It’s Isis’ fifth day of treatment on Oroquin-10. Every day when I go out, I start looking for little improvements — and I’m often rewarded with a lot more than I expected. Today, Isis’ toe dragging was much improved, when walked in the ring. When Isis is more interested in what is going on, then she drags her toes a lot less. When I had her in the paddock today, she seemed to...
Continue reading...September 2011
When a horse says good bye
A friend of mine has two grand old mares: a 25+ Hanoverian mare and a 23+ Thoroughbred mare. They are sweet mares who have had a wonderful, exciting life and a great retirement. They have been baby sitters for new riders, enjoyed fox hunting, and have been blessed with good owners. Owners who love them enough to listen when these grand old girls say they are in pain and it is time to...
Continue reading...Updates on the girls
First, Isis. She has had two doses of the Oroquin-10. From what I read about the drug, some horses improve as early as 3-5 days after treatment starts. We went for a walk up and down the lane near the barn. A reasonable walk in hand with some grazing, for about 15-20 minutes. The first thing I noticed is that she isn’t dragging her toes in the dirt like she was before. She...
Continue reading...First day on meds
Isis’ medicine arrived today via shipment. (I love it how a “morning” shipment arrives at 11:30 AM.) The medicine is an apple-flavored powder that can be fed in Isis’ grain: one scoop, once per day for 10 days. That’s it. She ate her first dose in some beet pulp and licked the bucket clean. Seems like this is going to go very well for her eating the meds. Good news for Isis. Unfortunately,...
Continue reading...Oroquin-10 shipped finally
Friday, the vet called me back with an update on Isis’ meds: they should arrive Saturday morning via overnight, morning delivery. Yay! I should have had them on Wednesday, but at least they will be here tomorrow. With any luck, Isis will eat the meds in her food. My vet also said that we should have the results of Isis’ EPM ELISA titer results today or Monday. The Peptide-ELISA test is different from...
Continue reading...Baseline pictures before starting Oroquin-10
Isis’ meds should be here shortly, so I took some baseline pictures of Isis. Her muscling has changed even from the last set of pictures I took two weeks ago. She has lost more muscle over her back. Her ribs are more prominent below her spine. There is a dip there now, where there never has been before. Related Images:
Continue reading...Women fighters in realistic armor
I’ve often complained about the inappropriate armor on female miniatures we use in gaming. Most of the time the figures are scantily clad (especially fighters). Thieves seem to be a little better. Gotta love well-endowed breastplates (aka “boobplate”). My Dungeon Master from the Saturday night gaming group emailed me a link to a site called “Women Fighters In Reasonable Armor: ladies that kick ass and dress for kicking ass“. The site is full...
Continue reading...EPM study by Pathogenes with Oroquin-10
Pathogenes, a company in Florida specializing in treatments and diagnostic tools for EPM, is sponsoring a study of Oroquin-10, a new treatment for EPM. It’s not a double-blind study, however the company, Pathogenes, has a protocol they are asking owners to follow. Here are the links I sent my vet for the clinical trial for Oroquin-10. It has both treatment and preventive dosing options. According to the EPM Horse web site, the Oroquin-10...
Continue reading...EPM diagnosis confirmed
The vet came out on Friday. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to be there because I had a physical scheduled at the time. (Ever look at the wait time for a physical? Six months. Sheesh.) Any way, my vet called me today at work with information on Isis. She said Isis does look like an EPM relapse case because of the uneven muscle atrophy (worse on one side than the other) and Isis is...
Continue reading...Video comparisons of Isis
For most of the summer, I’ve watched Isis just not quite seem right. Whether it was the heat that bothered her or something else (EPM, most likely) that gave her more off days than good ones, one evening in early August she surprised me. My girl was back that evening. She started trotting like she normally does, kinda dragging her toes, not very enthusiastic. And then she stopped and looked at me. Pivoted....
Continue reading...EPM again? Or something else?
Since June, I’ve noticed little things about Isis that didn’t seem right: she was dragging the tips of her back hooves, she was reluctant to trot or move out, and her regular spirited playfulness was gone except for rare occasions. It’s easy to right off these symptoms to other items. Maybe it was too hot out and she wasn’t having a good day. Maybe the rain rot on her legs made her stiff...
Continue reading...Bella Ruse
A friend of mine is a DJ and has an amazing music collection. The latest song suggestion I was sent was by a group called Bella Ruse. Think nice female vocals, folky, and excellent lyrics. Here is a sample from one of their albums: Dark Horse by Bella Ruse Nice stuff to work to and have to listen to. Positive music. Good stuff. Related Images:
Continue reading...The Arab’s Farewell to his Steed
One of my favorite poems. The Arab’s Farewell to His Steed Caroline Norton (1808-1877) My beautiful! my beautiful! that standest meekly by. With thy proudly-arched and glossy neck, and dark and fiery eye! Fret not to roam the desert now with all they winged speed: I may not mount on thee again – thou’rt sold, my Arab steed! Fret not with that impatient hoof, snuff not the breezy wind, The farther that thou...
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