Booster and Teeth

A follow up visit from the vet today involved Gobie getting a booster shot, and one last vaccine. He didn't let the doctor take his temperature this time, but the other parts went off without much event. He still tried to run away, mind you, but it was better than last time.

The really eventful part of the visit was Honey's dental care. I can't recall the last time I saw a horse get their teeth taken care of, so it was interesting to watch.

Honey, like most horses, had to be sedated to get her teeth tended to. Some of her teeth had gotten kind of sharp and had been causing her some discomfort. So it was time to have her teeth rasped. This involves squirting fluid into the horses mouth to rid it from any debris, strapping on a speculum to their head so they keep their mouth open and don't bite anyway, and brushing at the teeth with a rasp--kind of a big metal toothbrush that files away jagged bits.

Honey took the whole thing rather well, I thought. When she was done she was greeted by her boyfriend at the fence, and had no trouble getting back to eating.

Vet Visit

Gobie had his first visit from the vet--with me at least--on Wednesday. He had been vetted before I adopted him almost a year ago so he (and the rest of the horses at Bonnie's) was ready for his annual shots.

It was not a great day for it, to be frank. It had been raining all day and it was still pouring when I arrived at the barn. All the horses were in the far paddock getting soaked despite the fact that there were trees and shelter available.

The only horse with any sense was Honey, who stayed pretty try under a pine.

I thought for a moment that the vet had cancelled on account of the weather, but she was just stuck in traffic and soon everyone was ready for their turn.

As far I know Gobie was always sedated for vetting (and for hoof trimming for that matter) so I wasn't quite sure how it was going go. But the veterinarian was exceptional--understanding, calm, very patient and above all quick!

She started with a physical exam that all went rather well: checking the mouth, the teeth, and taking temperature. That part was fairly easy since Gobie is just a curious character to being with.

Then it was on to the Coggins test. Even though I have no solid plans to move him, or foresee him interacting with any new or strange horses I figured it was just best to keep on it. It was a pretty quick draw of blood--he didn't try to run off or anything after he was stuck.

The final bit were a few shots. These didn't go quite so uneventfully! After he was stuck he would want to run off--which is better than wanting to fight by kicking or rearing--but not particularly helpful. But the vet was very efficient and as soon as she stuck him she was able to push in the vaccinations and that was that. Three shots, three sticks!

I was really grateful for Dr. Hendrickson's expertise and bedside manner. We chatted a little bit and she made a comment about how focused Gobie was on me even as he was a bit fearful of what was going on. She also commented on how food motivated he was--and that he'd probably respond well to clicker training. Add that to the list!