Here it is folks! So far in a nutshell, here is what this pretty little mare has been going through!
How do you put a price on saving your daughter's best friend who has in turn saved your daughter? You can't. Delilah has been there for Stephanie now it is our turn to be there for her.
Delilah's accident has been very unfortunate and has put her through some pain but Delilah is a tough little horse. She is not giving up yet! If we give up on her it would be like giving up on Stephanie. We just did not have the heart to do that. Besides, Delilah is telling Stephanie she wants to live! We have to do all we can to make that happen!
Miracles are happening! We were very fortunate to find Dr. Redden in town and so willing to help. The Doctors at South Valley Large Animal clinic have all been so wonderful and have been watching over Delilah and taking such good care of her. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers. We will keep you updated.
6/20/08 Delilah and Steph at the Colorado Horse Show. Healthy, Happy and Beautiful!
7/5/08 Delilah gets her right front leg caught in the top of the horse panels cutting off circulation to her hoof.
After 5 Days Delilah goes lame and open sores appear on her leg above the hoof. 7/14/08 Delilah is taken to South Valley Large Animal Clinic in hopes the Dr's there can save her hoof from coming off. This Picture was taken on 7/18/08 and her hoof is still 1/3 attached.
7/22/08 Delilah's hoof falls off. Luckily we were able to find Dr. Ric Redden a specialist from Kentucky who happened to be in Utah. He has developed a procedure called a "Pin Cast" to possibly help save Delilah and he agrees to help us.
7/23/08 The day after her hoof falls off. This is Delilahs foot being prepared for the pin cast surgery.
7/23/08 Delilah's leg after the Pin Cast Surgery. The pins will help support her weight and giving her foot the opportunity to heal. Her leg will be put in a cast.
8/13/08 After 3 weeks with the pins in, it is decided to remove them for fear her leg bone may fracture. The cast was removed, pins were removed, the Dr.s were amazed at the amount of new hoof growth. Damage to the coffin bone is in question. Pieces of dead bone were removed and she was recast. All we can do is wait and hope.
8/26/08 13 days after the pins were removed, Delilah's cast was removed again to check progress. Lots of new Growth here! That is really encouraging. There is still a bad spot on the bottom of her foot that has the Dr.'s concerned. But its not as bad as the previous picture. It was cleaned up and recast with a half cast and will be checked again in a week. More waiting and more hoping!
9/2/08 Dr. Ric Redden is building a new removable cast for her leg. We will learn how to change the bandages ourselves so we can take her home and care for her there.
9/2/08 Dr. Redden was excited to see how the hoof was beginning to migrate across the bottom and how much it was thickening up. The open holes on the bottom where pieces of bone came out have healed up nicely.
9/5/08 Looking good! Our first bandage change in the new cast. It will need to be re wrapped about twice a week.
9/9/08 We are learning to do the bandage wraps ourselves so we can take her home hopefully this Saturday!
9/9/08 a Shot of the bottom. Its going to be a slow growing process!
9/12/08 Compare to the last bandage change....Slow but sure....X rays show the coffin bone is damaged, a concern for the Dr's...they say she may not be able to be ridden again. We will just have to wait and see.