Vet visit!!

Our vet came out to the barn today. This visit was scheduled because Dutch was not moving like his usual self. He has had stifle issues in the past and we noticed last week that he just wasn't pushing off of his left hind like he should through turns and when we schooled lateral movement. So out came our GREAT vet! He watched him move and had us put him on the lunge. He concluded same thing we did, both stifles are sore but the left more than the right.

So he doped Dutch up, Sleepy Pony!

He injected both Stifles but uses two injection sites on the left leg, as that one was worse. When he placed the needle he got quite a bit of yellowed fluid from the joints but he said that it had not gotten to the nasty stage yet so we are hoping that this treatment will take him back to his usual 120%.

While he was sedated we decided to go ahead and float his teeth. He didn't have any major hooks or point, but I believe in having a horses teeth looked at min. once a year, ESPECIALLY on a horse like Dutch who is a hard keeper. It just climates a possible stress factor that can lead to weight loss.

This is Dutch with the speculum in his mouth.

The vet gave him the ok to go back to work lightly on Thursday. The next few days due to both the injections and incoming weather he has been proscribed hand walking and stall rest. Its time like this that I envy barns that have treadmills for their horses. Tomorrow the farrier will be out so I will post some before and after photos.