Watty's Awakening

Watty1

Vet rang yesterday evening and we had a chat about the x-rays for Most Handsome.  Two ways of looking at the just shy of £500 cost - completely wasted - or very reassuring.  I'm going with the latter obviously.    The x-rays showed nothing at all that was of significance and she has also had a chat with Most Handsome's farrier who doesn't want to change anything.  I was pleased she had spoken to him and actually managed to get him on the phone (always a challenge) and she had talked through her findings and action planned and involved him, so nice to have the professionals working together.   So today the painkillers are reduced and we start to see how he does with a step down in pain relief followed by another step down next week.  

I'm always so impressed that equine vets are willing to spend time chatting and formulating action plans on the phone without extra charge.  I know the initial charges are high but I can't really complain after the bill WattyDog racked up at and any additional comments from the dog vet require additional consultations.  

Thank you for the suggestion @Staffordia   I will get WattyDog something

Watty1

Work ran late for both me and the VNM so we opted for a quick meal deal at the local garage as my food order had not arrived (my fault, poor planning).    That led to a really interesting discussion along the lines of if we did not work and earn what we do we would not pop out for this sort of thing (The bill was high as gluten free sausages were all 2/3rd off so I bought them for the freezer and then we added a bottle of wine).

And the flip side of that conversation, if we did not work we would not be doing an online shop and would have time to make sure the freezer was stocked with real meals and also plan dinner properly.  I notice when I batch cook my food bills go down dramatically and I eat better homemade food.  I didn't really enjoy the processed meal deal food, it being only the second ready made anything this year.

Yet again I am looking at my spends and realising some of them are just additional spends because of bad planning or failure to plan usually as a result of long hours working.  I need to get that balance right again, I also have to admit, yet again, wine does not really agree with me.  Very nice to drink but this morning I lack energy motivation and have a headache.

On the positive side I suppose there is A LOT of Paracetamol in the horse's feed room if the headache does not clear with a lot of water and coffee

themadvix

Watty1 said:

On the positive side I suppose there is A LOT of Paracetamol in the horse's feed room if the headache does not clear with a lot of water and coffee

This made me smile Watty! 

You sound like you have a gem of a vet there for MH. In fairness though, when ginger was unwell last year, the vet did seem happy to ring me for a follow-up and spent quite a while talking through the options. He also then sent a detailed email through - all of which was included in the original consult/surgical fees (I mean, it definitely should have been included, given the bill, but it was covered by the insurance, so not too much of a hit in that respect). Not all vets are equal, I'm sure. Wattydog's vet didn't sound at all helpful!

LadyWithAPlan

How lovely of VnM! Woohoo to a good appreciative man 
and yes spring is on its way 

daisy_1571

If his pain shows again once you reduce the painkillers,  it possible its soft tissue or fascia as neither will show in an xray.  Both can show as referred from issue elsewhere in the body.  Plenty times I've heard of dogs limping front left, lots of focus and xrays there all inconclusive.   Only for it to be found tobe issues in shoulder,  neck, back, another leg, ear or tooth pain.

I'd recommend video him walking on different surfaces.  From front, side and rear if you can.  Slow the video down using something like coach's eye app.  Study whole body.  Check his head as each limb touches ground.  Lowering the head will take weight off rear leg/lower back.  Lifting the head throws the weight backwards so takes weight off a front leg.  It all happens fast in real time, a slowed video can help.  Soft ground can mask but also can highlight as it depends what muscle is hurting whether soft or hard ground is easier to walk on.  However..... show a video to 5 different professionals and ul sometimes get 5 different opinions lol.  It can be really hard to work out.  I've watched dog videos over and over and changed my mind every time I watched it lol.  Thats why we never focus on area presenting as painful,  we start at nose and work to tips of legs and tail.  Softening one part, sometimes let's you feel what the actual original issue is in another part of body.  Its perhaps been sore and stiff for so long it doesn't cause a visible issue anymore.  

Not saying any of that is whats happening with mh.  Just suggestions from my experience.  All the above is same for wd of course,  and any humans too.  We all compensate for areas that hurt.  Walk with sore knee any length of time and soon opposite hip will start to hurt, or back, or shoulder.   Have toothache or earache or headache and you won't want to be pounding your foot down or running downstairs.  

Daisy xx

Watty1

@daisy_1571   That post was super helpful. Thank you.   For MH I am confident vet has diagnosis and all under control and it was my fault for letting him eat frosty grass.    Oddly I would have though Charming Cob would be the one to struggle as he has the equine equivalent of diabetes so all that sugar should have affected his feet but it MH that got into bother.   I have now halved his Paracetamol dose and he still seems to be improving.  Oh, and he really loves the herbal tea I've been making. Yesterday he was making me giggle trying to slurp it from the jug I had used to brew it.   (The kitchen measuring jug was just to small for his muzzle but that didn't stop him sticking his tongue in it. Hilarious).  

For WattyDog however I'm going to use your post to spend some time really watching him.   He is still on the pain killer from vet trip on Saturday but once they are used up It would be good to spend some time really watching him and the video idea was a great one. 

Watty1

Note to self - do not use Amaz0n on phone at night when I cannot sleep as that leads to a purchase.   It was however a book and the library doesn't have it so I'm going to let it pass but it was a lesson this morning to be more careful.  I can only justify it in that it is a book of exercises that might be useful for the Charming Cob (who possibly thinks a book of exercises for the human would be better!)

Anyway this prompted me to get a little more serious and fed up with waiting for an email to arrive that was a frivolous purchase and I contacted paypal and arranged a refund so my no spend sort of remains in tact. (My version anyway!)
 

daisy_1571

More than welcome 

Dxx

Watty1

Had never heard of "Galantines" until yesterday.  Apparently it is an antidote to Valentines and a celebration of female friendship.   4 of us had an Indian Take-away, a lot of fizz and chocolates and I came home with a small paper pot of narcissi bulbs potted up. (The host thought they were hyacinths until I read the label which was really funny.

Such a lovely evening and a celebration of great friendships.   It was lovely to just be with friends in front of a log fire on a sofa and laugh most of the evening.  Three of the four of us are in reduced spend mode and it was so lovely to have an inexpensive evening of friendship.  .The VNM drove me and picked me up so I could drink so once again I feel a little fragile this morning and we both slept through the alarms which has made the morning a rush but he made it to work on time and I have the morning to sort the ponies and the yard before catching up on work.

LadyWithAPlan

This sounds like a great evening! Lovely always to catch up with friends 

@daisy_1571 I am learning so much from you ! Tx for sharing your wisdom and it’s super interesting