Freeway, the starving horse that Sue Thompson of Clayton, Calif., rescued in late 2007 and has rehabilitated over the past year, could be a step closer to recovery. The Quarter Horse-type gelding underwent a checkup yesterday (Jan. 22) at the University of California, Davis, where veterinarians cut back his antibiotics and gave an encouraging prognosis. Freeway isn’t entirely in the clear yet, but shows improvement.
After a diagnosis of chronic pneumonia with anaerobic pulmonary abscesses last July, Thompson has been administering prescribed antibiotics (metronidazole) three times a day, along with probiotics (to assist in keeping his stomach populated with the good kind of bacteria that the antibiotics can negatively affect) and iodide (an expectorant). Freeway coughs only occasionally now, and Thompson reports she hears a tracheal rattle every so often.
Thompson took Freeway to a nearby country club for an “after” photo op following six months of rehabilitation and recovery.
Veterinarians ran a CBC (complete blood count) on Freeway’s blood and a liver panel, which indicated mild elevation in two values, GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferase) and total bilirubin–both indicators of liver function. “My local vet will recheck in a week just to be safe,” reported Thompson. “If after two weeks off antibiotics, no recurrence, he can start a very slow reconditioning program.”
Thoracic X rays showed improvement in overall clearance of Freeway’s lungs, and the suspected abscesses were no longer visible.
Thompson has been instructed to monitor Freeway’s appetite and “fecal character,” discontinuing medications and calling the veterinarian if he goes off his feed or develops a loose stool.
“That glow you’re seeing?” Thompson wrote to people who have been following Freeway’s progress on UltimateDressage.com, “It’s the light at the end of the tunnel. This is not the end of the story, still a couple of trees before we’re clear of the woods, but we’re getting close to the epilogue.”
Read more about Freeway:
Resources on TheHorse.com
- Horse Neglect: What to Do?
- How to Manage Starved Horses and Effectively Work with Humane and Law Enforcement Officials (presentation at the 2004 American Association of Equine Practitioner’s Convention)
- A Better Weigh (Body Condition Scoring)
- Saving Survivors (avoiding refeeding syndrome)
- The Seized Horse (caring for equids that have been seized by animal welfare authorities)