolated stall rest because she cannot have any food until her intestines clear. She is not a happy horse. 

So we're all spending our vacation on poop watch. Never has a pile of poop been so anticipated. Then, once the impaction is cleared, we will spend our time beginning the refeeding process. You just can't offer food willy-nilly to a horse that has a completely empty digestive system. It will be a whole process. 

When I had finished paying the bills before Christmas I was very excited because we were going to enter the new year in a somewhat stable place. Well, no longer. I'm really not looking forward to getting the vet bill when we're all done with this. 

Emmy is worth it, though.