Wednesday, January 6, 2010

If you don't like surgery pictures, skip this one.





We are back home! Yay! Nick would agree, he didn't like that place much with all their needles and instruments.   :o(    It was a simply gorgeous facility though and everyone was so nice to us.









A covered round pen, # 1 on my wish list of some day......




The trip down was wonderful.  The day before it was so stormy everything including church was canceled and the roads were horrible.  We left about 8 AM hitting 95 about 9 and the roads were dry as a bone.  The sun even came out as we got further south.  We checked in and unloaded Nick and took him in to the nice heated 'surgery barn'.  They have the surgery barn, lame barn, injured barn etc etc....













All the barns are connected to the main building and surgery area. 


 "Hey, Mom, Dad, where are you going?!!!  I don't like the looks of that 'no feed' sign on my door!"




The rest of this is not for the faint of heart so if you don't like surgery shows, NCIS or stuff like that you'd better stop reading.  Actually it's not that bad and is very interesting once you get over seeing your horse hogtied and coming in the room on a pulley.

That evening they did some more xrays which just confirmed what our vet diagnosed and all the blood work.  They got the port put in and then he was all set for the next day.




I walked over the next morning and got to see him for a few minutes before surgery to pat and love on him and then they took him to the prep area to do some shaving and start the sedation.




It didn't take long for him to become drowsy and they lead him into a padded room with really thick padding on the floor and walls so when they go down they don't hurt themselves.  I was not allowed in there as they don't know which direction the horse will go and didn't want me to get stepped on or fallen on.  I'd never been in a padded room before...........

There is a big window with seats where you can sit to watch the surgery.  You can't hear anything they are saying but you can see everything.  I didn't know how I would do seeing Nick 'out' but had looked at some pictures on their website so was pretty well prepared.  This is how they bring them in from the padded room.





I know, kind of hard to see but they are feeling no pain and how else do you move an 800 pound pony?



They put little booties on his hooves and put a breating tube in.




Dr. Mike Davis is the surgeon and he was shaving the leg even more with a ravor, then they cleaned it with betadine for what seemed like a good twenty minutes.



He suited up and got all of his instuments arranged.  Nick was constantly monitored all through the whole thing.



The next part was amazing as they went in with instuments and I could see the whole thing on the tv in the background, the same tv that Dr. Davis was using to see what he was doing inside the leg.



The chip was being held to the bone just by a small piece of soft tissue and it reminded me of the old Pac Man as he was chomping away at it.  You can see the piece very clearly in this picture.










Voila! Success!  Yes, that is water going in one side of his leg and out the other to flush everything out.



All bandaged up and back in his stall.  We went back later to see him and he was still rather drowsy so we just stayed a few minutes so that he could rest.  He did whinny when we left that broke this mama's heart, I wish I could've stayed in the barn with him.........well......I guess that wouldn't have been safe........much safer in the nice big fluffy bed with the eight pillows in the hotel........




The next day they called us after doing rounds and said we could go home.  Lots of after care,  stall rest for two weeks,  only out to change bandages and to clean the stall.  Two weeks of leading him at a walk around the indoor arena and then two weeks of being in a small paddock.  No romping with the other guys for a while but his spine should be cleared up and able to be ridden after the 6-8 weeks.

We were prepared to stay a few more days if need be but we were delighted to head home.  We stopped each hour to check him as we did on the way down.  He travels well and was eager to get into his own stall.  He knew he was home.


I will be changing bandages every few days and they are four layers deep.  I wish I had someone who knows how to really do dressings well..........hummmmmmm..........I think Needled Mom has that skill...........it wouldn't be a bad commute every three days...........

He is also on bute for a while and antibiotics.  Our vet here will come in 12 days and take out the stitches and do a check up of everything.    Ssoooooooo  hopefully in a few weeks this 'adventure' will be behind us and now I need to go unpack!  Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, it is much appreciated. This last pix is of Nick and Dr. Davis.


17 comments:

Adirondackcountrygal said...

I'm glad the surgery went well! Interesting stuff!

Mrs. Mom said...

WHOOHOOO!!! Nick is absolutely adorable MM- I love his sweet face! Thrilled for everyone that things went so well and smoothly. Those were awesome pix too. I love stuff like that! If we were closer, I'd be there in a flash to help w/ bandages and such too... but kinda hard to do from way down here huh?

Please give him a big smooch from us!!

Hollie said...

Praise the Lord! I'm so glad that everything went well. Interesting, but I know it was hard to watch your baby like that. So glad it's all over except for the healing.

Needled Mom said...

I loved all the pictures. I was thinking that that was on his spine instead of his leg. Very interesting. Oh yes....I will be glad to do the commute every three days IF you can warm things up a bit for me. ;) Wish that I lived closer to help out, but I am sure that they gave you great instructions and you will do an awesome job.

Glad all is well and you are home and in your own bed tonight. Enjoy, my friend. xoxox

Val said...

Thank goodness that everything went well. I actually loved seeing all the pictures. That is amazing.

Donna. W said...

Fascinating!

Paula said...

FASCINATING!! My niece is graduating from vet school at Kansas State. She's been telling me of the different surgeries she's done. This was awesome.

So glad Nick is doing well and all is taken care of!

Blessings~
P.

Carole Burant said...

No doubt you are completely relieved that the surgery is done and over with! I really don't have a weak stomach so seeing those pictures didn't bother me at all except I know the worry you felt when you were watching it all. I had never seen a horse hospital before, it's really fascinating how they have everything set up. Looks like he had the best care in there and now has the best care at home:-) In my next life I want to be an animal that you own, cuz I know I'd be loved and well taken care of!! hehe My prayers continue for Nick and for his full recovery. He's gorgeous...and Dr. Davis isn't too bad himself! lol

Love you lots!! xoxoxo

sue said...

what great news, and such a neat blog.. so very glad all went well and now that is all behind you....

Frazzled Farm Wife said...

What an amazing place! I really enjoyed your pictures!

Carroll Farm said...

Great pics! Glad everything went well with his surgery and hope you are able to recover from the trip as well. Sounds like everything is looking up over there. Hope it continues.

Andrea said...

I am glad everything went well! It's so cool that they let you watch everything like that! Very awesome vet! Very neat pictures! Thanks for taking them! I hope your pony gets to feeling better soon! Hand walking and all will fly by and he'll be back up to his normal self in no time!!

palmtreefanatic said...

wow! all I can say is WOW!
So happy the surgery went like magic! yeah Bet you are happy to have that out of the way!

Those are some fascinating pics! so nice you could see everything and just what they are doing and to even share it with the Blog world!
I found it all quite interesting except that I do get a little weak, wasn't too bad though!
So happy everyone is home and recovering well!

Dawn said...

What an amazing process! I am glad there are such skilled doctors out there - my old employer puts out many wonderful vets. You have to be amazing to even get in!

Glad you're back home safe and sound. Wish you could be here for the twins b-day party tomorrow - they were such fun yesterday on the actual day - like they totally knew the day was all about them.

Canarella said...

Im so glad your family is ok...what a miracle we love our horse so much i had to put mine down a year ago still miss him so....god bless

Anonymous said...
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nancygrayce said...

That was very interesting. I actually love to watch surgery and wanted to be a doctor when I was young!