International Georgian Grand Horse Registry, Inc.

 Home Page Alphabetical List Fun with GG Champions Page Forms Contact Us

Vet Corner

 

Eye injury Day One

Lavage System

Lavage System

 

Lavage System

Recovered

Recovered Eye

     

Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Subject: Re: GG Foals 2010

Hi....

Thank you so much for your email regarding our 2010 foals.

I have a little bit of a story to tell you....grab a coffee, it's going to be a long one.

   After I sent you the pictures of our foals, Our youngest (born May 29th, who we will register as Grande Isle's "Super Charged".....had a sever injury at 3 weeks of age.  He severely lacerated his cornea (and only god knows how).  I found him for the a.m. feed looking like shaving were all over his eye from bedding from his stall, but upon further examination.....It was rejuvenating white cells, making a "cottage cheese" like appearance from his eye.

   Within an hour, we had the vet here, and she debrided his cornea while under sedation.  We kept in close contact throughout the day, and in the afternoon, his eye was worse than it was in the morning.  I sent her some pretty graphic pictures (and I have attached one here as well)....her recommendation was to get him into the surgical facility here in Nanaimo A.S.A.P.

   We managed to get mom and babe to the clinic by about 5pm, where "Charger" under went surgery to debrid the cornea more vigorously.  We also surgically implemented a "Lavage System", which is basically a catheter system which runs up through a braided mane, over the forehead and penetrates the skull over the eye, and has a foot plate at the back of the eye for the administration of medication. At this point, Charger is being medicated on an hourly basis through the night.  In the morning, the eye is showing signs of rupturing and additional surgery by an Ophthalmologist Specialist is the only chance of saving his eye. 

   Due to having far to many horses here, I hire a transporter to pick up mare and foal at the vet clinic here.  Somehow "Miraculously", the transporter pulled strings with our B.C. Ferry corporation (the only way off of our island - 1hr.35 minute ferry transport).  She managed to be the 1st vehicle OFF of the ferries, and had a highway patrol escort with flashing lights to the surgical facility through rush hour traffic. (all due to him needing to be medicated every hour)

    Once at the surgical facility, Charger underwent a conjunctival graft operation.  He spent 3 days there, and then was supposed to come back to our surgical facility here on the island for 14 days of post-op care, but my vet (bless her soul), was trying to save me some money, and felt that I was qualified enough to administer the post-op care myself......and so the journey begins.

   It took a team of 3 people (two to hold this exceptionally STRONG" colt, and one person to administer the drugs....6 times daily around the clock. (And believe me when I say, there were SEVERAL drugs that needed to be administered via the Lavage system, and orally)

   I thank my lucky stars for wonderful friends and family who were able to help me with this.  After a couple of weeks, we were down to 4 times daily for the drugs and were able to do it with just one person restraining the colt and one person administer the drugs.

   This ordeal lasted for 3 1/2 months, and finally last weekend, we flew in the Ophthalmologist Surgeon who did Chargers surgery, and she could not have been more THRILLED with the outcome.

   Charger is Completely VISUAL in his injured eye.....He is a normal horse~!~!~!

   Funny enough, but Ray and I were criticized by people, saying that "Why would you spend that kind of money on a 3 week old foal......He doesn't know any better, he will adjust just FINE seeing out of one eye".....

    As people who love animals, and as a responsibility of one who breeds.....How can you NOT give a 3 week old foal, the opportunity to see a long healthy life from TWO EYES.........and I'm so happy to say that that is now a reality.......  The really cool thing about all of this is that his cornea will always be scarred, but it looks like Charger has a "permanent twinkle" in his eye.....  :)  So the long and short of this is......I don't know where summer has gone, because it's just been a summer of "existence".......I haven't promoted the GG's, or updated my website.....but I feel like I'm finally able to breathe again, and will get all of that done in the near future.......

I thought I would update you with a couple more pictures as well.

Obviously "Super Charged a.k.a. Charger" is the colt I am referring to.... and "Porsche" is black bay filly.........

I hope I haven't overloaded you with pictures....

Talk soon,

Betsy Hampton

 

 

IGGHR

P.O. Box 845

Piketon, Ohio 45661

Email us: georgiangrand@bright.net


IGGHR Copyright ©