Mag's respirpatory issues continue

Poor Mag. I believe he'll always have compromised lungs from the case of bronchitis he had when we bought him. Remember how bad it was? The dealer said, "It's just a cold" but the endoscopy showed infection, and he needed antibiotics, and we had to pay for all of that even though we didn't own him yet. Ugh. Just a cold.

He coughs still from time to time when I ride him up hills, or when he gallops around the pasture. One or two coughs don't worry me so much.

This week he started really coughing - deep, repetitive, wet coughs, his head stretched to the ground, gasping for air. I sounded like he couldn't breathe. The vet was coming out Friday but I called and asked if I could give him something. They're not allowed to give medicine advice over the phone, so they told me to give him herbs. Herbs?! If this were the year 1750, I would. He needs medicine. I got out my ACC and pondered it, but decided to wait, while praying he'd make it.

Today the vet came and Mag was coughing before we even did anything with him.

First Bellis had her teeth checked, and they're fine. She's one healthy donkey, so thankful! I haven't had the vet out in so long I cannot remember, I'd have to look in my records. We've been blessed with healthy animals and few accidents.

Then Mag opened up his mouth and everything was beautiful inside - the vet always makes me look too, as if I have any idea about teeth.

Mag's temp is a little high (38.5) but he said a horse standing in the sun will show that. He listened to the lungs at rest, and then had me trot Mag.

Oh boy! You know what Mag's favorite thing in the universe is? Trot outs. Just running with me delights him. So up the street we went, and Mag puffed up, arched his neck, threw his tail over his back and pranced joyfully.

We came back and the assistant said, "Wow!" The vet said, "Let me have a turn." So he took Mag's lead and ran up and down the street, with Mag giving the same performance, but funnily, he was looking askew at the vet as he trotted, and kind of trotting sideways (diagonally?) as if to say, "Why am I out on the street with this stranger!?" (It's true, Mag has issues with people doing things with him (riding, leading) that he doesn't know well. His sale ad even admitted that!)

The vet came back grinning. "This horse loves to move! I want to get on and gallop him across that field! But I'd come off." I said, "He wants to be a show horse, and to be honest I'm keeping our rides slow for now, for our own safety. Someday I'll let him go!"

He said he heard very little in the lungs, even after that, but gave me a big box of ACC for Mag anyway. He said one week of ACC twice daily, and then a followup appointment to listen to him again.

He believes Mag is just having an allergic reaction to whatever is blooming around here at this time.

I hope he's right and it's nothing serious - well, I suppose allergies are serious too.





     
This was 2016 when Mag and Bellis had series hoof issues (white line) and the farrier ran him up and down out street. He had so much fun, as I think is obvious.



     
It's his very favorite thing, but then again, Mag hasn't done much in his life.

***

After two months I finally hooked up with Seli and Momo again, but she said it's too hot to ride, and she has a new puppy along today, so we should just go for a walk. I don't mind, well, yah, I did. I really long to sit on Momo's back again and just enjoy. Instead, I got puppy.

If I thought Lupo was annoying on our rides, I was wrong, PUPPY is annoying. The dumb animal kept stopping right in front of the horse, putting his head directly between Mag's hocks and holding it there (?!?!?) and running up behind the horse, legs banging together cuz he's so clumsy. The puppy would run right up people's front steps and almost into their homes! And worse, Lupo has decided that the puppy is more important than listening to Seli, so she had minimal control over the "good" dog today. But Seli is reasonable, she told me when the puppy just stops directly in front of me, to walk right into him. (I was doing that anyway but it was nice to hear her say it.) The way he was acting, I knew he'd never been stepped on by a horse. She confirmed it, "Not yet."

Mag reached down to sniff the puppy and the puppy snapped at Mag's nose - how rude. I think a light went off in Mag's head - Dogs BITE?!

Cute moment - the dogs both lapping at the stream, as we waited for them, Mag was fascinated, staring at Lupo's drinking style. I said, "Look Seli, Mag has no idea that dogs drink with their tongues!"

So it was a fun day for Mag, though a long one. I just came in the house, it's 3 PM, and I went out there at 8:30 to get ready for the vet.

Next week she promised to ride out with me, when she will have a puppy sitter. The next day she'll do trims on my animals hooves, which are too rock hard for me at the moment even with a brand new rasp.

It's the last day of school. WOOOO!!!! I get my husband for the entire next month. Minus the two weeks I'll be in Dortmund in my next medic schooling. Oh boy.