Barbaro suffers setback

I'm gonna ask my fellow animal lovers out there to take a moment away from the escalation talk and keep a good thought for Barbaro. He's proven he's a fighter, and hopefully he can keep on fighting.

http://www.vet.upenn.edu/newsandevents/news/Barbaro_Update1-10.htm

Barbaro suffers setback

January 10, 2007

KENNETT SQUARE, PA — Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro has had a significant setback over the last 24 hours. He became acutely more uncomfortable on his left hind foot. The foot cast was removed and some new separation of the medial (inside) portion of his hoof was found. This required some additional debridement (removal of the damaged tissue) last night.

He is being treated much more aggressively at this time for his discomfort. He is continuing to eat well and is otherwise stable.

Updates will be provided when new information is available.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16547339/

Snip

“Things were marching along pretty smoothly until this,” Barbaro’s co-owner Gretchen Jackson said. “We’ve been there before with him. He’s a horse that wants to live.”

The setback comes one week after a new cast was placed on Barbaro’s laminitis-stricken left hind foot to help realign a bone.

It was the first dose of bad news after months of progress that included owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson and chief surgeon Dean Richardson talking about releasing Barbaro from the hospital as soon as the end of the month.

snip
Barbaro shattered his right hind leg in the Preakness on May 20. In mid-July severe laminitis, a potentially fatal disease caused by uneven weight distribution in the limbs, resulted in 80 percent of Barbaro’s left hind hoof being removed.

“I was there yesterday and it was obvious he was not comfortable in that foot,” Jackson said. “The easiest and best way to work on Barbaro is when he’s laying down. They had to wait until he was laying down and when they removed the cast, they discovered some reason for him feeling pain.”

Just over a week ago, Richardson said Barbaro’s right hind was getting stronger and should eventually be healthy enough to allow the colt to live a comfortable, happy life.

But he also warned: “Barbaro’s left hind foot, which had laminitis, remains a more formidable long-term challenge. The foot must grow much more for him to have a truly successful outcome.”

:scared:

I have a cousin who owns racehorses and he told me back in July that Barbaro was probably going to not make it. And yet here he is still hanging tough...

Edgar Prado was able to stop him immediately after the break happened, which prevent the leg from snapping entirely. Prado also managed to get Barbaro's saddle off his back with one hand while hanging on to the bridle with the other. That took away an important physical "cue"--for many racehorses, the tightening of the saddle strap is a sign that it's time to run, and the loosening of it is a sign that it's time to calm down.

Barbaro also didn't act like a typical horse. Most horses will keep running on an injured limb until they are stopped or the limb snaps. Even when stopped, they will continue to put some weight on the injured leg. But Barbaro, while slowing down, actually held the broken right rear leg up and off to the side, kind of hopping on the other 3 legs. And when he was waiting for the equine ambulance, he still held the bad leg up. Darnest thing I ever saw! He's also been the perfect patient--not panicking like a lot of animals would do in this situation, and barely showing signs of mental stress. Uncanny--almost human!

He's a such remarkable horse, and that's why I'm pulling for him!

...from ME! My last name is the same as the name of the horse that won the Preakness, but all anybody ever heard about after the race was Barbaro's injury. Why can't we focus on ME ME ME?!?

:)

He's a fighter, always has been. Seems like a big setback to me but he's got a big heart and determination.

Here's an update from the Tim Woolley racing site:
"Update 1296: Mrs. Jackson just left a voice-mail (11:00 am) in order to keep us updated. She basically wanted to give an update on how he was doing. Barbaro has no temperature, and when she visited him this morning she brought him his grass and he was eating well. It appears they are working hard to determine the cause of this latest set back so that he gets to equal bearing weight on all his legs. Until that happens he won't be walked outside.
update 11:23 am, wednesday, january 10"

Source: http://www.timwoolleyracing.com/news/2007/01/barbaro_updates_165.php

Thanks for the info. The fact that he doesn't have a temp right now is a good sign. Means there's no infection (at least not yet) and all they have to deal with is the pain.

I feel very cautious about his condition now and really hope this does not set his laminitis recovery back to square one. Your post on Prado and Barbaro's actions post-race is spot on. I've always thought that it was Barbaro himself that was making the decision (in his own way) to move forward even at the bleakest moments. Incredible spirit and smarts he has.

I agree with you on Barbaro's apparent will to survive. I just hope he hasn't changed his mind.

He will always have to be carefullly watched. Laminitis will always be something lurking and the bones will always be fragile. I hope he does well. I have a horse that had laminitis, not as badly as Barbaro with a break as well, and I am always cautious about how I feed and trim his feet. He is now navicular but doing well.

I hate to hear of horses in discomfort, they are such noble and kind animals.

....my thoughs are with sweet Barbaro today. Poor baby! :(

god i love this horse -- my thoughts and my best prayers are with you buddy!

get well!