Ouch!

Friday, August 25, 2023

The day before yesterday, I saw my donkey, Pimmy, limping badly and unable to tolerate weight on her right front foot. Immediately, I grasped the potential problem, grabbed a hoof pick, and began cleaning the painful foot. She didn’t flinch at the pick’s pressure and my digging, probably because I’m not strong enough to force a pick deeply enough into the hoof.

A year ago, I discovered Pimmy limping and behaving exactly the same as now, with a front hoof indicating lots of pain. That evening, back then, an equine veterinarian examined Pimmy’s hoof and discovered an embedded pebble causing an abscess. He eliminated the pebble, stuffed the cavity with medicine, and taped her foot. Immediately, the hoof could handle Pimmy’s weight, and she could navigate easily.

So, this time, understanding what might be wrong, I called Bend Equine, but no veterinarian would be available before the next day when Pimmy’s pain could be extreme.

Yesterday early, while nearing the barn to feed my equines, I saw a truck and trailer entering my property and stopping. A stranger emerged and ran toward me, pointing to my limping donkey. He explained he’s a farrier and wanted to help Pimmy. He enjoys seeing her when passing my place.

I thanked him, explained the abscess problem, and said the vet would arrive later in the day.

Later while coming home from work, I learned that an emergency at the Bend Equine clinic had prevented a veterinarian from coming to Pimmy. I found at work that my phone’s battery was dead, and arriving home saw poor Pimmy still in deep pain.

I raced to Bend Equine, through heavy afternoon traffic and delays at construction sites, arriving there just before it closed. Everybody there was apologetic and promised that a veterinarian would arrive to examine Pimmy first thing this morning. I left there with Butte Power, a painkiller, and an hour after dosing Pimmy, saw her appetite returning. I won’t “butte her” this morning so the veterinarian can assess her au naturally.

Today, I’ll be at work and have a charged phone. I’ll call at midday to learn the diagnosis, treatment, and recovery plan.

Dear Friends: Hopefully, it’s nothing worse than what I’m anticipating. Diana