Spent the Whole Day with Vets

Brett and I rode Mufasa and Winston after breakfast so their muscles would be relaxed before the vet arrived to give them their fall vaccinations.  Both horses were forward and fun in the cold morning air.  We had just enough time to ride, put the horses away and clean our tack before the vet and his assistant pulled up the driveway.  Jackson went first and got thumbs up for his overall health.  He could stand to lose a few pounds but his IR is well controlled with diet so I don't need to give him meds over the winter.  We will reassess in the spring when the grass turns green. Flash was next.  He didn't even need the cookie given after each shot, but he ate them anyway.  Winston is usually a basket case with new vets or dentists.  He hates needles and he hates strangers at his girth.  This vet took his time, showed Winston the shot and did a trial run: a pinch on the neck followed by a cookie.  Next it was a pinch, the shot, and more cookies.  Winston was a champ.  Mufasa got the most attention.  He was fine with the needles but not so sure about the vaccine that went up his nose.  Dr. Mike was concerned about the quarter crack on his front hoof and thought it might be contributing to his being slightly off behind.  We took Mufasa to the round pen and Dr Mike watched him go.  He suggested trimming Mufasa's front to relieve pressure which might allow the crack to grow out.  It takes a year to grow out a hoof so Mufasa might be out of work for awhile.  He suggested talking to our farrier and beginning the process over the winter, when it is wet and cold and not good riding weather anyway.  By spring, we'll know if it is working.  The donkeys were last to receive their vaccines.  They typically try to run away from the vet but they were both love bugs today.

I asked him to take a look at Sedona and give me his thoughts, even though he isn't a small animal vet.  He said she is way too skinny and recommended taking her in.  He thought it might be a parasite from something she ate.

As soon as his truck disappeared down the driveway, Brett lifted Sedona into the back of his pickup truck.  I climbed in the back with her (shhhh, don't tell) and we drove the two blocks to the vet clinic.  Sedona stood on her wobbling legs and stuck her nose into the wind.  Brett parked and lifted her out, she walked slowly in by my side and laid at my feet while we waited our turn in the waiting room.  There were other dogs, and cats, but she didn't care.  She just wanted to lie down.  The vet sat on the floor with Sedona and poked and prodded.  She suggested a total blood work up to determine if her liver or kidneys were failing.  What I had interpreted as depression and being tired was actually pain.  Sedona was in a lot of pain.  While we waited for the lab work to be completed, Sedona slept on the floor of the exam room.  Her blood work came back normal.  No kidney or liver failure, no thyroid issues, no parasite, no infection.  Just pain.  Some of you know where this is going.  Sedona may be in pain from severe arthritis but, more likely, she has cancer.  We can do x-rays and ultrasounds to determine what kind and where but it won't change the outcome.  We aren't going to go down the chemo road with an old dog who has lived a good, full life.  We have pain medication and we will do our best to control the pain.  She is going on a diet of "whatever she will eat" -- outside of bacon and gravy.  She can have eggs, chicken, beef, cheese.  The goal is to control her pain and entice her to eat.  When we can't do that, we will let her go.  We are hoping she can last a good while longer but we are also realistic and know that our wishes may not come true.

A huge thank you to everyone who left comments.  Your support means the world to me.  CrazySheepLady: I am going to try a people food diet but will keep your suggestion in mind.  For the people who offered opinions, it did not offend me in the least.