Pony Update and Diary (kidney disease)

[WashingtonBay]

I've decided to summarize and retire the pony's big ole thread: (Continue to be worried about my Bad Pony [Ongoing] - Baywind Farm Horse Forum)

Thanks to all who participated in it, helped me brainstorm about her, and sent your well wishes! All of you have really helped me find my way with her so far!

What's happened so far:

Weight loss and loss of appetite led to worrying and troubleshooting. She just didn't look good coming out of winter.

Pic taken April 1 of this year: 2009-04-01 003.jpg

Had her teeth done, went down a few false paths about the cause of her problems, and ended up with a blood test that showed some stage of renal failure, as most starkly indicated by her BUN and creatinine levels. Here is last month's test... her previous levels are also noted:

scan04-17.jpg

Those values and what they indicate are well explained here, even though this is a human site, the concepts are valid: Blood Urea Nitrogen and Creatinine levels

So we're treating her for renal failure/kidney disease. This is a treatment without a treatment really... there are no drugs to offer her... no 'cure' for her condition, except what we can do through diet, to make life as easy as we can on what kidney function she still has. She was taken off the Orchard Grass hay and 32% protein RB she was on, and is now on a diet of blander local grass hay, Timothy pellets, dry COB, and as much green grass as I can let her have. We also started her on a multivitamin, and Vitamins C & E - antioxidants that are hoped to be helpful in healing inflammatory kinds of kidney disease.

High protein is a no-no for her, as is anything that is too high in calcium, or too high in other minerals that it is harder for her body to get rid of in excess. So no alfalfa, no beet pulp, no fortified feeds. I hope I can return to the Orchard grass hay in winter. It's much more nutritious for my other horses, and much more available and dependable. But we'll see.


What NOW?


Our long term chances of success are still very much unknown. It all depends on her, and how well her body can heal.

The vet was out to take blood yesterday. This will be the first test since the above results.

By our observation, she's continuing to improve. She looks better, feels better, is gaining weight. She's not where she was a year ago, but she's not looking like a neglect case either. A little thin, but I don't think she's ready to die yet.

Pic taken 5/7: 2009-05-07 015.jpg

What will we do if the test results come back worse or with no change? I don't know. I'm nervous about it. I want to think our eyes are not fooling us... she's better. We're just hoping to quantify that with a corresponding change in the numbers.

I will let you know tomorrow what we learn!

[Vegashorselady]

I crossing my fingers for her..she certainly does look better!

[oursarge]

I hope the results will be good. Only good thoughts for all of you.

[JetLagaside]

Thinking good thoughts on the test results.

[SedonaThunder]

I feel confident that you will see her numbers moving in the right direction. Of course they probably won't be the picture of health YET but she's feeling better and that has to be a reflection of what's going on inside her body. GO PONY GO!

[offgridgirl]

Keepin' positive thoughts for her continued improvements!!

[WashingtonBay]

Thanks all for the well-wishes!

Looks like the results did not come today... but I really didn't expect them.... probably tomorrow. ~fingers crossed~

[alittleoffkey]

I hope the blood results come back tomorrow, with the results we're all hoping and praying for!

[Gypsy Rose]

Hoping the test results show improvement- from the looks of Pony, they should!

[gaited07]

She definately looks a lot better. Fingers crossed with lots of well wished for the pony