Vet visit and hard decisions

After getting off the phone with the farrier, it was time to go and let the horses go...also time to load up Semi into the trailer to take her to the clinic for her ultrasound to see if she was FINALLY in foal.

Took 3 of us to load her - she is definately back to normal. And then we were off.

Got into the clinic. Talked to Dr. Doyle...the vet who looked after Semi's chest injury. She asked how she was doing. I told her about her face problem and she said they would look at that for me too.

Once I got her inside the clinic and into the stocks, Dr. Doyle did some visual and motor type tests on her and determined that it was not a stroke but some nerve damage to her face. She said it may or may not reverse itself...and that there was nothing that could be done for her to help her out.

The other vet did the ultrasound and found NOTHING. No baby. But also NO problems. She did a very thorough repro ultrasound - even compared the size of her uterine cyst from what it was like 2 years ago when the AI'd Semi for me to have Molson...and it hadn't changed. So no reason that they could see that she wasn't in foal.

When they told me that, I told them that I would probably be putting Semi down due to all her issues. They then did a small but, again very thorough, physical exam - checked her legs (knees, hocks, fetlocks) and said the arthritis would probably really start bothering her. Her knees are the worst. They also said her teeth are horrid (which I knew) but not to the extent that they shouldn't be done again.

So we made the decision that we would be putting her down.

I am still looking for someone with a backhoe to come dig her final resting place and then will make the appointment. Copy, my red roan mare, who is not doing well either (and is medically unmanageable) will be put down with Semi.

Friends forever.

Carrie