Zuni is in the hospital. Fluid in the navicular bursa. We had the choice of trying aggressive antibiotics for $4000-5000, possibly surgery which brings it up to $8000 or letting her go. My roommate was against letting her go & said she'll help financially & fundraise. Zuni has navicular on top of everything else. They gave us a 50:50 chance.

Ok. X- rays look bad. Nail had penetrated through navicular bone. On top of that Zuni has navicular to start. Infections in navicular & coffin bone.

Yes I know, very bad. However, Zuni is not ready to die at the clinic. My roommate has worked as animal communicater. She was at the clinic for a long time. Every time vet talks about hopeless & putting her to sleep my roommate says that's not what she hears.

I went to clinic later, spend some time with Zuni & she seemed better with a lot of painmeds I assumed & figured that's what roommate saw that she said Zuni wasn't ready to go.

Vet showed me x-rays with probably that thing Lavinia talked about, x-ray with needle tracing path of nail. Bad. We talked about me coming Sunday, spending the day with Zuni & letting her go.

We went back to the stall. Zuni got frantic, started pawing like crazy trying to break out of that stall.
I don't know if it's like my roommate says, she will live through this. But one thing I know for certain - she wants to get out of there!

We're picking her up Sunday. In the meantime I told them to pursue aggressive antibiotics treatment as if she is going to live.

Regular vet comes Monday. Will listen to Zuni. If she has the will to live or not to live she will let us know.

In the meantime suggestions for treatment at home w. vet assist.

They said infection is hard to treat w. antibiotics. I remember DMSO from my other horse's laminitis & read that it amplifies effects of medicine in addition to assisting things being absorbed through the skin. Just a thought. But you guys in these forums have defied convention more than once.

It will all depend on Zuni. If she wants to live we fight with her. If she decides it's time she will let us know. In the meantime if anyone has suggestions...

Gratitude for your support!

Kati
I’m sorry, I’ll be thinking of you and Zuni. I hope you both can get through this. You must love each other very much.
Praying for you both ❤️

I am not a vet!

these are thoughts questions I would have if it were me. 

Antibiotics travel in the blood yes?  So increasing vascular perfusion would help?  J-herb?

if they can get a needle up in there can they “wash” the hole with antibiotics?

My horse had an anaerobic infection in his neck from a vaccine.  To save him they lacerated his neck open in 5 places and washed the area with the antibiotic as well as giving antibiotics IV.  

Is it possible to do a joint injection but use antibiotics instead of the joint stuff? 
--
Joella Foust 
Montana
2015
Bronwynn
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Joella%20and%20Bronwynn/Bronwynn/Bronwynn%20Case%20History.pdf
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=91706&p=pcreated,,,20,2,0,0
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Joella%20and%20Bronwynn/Hay%20Analysis/Lewistown%20Hay%202018.pdf
Houston
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=116873
Negrette, Houston, Oliver, Riley, Graybee, Diesel, Zsa Zsa, Bronwynn
Asleep: Hunter, Snip, Frisky, RyeLee, #5

I don’t know if a drawing salve would be wise in this area? 

When my horse was in the hospital he wouldn’t eat, drink, or chill unless I was there. There weren’t any other horses there so he would stand with his butt in the corner and watch the door.  If I stayed with him he ate, drank and slept.  I would do the “watching“.  Had a camping cot in the stall to sleep & husband brought me food.  Vet was happy as it took pressure off his staff.  I remember waking up to his tail hair in my face and him peaking back at me wanting some scratches on the gaskin.  
--
Joella Foust 
Montana
2015
Bronwynn
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Joella%20and%20Bronwynn/Bronwynn/Bronwynn%20Case%20History.pdf
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=91706&p=pcreated,,,20,2,0,0
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Joella%20and%20Bronwynn/Hay%20Analysis/Lewistown%20Hay%202018.pdf
Houston
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=116873
Negrette, Houston, Oliver, Riley, Graybee, Diesel, Zsa Zsa, Bronwynn
Asleep: Hunter, Snip, Frisky, RyeLee, #5

 This will give you a good background: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=2ahUKEwiwvJ2M4MvlAhVHQq0KHTntCcoQFjACegQIBhAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.michvma.org%2Fresources%2FDocuments%2FMVC%2F2018%2520Proceedings%2Fsantschi_02.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3eMIrT6hsN7XgSdOBQTLX7

Without surgery, chances are very poor when there's bone involvement. Beyond intravenous antibiotics, your options are implanted antibiotic beads or regional limb perfusion https://ecir.groups.io/g/main/files/Regional%20Limb%20Perfusion .
--
Dr. K

Oh dear, very sad. Talk about the unfairness of things that can happen. My thoughts are with you.

Hi Kati,
We are all pulling for Zuni. You and Zuni are in my prayers. 
--
Robyn & Toons 

North Bay, CA, April 2016

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Robyn%20and%20Toons

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=9117

Thank you everyone for your input!
Vets at hospital let me take Zuni home today under protestation. I insisted that depite their dire prognosis they kept treating Zuni aggressively with antibiotics.
Taking her home was worth every bit as instantly her quality of life improved dramatically! I could see Starlight in her eyes being home in familiar surroundings with her horse family & us.

I will pass on your suggestions Dr. Kellon to our regular vet. Since at this point we have nothing to lose, we started a homeopathic treatment suggested by my German friend.

We will monitor her closely and hope for the best. She will let us know. Just for today, bringing her home with the best thing

We brought Zuni home on Sunday! She & everybody else was so happy. I got the lecture 5 times to put her down. But Zuni has a strong will to survive. She survived neglect & abuse, her tongue must have been almost cut in 2 at one point.

By the end of Sunday she seemed better than when she had first arrived. Yesterday morning she acted like a reigning horse trying to block me to give her medicine. Yesterday evening she got out of her stall & almost defiantly walked around with a limb but putting weight on that leg. I watched her later stand on all her legs with one of the rear legs cocked. Even the vet said she looked far better than expected. She lost some weight which is good in the circumstances.

My German friend who was visiting from Germany is a homeopath & since Sunday night we are treating her also homeopathically in addition to 2x12 antibiotics & 2x 2 grams of bute per day. One day at the time but so far she is improving.

We did not get Monday's final perfusion but I had them treat her up until Sunday. Vet is coming to change bandages adding medicine.

I am so glad we brought her home!

Oh Kati what wonderful news!
Such a blessing, I’ll continue to keep you both in my thoughts.
Keep us posted😊

 I'm so glad to know Zuni is feeling better and good on you for making that happen for her.  

Hoping hard for a good outcome!
--
Jill, Khari and Jetty in Idaho

NRC Grad 2010

Kati,

This is great news! I hope Zuni continues on a positive recovery path!
--
Debra Doerfler
San Marcos (San Diego County), California
Lady Sierra Snarf n' Snort AKA "Sierra"
2009 TB rescue mare, adopted 2017
Member since March 2019
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Debra%20and%20Sierra

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=91011

Fingers and toes crossed for you!!

Praying every day. She'll make it through His grace!

Hi Kati

This is good news. Well done for persevering and getting Zuni back home again.

Best wishes

Lesley & over the bridge Omar,
2012, UK

All the best Kati, prayers for you both!
--
Cindy
Singapore, Sep 2017

I want to give an update on Zuni! She is alive! She is stable although so far still lame. 

But as fate has it, last weekend at a feed store I had a chance meeting with a lady who told me about a company called For Love Of The Horse. The company is headed by a Dr. Joseph Thomas, a Chinese herbalist. The lady and her daughter said they had great success with these Chinese herbal formulations even in laminitis cases. By my own personal experience I had amazing results with high quality Chinese herbs and Zuni's swelling in her legs from DSLD has greatly improved since I started giving her J-Herb 1 1/2 years ago.. 

I submitted a health questionnaire for Zuni and called the company. They recommended a bone repair along with an immune booster formula. They also have a tendon repair formula which may help improve the DSLD. But first I have to see if Zuni will get better with bone repair and immune booster. Unfortunately the order won't arrive until Monday but my run-in-acquaintance is able to provide me a remainder of her left-over bone repair, so at least we can get started on that while we wait for the immune booster to arrive Monday. 

For Love Of The Horse has also formulas dealing with laminitis which I also ordered for our Lily who has been dealing with laminitis since last year. 

I will keep you posted if we see improvement. If anyone has had any experiences with this company's Chinese remedies I would be interested to hear. 

I had to start a GoFundMe page since with Zuni's hospitalization, vets & medicines bills went up over $6000 and by the grace of God we got about 1/4 of it covered in donations!