Why call the vet when you can just dump it on Craigslist?
May 20 2010
This filly is being dumped not for lack of quality, but for having a hernia that will cost, omg, $600 whole dollars to fix.
And here she is on another sale site!
On Craigslist with an excuse: “Brought home for family member, health forces rehoming.”
Whose health? The filly’s, because you don’t want to pay the vet bill? It surely isn’t YOUR health because YOU, Megan Hartop of Sierra Shadows Ranch, are still enthusiastically advertising for training and boarding horses. You’d think you could pay for the $600 hernia surgery it would take to make this filly a valuable animal and not a freebie on Craigslist, likely to be picked up by the nearest kill buyer who is a good actor/actress and sent off to Mexico.
You know, it’s a tough enough situation when you’re trying to rehome a horse with a problem that can’t be fixed, like blindness or sarcoids. This is a problem that is easy for a vet to fix, with a high success rate, and you just won’t do it. There really isn’t any good excuse here. You’re being cheap and/or lazy and it’s definitely not in the filly’s best interests. FAIL.
So while we’re on the topic, I do not believe we’ve ever discussed hernias in depth here. It is not at all uncommon for a foal to be born with a hernia. As described in the Merck Veterinary Manual, “Hernias involving the abdomen are seen when abdominal contents protrude through a natural or abnormal opening in the body wall. They may be congenital or acquired.” For most foals, a hernia is no big deal – it’s something the typical vet can resolve inexpensively while the baby is still young. Here is a good article showing an umbilical hernia being repaired by a vet. Yes, there are some that resolve on their own, and your vet is the one who can make a good judgment call about whether to wait a bit or repair the hernia immediately.
Here is another good article by a vet explaining some of the things that can happen if you don’t take care of the hernia. The filly in that article had a “one finger” hernia that caused an impaction in her bowel that could have killed her. This filly in the ad has a three finger hernia. She needs veterinary care, now, and her odds of receiving it are pretty slim if she’s given away for free on Craigslist! C’mon folks, we ALL know how many bottom-feeders are out there. I want you to imagine for a second what could happen if some “good home” takes her…and breeds her like that. Is it really THAT hard to come up with $600? This person has 3 saddles for sale on Craigslist, too. Voila, there is your $600. Why not do the right thing for this VERY cute filly – get her fixed, and while you’re at it, get her registered. She’s going to sell for more than enough to make it worth your while, if you make any kind of attempt whatsoever at marketing her.
(BTW, love to know who the stallion owner is who is apparently withholding papers until the hernia is fixed. Must be someone who does not want everybody talking about how their stud sires foals with hernias. Either that or someone did not pay the $3000 stud fee. Hmmmm.)
Hernias are just one of the many things that can go wrong with a foal, yet it’s common for people to breed their mare without ever considering that the foal may be born with an expensive problem. I found a quote by Dorthy Brown on a message board that sums it all up: “I am very glad I called the vet when I did–just gotta say everyone go with your gut with a foal. If you think something’s off have it checked out –they can go down so fast.” She is spot on (and her foal was okay, precisely because she called the vet immediately). They are fragile and it doesn’t take much to kill them. And there are many problems that are no big deal to fix when they’re babies that will result in a short life or a crippled one if you don’t fix them. Do the right thing – it won’t kill you, and it will keep you off of the Fugly Blog!
145 comments to “Why call the vet when you can just dump it on Craigslist?”
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Such a cute face. I just spent over $400 on the pooch for skin allergies. As much as pleasure as my critters give me, proper care is not cheap. I lost my mare last year but with that combined with dog/cat expenses, I easily spent over $4000 just in vet bills. In my area I would be pleasantly surprised if a hernia repair was $600.
Years ago I spent 3 x’s my mare purchase price on surgery to remove her ovary which had turned into a granulosa tumor the size of a watermelon. It hadn’t caused any colic at that point but why wait. As far as I was concerned it was a ticking time bomb. I took her in while she was healthy and fit and we had many more years together. Worth every penny.
Sandbox’s return made my day yesterday. Might have to check into Facebook.
http://www.bluebonnetequine.org/horses/2008rainbow.htm#snickers
This horse had a hernia and was allowed to run with a stallion by an irresponsible owner. Horse euthanized.
Well shes cute! Hope to god some one who is good and honest scoops her up and fixes her as soon as her feet are off the trailer.
Had a crazy lady I boarded with once whose TB filly had a 2finger hernia….She didnt want to put her under for surgery so she took a tennis ball, put it over the hernia and vet wrapped it around the mares belly as tight as she could get it. Then she would use some connected to it and go up around her neck so it wouldnt slide back and turn into a bucking strap. The filly did not like this treatment and as soon as they untied her she would promptly start rolling and shredding apart the contraption. It was hysterical to watch the woman try to scold this filly and then go through rolls and rolls of vetwrap then the filly just shred hours of diligent work in a few seconds.
After a month of this they decided to have the surgery. They also had the filly fixed while she was under because the lady said “She was just too ornery to take a chance on her getting bred, they dont want another one of her!” We used to just laugh and laugh and spend hours watching this old lady and this young horse together…..Oh the day she “sacked her out” Memories I will have forever!
AAARGH! And this person is a supposed breeder/trainer? Which presupposes at least minimal facilities (i.e., more than my rented duplex and my horse at a boarding stable)? I was laid-off last July. I was given a severance, but I’m no spring chicken so that’s going into my retirement account. It ain’t cheap living here in NoCal, but for SEVEN MONTHS I diligently sought work, worked temp jobs, lived off my small amount of savings excluding the severance, collected unemployment (which I had NEVER done in my entire working life), and managed to support TWO horses – my rideable youngster and my retiree, until I got back to full time work in January 2010. But this person can’t pay for a $600 hernia op? Geesh. Youngster tweaked MCL in September 09 and was in rehab to one degree or another, with periodic vet checks, ultrasounds, etc. ($$$$) until April 2010 (he was basically sound by December 09, but vet has been making me go slooooooow with rehab). Just when he was about to be cleared for full work, he got an abscess. More $$$$ creeping up to close to $2,500 by now going back to September. Somehow, as a single self-supporting person, I manage to pay the vet bills, the rent, and all my other bills. Do these people make ANY effort at all? Why do they even HAVE horses? I had to euthanize my retiree in February, so that portion of my boarding expenses is, sadly gone (but not the cost of his final illness and euthanization – close to $1,000). Sigh.
Anyone know the dam’s name? Could be a nice filly.
If I lived in Cal I would go get her myself! I don’t own arabians or ever intend to but she is a cutie and deserves better than this.
If I had a horse trailer I’d bring her to you.
I am shocked that filly has lived this long with that hernia being unattended to. I found a kitten dumped in a dumpster outside a fast food place that had a hernia. I paid for her to have it fixed right up and they spayed her at the same time, so altogether it wasn’t a bad deal. But the vet told me that in his experience, most animals that have abdominal hernias don’t survive their first year if the hernia is left to itself, as when they grow the muscle can slowly begin to close, constricting and strangling the intestine or digestive tract that slips through the opening.
If she were closer I’d get her and fix her up myself, show her a bit and then likely re-home her to somebody who would put her to good use. Darling little head on her. Heck I am sure some 4H kid would love to get her, healthy, for a project horse.
Speaking about “awsome breeders” … check out this sad little one, they’re selling her as a “diamond in the ruff”…
http://www.equinenow.com/horse-ad-271910
I’d be so ashamed if I owned a horse that looked like this and I’d sure be trying to get her in better shape before posting her for sale all over the internet…
they have a website too…
http://kosmorg.webs.com/
I love all the pictures on their “Buyer Information” page of the youngsters running around with their lead-ropes dragging on the ground!
Letting a young horse drag a nice stiff leadrope is a pretty well-recognized way to easily teach the horse to give to pressure. They aren’t going to hurt themselves doing this, but rather learn that when they step on the lead and thus feel pressure, that the best course of action is to simply stop and perhaps take a little step backwards.
However, it’s hard to tell if these horses were turned out to pasture dragging leads; that’s not generally how it’s done. Usually folks use this method in a paddock, arena, or even large round pen situation. Nevertheless, I’d be very surprised to hear that these horses suffered any damage from this practice.
Oh man, this Awsome Breeder needs a Fugly feature column!
hateful*^%*@ “breeder”, leave my breed alone. fugly no-assed *@&*! horses. why, why, why? poor little poa and all the poor little p. o. s. morgans! gag, heave, there are not enough ugly words to convey my feelings. i’m gonna go sit in the corner and cry now. f*#@% s^&%$ a%!#&*
So the stud fee for the sire is $3,000 but she doesn’t see the value of repairing this filly for less than $1,000? Lady, get out of the business NOW.
My friends must hate me for inundating them with horses needing homes, but I spread the word again. Maybe someone from our school’s equestrian team will be able to bail her out.
This little girl is only 2 hours away from where I currently live. I’m going to contact the seller to see if I can came take a look at her because this is just not fair to that poor filly. Even if I can’t take her, I know people who would love to add her to their family.
I had a horse that 2 years ago had an allergic reaction to a vaccine… the vet bills finally topped out around $6,000. This was a horse that was given to me because his current owners at that time couldn’t “handle” him.
Boggles my mind that she won’t spend the money on a filly with that much potential.
I had a long conversation with the owners of this filly. Long story short, they are not bad people and are not the ones who have had her with this hernia for this long. They have only had her for a month. The $600 is not really an accurate cost. The vet told them he could do it at their farm but that it was risky as they did not have the proper facilities. He highly recommended they ship her to the clinic for the surgery due to the risks involved. They are far from the clinic and would incur many extra costs. They posted the horse in hopes that someone who was looking for an endurance horse for little money would consider taking her and getting the surgery done. They have received many inquiries that they have turned down because they knew they were not legitimate. If they do not find her a legitimate home by the end of the month, they will get her to the clinic, have the surgery done themselves and keep her. They just do not need another horse and was hoping to home her to someone who does.
Maybe we can use this network to find someone to give her a home. If they want the surgery done first, they would have to agree to pay all the costs this family will incur by shipping her to the clinic.
I have no information on the breeder and do not know why the hernia was not fixed by them.
Well, I am glad to hear they are considering doing it themselves but I wish they’d just do that. If they got her with the hernia, they knew they were taking on that expense, right? It’s not like it just showed up.
The odds are SO high that (despite good intentions) she’s going to go to someone faking being a good home, or someone else who will also not pay for the surgery. Unless they’re going to write up an iron clad contract and pretty much deliver her to the new owner’s vet to ensure it gets done, this is just too risky for the filly. Get the procedure done and register her and then sell her for the thousands of dollars she is no doubt worth.
It’s like when you adopt out cats or dogs to people who promise to spay/neuter. They almost NEVER do, which is why rescues now just do it all first and DO charge you $100 for a kitten.
If the current owners “don’t need another horse right now” why did they get this one only a month ago? Could it be they were given this unregistered filly for free by the asshat breeder, were too ignorant to notice the problem and now are trying to weasle out of a vet bill?
And dollars to donuts, that $3,000 stud fee hasn’t been paid or she would have been registered by now. Cost to register goes up significantly after the foaling year.
I saw this ad and live 2 hrs away. The surgery cost would not be an issue, She is very tempting but I have to be honest with myself because I just do not have the space to keep her seperated from my gelding till she heals nor do I have the knowledge to train a young horse.
just for information (not playing the devil’s advocate!) – the smaller a hernia is, strangely enough, the more likely you are to have complications (an “empty” loop of gut can slide into a 1 finger hernia and THEN fill with so much ingesta that it can’t escape – hence the situation in the second article) – highly unlikely to happen in a 3-4 finger one.
What’s really sad? If treated early enough (even if the hernia is big) with a hernia wrap, most either completly resolve on their own, or get small enough that they can be easily fixed with clamping-techniques (ie no cutting!!) which is much cheaper and safer, and can be done right on the farm. No excuse for this (ignorance is an explanation, not an excuse in my books!)
Shame on whoever bred this filly for not being responsible – if you can’t afford to deal with the common problems of breeding horses, then DON’T BREED THEM!!
Thanks for the additional information – I didn’t know that and it’s good to know, because my assumption would have been that a bigger one is more dangerous.
Wow, I am Megan Hartop of Sierra Shadows Ranch and I can’t believe someone would make such assumptions about me and post it on the internet. I appreciate your dedication to making this world a better place for horses, but you are really attacking the wrong person. This filly (and a colt) was brought home a month ago for a family member. She has had manageable MS for years, and recently and suddenly went blind. I have placed the colt with a friend. The clinic is three hours away, and between hotel, babysitter and gas, NO, I don’t have that kind of money right now. I have talked to the vet about payment plans, and come June, that is our course of action. I DID NOT breed this horse, I DO NOT breed horses. We take great care of our horses, and I have several auction horses I have rescued. I did not have this filly as a weanling, obviously, that would have been the best solution. I am asking you to take down this blog as it is slander and not fair. Yes, the saddles are up on craiglist to help pay for her surgery. I am trying to do the right thing.
It’s not slander, because you’re doing exactly what I said you were – dumping the filly for free on Craigslist with an unrepaired hernia. That is what your ad says. I did not put words in your mouth. It says, filly for free with an unrepaired hernia that will cost $600-$900 to fix. Slander has to be untrue to be slander.
(Also, it has to be spoken, not written, but that’s a technicality)
I don’t get why anyone would get two young horses for someone with a serious health condition, but hey, that was your call. Now it’s 100% your responsibility what happens to her. You said it could be done in the field, so call out the vet and have it done in the field. Then you do not need a babysitter, gas or a hotel. If you are having that much trouble finding a vet who will come to you and do it, I will be more than happy to help locate one.
Well before you edited, you called me lazy and cheap. You also hinted that I may have run out on a $3000 stud fee. This is ridiculous. What are you hoping to accomplish? Harassing phone calls? Yep, I am getting them. You aren’t helping any horse with this.
Aw, found it. Yes, I am still lazy and cheap. Also, who are you to say what a person with MS should or shouldn’t do? Shame on you. Blind people climb mountains. Deaf people play music. I think it is great that she rides, and I will support and encourage her every step of the way.
In my opinion, you’re being lazy and/or cheap by expecting someone else to take on the hassle you don’t want to take on precisely because it’s time consuming and expensive, which again, you just said. This blog is clearly marked as being about my opinion.
While surely many disabled people can and do climb mountains and many other things, if their relatives are going to give their horses away for free on Craigslist the moment their condition worsens, then yes, taking on the responsibility of two young horses would be ill-advised, at best. Both the person who still rides and you have a responsibility to do the right thing for this filly, and, again, giving her away for free with a major problem is NOT what is best for the filly. Why not get her a nice quiet older horse, which she could enjoy sighted or not? A young, untrained filly with a large hernia does not seem to be such a wise choice, does it now?
Upon my first reading of ouch’s comment I took her meaning to be, although not very artfully expressed, that she was taking the filly and colt off the hands of a family member who could no longer care for them, which makes more sense when you think about it. Doesn’t excuse trying to dump the filly for free on CL, though.
As I understand it, these horses were already owned by the person with MS before she went blind, and something then had to be done with them. A relative stepped up and is in fact selling three saddles to try to pay for the surgery – which haven’t sold yet. And she is also trying to find someone else who might be willing to help this filly in exchange for a cute filly. How does that end up being something that you criticize? She has no obligation to this horse whatsoever, she is trying to find money to help her, and while she doesn’t have the money she is trying to find anyone else who is willing to help.
I swear, you do so much good in the world but then sometimes you’re just so far off the deep end you baffle me.
No, you’re incorrect. They got the filly in March from the breeder under the agreement they would take care of the hernia. So the breeder passed the filly along and now she was going to be passed along again.
How do you know she got the filly in March? She just stated she has had her a month, is selling saddles to try to raise the money and is working on a payment plan for June. For someone who is trying to help out a family member, you seem intent on roasting her. Why?
She told me in e-mail.
My feeling is that she’s going to do the right thing and do the surgery. I hope so, and told her it would be my pleasure to post an update and offer the filly for sale on this site at her actual value once she’s had the surgery and is registered.
So she got the filly one month earlier. But I still do not understand why you have totally flamed her, put her name out there to the point she where she is getting harassing e-mails and phone calls (ouch mentioned this from an earlier post). She said she is working on a plan to to resolve the filly’s problem if she does not find it a home – time will tell on that one. Aren’t you afraid that this tactic will make the next person think, “Forget it, I won’t post the horse anywhere so auction it is!” or “I really don’t think I want to get involved to help” ? It seems me that finding out what the intentions are BEFORE the flame would really identify who needs help and maybe, you can rally your troops to help them.
I haven’t done anything different to her than many other people – perhaps you haven’t been reading the blog from the start. This has always been a major element of the blog. I name names, I often show pictures, and I’m not the one who put the phone number out there, she did by putting it in an ad in which she described her planned bad behavior. There are many kindler, gentler blogs out there to read if that style is more to your liking. If you ask someone their intentions, 100% of the time they will make excuses for themselves, lie, change the story, etc. Most people are very good at that. Ask a child if he intended to break his brother’s toy and see what kind of answer you get about how it was an accident. That’s human nature.
If you and your family member don’t have the money for the surgery then why did you get this horse in the first place? Unless your finances have changed drastically in the last 4 weeks it seems like you think it’s just not worth your while to follow through on the initial agreement because you no longer have a use for the horse. When you accepted this horse you knew it had a hernia and would cost this much money to fix, family medical crises aside, what was your original plan of how to pay for this when you were planning on keeping the filly? I understand the difficulty of money being tight but it sounds like you were not being realistic from the start. If you’re going to accept a horse with a serious medical condition like a hernia you should have a vet lined up and ready to do the procedure as soon as the filly comes into your possession and the funds ready to pay the bill, not wait a month to decide if you’re going to keep her or if you can raise enough money for the surgery.
You say, “Also, who are you to say what a person with MS should or shouldn’t do? Shame on you. Blind people climb mountains. Deaf people play music. I think it is great that she rides, and I will support and encourage her every step of the way.”
I agree with you. A person with MS should do all the things possible, and since MS is not a brain injury or mental illness, a person with MS should also be held responsible for her actions and decisions. So just like anyone else, a person with MS should not view buying a horse in the same light as buying a motorcycle. A pet owner has a responsibility to feed, house, care for and provide vet care for her animals. So, Ouch, are you playing the pity card by bringing up the MS?
I suspect that the person with MS may be a minor, and you yourself bought the horse. It is unclear because you use a passive voice to distance yourself from responsibility in this matter: “This filly (and a colt) was brought home a month ago for a family member.” “WAS BROUGHT HOME”? What, the Horse Fairy deposited this horse on your doorstep? And what happened to the colt which did not have a hernia? I presume you are keeping him for, what, the family member with MS for whom you originally bought the horse? So the person with MS is well enough to ride the colt but not the filly with the hernia.
My opinion is that you bought these two horses to train and flip, realized that the profit margin was too low on the filly, and decided to dump her on Craigslist. You were kind hearted enough not to send your filly to auction, but you didn’t think out your plan very well as to her probable fate. Please be careful to really look into the background and references of the person who buys your horse. I wish you and your filly luck.
I didn’t edit my original post, sunshine. I never do, unless the information is flat out incorrect. Your words have done nothing to change my original opinion. And I said SOMEONE may have not paid the stud fee – I didn’t say it was you. Learn to read for comprehension. If you want to post and tell everybody just who is to blame for the filly not having papers and not receiving care when younger, you’re more than welcome to do so. If you do not think that fixing her hernia is your responsibility, you are more than welcome to explain why.
>>>Learn to read for comprehension.<<< ROTFLMAO! I don't think they teach this particular skill in some zip codes.
I resent that! I’m a teacher who constantly teaches reading for comprehension.
Of course, none of them seem to actually learn it. I’m still working on that one.
This blog is Cathy’s opinion that is all.
I understand how you feel but, honestly, adding “threatening behaviour” to the list is not helping your case at all!
Libel has to be an untrue fact not an untrue opinion. everyone is entitled to their opinion, I am afraid, even if you do not like it.
Would it be possible to advertise the filly for $1000, on the condition that the buyer hands over the money, you take the filly to get the hernia fixed with the sale money, and then the filly goes to the buyer once she’s had some time to heal up? That way you could be sure that she gets the surgery and gets an owner who cares enough to spend the money on her. She seems like a very pretty girl, I hope she finds a good home somewhere.
That is actually a really good suggestion! Or like I said, take her straight to the buyer’s vet and actually talk to the vet and ensure the surgery will be performed. This weeds out kill buyers, who would never pay for something like that, and idiots who would take her and just not get the surgery done.
Awesome idea!! Smartypants over here.
My black filly, now mare, had a hernia when I got her. I was worried she might be pregnant also since she had been turned out with stud colts who had the CBER strain of strangles also. She wasn’t and the vet said that if I waited a year it would heal on it’s on as it was only the size of a small pea when he checked it. I can’t even imagine letting a filly run around with a 3 finger sized one! Why didn’t they get fix it immediately instead of waiting for her to grow some more, it would have been a lot easier to fix and obviously there’s no way in hell that would heal by itself!! I hope someone gets her and does right by her.
lol oops own not on
This is kink of like people who don’t get a cryptorchid colt castrated.
YES…another HUGE, HUGE, HUGE pet peeve of mine. You see so many cryptorchids at auctions. Nasty, rank and nippy. They usually don’t stand a chance.
That’s because the cost of the surgery is, in most cases, more expensive than the colt’s $$$ value. A top quality breeder who gets a cryptorchid does spend the money because top quality geldings do sell. And to expect a backyard breeder to do the correct thing and either pay for the surgery or euthanize (sarasim insert here!) !?!?!?
Yeah, that’s the problem. This is a main reason why I scream so loudly about the breeding of low end horses. It’s because it’s not WORTH it to people to take proper care of them, whether that’s vet work or paying $600 – $1000 a month for training. That’s the problem with it. It’s not that I’m, as I’m accused of being, an elitist who doesn’t want there to be cheap horses. There will never be a shortage of cheap horses. All it takes is one injury or some arthritis for an expensive horse to become a cheap horse. Every year, tons of horses don’t quite cut it in some competitive discipline, or a quality broodmare becomes too old to breed or becomes sterile. More than enough to fill the spots for $1000 and under family horses. We do not need to, nor will we ever need to, DELIBERATELY produce cheap horses.
Amen! Who wouldn’t rather have a cheep but well built OTTB who just wasn’t fast enough or a breeding quality 13yo WB ex brood mare than a shitty legged cremello with a nest (and a hernia and one undescended testicle!)?
Not to mention the occasional cases where a top quality mare is bred to a top quality stud, but the foal still comes out fugly…
Actually, I’m far happier seeing Crypts at a sale than seeing ‘geldings’ with suspiciously studdy behavior. I know of several people who have ‘home cut’ a crypt’s single testicle off, then sent it to sale as a gelding.
Or my most recent favorite– the ‘gelding’ sold to a 4-H family who found out at the first workshop that he was a very active crypt.
That happened to me!!! When I was 15 my non-horsie parents FINALLY let me buy a horse from the classifieds in the local paper. He came from a shifty horse trader type. Anyway, it was my first horse and we thought that we were getting a 2 year old (we didn’t know enough to realize that the 2 year old part was bad enough) Arabian GELDING … not so much as it turned out. That horse damn near killed me many many times. I still have him, and always will, but DAMN that was a dangerous and sleazy thing to do.
Sorta off topic, but not! I got a “free” persian cat in November who was a crypt whom the breeder swears wasn’t and even wanted to use him for breeding, even after we told her he was a crypt! I asked her if she knew that it was a genetic disorder, and she, of course, didn’t. We promptly took him to the vet and had him fixed for several hundred dollars. He also gets highly stressed when we leave him for more than 24hrs (even if we hire a cat-sitter!) and gets nasty diarrhea bleh (another $200 vet bill just to find out he doesn’t handle stress well…)… I LOVE this cat but I will NEVER get a Persian again, free or otherwise!
Man, we bought a Quarter Horse “gelding” a few years back. He was a beautifully conformed palomino and had the most wonderful disposition. Well, we had him a while before we had him near other horses on the trail. He went nuts- reared straight up, doing what a stallion would typically do when he wants to be social and be around mares. We were so surprised. Of course, he was a cryptorchid. We had the surgery done, and, worrying his behavior would not improve (since he had likely bred mares before) we sold him. And we still regret it to this day. Of course his behavior would have improved! We just simply did not know enough back then.
I grow more disgusted by human beings every day. I found my rescue gelding’s sire for free on Craigslist yesterday…alas I could not rescue him as well……More and more freebies are out there that have made their owners money over the years or could make their owners money if someone actually gave a damn about their future……WTF is WRONG with people. It seems that no one cares that THEIR OWN SELFISH ACTIONS have consequences……
I know of a family that took in a weanling in the exact same situation..they got the horse for free on the condition they pay to fix her hernia.
They dragged their feet doing and after several months when they finally got around to it, the vet discovered it wasn’t a hernia after all but a huge pocket of pus from her infected umbilical chord. The pocket extended several inches into her abdomen.
This poor filly had gone for 8 months untreated because the asshat who gave her away wouldn’t fork out the cash for a vet and the asshats that adopted her didn’t think “it was a big deal” enough to get it looked at right away. Karma got them a little bit as the $800 hernia surgery became a $1500 bill to clean up the infection.
I wonder how many people bother with a pre-purchase exam BEFORE they write the check so they know about issues such as hernias — cost to fix and after-care — as well as internal issues that are not visible (like bone chips, navicular changes, etc.). I learned about practical horse care at a QH breeding farm “back in the day” when I bought my first horse. I had read books and like that, but my actual “hands-on” experience with horses was pretty minimal.
The farm owners did their own work — training, grooming, conditioning, feeding, cleaning, etc. — and I saw firsthand what was involved in caring for ONE horse. I paid the board bill and didn’t have to feed or clean, but I was there nearly every day after work. And it wasn’t like he was boarded right next door, either.
To me, taking care of any health issue (animal or human) is like living where it snows a lot. You don’t put off getting medical care as soon as the issue is discovered (or suspected) just like you don’t put off clearing the driveway when the flakes are falling. Six inches of snow are a lot easier to shovel or “snowblow” than a foot or more.
My vet has complimented me several times on the fact that I suspect a problem with the horse and make the appointment to see him. “You don’t know how many of my clients will say their horse has been lame ‘for about six months or a year’ and that means I have to fix something more damaged.”
I have to say, when I bought my first horse Beau just last year, I had him vetted. Thankfully, he came through with flying colors (because I really wanted him). We paid $2500 for him, which is a big part of the reason we did have him vetted.
Then, our second horse Jack (registered Newfoundland Pony) we were only paying $650 for, and he seemed fat and healthy – so we didn’t have him vetted. Low and behold… he has heaves. Lovely. Now we pay for drugs for him every month (in a year, he’s probably surpassed what we paid for the first guy). He is mostly a pasture ornament now, will be here for the rest of his days, and the hubbys grandkids come and we lead them around on Jack once every month or two.
Lesson learned… even though we paid slightly less than the pony for our third (and last) purchase, Bella, we had her vetted.
Lesson: The cost of the vet check (less than $100 unless you need x-rays, etc.) is well worth it. Missing something that the previous owners can easily cover up with a steroid shot and some bute – well, that can cost hundreds – even thousands – more each year!
My horse was free and I still payed for the PPE. It actually turned out very well because the money I had saved up for the purchase went to the PPE, worming, farrier visit, floating, sheath cleaning, bloodwork (for a baseline), all my tack, etc.
The vet that did the exam was an older gentleman and did not say much beyond “Yeah, he seems pretty sound” and “Are you sure you want this horse? He’s spooky and rude for his age!”
He is pretty sound, and is spooky for his age (I’ve accepted this), but we have made a lot of progress on the rudeness!
off-topic sorry, but here’s another neglect case and a legit rescue that probably could use some help
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2010/May/19/Maryland-rescue-farm-takes-on-26-neglected-horses.aspx
26 horses and other animals on 5 acres?? WTF were they thinking??? I feel that we as society sometimes need to step in on situations like this (before it is a problem) as it is obvious that some people cannot control themselves. I live in town. I can have no more than 2 dogs and 3 cats. I do not see that as being a problem, for me. But who the hell wants all that on such little space?? Imagine the shit piled up everywhere. No need to fertilize, just drag it out. But it sounds like the poor animals didn’t leave much behind, even poop.
I guess this is why there are restrictions for a total number of animals allowed in some areas (sub-divisions). I see that is not one of them.
I saw these horses this weekend. Broke my heart. Thank goodness Garrett County is working to prosecute this individual, as well as covering expenses to rehab the horses staying at Days End. It’s nice to see ANY government agency doing the right thing.
Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue will be taking the two Haffies that came in. They are definitely thin, but I was told that the fact they are drafts helped them a lot.
What are “Haffies”?
This is familiar…
Here it is: http://dallas.craigslist.org/sdf/grd/1749578363.html
Don’t you just love the closing? “…have a blessed day.” The hypocricy of those simple words communicates so much: yeah, I get it, you are religious — but you’re not godly enough to get vet care for your little filly? Please.
Sort of OT….but since this blog is addressing big vet bills Id be interested in opinions about my current predicament.
I am the owner of a wonderfully sweet, 55 pound beagle mix that was a rescue that I fostered and then adopted. When the puppy was rescued at only 8 weeks old he had severe mange that nearly killed him and took almost 9 months to completely heal. I donated much of the $$ for that treatment to the shelter to help with the bills, and brought him home to finish healing.
He is now about 14 months old and has just been diagnosed with luxating patella (knees keep popping out of the joints) in both back legs. This happens many times each day and he is constantly limping, although it doesnt seem to cause him pain.
Surgery has been recommended by all three vets we consulted, which will cost $8000 to do both legs. The surgery has an 80-90% success rate but he will surely become arthritic in both legs at a very young age due to the trauma of the surgery. Dog must be kept very calm and quiet for 4-6 weeks or he could “undo” the surgery which would mean repeating it at full cost. Dog is hyperactive by nature and Im not sure how this could realistically be accomplished.
Add to that the fact my youngest has 3 more years of college at $20K per year, my house needs a new roof at $15K and I just found out last week I need $15K worth of dental work which insurance wont cover.
Oh, and hubbys job security is a little “iffy” right now because his company may be bought out.
One of the reasons I dont have a horse right now (Ive waited 30 years since I owned my last one, whats a few more?..LOL) is because I am not prepared to pay huge vet bills, which is almost a given with a horse. I certainly didnt expect this with a dog…………
Right now the plan is to keep him on good joint supplements, and have him swim and walk inclined on a tread mill to strengthen his ligaments. My regular vet will supply pain pills if/when needed. Maybe in a few years we can revisit the surgery option but right now its just not feasible.
The few people I have told about this are aghast that we are not “mortgaging the farm” to get this dog surgery. Most of them are the types that see their own dogs as “people”. Thats nice, but I live in the real world. We strive to live debt free and Im not going to tell my kid he has to get a college loan because I spent his school money on the dog……
Am I being reasonable here??? I would like to think so…
I am not a dog expert, but I would not fault you if you tried alternate therapies like you said and were emotionally okay with putting him to sleep if he became too painful to be comfortable. If you’ve noticed, I never ream anybody out for euthing. Euthanasia is not mean or cruel; in fact, I don’t believe the animal has any idea what is up. It is like being put under for surgery. I will say that the possibility of a whopper bill like that is a very good reason to consider medical insurance for pets so that you don’t have to make a tough decision like you’re facing right now. I don’t have all of mine insured though – I have the VLC insured, and the others I know I have a “limit” when it comes to vet expenses and past that they would be sent peacefully off by the vet. I don’t have issues with having limits on what you will spend (unless you’re wealthy, you must have some limit or your other animals/family will suffer), or having other expenses that have to take priority. My only gripes are (a) refusing to euth but unable to pay for the vet care (common at overloaded rescues with death-phobic women who wail and cry at the mere mention of euthanasia) and (b) passing off your vet bills/your problem to someone else (whether that is another owner or a rescue).
My former roommate had a dog needing surgery on both stifles (patellas) but the vet told her to have just one done because the dog would be able to get around on three good legs and while I don’t remember the details of the problem, I don’t think it was something that caused her pain. Just another option to explore.
You’re being reasonable. You have a responsibility to your entire family, not just the dog, both emotionally and financially. Maybe it’s not that you care less about your pet than your friends might, but that you care more about your financial stability than they do. You’ll need to weigh the value of living without debt against the value of a few more years of this particular dog’s companionship.
From what you’ve described, it sounds like your dog is a poor candidate for surgery, and even if it’s 100% successful he still won’t have a normal, comfortable lifespan. And you’re not in a good position to pay for it. Keeping him comfortable for as long as possible and enjoying his company until it’s time to let him go sounds like a reasonable choice to me.
Either way, it’s an intensely personal and difficult decision. I hope you’ll be at peace with whatever decision you come to. Best wishes.
No, I don’t think you’re being unreasonable. I think you’re being responsible. You have your family to take care of and $8,000 is a lot of money to most people, especially in this economy. In your situation, I would do the same thing.
I have a 10 year old Pointer with back problems, a 9 year old Lab with hip problems, and a 3 year old Golden Retriever with shoulder problems. My vet told me to use Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and Salmon Oil (the omega-3s reduce inflamation and as a side bonus make their coats super shiny). I’ve had really good luck with this program. My dogs have been able to maintain (it won’t cure anything, but will help slow the joint degeneration) their conditions for many years. I’ve had good result with the Ark Naturals brand because it has other ingredients that are supposed to help, but there are a lot of different brands out there.
Oh, and DON’T LET THE DOG GET OVERWEIGHT. That was something that my vet really emphasized. The more extra weight, the more wear on the joints.
I say you are being reasonable. My mom has a dog that has been diagnoised with Wobbler’s Syndrome. She was told that she would need to do an MRI at state to see how badly damanged his spine was… that was going to cost almost 1000 bucks because he needed to do it with contrast. Then the surgery was goning to start at 5000 with NO guarentee that it would help him in any way. Her other options were to try steriods and physical therapy. She choose steriods and physical therapy. Jed went from unable to barely walk without falling to running short distances. He still doesn’t do well when he is on a slick floor, so she bought him rugs. He gets “stuck” at times and with the right encouragment… ie cookie… he can get “unstuck.” Its interesting to watch him interact with the other dogs and his environment. He actually is better now than he was a year before he was diagnosed. Also, as far as your dog goes I know of a yellow lab that was owned by a friend that had the same problem, except it was just one knee. They did the surgery and the confiement, two weeks after he was “released” he blew the same knee again. They opted not to redo the surgery and he is now a senior dog enjoying life with mild arthritis. But only you know your dog the best. And I understand the “what? youre not mortaging your farm for the dog?” mentallity. I went with my mom to the specialist vet with Jed. When he said we were looking at at least 5000 for the surgery, I said its just a dog. The vet looked at me like I was an alien. Sad. I will do what I can for my critters but if I have to choose between them and my daughter, guess who wins, the HUMAN kid.
OMG! Where are you located?! Beverly Hills?! lol
I had a puppy mill rescue’s patellas repaired (both at once) at a vet school. The school had a grant for rescue dogs and she was covered under that. The surgery was about 5 years ago and cost $900 for both, including follow-up. The follow-up included a second surgery on one patella that slipped.
Stella’s patellas were so bad that she couldn’t squat to relieve herself and I don’t think she had ever run a step in her life (being a mill dog, most likely never had enough room to run). Now, she’s doing great! Has a bit of a funky run, but is happy and pain free.
My suggestion is to start calling vet schools. Beg and plead your dog’s case. He’s a young dog with a long life ahead of him. If you can’t find somebody to help, whatever decision you make will be for the best for your dog and your family.
Good luck!
I have been a veterinary technician for many years. I have never heard of bilateral luxating patellas costing that much. I worked at a very high end specialty practice. I would definitely shop that around. Even check out veterinary teaching hospitals. It might be because your dog is MUCH bigger than the breeds that are most commonly affected by this. Good luck.
EIGHT GRAND!?!? For bilateral luxating patellas? What are they doing, transmuting the tendons to gold?
I have a cat (free kitten, of course) that was diagnosed with grade 4 luxation in both hind legs at 6 months old. He was too tiny to do the surgery on, and they wanted to do it after his growth plates closed, so he didn’t get the surgery until he was a year old. (We supported him with Adequan injections to each knee every week and Cosequin every day until he could get the surgery done) Since luxating patellas are so rare in cats, and because he was such a small cat (6 pounds at a year old), we had to go to one of the best veterinary orthopedic surgeons on the East Coast. Initial visit, surgery on both knees, followup X-rays, pain meds, and antibiotics ran us $1500. In the Washington DC metro area. This was about four years ago, but I can’t imagine that surgery costs have tripled in four years.
Shop around. Hell, if you’re anywhere near the DC Metro area, I’ll refer you to my surgeon.
We purchased a weanling colt at the sale barn for $85. He was a registered APHA breeding stock plain sorrel colt with a hernia that was going to need repair. We and the kill buyer were the only ones bidding. Luckily he is one who lets go if a real bidder is interested. We had called our vet before bidding and he said if we were having the colt gelded, it could be done easily repaired at that time and it wouldn’t add much to the overall price of the gelding. Of course, he was going to be gelded so he came home with us. 7 years later he is a tank of a horse, who has had no ill effects and the recovery was really no different than that of a gelding…..total cost…..$396. This colt was very nice(decently halter and pleasure breeding)….and had she put the $396 into gelding and fixing the hernia, I am sure she would have recouped that and then some when selling him….instead, she dumped him at the sale barn and she walked out with $35 in her pocket(there’s a $50 minimum on horses at the barn).
I keep wishing we could start a charity that buys plane tickets for vets…I’d like to fly some of our reasonably priced vets from the PNW, Midwest and South to these high-priced areas like California to help people obtain affordable vet care. I know the last hernia I saw done in the PNW was less than $200. I’m gonna ask a stupid question but do vets have to be licensed to practice in a certain state or is their license good for all 50?
Not a stupid question at all. In TX, you have to take a liscenseing exam every so often(three to five years? ten?). When it is passed, you must display the liscence to practice in your office. This must be used in conjunction with your degree. If, for example, a graduate of Colorado’s vet school came to practice in tx, they must show proof that they graduated and pass the exam. only then would they be cleared to practice. If the exam is not passed, then there is a period before you can retake it. licsencies can also be pulled for other reasons, malpractice, abuse.
(I only know this b/c I want to be a vet and thoroughly researched my potential careers!)
Thanks! I was wondering about the legality of putting, for example, my WA vet who gelds for $80 on a plane to SoCal to run a gelding clinic. Say he did 10 of them in a day…even with tacking on a 1/10th share of the plane and a hotel room and meals, it’d be WAY cheaper than people have to pay for it here.
Yeah, that would be nice. But there are some vets here in Seattle that charge ridiculous prices for everything. I was quoted $800 to get my 2 female cats spayed. I about fell out of my seat when I heard that cost!!! I took both my girls down to the humane society and got it done for $80 a piece, including micro-chipping and vaccinations!
Good example. SHOP AROUND, like you would for anything else!
My vet charges $500 to euthanize, and you have to haul in — he even charges $10 to open his gate (!) The fee also includes the knacker. The procedure is done in an enclosed round pen, the horse is gone, the knacker is (usually) waiting, backs his truck in, winches the carcass into his truck with enclosed sides (not sure of the correct terminology here, but anyway he can drive down the road and not freak out little kids or sensitive adults in the cars behind him).
All done very quickly, privately, and often the carcass is still warm.
The fee is still a LOT of money, though, and it would be nice if there were a low-cost euth clinic.
Yeah, ultimately there really needs to be, though I do want some protections put on it to ensure the services are only subsidized for people who are truly needy. Los Angeles’ rule used to be that you got free spay/neuter if you could show with pay stubs that your income was less than $40K. That is a pretty good rule, to me. You’d of course adjust that around the country – in L.A., $40K is pretty hard to live on, in other places, you’d own a farm on that.
This is a first I have heard of someone actually doing this as a service. Sounds like they take care of everything. Not sure if it’s a scam or not though.
http://yakima.craigslist.org/grd/1742602784.html
Equine Burial
Never an easy part of horse ownership.
If your looking for an alternative to the rendering truck for a treasured pet we can help.
We provide gentle transportation, humane euthanasia, and burial in a quiet pasture setting.
Providing your horse with the final tenderness and compassion it deserves.
Yakima, Ellensburg and Tri-Cities
$100.00 plus mileage.
I’d be VERY frightened that was a scam and they were going to kill. That said, I do know of an old horse dealer who was shooting horses for people and putting them in a big pit somewhere in WA for about that cost and it could be that guy. That said, I wouldn’t trust that guy to have it be anything approaching humane.
I agree, I reckon he cashes in twice on them.. Your 100 bucks first, then whatever he gets at the auction! I wouldn’t risk it…
Oh, forgot to add. Being a rescue foster volunteer for many years, I have NO doubt that most people would have dumped this dog right back on the rescue. Ive seen cats and dogs returned for the most miniscule, easily fixed medical problems. That will not happen here. This guy is with us for life, whatever that may be.
Hey, I’ve seen dogs turned in because they didn’t match the furniture.
I don’t know where you are located, but you may want to call Randy Acker at the Sun Valley Animal Hospital if you are even remotely within driving range.
http://www.svanimal.com/ra_services.php
The introduction to the book “Best Hikes with Dogs: Western Washington” has a detailed dedication to this clinic. Apparently the price of orthopedic surgery was 1/3rd the cost estimates elsewhere. This justified the drive for the author of the book with his lab puppy, Parka. The author was going through a similar decision making process from the sounds of it. Obviously the author is happy with the end result because years after the surgery he is dedicating a book to the clinic.
Exactly a year ago my trainer lost a mare a few hours after a filly was born. Mare had a terminally twisted gut that would not withstand the 4 hour trailer ride to WSU with a newborn foal, so decision was made to keep mare as comfortable as possible for a few hours to get the colostrum into the filly, then humanely euth her. Then began the culltime work of raising an orphan on a bottle and bucket. Heroic attempts to graft the filly onto another mare proved unsuccessful, so back to the bucket of Foal-Lac Wonderful filly, quickly learned that “trainer mom” was the “boss mare” so didn’t develope common orphan bad manners. This filly was born with a large hernia and at 3 months made her own trip to WSU for its repair. Stayed two extra days to be on the safe side, then back to broodmare barn to recover and grow.
As a well-grown yearling this filly lives up to her blue blooded heritage and will become an asset to her (Morgan) breed as a driving and riding horse. Her trainer is not a wealthy woman, but she did right by this girl and by her mother. Tough decisions have to be made in the horse biz, and while cost was never a factor in the initial decision to comfort, then euth, the mare, it was made with professional advice and assistance.
The filly’s name, of course, is Legacy.
Glad to hear that happy ending for the filly!
My orphan foal (lost his mom at 4 days, same reason) is now over 16 hands.
OMG!
WANTS!
Actually, I am being serious, I live in San Siego area so it is definately a drive, but I currenty have a 22 year old polish arabian and a 18 year old quarter horse mix, both sound fat and happy but aging (especially Megan the arab, just don’t tell her lol) my husband has fallen in love with arabians and we were ready to get a young one that we could start ourselves when megan started slowing down. This would be a perfect fit since she still needs a couple years to grow up. I have noproblem paying for hernia surgery and would be happy to give you my vets name and number as a reference.I will call as well (since you know, she probably is not reading this anymore).
Legitamite offer, real home, spoiled rotten pets pretty much all rescues or situations such as this.
I have a dance class to go to so I will check posts and such when I get home. (pardon spelling, in a rush)
I am sending the owner your e-mail – hope that’s ok. Would love to hook this up and have a happy ending for the filly. Extra credit if you’ll keep giving us updates and post pictures.
I already called her and am sending her an email myself, so that is fine by me.
I’ve been a reader here for awhile (even a regulare free speech board member before when it was still the fugly horse discussion forum, lol) Just never a comment poster. I have a truck and a three horse trailer and the room (although she will stay in the turnout area for awhile because we are in the process of ripping out the damaged swimming pool where more horsey related stuff will go, but turnout is better for young ones then stalling anyway, lol. It is southern california so hay year round, not pasture, but I shoot for a pen or run with a three sided shelter, no 10×0 boxstalls . I was always an overacheiver so I like extra credit 
And my gelding Tequila LOOOOOOOOVES babies, lol.
Oddly enough not 2 months ago I had to put down my kitty I have had since I was 12, and the total bill was over $5000 (close to 6, it was kidney failure, then his red bood cell count plummeted, honestly it was like a veterinary episode of house, we do not know what killed him in the end, but I could tell he was done so I was done) I was expecting, since nature abhors a vacume that something that screamed YOU NEED TO TAKE ME HOME NOW! would show up, but I expected it to be another cat, not a horse, but meh, whatever I am not that picky, lol.
I am exhausted from class and now hove to go mix up buckets of beetpulp and supplements and suff. So we will see what happens from here. Fate and Karma get to take over now, and we will see what tomorrow brings.
You know, I always think that thing too. I had to put this mare I absolutely LOVED down in August ’08 and within 3 months, a mare that looked JUST like her showed up needing a home immediately. That was Thai, who was just on the blog the other day. That one was just meant to be and I understand if this one is calling your name.
you have an email titled “filly with hernia”
if this one’s already spoken for, 1 of my boarders lost her job & needs to rehome her 4yo 14.1h Polish mare & 13.3h yearling colt. she got the mare (already in foal) from a herd of semi-feral (rescued) horses, and has done a decent job of putting some ground manners on the mare. the colt had a bit of a rough start, but is now quite friendly. they’re both gorgeous movers… would make awesome endurance horses. unfortunately, due to the situation they came from, neither is registered. both are greying bays. we’re near sacramento. rachel8272@yahoo.com
thanks for the offer, but San Diego to Sacremento is a lttle bit to far for me to swallow, lol.
I see the person giving the mare away is posting. I have two questions:
1.) If you are indeed selling saddles to pay for the surgery, why is the mare listed as “free” on three sites? If indeed you plan to use the saddle proceeds to perform the surgery, there is no need to give this mare away.
2.) How can you rationalize a person with an expensive and debilitating disease taking on this kind of responsibility?
There is a HUGE problem with encouraging people with debilitating diseases to OWN horses – unless they are independently wealthy. I have friends with MS. They ride leased horses and take lessons on lesson horses, because neither want to take on the responsibility and expense of a LIVING BEING when they occasionally have problems which preclude dealing with said LIVING BEING. Both of these folks have very mild/beginning stages of MS. This is called “responsibility.” Encourage your relative to be involved with horses in a less money and time consuming way, because these poor animals cannot choose their owners, and rely on said owners to make responsible choices that affect the LIVES and WELL BEING of the horses. They aren’t ornaments, and they aren’t medication. That said, perhaps your relative could get her horse fix by volunteering at a local equine rescue organization. This way, everyone involved wins and there aren’t any huge expenses being funded by tack sales, etc.
MCL – You really struck a nerve on this one. I was diagnosed with MS in 1997, before I bought my first Welsh Pony. I now own seven and am running a quality breeding farm. I am also a full-time mommy and rely on my husband’s income to pay the bills. Does that give me two strikes aganst being allowed to own horses? No personal income AND an incurable disease? I am also fat (though I have lost 33 pounds in the past four months), so you might as well give me three strikes and come confiscate my ponies!
Before you condemn people, do a little research! MS is not a death sentence.
There are better forms of exercise than jumping to conclusions.
I jumped to no conclusions. I never said that every MS patient (or other sufferer of debilitating disease) was an indigent with no right to own horses. I said encouraging it is irresponsible. You have personal issues, and I struck a nerve probably because you know you have to care for what is dependent on you.
Your disease is a ticking time bomb that I hope never goes off. But as I said, I know several people with it, and I am very active in our local MS society for that reason. Managing a disease as difficult as MS is no easy task. One friend has “exacerbations’ that periodically leave her wheelchair bound. One day, she may not be able to get out of the wheelchair again. Then what would she do with a horse? While she is suffering her exacerbation, she spends thousands on doctor and pharmacy bills. She shouldn’t have to choose between paying for her needed care and her hay bill.
I hope you have a plan in place that would care for your barn and horses if the worst should happen and you become dependent, however briefly, on others to care for them. Also, I hope your husbands income is sufficient to pay for all the help you may need in the future if the barn isn’t a moneymaker.
I understand that life doesn’t come with guarantees, and my point was that “encouraging” people with debilitating diseases to take on the lifetime commitment of a horse isn’t a responsible thing to do when they have to worry about caring and paying for the care of themselves.
Also, my comment was directed at the person who encouraged a MS patient to take on what she clearly had no resources to manage.
OT : My lil mare came up with a big bite on her neck. She has corona (sp? sorry) ointment on it now, and will continue to get that morning and night/before she goes out to keep the flies off but do you have any special treatments/favorite ointments to use? There are two different quarter sized marks, one is very deep and the other isn’t as deep.
(First time horse owner.. help!)
Thanks
Corona is actually my favorite thing to use because it tends to stick to the injury and protect it from dirt and flies, not to mention keeping everything soft and allowing any “crusties” to be washed off without causing additional bleeding. Just wash it off and reapply the Corona til she’s healed up and she should be fine (I’m assuming it isn’t anything bad enough to stitch, which bites usually aren’t).
I swear by tea tree oil. I have found a cream at the pharmacy that had been wonderful on bug bites. It gives itch relief and tea tree is a natural antiseptic, natural antibiotic and is also an anti-fungal. It is paired with vit. E . I love the stuff. It is distributed by DERMA E Products, Chatsworth, CA91311 (all this on the label). There is a phone number on the container:800-521-3342. They also make a body wash and I have some other lotion for itch relief. (all found at the pharmacy all half price!!)
I keep pure tea tree at the farm and use it in my mix of fly spray, use on cuts and scrapes, etc… It has proven itself with me and my critters.
I recently gave some to a guy at work that suffers from terrible eczema or psoriasis and it has finally given him relief after many prescriptions and dr visits over the years. I call it amazing stuff. But I have found not all products containing tea tree are created equal. This stuff really works.
Oh! and NO ANIMAL TESTING!! Yea!
My mare got kicked in the face on New Year’s Eve (because it’s a rule: all pets and children get sick or injured after 4:45pm on a Friday, unless there is a holiday, in which case the injury will occur after 4:45pm on the day of the beginning of the holiday weekend. I think it’s a law or something). She had a hoof-sized wound completely to the bone on the front of her face. The vet pulled the skin back over part of the wound and after the granulation tissue grew in he recommended an aluminum spray that was great. I don’t have it here and I can’t remember what it is called, but it was great for keeping flies and dirt off and you don’t have to touch a raw open wound. It’s amazing how well it healed. She has a little ridge of scab still where the edges of the new skin meet, but her hair grew back in and you wouldn’t know it happened by looking at her.
It’s called Aluspray. Good stuff.
I fully agree with the you that it is a law or something for horses to injure themselves at 4:45 the day before a day off or holiday. Back when I had cable, I had a fine run of sick / injured horses every single Wed evening for about 5 weeks in a row… which made me miss my “I never miss it ” TV show: America’s Next Top Model. I know it’s stupid, but I like it and so when Wed rolled around the horses would plan out which one would have a crisis, then implement said plan at the last possible minute before I was ready to leave.
This is unrelated to this post (other than being Craigslist related) but today on my local Craigslist someone had a QH gelding for sale named… Seaman. Did they think about what that sounds like out loud? Yeeech. Haha!
Oh lord…they probably thought it was cute but, uh, no, it’s just gross!
Went to school with a girl with that last name. Good thing she was pretty or she would have been terribly taunted.
I loved the eloquent commentary from the Alpha Mare blog about naming horses:
http://www.saratoga.com/horse-racing-blog/2010/04/mares-musings-language-is-destiny–please-dont-condemn-your-horse-or-yourself-to-failure.html#more
Here are parts of the article:
“Whatever you do, I beseech you–for the love of all that’s Good and Holy–whatever you do, please, please, please do not give your horse a goofy name.
“If you love horses–if you truly love horses–then you know that they are sentient beings. They know their names. They know when it’s dinnertime. They come when they’re called. (Usually.) And you know that humans are also sentient beings. If you wouldn’t give your kid (human, not goat) a stupid name–why would you saddle your beloved horse with a name that clearly indicates that you’re making fun of him?
“…a horse who’s the object of ridicule by his own owner–the one person on the planet who’s supposed to believe that all things are possible–knows that it is not treasured. Not valued highly. A whim. Not a member of the team–always just the mascot.
“You can give your horse a name that bespeaks beauty, strength, prowess, grace–any number of positive adjectives and attributes can be identified by the name you give your horse. Your horse needs not be a racer, he may be just your best friend, hanging’ in the backyard.
“But if he is your best friend–the first thing you can do to honour that relationship with the being who will always love you, always accept you right where you are–is give that horse a name that shows her, right out of the gate, that you sit back in awe. You are fully aware that this creature, this otherworldly, superior being who has stepped out of Heaven long enough to cover your Life with grace–this is a being worthy not only of your love, but of a name that tells the world that s/he deserves–no, demands–respect and honour.”
“If you wouldn’t give your kid (human, not goat) a stupid name–why would you saddle your beloved horse with a name that clearly indicates that you’re making fun of him?”
Have you SEEN some of the names people are sticking their poor human kids with???? My personal favorite is Abcde (Girl’s name, pronounced ab-so-dee)
Well, I do know breeders who have waited to have hernias fixed until the colts were due to be gelded– killing two birds with one stone, so to speak. I also know that some vets will recommend waiting to see if the hernia will heal on its own. Truthfully, a 3000 dollar stud fee does not equal a $3,000 foal. Sometimes it doesn’t equal a $300 foal.
This barn owner’s options might have been either leaving the filly to starve in a field, or take her home and find a way to get her to a permanent home. Even so, I do wonder why a person with MS owns young unbroken stock, and why that same person couldn’t at least send the horses to a rescue with a nice donation to pay for the surgery. Shrugs~
I’m sure the stallion owner wouldn’t want it to get out that he has offspring with hernias. Although I do not know if it has been determined for sure it’s genetic, it is genetic to be predisposed to them. There was a pony stud in Ohio a few years back, he sired 3 foals, all 3 had hernias, large ones. The owners did the right thing and gelded him. As to “dumping” on craigslist, I doubt you are getting any interest in a horse except kill buyers. It’s such a change from 5 yrs ago where you could even find a companion home, not anymore. And the buyers, OMG. You can list a 2 yr old as NOT BROKE and you still get the “how much saddle training does he have?” None, what part of 2 years old did you not read? And if he was trained, do you think training is free? (So gee not getting much responses back oh well)
Cathy, thanks for the opinion regarding my dog. I agree with everything you wrote. I think we will just do the supplement/exercise atlternative and see how it goes. My goal is to give this pup the best life we can for as long as we can and avoid suffering. Thankfully Im not euthanasia-phobic and if/when that becomes necessary it will be done. With a house full of geriatric animals its something Ive had to deal with more frequently that I would have wished within the last few years.
And boy do I understand about those wailing-keep-pets-alive-at-all-costs people. Ive even had people tell me that “I would never murder a sick child, so why would I euthanize a sick dog?”. Still trying to wrap my head around that one….LOL…
Uh, yeah. Some people are just off the deep end. To me, one of the PERKS of being an animal is that if you have a good owner, you get PTS when you are suffering. I WISH humans had the same rights. If I wind up with cancer, etc. I’d LOVE to be PTS and not suffer but the only legal solution is that I suffer til I finally die, a process that often involves things like the inability to breathe. Not my idea of fun – I’d MUCH rather have a quick shot!
I’m not a religous person, but AMEN to that!
The ad also bugs me because it sounds like you can’t get her papers until you have her surgery done – I hate when people hold a horse’s reg. hostage!
First thing that comes to mind is a 600. vet bill…. my thought is ” is that all ?” what a bargin. If horse owners cant afford a 600 . vet bill, then what the HE** do they do when its time to float teeth? or buy feed for the year, hay, bedding ? My thougt is , does this woman buy bedding ? or suppliments ? More than likely she has more than 1 little horse, she should be use to bills over 300 dollars. I jumped from owning 1 horse to 5 , I now look at bills in the 1 thousand and more range …. come on , multiple horse owners , wake up and face the reality of expences doubles , trippled, and so on. Failing to give medical attention (like this) should ( and does in my book) give you a strike against you …3 strikes and your out, and fined. Why is this not considered a form of neglect ? why is she not going to get in truble for this, or fined ?
My now two year old Irish Sport Horse was born with a 3 finger hernia, my vet and I discussed a time frame for surgery the day she was born when he came to inspect her and the mare post birth. My vet had suggested to wait (I cannot remember the length of time he suggested) by time he was back out a month after she was born, her hernia had gotten smaller. It completely healed up on it’s own. My vet was amazed in all his years he said he never saw a hernia that large heal on it’s own, completely and correctly. I got lucky. He was just out this week and was talking about her hernia and every time he sees her he feels over the area where it once was, and comments about it healing.
I’m currently looking at a $1000+ bill for a gelding with Lymes disease. Five days in clinic IV treatment + 30 more days oral when he gets home…guess I know what I’m doing this summer…staying home !! I have three other horses and am watching them for problems…..pretty scary since ticks are everywhere this year. In talking with the vet treating my horse she tells me one farm has 5 out of their 10 horses being treated for anaplasmosis (? sp), the other common tick disease. Had several discussions with horsey friends and we all have one or more horses that we would put down rather than treat, but came to that conclusion only after many ‘what if’s’. Biggest problem is job instability (or retired on dwindling fixed income) meaning we choose to protect the human family first. We all have horses we don’t ‘need’ but have taken in for one reason or another…..not hoarding, (I for example have 3 horses and a pony on 12 acres), but if faced with multiple sick horses I am not going to mortgage the farm. Not what we like to think about ….
Oh joy, the vet just called, my horse’s heart rate went too high, more blood work and splitting dosage, =’s more $$…but he is OK.
butterflysgirl5, Wow, $900 for both legs and a redo is the deal of the century!!
Here is costs about that much just for the initial consult and x-rays! I wish I were in Beverly Hills but Im actually in the Phoenix area. Ive called every vet specialilty hospital that does this procedure and the cost isnt varying much at all. I think the only vet hospital we have in the state is in Tuscon and Im not sure if they offer services to the public but I will definetly check it out.
Cathy, as hard as its been for me to have to start euthing my geriatric pets the last couple of years every time I do it I always think that I wish some day I could “go” so easily. I watched my Mom slowly wither away from Breast Cancer and it wasnt pretty. Given the choice I would most likely take a needle….
A friend recently had the same horrible conundrum– spend thousands in vet bills fighting cancer in her dog, or put the dog down. I can only say the same thing that I told her. Pets don’t understand. You can’t say to a pet, “Hey, this is gonna hurt for months, the medicine will make you sick, and you might not live anyway, but we have to try.” They only know that they hurt, they feel vulnerable, and they are miserable. Realistically, even though we want to hold on to the pets we love, it is often kinder and gentler to have them euthanized.
That was excellent advice and you were a very good friend to give it.
It will always be heartbreaking that their lives aren’t as long as ours.
oops….meant the only vet SCHOOL we have in out state is in Tuscon.
ugh.
Cute filly, would love to see her pedigree as I have some knowledge of the arabian breed and know my way around an arab ped…any one know her registered name?
this really ticks me off. Go pay the 600 bucks and stop trying to dump your problem (caused by your lack of responsibility/planning that something could go wrong when you breed).
I don’t have time to go through all these comments but maybe this info can be helpful to someone, or good for fugly to pass along…
CSU Fort Collins, CO does hernia repair for $288 for foals under 1 year od age
http://www.cmequineproducts.com
IS an actual product that WORKS to reduce hernias without surgery, and apparently break your horse to wearing any sort of odd contraption. But unlike the tennis ball idea toward the top of the comments, it is made with the horses’ comfort and safety in mind. I have no affiliation with the product or the person that makes it…
I have been a reader for quite a while and I have always enjoyed your blog because it was harmless entertainment. I don’t know how much it actually does for horses or for the horse loving community, but nonetheless its usually entertaining. A lot of folks have commented on both sides of the coin but it doesn’t seem like people are being thorough or thoughtful in their posts. I suppose if FHOTD was thorough in the first place and didn’t jump to conclusions (which after reading all 110 posts its pretty clear that she did) there really wouldn’t been much to blog about on this in the first place. Are you seriously attacking someone for trying to find a home for a horse (that due to circumstances out of her control) she can’t care for?
I tried to look up how she was “still enthusiastically advertising for training and boarding horses†but if she was, it seems you and a few lunatic ‘activists’ have driven her from sight. So what now….mission accomplished? It seems you have achieved the opposite of what you profess your intentions to be.
You FHOTD are responsible for driving her into hiding and who knows how many others you have scared from ever posting a horse on Craig’s list for free. So answer this without sarcasm if possible. How many horses will end up in auctions, abandoned, turned loose, or met by the muzzle of a rifle because people are afraid to try to rehome their horses responsibly? It seems to me the owner isn’t willing to let this phillie go to just anyone, did you ask? Well thanks to you I was able to call them (not that it’s really any of my or your business) but the first thing she asked me for was references and my vet’s name. On a practical note, if she would just give the mare to anyone, what kill buyer would drive to the middle of the Mojave Desert for a 400 pound mare and drive it 300 miles to mexico? Unless he’s doing it in a Toyota Prius, I don’t see that there would be any profit in it. Too many people talk / blog without thinking things through, or thinking if what they say or write is 100% accurate. If its not 100% accurate and inclusive, then its not accurate at all is it? Another example of you jumping to conclusions; Sierra Shadows Ranch is in Inyokern, and it’s a pistachio orchard, not a pistachio orchard and an equestrian/equine facility they just sell nuts. Research? What’s that? Just fly off the handle and ruin the lives of people with good intentions. Here’s a fun idea for you fhotd, why not list your phone number, I’m sure there are a lot of lunatics out there that would love to harass you at home with your family.
Obviously you haven’t been reading FUGLY for very long. That’s her thing. Make people think twice before deciding to abandon their horses and their responsibility to their welfare. If you’re into horse slaughter – goody for you. You’ll be labeled as such with no hope for a career in a legitimate horse business with integrity and ethical standards. If you are featured while only trying to “rid” yourself of an unwanted horse, she’s here to educate you that in America, it is no different than trying to “rid” yourself of a dog or cat. If you do it improperly, you are no different than someone who neglects their animals or is an animal abuser. Ignorance is just an excuse. It’s nothing but laziness.
http://www.wahobbyfarm.com
Well Memorial day is not far off and horse tripping contests are just 50 miles from there, bet she would be a good candidate for that. They are always looking for free horses and a hot little Arab would be welcomed with open arms.
No shit.
I so want to do something about the horse tripping in this state. It is disgusting.
I don’t think it is a bad thing to tun people off giving horses away for free. I don’t know if you noticed, but FHOTD also outs people dumping at auctions where possible. Actually, I hope some people get scared entirely out of owning horses by this blog. Not everybody who does it, should.
Many people who should not own horses think that a female horse is a bread spread, also. The correct spelling of the young female horse is ‘filly’.
On another note, hoarders might be willing to drive this far to get a nice Arabian filly that might or might not be registrable, not realizing a hernia is very serious and needs to be taken care of. Not all horses that die in bad circumstances or suffer for many years do so at the hands of a kill buyer and cheap horses are always more at risk than dearer ones.
By the way, I don’t think euthanasia via muzzle of a rifle, if executed properly, is a responsible choice if you have somewhere to dispose of the body. Are you one of those death phobics?
Nothing about giving a horse with a medical condition away for free is responsible in my opinion. There is no mention in this person’s ad concerning them giving a cr*p about whether the surgery gets done or not. They might or might not care, but I don’t see them telling people that they will check back to make sure the filly got her treatment or not…?
Also, a blog is somebody’s opinion. If you want cold, hard facts, go to a newspaper.
Oooops this should have said that I DO believe a bullet is a responsible choice.
It is interesting to me that the surgery for this little horse is that much. I just had a hernia reapir done on a 6 month old that only cost $250 in the clinic. If they can’t afford the cost to fix it, they shouldn’t have any horses at all.
Wow, the vitriol on this blog is amazing!
I happen to know the person giving away this horse, she is doing her best to fix a situation that is beyond her control. She is being selective about who she gives this horse away to. She isn’t the one who bred the horse and she isn’t the one who waited to have the surgery done, maybe the blame should be laid at the door of the breeder.
As for those who say that if you can’t spend a measly $600 on vet bills you have no business owning a horse, I hope you are all willing to take in the horses owned by such people. In a perfect world we would all have infinite amounts of money to spend on our animals, unfortunately this isn’t a perfect world. There are many people who have taken in horses who needed homes because their owners couldn’t keep them for whatever reasons. These people may not be able to afford extraordinary vet bills but can provide food and preventive care. I would much rather see this happen than to see these same horses end up with kill buyers or euthanized.
She did not take in this horse from someone who could not afford to keep it. She got her from the breeder who has a stallion standing for a $3000 stud fee (who also did not want to cough up $600 for a hernia surgery – I’d really like to know which breeder this is!).
Also, your logic is completely faulty. Why should people who ARE responsible spend their lives cleaning up after those who are not? That is like saying if you’re upset that your loser neighbor won’t spend the money to provide her children with their necessities, then YOU’D better be willing to take them in. I don’t think so. $600 is NOT an “extraordinary” vet bill. $8000, as in the dog story, is an extraordinary vet bill. The amount that Barbaro’s owners put into saving him was an extraordinary vet bill. Let’s not act like the horse needs four weeks of hospitalization and aqua-therapy here – she doesn’t. This is a very normal baby horse problem, and Megan acquired the baby horse with the full knowledge that the problem existed and that she was agreeing to have the veterinary work done as a condition of taking the horse.
Well, now, yes, I do believe we are condemning this person for trying to dump a horse she feels she cannot care for.
She has a ranch that takes boarders and trains horses?
So, not short of facilities, then??
If she had only worded the ad differently, she might not have had the reaction she did, if she had charged $1,000.00 for the filly, stated her pedigree and the problem, stated that the papers being released was reliant on the hernia surgery, and that if this cost less than $1,000.00 there would be a refund.
She still would have got wack jobs turning up, but she would have had a better chance of finding a half way decent home for the filly, and that is the whole point, isn’t it?
Look, sometimes we all make a mistake (you misspelled Filly (not “phillie)) and Cathy mistook the name of the ranch for a description of what it grew…..
The poster undertook to take this filly from it’s original (totally insane, btw) previous owner.
Do not get me started on someone with MS, who knows only too well that they could have a massive relapse at any moment, buying an Arab filly with a huge problem and having absolutely NO fallback money plan.
Just do not!
This was a train wreck from the start but I am betting at some point this person stood up and said “I’ll take them” maybe even thinking she could make a bit of money on them (we are only human!)
This did not work out and so she is, quite obviously, dumping the filly.
YOU DO NOT GIVE AWAY AN ANIMAL FOR FREE ON CRAIGSLIST!!!!!
If you really cannot care for it, fobbing the problem off on someone else is NOT the way to go.
If this filly cannot be cared for, if they really do not have the paltry amount it would appear to take to put her right (and if this amount is incorrect they are defrauding potential “buyers”, btw) then she should euthanise it.
NO horse was ever hurt by dying in the arms of someone who loved it.
Only, of course, that is painful.
For the human.
I rest my case.
When I originally saw this post, it didn’t surprise me that someone in Inyokern made it onto the Fugly list. But when I saw that it was Megan, I immediately created an account just to respond. I was so angry, I waited until the next day to post. Megan is an excellent rider, with well fed, well kept horses, and even has a rescue horse or two. Here is a situation where someone is trying to find a solution for a horse that she had no real responsibility for, who arrived as a surprise with a bad situation. And, since I am a local, I can verify that the nearest vet is a few hours away. Megan, I applaud your efforts to do the right thing for this filly, so many others would have taken her to auction, or let the vet do the procedure on property, and let her bleed out when it didn’t work, and ask for their money back from the vet. Or, turned her out on BLM land with the mustangs. Or, simply neglected her to the point of death.
Thanks for being concerned Fugly readers, but you’ve got it all wrong here.
Nope, I don’t think we do. Megan took the filly under the agreement that she would have the hernia repaired. I have the proof of this in her private e-mail to me, which I did not publish by request, but do possess. That is why the breeder is holding the papers. The filly did not just spontaneously erupt a hernia leading to an unexpected expense she was not prepared to care for. No, the breeder shouldn’t have dumped it unrepaired either, but two wrongs do not make a right.
I can’t tell you how tired I am of seeing this type of horse owner irresponsibility. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?
Mare going blind needs home – $200 (Mica)
Date: 2010-05-20, 11:02AM PDT
Reply to: sale-gfup2-1750762891@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
I am trying to find a home for an aged mare (vet says she’s 16) who is slowly going blind. She’s very sweet and loves attention. Easy to saddle and bridle. Trailers easy. I think she would do well if she had another horse in front of her when she’s out on a ride. She’s hesitant to go where she is not familiar but she will go where you want if you insist. She’s way too tall for me. She is a gaited Tennessee Walker. I would like to place her where she can be around people and other critters so she won’t be lonesome. Please come and see her if you think you could give her a good home. Thank you! Call Cindy at 509 230-1695
Location: Mica
it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 1750762891
Referring to the Canadian Morgan/POA/Grade horse ranch–
The bloodlines of her Morgans look like whatever they could pick up cheap. It is amazing to see so many Morgans based on the old Western Working Family who have such poor using conformation. The one she says is mostly Lippitt lines, is not.
Where do I make/do (??) topic suggestions?
I´d like to hear if “sweet itch” is a topic in USA like it is in germany. Is it known, are the owners educated about it? Do you know owners, who ignore this very painful disease at/with (??) their horses “is just scratching a little..” “has always had less mane or tail than others…” “noo, the neck isn´t thickend of too much scratching…it´s the type of this horse..”
And talking about neglect: Have you ever heard of a horse, who died of summer ekzema (or in succession of scratched ulcers etc.?)
It’s DEFINITELY a problem here as well. I have had horses who got it chronically and it can be a BEAR to resolve. I will definitely blog about it. You’re right, people can be clueless that it’s not normal.
I don’t know if they could die from it but they could definitely die from an infection caused by scratching themselves raw and the wounds getting infected.
If you think that’s bad, I was going to rescue a horse not that long ago, she was free due to the fact that she needed a caslick (sp?) I called the vet and asked around how much it was gonna cost, and they said it would cost about $120! That’s it. She was not a “quality” horse, and I’m sure you would have been able to pick a lot of things that were rong with her, but she looked very sweet and I think all she needed was a break. UNfortunately she was already sold by the time I rang. eVERYONE LOVES A FREE HORse. Some grubby BYB probably got her!