Foiled...... postponing the rererererererereredebut

Are you effing kidding me???? 
DAMMIT FUNNY!!!

Ugh.... I got home from our mountain trip.... unloaded Dan and was on the phone with my Dad. I let Dan sniff noses with the girls at the fence as they had come running up. All seemed fine so I turned him out. I had barely pulled the halter off when Funny came up, turned, double barreled him and wheeled off. She nailed the tar out of his right stifle. Right in his patella! Hard enough that I heard a crack and then Dan trotted off on three legs. For about 2 minutes. I honestly thought she had broken his patella or leg. Luckily.. within a few minutes, he put it down and was bearing weight on it but he was definitely sore!! I sort of let him be for a minute as there seemed to be no further shenanigans and I had to go check on Fleck, because he was apparently struggling the whole time I was gone too. 

 

So, poor Fleck was practically dying.... increased respiratory rate, tucked up, toe touching alternating on both hind feet and his hind fetlocks were covered in pus and wounds. At this point, I'm in tears. I gave Fleck IV banamine, hosed him off, cleaned his wounds, and he was breathing better. So I called Dr. Barrow in a panic.. ended up accidentally calling her cell phone 3 times in a row... By then, Fleck was a little less "dying" looking and Dan was obviously sore but ambulatory. So she was able to talk me off the ledge and we decided to schedule a regular appt vs her coming out then. 

I gave Dan previcox and put some surpass on the area and got Fleck situated and settled and figured I'd see how they both looked the next day. I did start Fleck on antibiotics too. 

But seriously?? COME ON!! Why?? why why why??? Sigh... I'm grateful she didn't break his leg... or break my leg. But still... we were so looking forward to our redebut!! And this is the first time in years he's been this sound, without medications! Sigh... 

I'm gonna go cry now. 

So... the next morning they were both a little better, although not a ton. Dan was resting that hind leg the whole time and still lame at the walk. So we made an appt for the next day. 

I hauled them both to Dr. Barrows Tuesday and God bless Fleck... he just loaded right up even though it's been probably 3 years. I was a little worried he was going to fall down in the trailer but I gave him more IV banamine and he was tough. Both boys were awful at Dr. Barrows... screaming for each other and agitated, so they probably weren't as lame as they really were. We got Fleck cleaned up and medicated and came up with a plan and switched his antibiotics. Then we watched Dan. Obviously lame at the walk and not real happy about trotting and mega lame at the trot. So we x-rayed him... and thank you God nothing noted. Well.. nothing new noted. His stifle joint is super arthritic with spurs medially. Ouch! Not a happy stifle. And there was a lot of effusion. So we ultrasouned. She saw lots of inflammation and "trauma" but also had some concern about a partial tear on the middle patellar ligament. She said she couldn't rule out inflammation from the kick creating artifact debris, so.. she recommended rest for 3-4 weeks, previcox, and rechecking him then. Sigh... No showing for us.