4/26/2016: Edith Ann was laid to rest today. She is finally pain free. Edie was thought to have a broken pelvis that did not heal properly. Since November 2014 she had received ongoing Chiropractic care (Dr. Don Moore) to help with her discomfort. In the beginning the adjustments helped, but the time between the need for Dr. Moore's chiropractic visits became shorter and shorter.

Our Farrier, Val Den Call, ALWAYS came out to assist Dr. Moore when it was time for an adjustment. Edie was so very protective of herself, untrusting and defensive. In fact, during her last adjustment on 4/6/2016, she bit Val Dean's arm!

She was continually rocking back and forth to ease the pain in her pelvis and in the last week she was lying down more often.

You can see the concern on the faces of Dr. Moore & Val Dean (4/6/2016) as she appeared to be getting worse.

Her overall health and discomfort was not improving. EVERY day I would spend time with Edie and she learned to trust me a bit more than she trusted others. I would talk to her, rub her, brush her, doctor her knee, etc. A shoe boil had formed on her left elbow during her last 2 months at TIER. Once fly season was in full swing she would have been even more miserable.

She loved to roam around the facility doing weed abatement and sneaking hay from the hay barn. She had made friends with her neighbor Lincoln and would seek him out when he was in turnout and she was free roaming.

I talked to 3 vets, our chiropractor and our farrier in the last month about Edie in hopes that there was a miracle answer to helping her be comfortable and happy. I think I knew that the best answer was to help her cross the Rainbow Bridge. Thanks to the support of the professionals who aid the horses at TIER, friends and supporters, we were able to give her the Final Gift.

Edie, I hope you know how much I loved you. Thank you for what you gave us.

Carpus: hygroma in her right knee. (BIG, FAT KNEE, fluid and some drainage). No pain or lameness. Cold hosing, wrap (if possible...she's a bit defensive!!), encourage drainage.
Cause : repetitive trauma to dorsal aspect of carpus, secondary to subcutaneous hematoma. (She has issues with that knee and probably slipped-then fell on it when getting up.)
Signs : usually painless, uniform fluctuant swelling overlying the dorsal aspect of the carpus not usually lame unless infected.

Uniprim & Naquasone (antibiotic) for 7 days.

11/18/2015
Swelling noticeably decreased. Large hole (size of tip of my little finger) mid way up on inside of RT knee. She's allowed me to hose but is not too happy about me trying to remove/clip hair. Knee has drained considerably and swelling is way down. She ate the feed with the Naquasone in it yesterday morning, but not all the feed with the Uniprim.

(Edie's knee before cleaning 11/17/2015. Swelling is reduced.)

11/20/2015:
Vet was out for follow up. Edith Ann's knee is still puffy, but no sign of infection. (Picure of Edie's knee was taken 11/18/2015 prior to cleaning.

11/23/2015
Edith Ann's knee really opened up and drained. Most of the excess fluid/serum is gone and we are left with a large wound. Hosing, Peroxide (small amount) and application of Red Kote to keep the flies off. She will continue with the Uniprim & Naquasone.

11/28/2015
Sheesh!  The blowout on her knee is ugly.  I've been hosing twice a day, cleaning with peroxide once a day.  Applied Red Kote after first hosing of the day as flies were still out.  Apply Dermavet after 2nd hosing.  Yesterday I applied Accelerator Topical Solution as I have had very good success with this product previously and have a couple bottles on hand.  I had used it on an ankle wound on Sugar Bear that was sure to produce proud flesh due to its location.  No proud flesh and wound healed without a lot of scarring.  I have applied this twice to Edith Ann's knee.  Flies are down due to the weather and I may be able to bandage her today (Friday).  Will give it a try.  The wound is deep, but it is filling in and the edges are healing slowly.  She does aggravate it when she gets up from lying down, so I am hoping to be able to wrap.  Fly leggings were a no go for her, she got pretty anxious, danced around and got VERY tail swishy and was stomping her feet. 

Mules are SOOOOOOO different from horses!  I think if I had tried to force her to let me put the fly leggings on we would have issues with getting them off, caring for her wound and putting them back on.  Mules just remember everything and if they have a "bad" experience they just don't forget it.  So, in order to be able to TRY to wrap her leg today I backed off of putting on the leggings.  In the past, when she has felt threatened or defensive she has been known to strike with her front legs and even try to bite.  Poor girl has been through some tough stuff and she remembers it all.  I just opted for a hopefully easier/softer way so I can help her.

She also completed the Naquasone & Uniprim.  Appetite is good. 

Dr. Hoyme was out yesterday to help Virgil.  While he was here we had him check Edith Ann's stifles. Lots of fluid in her stifles and he figures she had been used hard. Recommended Bute 2 Bute 2xday for 5 days to see if it will help. If discomfort, puffiness, etc. continues (which we think it might) we will need to have x-rays done and may need to inject the stifles with cortisone.  Keeping my fingers crossed hard that the Bute will make a significant difference.

Our farrier was out on 12/11/14 and thinks that Edie has an old bow on her left front.  She would not let him trim her hind feet due to the discomfort in her stifles.  PLUS...she didn't know him!  She's one of those girls that has to know you for awhile before she trusts you.  With Edie, that can take some time!

Edith Ann wasn't too excited about her visit from Dr. Don Moore/equine chiropractor. As you can see from his report, she really needed his help! She was VERY sore and will probably be a bit more sore after her adjustments. Dr. Moore wants to see her again in 30 days as her lumbar and cervical areas were very much compromised.

In the meantime, she will be getting psyllim for a week as Dr. Moore thinks she might have some sand in her gut. THANK YOU Dr. Moore and Thank You to those who have contributed to help Edit Ann!

EDITH ANN arrived around 12:30 am. Led off the trailer with no problem. She was lying down & munching on Teff Hay when I left her. It was a long trip for her arthritic hips!