Fungus Among-us

Rea and I have had a wonderful summer riding and even went and did a two day intense Weekend Warrior dressage camp. (I needed a good butt whooping when it comes to dressage!) We had a blast....thanks Britt for coming being my cheerleader and taking GREAT photos!




Well Rea tried her best not to go and poked her eye on Thursday before the clinic- she is lucky (or unlucky) her mom is a vet and on Friday her eye looked like this.... Success!

The clinic was amazing and we had a blast! But on Saturday her eye was swollen again- dang mare! I started her on a very strict regiment of Antibiotics and added in antifungals as well as antiinflammatories.  Well her eye was still swollen shut for these photos Sunday but she rode in the clinic with a bum eye.

I took her home but had a bad gut feeling so I kept her at my neighbors house to keep her close. Tuesday my vet gut wouldn't shut up so I took a cytology (scraped some cells off and put them on a slide). Low and behold there was fungus. I called the big wigs at the university and they said get her up here now! My mom came to the rescue and drove with me and Gale graciously let me use her trailer as ours is still being repaired. We left right after work and then got home at 2am- wouldn't recommend round trips to Raleigh with such quick turn around.

We got to the university at 8pm and she was immediately examined and a catheter placed into her eye for aggressive treatment.  We discussed surgery but it was a stretch that we would even have to go.  Long story short- she will have been in the hospital for 21 days and has had 2 surgeries by the time she comes home.  It was hard being a vet and still not being able to get your horse right. Fungus is very aggressive and impossible to get rid of - I have a new respect for it!

It has been a very crazy emotional roller coaster with work being absolutely crazy on top of this battle! She is finally coming home Tuesday and I am so glad! She is still going to have to endure some treatment- she will be on eye meds for 5 weeks after she gets home.  She will also have a permanent blind spot in her left eye.  I can't believe that I would have the horse that would have the fungal infection that seems to be mutant and so determined to take her eye.  I have to thank my parents who without them I would have given up after the first surgery. I was willing to go ahead and take her eye out.  Wow - so glad they were optimisitic and pushed me to try again! For all you horse people out there-- don't let eye problems go it is always a veterinary emergency!