Giving a horse a leg up
April 22nd, 2015
KC, an Appaloosa gelding and his caregiver, Amber, have been a team since before the start of the new millenium. Their bond was immediate, as soon as they met they were a great pair. As Amber says, “We just get each other. He’s not just an animal, he’s one of my best friends.”
KC was in his stall when something spooked him. He kicked through the metal barn wall and cut himself deeply, both around his hoof and along his fetlock (ankle area). An emergency veterinarian came out to clean, bandage and inspect the wound, and advised Amber to take him to the vet clinic the next morning. When Amber went to load him up the next morning, KC was bleeding heavily through the bandage. Amber rushed him to the vet clinic to be stabilized. There, they found that the cut on his fetlock went through a tendon and cut both an artery and a vein – and that he’d lost nearly a gallon of blood. The doctor said they were lucky they got KC in when they did or he would have needed a blood transfusion.
With an animal so large, healthy feet are a necessity and any injury to a foot can be serious. When the injury first happened, the veterinarian suggested that Amber think about having KC put down. Since there was a good chance that he would fully recover, and he had no other health issues, that just wasn’t an option for Amber. Repairing the damage to his leg was going to be more than she could pay for on her own, but Amber knew she’d find a way to get it done. She found the RedRover Relief program with an internet search and submitted an application. The RedRover Relief program provides financial assistance to pet owners in the case of medical emergencies.
Our RedRover Relief case managers approved Amber’s application for help right away, and we reached out to one of our priceless On-Call Angel donors to help cover the cost of KC’s care. Amber was ecstatic to learn that RedRover could help save her beloved KC.
KC’s treatment required the handsome horse to stay in the clinic for a week for intensive antibiotic therapy and pain management, followed by one month of complete stall rest and another month with short walks inside, and follow-up veterinary visits. KC is finally allowed outside for a short while every day and is expected to make a full recovery.
“I can’t thank RedRover enough for honoring us with the grant to help pay his vet bill,” Amber said. “He likes to come bother me when I’m cleaning his stall. When he could be outside enjoying some fresh air, he’d rather be a goof, making faces at me. It’s good to see him being silly again.”
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