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View Full Version : Charlie has got to go to Ireland next week


poo-picker
17th September 2009, 09:36 AM
Well here is the thread that a few of you have been asking about. I had to wait until the house was quiet so i could concentrate or it would have ended up being a rambling load of jibberish....Actually it still might!!!!!

And its probably going to be very long!!!! sorry

ok here goes...
this is charlie my 3 and a half year old ID x TB/clysedale stallion
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii16/mistresshgt/006-3.jpg

in may hubby and i did our usual weekend thing, thorough groom, check ears/ eyes/feet/legs/ clip wispy bits/trim whiskers a bit/ and feathers and then put him out in the field. He was fine when he went out but about 6 hrs later when we brought him in he had a huge stonking swelling under his jaw bone. I had a feel and it was an abscess and it burst taking off a load of dead skin. There was no swelling at all when he went out as i had checked him all over and washed his face and trimmed a little bit off his jaw-line hair. This was it when it happened.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii16/mistresshgt/005.jpg

He was put on anti-biotics and a strict thorough cleaning regime 3 times a day and this was its progress.
day 2
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii16/mistresshgt/012-2.jpg

day 5
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii16/mistresshgt/003-6.jpg

day 7
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii16/mistresshgt/014-3.jpg

Every thing was going great but about a month after finishing the antibiotics it start to get a bit gunky again so the vet gave us another course.

this happened a few times and after a couple of weeks of finishing the antibiotics it started getting worse. After 5 courses i wanted him xrayed to find out what was going on. It turned out that the absess had tracked down through his jawbone so he now had a hole running straight through it!!!! The absses had been caused by a small gap between two teeth where food had got stuck. The vet called the dentist out and she filed a bit off each tooth either side of the gap to make it bigger so that the food wouldnt get stuck and it would flush out when he had a drink.

this is his xray and you can see the dark line through his jawbone where the track is where the abscess was draining from. Also when he was grazing liquid grass would trickle through it leaving a green gunky mess.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii16/mistresshgt/Amandahealey.jpg

He was referred to leahurst to have the tooth removed and they said that with his age and him being a stallion his roots would be huge so they quoted me....
Best case scenario.... £1500 if the tooth came out very easily which they doubted
Worst case scenario....£5000 if they had to remove a section of his jawbone, take the tooth out sideways and then replace the bone using a metal plate to fix it it!!!

NOW HERE IS THE BEST BIT!!!!

i had been with petplan for as long as i can remember but when my insurance came for renewal i decided to go to NFU as they gave better benefits. And with a family crisis and a heap of stress i forgot to start my policy. it was about 2 months later when i got a letter from petplan that i remembered so got on the phone that day and insured the horses. AND THIS HAPPENED ON MY 14 DAYS INDUCTION SO THEY WONT PAY!!!!!


Hence the trip to Ireland. He is going over to have the surgery there at a cost of £1200 including return transport, surgery and a weeks aftercare. But i am very very worried as he has never been away from jerry (his half brother and has never travelled anywhere near that far and not with a load of strange horses on an articulated wagon!!!!

All i seem to be doing at the moment is smoking and throwing up with nerves.

and just so he doesnt feel left out here is jerry who will be left behind and go mad without his brother around for the week.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii16/mistresshgt/010-5-2.jpg

Smoke on the Water
17th September 2009, 09:48 AM
Oh my goodness you poor thing. What an absolute nightmare. I just don't know what to say. What bad luck. It is so easily done so don't beat yourself up about it. Thankfully you've found somewhere to get the op done cheaper but have you checked out this place in Ireland thoroughly? Have you had reports and references? I know it's not like you have much choice and I'm sure you've done all this. It must be such a worry. Will you be with him the whole time?

poo-picker
17th September 2009, 09:52 AM
Oh my goodness you poor thing. What an absolute nightmare. I just don't know what to say. What bad luck. It is so easily done so don't beat yourself up about it. Thankfully you've found somewhere to get the op done cheaper but have you checked out this place in Ireland thoroughly? Have you had reports and references? I know it's not like you have much choice and I'm sure you've done all this. It must be such a worry. Will you be with him the whole time?

He is going to dublin university and is being done quickly as a personal favourite as the family who have sisco have just moved over from there and they are his family friends.

And no i cant go which is why it is making me so ill. I have a maiden bitch who is due to have her pups on wednesday so i cannot possibly leave her.

bimba
17th September 2009, 10:39 AM
Oh no how awful, and typical that it happens when they're not insured. Hope everything goes smoothly for Charlie, I'm sure he'll be in safe hands.

gem
17th September 2009, 10:44 AM
Oh god what a nightmare. You poor thing. I've got everything crossed for you that it all works out ok xx

vels mum
17th September 2009, 10:47 AM
That is just awful about the insurance, I had a similar experience but thankfully they coughed up the money eventually. I had to take my Friesian yearling on an overnight journey on a ferry (18 hours) in severe gale force winds to get to an equine hospital. He hadnt eaten for a week as he had an undiagnosed choke.
All I can say is horses adapt amazingly, try not to worry too much about the journey and the fact he will be away from his brother for the first time, you are getting him surgery which will probably save his life and taking him to Ireland is your only option.
Good luck and I hope it all goes well.

Cinders
17th September 2009, 11:22 AM
what an absolutely nightmare, poor you and poor charlie! no wonder your so stressed, wishing you lots of luck and i hope everything goes smoothly! x

Smoke on the Water
17th September 2009, 01:02 PM
O that's good. At least you know he'll have people nearby that you can trust. I hope everything goes ok.

black crow
17th September 2009, 01:07 PM
OH god!

We had a similar thing happen too and had to foot the bill ourselves, it's an absoloute nightmare!

I really hope it all goes well, im so sorry you cant go :(

My Crazy Clan
17th September 2009, 01:54 PM
Thats awful, I thought it was all dun and dusted now?

I thought you sold them all?

Loony
17th September 2009, 01:55 PM
Poor Charlie!! :( I'm sure he will cope fine though, he's in the best hands. Try not to worry too much. At least when he comes back it'll all be over. *huge hugs* xx

poo-picker
17th September 2009, 03:46 PM
Thats awful, I thought it was all dun and dusted now?

I thought you sold them all?


sky and sisco have been sold but i just cant sell the boys. If it ever does come to that my heart would break and my world would end.

loubylou
17th September 2009, 05:30 PM
oh gosh what a complete and utter nightmare!! Fingers crossed it all works out for you :(

fell lover
17th September 2009, 05:56 PM
Fingers crossed that they sort it out for you and he returns fit and healthy xx

chescar
17th September 2009, 08:35 PM
Flipping eck - what a nightmare.

Thinking about you. Hope it all goes well