Friday, July 16, 2010
RIP Mama
I've been meaning to write for the last week but just haven't been up to it. Mama was such a sweet mare & she'll be dearly missed. She came to me in deplorable condition & against all odds, she not only survived but so did her soon-to-be-born filly. With the diagnosis of malabsorbtion & pancreatitis, I always knew Mama wouldn't see beyond her teens. But the reality of her death isn't any easier knowing her life was shortened by ignorance, & therefore neglect. If Filly's friends & the casual passersby learn only one thing from this blog, I hope it's that not worming horses regularly can cause death. Yes, worms kill! The damage from a heavy worm infestation is what caused Mama's ailments. The damage to her intestinal tract prevented her from absorbing the nutrients in her feed. This in turn caused pancreatitis & liver damage. PLEASE, please, please worm your horses on a regular schedule. Better yet, monitor fecal samples to insure your worming routine is taking care of any infestation. Treating & caring for a horse who's suffered worm damage is heartbreaking. You watch them gain their strength & blossom, only to have them waste away as their body eventually fails. YES, WORMS KILL! Run free Mama, free from pain & wasting, free from the ignorance & neglect of humans. Thank you for sharing a part of your life with me. Thank you for giving me your most precious gift, Filly. Run free...
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At least the end of her life was good. It is so sad that something as small as a tube of wormer can save a life and the lack can end a life. I have wormer in the barn; as soon as they are dosed, I purchase more. I worm as the farrier is done trimming. Good schedule. And, how is Filly doing? Is your weather as crappy as ours? Another heat advisory, pop-up T-storms and just too damn humid to breath. Thank God, I quit smoking!!
ReplyDeleteFilly's doing good. She's sure growing. I was just thinking I need to measure her. She's such a funny girl sometimes. The other day I walked out & she had little branches stuck in her forelock & flymask. She didn't care that she was a walking tree. LOL
ReplyDeleteFortunately this wk is supposed to be cooler. No 100s for a while--THANK YOU! I was at Tevis over the wkend & while it was hot, it wasn't as hot as it usually is. At least there was a little breeze as we waited for horses to come in. It was a fun wkend, especially since I got to see 2 of Filly's "uncles" ride by. :)