A Better Day

Today was a much less stressful day then yesterday. My colic amazingly survived the night which was a good way to start the morning. Large amounts of abdominal fluid were found on abdominal ultrasound so a drain was placed for several hours and many liters of fluid drained out. She was much less painful after the fluid was removed and the drain was removed mid-morning.  The owner visited his mare for several hours today and every time I would pass him or go in to work on the mare he would tell me his appreciation in Arabic, bow, shake my hand, blow kisses to the sky and say something about Allah. I was glad that such a nice man with such a nice horse could have a good outcome. On rectal exam the impaction felt smaller and softer to me and the mare began producing almost normal feces. The mare continued to do so well that she eventually was offered handfuls of grass and was allowed to graze for a few minutes in the evening. By tomorrow I hope she will be able to eat hay and can be put back on a normal diet.

The colic mare enjoys some grass next to her donkey friend who has pleuropneumonia. Her belly bandage is to cover the drain site on her ventral abdomen.

This mule's teeth are floated as much as possible so his penitrating
ulcer can heal.  He will return in 2 months for another float.

                We had many other interesting cases today. Several lamenesses, a severely overgrown tooth causing an oral ulcer all the way through the cheek, and several coughs including a cute little grey donkey that worked in the tanneries. I’m sure it was his job that caused his illness but he had to return to work tomorrow so he received his medications and would return in a few days. This donkey smelt like the tanneries and his coat was stained from being piled high with hides. I could tell his owner, a very poor young man with missing front teeth, dirty clothing, and holes in his shoes, cared very dearly for his donkey. He had a very concerned expression on his face when the doctors explained to him their findings, and he continuously embraced his donkey’s head and neck. The donkey was very gentle and I could tell that other than his work conditions, this donkey was well cared for.

An Arabian-Barb stallion decorated with Henna is presented for a recheck on his hygroma

Another white Arabian-Barb stallion presented today for a recheck of a hygroma on his elbow and drain removal. This horse was owned by the same owner as the other white stallion, only this stallion was decorated with henna on his legs and in his mane and tail. I am not sure exactly why. Perhaps this is to make him look fancier for the Fantasias.

The mule with the abdominal wall abscess is ultrasounded

                Much more interesting and medically graphic was a mule presenting for a basketball sized mass on his right abdominal wall. The owner claims the small has always been there but was very small when the mule was young and has slowly grown to the size it is today. We ultrasounded the mass and found it to be full of fluid. Mehdi was put in charge of the dirty work and lanced open the abscess where the wall was thinnest. After milking out masses of puss, the cavity was lavaged with saline and a second incision was made ventrally for drainage. Puss covered the exam area and everyone including owners, students, and vets, gathered around to watch the puss spill from the mule’s side. The mule will remain in the hospital for monitoring and antibiotic treatment.

The abscess is lanced and puss pours out

Mehdi milks out masses of puss!

Puss covers the ground in the exam area

                The day finished much earlier today and I was able to talk with my husband and parents via video messaging. Though I was lost in most discussions today due to there being 5 Moroccans and I visiting the Fondouk, at least the day went smoothly and relatively complication free. I hope future days are like today, with the exception of me being able to do even more hands on work. This may be a challenge with yet another Moroccan student arriving today. Her name is Ilham and she speaks very good English for a Moroccan. I am hopeful that we will be friends and perhaps she can take me back to the medina for some more shopping this weekend!