Monday we found out that Ziggy qualified for surgery. The vet had to do surgery on both feet, but believed that if everything went smoothly, he would be able to be a normal horse. The left foot, which is the one he went down there for, was obviously the worst. She needed to cut his tendon. She also hoped that the bone hadn't fused and that she would be able to manipulate his coffin joint so that it would heal in the correct position. The right foot needed its ligaments trimmed so that it would not get to the point of the left foot by contracture.
Tuesday went by slowly as we were waiting to hear from the vet to find out how everything went. Around 3 pm she called to report great news! The right foot was now normal. And the left foot now looked like the right foot did before the surgery. And the bone wasn't fused. All of this was great news!!! He was very nervous though. Probably because this was the first time since birth that he had ever been alone. The plan was for us to go pick him up on thursday because he was being so nervous. He was so bad that he wouldn't even let them touch him without trying to kick.
Today, Thursday, we went to go get our man. We pulled in and went inside to pay and get instructions. We got bandages and bute (its kinda like tylenol for horses). We also received discharge instructions that included walking him once a day for 5 min while he was walking. As he gets better it will increase in time. He will also be seeing the ferrier at least once a week to trim him foam boot. It is on there now to decrease his pain as we slowly release the foot down to where it normally should be.
We are just so happy for him to be home!!!! And he is happy to be home. He is such a good boy. Oh.. we found out today that he weighs 563 pounds! He is getting so big. His head is practically taller than dad now (as you will see in a picture).
Thank you everyone!
Walking out of the barn. Look how tall he is compared to dad!
His bandages. It's pretty much just layers and layers of different gauze and mesh. He has a boot on his left foot (the white thing at the bottom of his foot) to gradually lower it. The vet said that if you would take that off, his heel will touch the ground, but that would just be too painful for him!
The vet Melissa Milligan and Ziggy. Great picture!!
At home waiting for dad to get him out
"Hurry up, Dad!"
"Yummy!! Hay! I am so glad I am home! And where are my friends?!?!"
Bolt and Camie were less than excited to see him...they just wanted to be fed, haha! But he was sure glad to be back in his barn and to be able to see his friends! Now lets just hope that the goats don't eat his bandaging!!!!! :-)
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