Waiting

Hello Everyone.  I'm sitting in the waiting room at the equine clinic where Misty will have her tooth repulsion done soon.  Just waiting for my local vet to arrive and for the dentist to finish up an extraction.

It's nice that they have an Internet station in the waiting room.

We were warmly greeted and Misty was shown to a holding pen and promptly served some grass hay to munch on.  She's a happy girl.  Ignorance is bliss.

There is a 1 in 5 chance Misty may have to stay the night, but most horses go home the same day.  I'll post the results of her procedure when I can.

Still Alive and Holding

Despite how this picture may look, Misty is still very much alive and doing (relatively) well.

She's just a very sound sleeper.

We are still in a holding pattern, waiting to resolve this dental issue once and for all.   Misty's tooth repulsion surgery is scheduled for next week.  This whole ordeal has been an exercise in patience

" God grant me patience...NOW! "

Misty has displayed more aplomb than me through this prolonged trial.  She takes it all in stride, enjoying long naps in the poo ditch where the ground is soft and warm.

Trusty sidekick, SaraJane, is quick to follow Misty's lead.

Misty is a very stoic mare, but this week I will begin adding a digestive supplement to her feed.  She has never shown any signs of ulcers, but since this could be a stressful procedure and recovery period, I've decided to add Progressive Nutrition's Soothing Pink to her feed for 30 days.  And I'll be stocking up on equine senior and timothy pellets to soak for the soft diet she will have to be on for a time.  Hopefully by the end of next week, we'll be past the waiting stage and into recovery.

The Next Step - Drill and Punch

My vet was unable to extract the rest of Misty's tooth on Wednesday, even with a variety of interesting dental tools graciously loaned from an equine dentist with whom she has been consulting.  The root is holding strong, but the tooth is riddled with micro-fractures and my vet cannot get a grip without causing the tooth to break into tiny pieces. 

The next step is to take Misty to the equine hospital near Denver and the dentist there will drill into Misty's jaw and punch the tooth out.  I'm just sick about it, but it appears to be the only option now. The tooth has to come out or it will be a chronic problem.

I'm worried and dread the idea of a hole drilled into Misty's jaw.  I don't know what to expect yet with aftercare and healing.  This will be another learning experience.  I just want to get it over with so Misty can heal and get back to normal.   My vet is arranging the appointment so she can be there too.  I hope we can get it done next week.

Hump Day Humor - CNN Reports on Horse Herpes

While horse owners and event sponsors are taking the recent EHV-1 outbreak very seriously, you just know that when the non-horse public hears the words "Horse Herpes", there is bound to be some giggling.

Click on the picture to watch CNN's Jeanne Moos share her report in a way that only Jeanne Moos can.

*Hump Day: Wednesday; the middle of the work week; we've climbed the proverbial mountain and now it is downhill to the weekend.