And then flipped my shit on her a little bit.
The good news is that we got our best case scenario: the cancer is localized to Bobby's leg, and further testing didn't reveal anything more nefarious than the original diagnosis. That, of course, is enough of a problem all on its own. Localized doesn't necessarily mean curable, but it's better than the other two options which both end with guaranteed euthanasia.
I lost it on her because she found that out on Thursday and didn't bother to call me. I put in a call to the office as soon as they opened Friday morning, and she didn't get around to calling me back well into the evening. We finally got around to discussing his feet wherein she brushed off all my relayed information from Farrier and basically told me to make an appointment if I wanted her to look at him again, or just go ahead and pull his shoes and order Easy Boots for the heel pain.
..........
Um. No. To both of those things.
I won't go into my vet rant right now, but let's just say that BM and Farrier echoed my sentiments.
| feels dubious about this "vet work". same, bobby. |
On Saturday I got on Bobby bareback to see how he was feeling. He was still sore on the LF inside heel, not wanting to do any sort of turning, but feeling pretty okay on the straightaways. I let him meander out of the ring and down to the pond where he got some good grazing in while I texted Farrier. I started him on a gram of bute that he got Saturday night and Sunday and Monday morning.
He didn't do anything Sunday, but Monday I was back aboard. The LF seemed a titch short. Not lame, but since I was looking for something I could feel that tiny hitch. The RF, however, felt fantastic. There was nothing there that was concerning to me and the outside of it continues to heal up to a normal looking albeit hairless leg. (Full pics coming tomorrow.) The second antibiotic we added finally seems to have kicked in and made a huge difference in the swelling to that leg. For how much I'm shelling out for meds, I'm glad to see they're actually doing their job!
We managed fifteen minutes of w/t/c where Bobby was ripping my arms out, and I left off the bute this morning to see if he held up to getting a real ride again.
He. Felt. Phenomenal.
| i mean, does this not look like the face of a horse that could beat cancer? |
We stuck to w/t because if he's sound at the trot then he's sound at the canter and I was having too much fun letting him coast along on a long rein in my jump tack because....
Well, I scratched all my dressage shows, including the one this weekend, so that might have kind of freed up Sunday to go to a hunter show around the corner. The nice thing about hunter shows is that you don't have to send entries and money in weeks in advance. If he's not sound this weekend, no sweat, we just won't pop over there. If he is, this barn has great footing and I want to grab every single opportunity I can to keep getting this horse out while we still have the chance.
I'll give him tomorrow off, and then we'll (hopefully) finally get a lesson in on Thursday where BM can give me a set of eyes to see where we're at. Keep up the good work, Bobby! You've become far too expensive to do anything else.
What a rollercoaster ride Bobby is dragging you on. Fingers crossed that you can make it to the show this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI am turning into a legit crazy person. Fully reveling in the good days when I can get them!
DeleteThat vet has no sense of client compassion.
ReplyDeleteThe whole practice is infuriating.
DeleteWell that's good news about the diagnosis... but I would be pissed at the vet too! Fingers crossed for continued soundness :)
ReplyDeleteI think we can all agree we're due a Bobby making a fool out of me at a hunter show recap. ;)
DeleteSuper annoying that your vet didn't feel like you needed to call. But good news that your boy's leg seems to be getting better finally!
ReplyDeleteSo relieved!
DeleteAll shit-flipping is perfectly warranted in my book (even the everyday nonsense kind, you were dealt a terrible hand). And umm, you had to PROMPT her for the determining factors with whether your horse is euthanized? Yea... I had my own vet rant about mine not calling me about a special order I made for a product that ended up OUT OF STOCK (not life and death but I was super pissed considering I was spending $400 and needed it soon). But anyway. I am so glad Bobby is on the up. Continuing to send all good thoughts to him!
ReplyDeleteHELLO. If you feel like you need to tell me to prepare myself to put my horse down the last time you saw me, perhaps you would think that I'd like to know I don't need to go that route right this fucking second?!
DeleteYEAH BOBBY!! So happy the cancer is localized AND the leg is looking better!
ReplyDeleteSo happy my horse doesn't have white leg markings so you can't tell his black leg is just black skin and not black hair. :P
Deleteso goddamn relieved to read all about this. an am definitely 100% all aboard the "get out and about and have all of the fun (or variations of that word lol) that's there to be had with Sir Bobby :D
ReplyDeleteHe's so happy to be involved again. Do all the things before we can't do any of the things!
DeleteUgh DAMMIT VET.
ReplyDeleteBut yay good(ish) news!
Best(ish) news!
DeleteGlad for the good news & great rides
ReplyDeleteThanks! Me too!
DeleteThat vet is a ho bag. No way around it.
ReplyDeleteBut Bobby definitely has the face of a horse who can beat cancer! Go Bobby go!
Verified speshul horse fo sho.
DeleteUgh vet stuff can be an emotionally exhausting rollercoaster
ReplyDeleteIt really is.
DeleteYay, Happy POST! I'm sorry you're going through all of this awfulness, and that your vet is being super uncool. But I'm glad Bobby is feeling pretty good! Maybe he just really hated the idea of being a dressage only horse?
ReplyDeleteSeems awfully sneaky doesn't it? :P
DeleteGood news on the caner front. I'm sorry your vet is such a b*tch.
ReplyDeleteThe whole staff just comes off as having zero concern about clients.
DeleteWell, I'm so glad he's on the up and up. Bug thumbs down to your vet who felt like delivering good news was not super important.
ReplyDeleteHopefully he stays this way!
DeleteSo happy to hear about the cancer being localized and major bummer on the vet woes. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteLove hearing this good news!
ReplyDeleteI was ready for some!
DeleteYay Bobby! Cosmos has passed his good-at-healing-skills his way, so I hope he continues keep healing to best of his ability.
ReplyDeleteCosmo gets to keep his eye, Bobby gets to keep his leg. Not a bad week!
DeleteSome vets really make me wonder why on earth they became vets (aka, really no beside manner, compassion, etc). I think wanting to maim your vet seems like a perfectly viable response to her not calling you with that update IMMEDIATELY. But yay for some good news right now, and hopefully you can go to the hunter show and have a blast!
ReplyDeleteThe not calling me thing was ridiculous, but also brushing off of my farrier's findings really ticked me off. You guys work closely with this farrier, maybe when she's saying that she's has a huge concern with a foot due to swelling in the leg it took you guys OVER A YEAR to treat you should at least acknowledge that instead of just brushing it off and telling me to pick up a pair of boots. Come on, man!
DeleteUgh bad vets are the WORST. I always feel "I am paying you, why will you just not do the job I am paying you to do?!?!" So glad to hear about Bobby! Keep up the good work Bobby, you still need to earn your keep around there and you can't do it if you are fully broken or terminal.
ReplyDeleteOr at least pretend like you have an interest in treating my horse instead of acting like everything is a massively inconvenient chore??
DeleteSO happy to hear that the cancer is localized -- that is great news! And yyaaaayyyy hunter show!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many vets know zero about hooves and keep them separated from body checks and etc ...and I can NOT believe she didn't call you right away. I'm so happy Bobby can stay on this earth for longer, he's too damn adorable and goofy to leave any time soon
ReplyDelete