After leaving the hospital at 10:30 last night, Oreo's Foster Mom received a call about 10:45 that Oreo was down and thrashing again and they were going to administer more pain medication. They would only be able to do this a few more times, and if the pain returned within a short time, then surgery would be her only option.

NC State did not call again during the night. The Foster Mom received a call around 9:15 this morning to say she had spent a quiet night but was very depressed and lethargic. They are going to repeat the tests and other vets will compare the ultrasound pictures and determine if they agree with the potential diagnosis. If they do indeed decide this diagnosis is correct, surgery may be the only option. 

Oreo is in need of a miracle.  You could be a part of that miracle by donating towards her surgery!  Will you be one of Oreo's Angels?? 

 

 

in the words of USERL volunteer Amanda:

The 2 that were donated were a 4 to 5 year old mare and a 6-month old foal. The mare was very thin and walked into the waiting trailer to eat some of the hay that was in the manger. The foal was so emaciated that, when she was knocked down by another horse she could not get up. The Animal Control Officer and USERL volunteer helped her to her feet. While attempting to get her into the waiting trailer, she went down several more times and had to be helped to her feet, as she was too weak to get up by herself.

The mare was taken to a waiting foster home and the filly was taken to the investigator’s barn.

The filly, a little black and white paint was named Oreo. That night, the temperature was 23 degrees and the following night was 17 degrees. The vet came and evaluated Oreo the next day and said she had no doubts that she would have died had she not have been rescued. Her body condition score is 1 and she has no fat and very little muscle. You can actually feel the vertebra in her neck.

On Friday morning, she was found down and unresponsive in her stall. After calling for help, she was covered with fleece blankets to try and warm her little body. Her temperature was 96.5 degrees. The sun was up and when help arrived, we got her to her feet and gave her warm molasses tea, which she drank eagerly. She was then taken outside into the warm sunshine and she started to perk up.

During the next few days, little Oreo went down several more times and couldn’t get up by herself. I put a heat lamp in her stall and spent the next night with her so I could watch her closely.

As the days went by, she started to show signs of improvement and was started on small feedings of Triple Crown Senior and soaked beet pulp every 4 hours. I also continued to give her warm molasses tea in the middle of the night to warm her.

Jan. 9^th, the vet came and drew blood to check for any hidden problems since she was still having trouble getting up. Most of the lab work was normal with the exception of her calcium, globulin and albumin, which were low due to her malnourished condition.

Jan. 11^th the vet who had evaluated her the day after she was rescued, came by the barn to see her and was amazed at how well she looked. She said she almost looked like a different horse. Her eyes are brighter and her attitude is so much better. She will actually run around in her pen.

I have started physical therapy with Oreo in the form of walking and trotting around the barn several times a day. The result is that now, she seems to be able to get up by herself, even thought it may take several tries. Her muscles seem to be responding to the exercise and she often tries to outrun me. During these exercise periods, she is also learning to lead and respond to commands.

Oreo still has a long way to go in her rehabilitation but I think she is definitely on the road to recovery and seems to be getting stronger every day. I continue to get up in the middle of the night to check on her and give her a late night meal. Her stall is next to the feed prep room and she walks along the wall with her nose on the top of it, watching me prepare her food. She is such a sweetheart and I am so grateful to have been able to play a part in saving this precious life. She has truly blessed my life.

 I want to thank my best friend Bobby Riggs who has been there for Oreo whenever I called him. I also want to thank Carolyn Mason who gave Oreo a foal blanket and feed and has offered continued support. Also special thanks to my friend Sherry Wilson for her support and for helping Oreo to her feet when she was unable to get up by herself. Thanks also to Dr. Nealey and Dr. Gilmet for all they have done for Oreo. Thanks to all those who have prayed for this precious little girl, and thank you to the USERL for their unending support.