Goliath

What are the dangers of auctions??? Illness, Injury and Being purchased for Slaughter.... Slaughter isn't the only death sentence...... Goliath wants to live and is fighting for his life, please ay a prayer for him. Goliath - Thoroughbred 17 hh and approx 8 yr old no tattoo warmblood refined look and laid back attitude... with the size everyone wants ... isn't he gorgeous! Quiet to mount, ride and handle. more pictures and video The above pictures and information was taken at the evaluation done 12-13-06 for broker owned horses. Sharon wanted to purchase Goliath at pickup, but the day she was to come get him the 17th- she was struck with illness and couldn't. On the 21st we received information that Goliath was going downhill still had an appetite but was exhibiting signs of neurological problems and had diarrhea. On 12-23-06 AC4H took possession of Goliath. Please note that he was given to us..... Upon arrival he was assessed as foundered, no fever actually he is hypothermic, dehydrated, exhibiting neurological problems in his rear end, urine was dark, definite weight loss and protein loss through - possible kidney damage and is toxic. We called the vet office hosed his legs, administered charcoal fed him carrots and everyone tried to make him comfortable until Doc. Tara arrived. Doc. Tara confirmed the above and waited for an answer.... do we fight or do we euthanize? His kidneys may be shot... his body is shutting down.... he is foundered and his feet mushy - possible rotation or the coffin bone could drop right through the bottom of his hoof... his odds... not good. One look at his face and into those eyes.... we can do this.... he wants to live. The answer... Let's fight for him- and so we are and will. It had been over 30 minutes from when we administered charcoal so a tube was inserted through the nasal cavity into his stomach and we flushed and gave more charcoal to bind the toxins within his system, an IV cath was inserted and blood was taken for testing, fluids were administered and a diuretic was given to see if his kidneys were still functioning.... they were. He was given a little bantamine for pain and discomfort it is also an antitoxin. Goliath is in his stall with a blanket for warmth and a variety of food, a large water bucket and we will be pushing fluids over the next couple days in an effort to keep his kidneys functioning then will x-ray to see how bad the founder is... please say a prayer for him. If you have wondered where we were all day.... now you know :>) from late morning until evening we have been fighting for his life... going to push more fluids then try to catch up on some emails. Doc will be back out tomorrow to recheck.... all I want for Christmas... for Goliath to recover and live out his days. This is going to be very expensive!! Thank you to Gudrun & Richard, Sharon and family for helping today, your help was greatly appreciated!! If you would like to help Goliath in his fight for life please see donation or payment options This is going to be very expensive!! Isoxoprine $80, fluids???, Charcoal $34.00 per tube going through 2 tubes to bind toxins twice a day plus what doc administered, emergency calls and time $ to be determined, blood and urine tests??, I don't have even a write up yet but just trying to give idea of costs. Donations Received Thank you so much we know it's a tough time!! Linda $5.00 , Mark $50.00, Jenn Pure Thoughts $50.00, Laura $50.00, Lisa $30.00, Melissa $30.00, Bonnie $50.00, Sharon $66.00, Sandra $100.00
Pictures from 12-23-06 Below... Toxic.... you should never see this dark color the first signs would be normal color with this dark color running through it which is known as or called a tox line... Goliath being comforted by Richard tube being inserted into nasal cavity into stomach to pump charcoal into his stomach Charcoal being pumped cleaning him up a bit shave then clean area block with lidicane so he doesn't feel it insert the cath (2nd pic is the actual cath) sew it in place and your set to pull blood for workup and to administer iv fluids and meds... I do have video of the tubing for anyone interested in viewing ... education helps other horses. 12-24-06 - Doc Tara just left he is not hypothermic today normal temp range... still has runs only eating complete feed, carrots and veggies... bloodwork isn't showing anything major which is really suprising... tox is under control with binding were doing still giving bantamine for discomfort but we don't know if he is going to make it rectal found full bladder we cath'd him to release urine took sample for testing to see if kidney failure and praying that this will jump start him going on his own. Still have to see how bad the founder is and what the root problem is but with labs closed we have to keep him moving forward until we can do further testing. He is alive and that is half the battle. Trying to do probiotics, pumping fluids into the cath and trying to get the runs under control... praying that testing on urine doesn't come back as kidney failure and that his coffin bone doesn't drop down through his hoofs and that nothing else happens while his immune system is so compromised. He nickered to us today and has been an angel with treatments you couldn't ask for a better patient he is incredibly awesome and trying hard to keep emotions in check and stay "unattached" to patient... ughhh so hard. Insert cath, drain and wow... that was a lot!! Hoping to jump start his bladder.... 12-25-06 Goliath laid down for the first time in a long time last night and we held our breath in fear that he wouldn't be able to get back up - however Christmas morning brought us a miracle --- Goliath did get up!!! He is so very sore in all four legs from the founder but he is definitely a fighter. Will continue to push fluids and pray that his compromised immune system will not be challenged as this morning he had a slightly runny nose... He has had bantamine for discomfort, we did witness him posturing and urinating but not sure if it is overflow or if his bladder really did kick in- have to do a rectal to feel bladder to verify. But his fight for life continues and his will to live is strong.... Keep praying for a miracle as he continues the life and death battle... Merry Christmas to all... 6:23 pm just back in from pushing fluids spiked with DMSO and 2 more tubes of charcoal - Goliath is not passing urine the way he should it is spilling over and I have a feeling this is possibly the cause of the toxins running through his system. He is once again under normal temp - hypothermic. He was spoiled with apples, carrots and his complete feed won't touch his alfapha mix hay nor the hay cubes but is drinking a lot of water so we are just coaxing him with what he will eat in several small meals throughout the day. Still has runs despite the pepto I believe from lack of fiber... going to try to get some more probiodics other than yogurt tomorrow. 12-26-06 Today's update... spoke to vet this am she will be here today we will again tube him with charcoal to keep toxins down and cath his bladder. We are working on finding diagnosis for problems and slowly eliminating the reaction to med's from symptoms... hoping to x-ray his feet today to make sure there is not sinking or major rotation. At the moment he is resting - laying down and munching another small meal. We are hoping that there isn't too much stretching of the bladder which would injure muscles the result would be permanent incontinence. When Doc Tara arrived today Goliath was laying down upon re-examining him we found he had gone from hypothermic to running a fever and although hydrated sill incontinent and developing edema in sheath and belly but that wasn't the worst part... we found blood on his coronary bands as the founder started to show in the form of what we dreaded.... sinking. We both looked at each other with a horrible sinking feeling because we both knew that we had lost the battle at this point. We discussed briefly options - prosthetics, universities... our vet bill so far just shy of $900.00 and financially we knew we couldn't even consider the options donations raised for him were $260.00 we paid the balance with funds borrowed ... Goliath was humanely euthanized passed peacefully with Tara and myself telling him how much we love him and how wonderful he is ... he was tired and fought long and hard with none of us wanting him to go. Goliath was pronounced dead at 3:00 pm est. sorry guys but I am going to be offline the rest of the night.... this is so hard. Thank you to all who prayed for him and those who donated to help in his fight for life. God Bless you for being there when he needed you.

Pictures from 12-23-06 Below...

Toxic.... you should never see this dark color the first signs would be normal color with this dark color running through it which is known as or called a tox line...

Goliath being comforted by Richard

tube being inserted into nasal cavity into stomach to pump charcoal into his stomach

Charcoal being pumped cleaning him up a bit

shave then clean area block with lidicane so he doesn't feel it insert the cath (2nd pic is the actual cath) sew it in place and your set to pull blood for workup and to administer iv fluids and meds...

I do have video of the tubing for anyone interested in viewing ... education helps other horses.

12-24-06 - Doc Tara just left he is not hypothermic today normal temp range... still has runs only eating complete feed, carrots and veggies... bloodwork isn't showing anything major which is really suprising... tox is under control with binding were doing still giving bantamine for discomfort but we don't know if he is going to make it rectal found full bladder we cath'd him to release urine took sample for testing to see if kidney failure and praying that this will jump start him going on his own.

Still have to see how bad the founder is and what the root problem is but with labs closed we have to keep him moving forward until we can do further testing. He is alive and that is half the battle. Trying to do probiotics, pumping fluids into the cath and trying to get the runs under control... praying that testing on urine doesn't come back as kidney failure and that his coffin bone doesn't drop down through his hoofs and that nothing else happens while his immune system is so compromised.

He nickered to us today and has been an angel with treatments you couldn't ask for a better patient he is incredibly awesome and trying hard to keep emotions in check and stay "unattached" to patient... ughhh so hard.

Insert cath, drain and wow... that was a lot!! Hoping to jump start his bladder....

12-25-06 Goliath laid down for the first time in a long time last night and we held our breath in fear that he wouldn't be able to get back up - however Christmas morning brought us a miracle --- Goliath did get up!!! He is so very sore in all four legs from the founder but he is definitely a fighter. Will continue to push fluids and pray that his compromised immune system will not be challenged as this morning he had a slightly runny nose...

He has had bantamine for discomfort, we did witness him posturing and urinating but not sure if it is overflow or if his bladder really did kick in- have to do a rectal to feel bladder to verify. But his fight for life continues and his will to live is strong....

Keep praying for a miracle as he continues the life and death battle... Merry Christmas to all...

6:23 pm just back in from pushing fluids spiked with DMSO and 2 more tubes of charcoal - Goliath is not passing urine the way he should it is spilling over and I have a feeling this is possibly the cause of the toxins running through his system. He is once again under normal temp - hypothermic. He was spoiled with apples, carrots and his complete feed won't touch his alfapha mix hay nor the hay cubes but is drinking a lot of water so we are just coaxing him with what he will eat in several small meals throughout the day. Still has runs despite the pepto I believe from lack of fiber... going to try to get some more probiodics other than yogurt tomorrow.

12-26-06 Today's update... spoke to vet this am she will be here today we will again tube him with charcoal to keep toxins down and cath his bladder. We are working on finding diagnosis for problems and slowly eliminating the reaction to med's from symptoms... hoping to x-ray his feet today to make sure there is not sinking or major rotation. At the moment he is resting - laying down and munching another small meal. We are hoping that there isn't too much stretching of the bladder which would injure muscles the result would be permanent incontinence.

When Doc Tara arrived today Goliath was laying down upon re-examining him we found he had gone from hypothermic to running a fever and although hydrated sill incontinent and developing edema in sheath and belly but that wasn't the worst part... we found blood on his coronary bands as the founder started to show in the form of what we dreaded.... sinking. We both looked at each other with a horrible sinking feeling because we both knew that we had lost the battle at this point. We discussed briefly options - prosthetics, universities... our vet bill so far just shy of $900.00 and financially we knew we couldn't even consider the options donations raised for him were $260.00 we paid the balance with funds borrowed ... Goliath was humanely euthanized passed peacefully with Tara and myself telling him how much we love him and how wonderful he is ... he was tired and fought long and hard with none of us wanting him to go. Goliath was pronounced dead at 3:00 pm est. sorry guys but I am going to be offline the rest of the night.... this is so hard. Thank you to all who prayed for him and those who donated to help in his fight for life. God Bless you for being there when he needed you.