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| This picture is how I think of Harv... |
The vet came, she saw, she ruled out. The one thing remaining is the blood work ($100, ouch!), just to make sure he's not off kilter somewhere. Here's the rundown.
- She didn't think the alfalfa itself would have caused the man-boobs or the nosebleed, although she acknowledged the leafy bits might have irritated him.
- Man-boobs have dissipated considerably, though still present -- she pronounced it a bug problem.
- His swollen RF looks like an old lateral semoidal ligament injury, resulting in some thickening of his fetlock generally and possibly causing swelling higher up on occasion.
- His eyes looked fine, but she did say it is very hard to evaluate the equine eye. A few nights earlier he was staring out the window, transfixed, and it took me a few moments to realize that he saw a young fawn over by the indoor -- at dusk, and quite a distance away -- his eyesight can't be too bad, can it?
- The spooking? The vet said that as horses get older they get "addled" more easily, and she has a 38-year-old mare that sometimes goes to la-la land--seems to forget where she is, etc. She is gently guided around.
- Nosebleed? A little tougher. He does have scar tissue in that sinus cavity from a past surgery, and when you tap on it there is no hollow sound. She speculates that this side of his face may be more prone to injury, and if he knocked his head it might be more prone to bleed.
- Vet noticed that as a result of the surgery, Harv's right tear duct is probably blocked and he drains tears through his nose on that side. This is a good thing.
So I'm waiting for the blood work, but in the meantime Harv is Harv. Last night I turned Riley out first and kept Harv by me so I could pet him. When Riley started to roll, Harv seemed antsy to go. I turned him loose and he did a little-old-man canter over to the grassy area where Riley was rolling, and they both rolled together for several minutes. When I drove down the driveway toward home, they were grazing with their heads together. It was so satisfying to see.
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| Old photo of Harv rolling, maybe 2001? |
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I'm so glad he's going to be ok. I like that you take such good care of the ol' guy. He's a special horse.
ReplyDeleteWhat a handsome boy he is...hope the test comes back good!
ReplyDeleteSo glad Harv got a good report! Here's hoping the bloodwork is the same.
ReplyDeleteKeil Bay had a nosebleed a couple of months ago. I freaked out momentarily then investigated more closely. It turned out he had banged his feed tub around and managed to get a corner of it into his nostril and scratched it. Out in the light of day I could actually see the scratch when I wiped out his nose - and could then see the blood well up again. Scared me to death until I figured out what had happened.
Glad to hear that he sounds healthy! Hope the blood work comes back normal. My old guy just turned 25 and it's hard to see how he's changed - a little more reluctant to move and a bit "creaky" in his joints, but he still has the occasional run and buck left in him :)
ReplyDeleteMy Toby is just acting a little old lately. Maybe the heat gets to the older fellows more than the young ones. Like you, I am just watching him for anything that looks worrisome.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Harv got a good vet review. I doubt the blood tests will show much, but it all depends on what they are screening for. The rest seems like minor concerns.
Love the image of Harv and Riley happily out together. It's just what you wanted for them. *S*
Nice to hear the good news about Harv!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your man is okay; hopefully the bloodwork results will be fine too.
ReplyDeleteGood work, Mom. I like the diagnosis that "Harv is Harv". Works for me.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear about Harv! Even if his bloodwork comes back unremarkable, at least this will give you a baseline. It's nice to have a healthy-animal record in case he ever gets sick and you want to compare the abnormal and normal values.
ReplyDeleteIf he has another freakout... consider consulting with a specialist like I mentioned in email...
Hmm, spookier as they get older ...
ReplyDeleteI guess that makes sense, if you consider some older people get a little disoriented and forget things at times. Though, I have to say, I really don't want my boy to get spookier as he gets older. I'll wind up in a tree for sure.
Check out Neck Thread Worms. Vets often miss them or simply don't know about them!
ReplyDeleteThey can mess with the eyes and cause all sorts of odd happenings in the horse's body. Never know!!