A Horse in Need

NEW ARRIVALS
Sponsor a Horse in Need

UPDATED: 02/14/2008

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Check out who's IN REHAB New Ones!!!

This is Angel!!!

Sadly...on

January 9th 2005

Angel was found dead in her shed with her boyfriend standing over her. She looked like she was sleeping. We feel she went quickly and without pain since there was no sign of struggle. There were no signs of distress in any way. We had just been joking abut her only two days prior. Her friend, Sysco, was laying flat out in the sun and she was standing over him falling asleep herself. She had her nose hanging so low it kept hitting the ground waking her. We kept laughing at the sight. Angel had come to LCR for a purpose. She was the skinniest, most deplorable looking horse I had ever seen. She was infested with parasites and had no dental care whatsoever. She was starving to death because she could not chew her food. Angel was the perfect example of what happens when basic care in not done and the consequences and effects it has on the horse. We were able to save her. We changed her diet, wormed her, took care of her sore aching mouth and feet. We made her happy and comfortable and then even gave her a boyfriend. We truly feel she was happy. She probably had the best year of her life. She was warm, dry, and comfortable with a full belly and loved ones surrounding her, what more could you ask for in those final days.

We will miss you, but your legacy will always live on!!

Angel was out playing in the field today...bucking and running at full tilt. She is just unbelievable

More to come, Angel may be ready for placement in another month or two. Let us know if you are interested. We do not know anything about her rideability and will not know for another month or two.

Angel 2 days after arrival One week later
One month later 1 month later

UPDATE: 3/10/04
Angel is doing wonderful! It has been a tough road, but we see a light at the end of the tunnel. Angel spent over 3 weeks on 3 different types of antibiotics along with probiotics and other supplements for various symptoms. She has now been wormed several times and eating "like a horse". She has gained over 150 lbs since she first arrived. She now gets turned out for several hours and walked to start building some muscle and strength. Angel had needed assistance getting up several times over the past month, but just yesterday we found her standing, but with bedding on her as if she had been laying down at some point but got up on her own. We know she is getting stronger by the day and can even be a little pushy when it comes to feeding time.

Angel has developed the "itchies". Through multiple different remedies and trials we have come to the conclusion that with the care she is receiving we have over stimulated her immune system and she now needs to balance out. A new course of treatment is being established to get her back on track. We have a positive outlook that she will be fine and ready for placement by the summer.

Thank you to all who have helped and sponsored Angel! We wouldn't have been able to do it without the kindness and caring people like you!

UPDATE 2/18/04: Angel has been diagnosed with deep pleurisy on both sides of her lungs. She's probably been like this for months with no treatment, which adds to her overall condition, weight loss and lethargy. The trailer ride most likely stressed it to the surface. Hers is minor, an inflammation and rubbing of the lining of the lung due to infection and fluid build up. For right now she is on three different antibiotics to help heal her damaged lungs and clear the fluid build up, along with supportive therapy and keeping her spirits up. She seems to go in and out of depression. She loves to be brushed and her daily message therapy. She begs for food at each feeding and really loves the attention from the kids. We have now been turning her out in a small 20 x 30 pen for a couple of hours a day so she can see the other horses. She just loves to soak up the sunshine.

Angel is on a complete pelleted senior mix, beet pulp, molasses, multiple grains and minerals, etc... it is an excellent feed made by Moyer and Son. (Contact us for more information on our feeds and feeding.) Two of LCR's other horses who cannot have hay at all are on it as their complete diet...for several years now and are doing wonderful. We give her hay in case she wants it...it pacifies the people more than the horse, since she really only sucks on it and doesn't swallow much. She is up to approx 6+ quarts (lbs) (dry measure) per day and eats a little more each day. As she feels better we hope she will eat more and eventually get to 10-16+ pounds/day at least. She has put on weight...maybe 40 lbs. or so. We are giving her a probiotic to help counter the antibiotics we have her on, and some of special top dress vitamins donated by a caring individual. She still holds a 101-102 + temp, (yet to go over 103) that we monitor daily, and hopefully will break soon. We have good hopes that Angel will make a full recovery, but we are far from out of the woods with her as of yet. We feel she is still at at 50% chance of survival, increasing ~1%/day. Thank you to all who continue to care and pray for her.

Update 2/10/04: We want to thank everyone for their kind words, support, and concern for Angel. It is truly heart warming to know so many people out there care. Please, if you would like to visit, we love to have you, but call first. Angel needs her rest and can not take too many interruptions in her naps. She loves the company, but we need to schedule her visits. Thank you, we will be trying to respond to everyone's inquiries on how she is doing and we will update this sight as often as we can.
We will have visiting hours again on Saturday, Feb 14th, at 10 am. Happy Valentines Day!!

It has been touch and go with Angel. Twice now we have had to lift her to her feet because she was too weak to get back up on her own after laying down to rest. Angel becomes very fatigued and uncomfortable after any type of stress, even just walking. The trailer ride here took a lot out of her. She eats well and constantly begs for more, which we are slowly increasing. Angel developed a low grade fever and a cough due to some fluid in her lungs. The vets are not sure, but believe it may be viral or fluid built up from laying down. She is now on antibiotics and responding well and on GastroGard for her stomach to help with any possible ulcers or discomfort. She has a wonderful attitude and right now we have good hopes that she will recover. Time and supportive therapy are the key. We watch her around the clock and observe any changes in behavior so to catch and treat anything that may arise in her health and comfort. She loves the letters...keep them coming. They will be posted on her door and some will be put into the next newsletter. If you'd like to be on our mailing list, let us know.

Is this pathetic or what? The owners said she was too old to do anything about and they were just going to feed her a little until she died. They said not to worry about her teeth or that she could not chew, or her weight, that she had gained some (hair I believe) her feet or the fact that her skin was crawling with lice sucking the very life from her. We named her Angel...for she deserves it. We feel she has the fight and the desire to make it through this. She could not make the journey standing and went down in the trailer on her way to us. That is how she rode and needed several people to help her skeletal body back to her feet. She weighs all of about 500 lbs. of bones and skin and 10 lbs of lice, where she should weigh at least close to 900lbs. The pictures are a bit deceiving since it makes her look fuzzy. Where the hair is still remaining it covers her bones with about 2 inches of fuzz. This is one of the worst I have seen in some time and what is sad is there are more like her out there. They said she was a camp horse at some point. Do you know her? Did your kids ride her? Did you? They called her "Cali". (I believe they said it had something to do with California.) She came from the Hazelton, PA area. Please, Let us know, we'd love to have some history and would love to know if her previous owners know what fate she had faced. Things like this should not happen. She probably gave more than 20 years of loyalty to her humans...to end up like this is despicable.

Patches of missing hair from over infestation of lice.
Angel had lice on her everywhere (billions of them) and she had to have gotten them from another horse. Lice do not live on humans or other species, and cannot live with out a horse host for more than a maximum of 24 hours. All the other horse had to do was touch her at some point and give her lice. Some times lice cannot be seen on your horse since they are tinier than even the smallest flea. If your horse is scratching or rubbing on things, he/she may have lice. Ask your veterinarian how to check and treat for lice. Not all lice are biting and therefore cannot be eliminated by worming only, they must be dusted. A mild case of lice or a recent exposure may not show obvious signs like Angel above of missing patches of hair.

LCR and it's volunteer staff work closely with Dr. Randy Bimes and all of the staff at Quakertown Vet Clinic. It is very critical to have proper diagnosis and treatment for an emaciated ill patient such as Angel. Although she is starving, we cannot just start feeding her. She must be brought along with careful considerations to all of her ailments and issues. A careful, well planned diet is critical to her success. Too much of anything could put her system into shock. Treating Angel from the outside first for the lice is less damaging and stressful to her internal organs. Carefully planning and educated use of supplements is essential as to not overload her system with more than she can handle. For more information and a detailed regime of how we are treating Angel, contact us.

Contact lbenetz@lastchanceranch.org with any info and/or questions.

Please see Adoption Corral or In Rehab for more horses that have been saved from uncertain doom.