Donating towards Colin's Emergency Fund

Back on April 4, 2013, The barn staff at The Bridge Center were faced with a tough decision. Colin, our largest horse, was colicking and in a great deal of pain. We had two options: immediate surgery or euthanasia. We opted for surgery. Colin is kind, gentle horse who deserved a chance. It is what the heart of The Bridge Center programs are about - giving opportunities. We believed that Colin could overcome this difficult surgery and come return to our Equine programs.

The cost of surgery was expensive, close to $10,000. Colin had 20-feet of small intestines removed due to a lipoma and spent 9 days at Tufts Large Animal Medical Center. He made it thru those long days due to the positive thoughts and prayers everyone sent for him.

Being a non-profit, we need your help in trying to cover those costs. Colin is steadfast horse who takes one step at a time - forward. We need your help to keep moving forward - providing continuing care for Colin and providing chances for emergency care for our herd of 12 horses and ponies.

Could you help Colin today by donating what you can to help cover the expenses?

 

How can you donate towards Colin?

1) Go to our webpage

The DONATE button brings you to Paypal where you can type COLIN in the donation description field during the “review donation” step. This is important, otherwise the donation won’t go to him directly!

2) Stop by the barn! Colin loves the company. (no snacks please - not yet!) There is a collection box in the Viewing Room where you can put your donations (cash or checks).

3) You can mail a donation to:    (Just make sure you mark it for COLIN)

 The Bridge Center

470 Pine Street

Bridgewater, MA  02324

 

One Month!!!

Colin has gotten to the one month mark! Keep it up big guy! We can't wait to have you back in the program, giving rides to our equestrians!

Up till now, Colin has been on stall rest - with small amounts of hand walking to relieve some of the boredom.

Now, he can get turned out in a small sun paddock. He can't run or get moving very fast in this small turnout but still, he is no longer tied to a lead line and he can be out of his stall for a few hours every day. 

Ups and Downs - infection

Colin has been progressing along nicely. His day consists of being fed senior grain every six hours. He is handwalked and allowed to graze up to three times a day. He even started eating some Purina Hydro Hay and small amounts of 2nd cut hay.

Wednesday evening though, Colin wouldn't eat his supper. He had been very quiet all day - and the staff felt he wasn't looking quite as bright as he has been. His temperature was also starting to rise. We contacted Dr. Pantano at Black Pond Veterinary Services. She came right out and felt Colin might be fighting an infection at the incision site.

The incision is about 15 inches long - and was still slightly open in two small spots.  Dr. Pantano cultured the site and prescribed some antibiotics immediately. She also suggested we back down on the introduction of hay in case that was also adding to his discomfort.

The lessor amounts of hay meant returning to higher frequency of grain feedings. The staff at The Riding Center rallied. People signed up for round the clock feedings. There is no barn staff on site, so the efforts and dedication of the staff and volunteers was proof of how much this big draft is loved.

Get well cards

Coming home!!!

Colin getting ready to leave Tufts

It was a long week at The Bridge Center. Staff were attending to two other horses here that needed medical attention. We needed some good news.

Dr. Houtsma called from Tufts on Thursday to say that Colin was still struggling with the introduction to hay. He was showing signs of discomfort - possible adhesions, constriction at the site of surgery -either way, there was pain.  This wasn't the good news the staff was hoping for.  Tufts goal was to send home but they didn't feel comfortable doing that until they knew he was okay.

Then Friday - a small bit of brighter news. Colin seemed more comfortable on just a grain diet. If he showed no signs of pain over the next few hours, the Hospital felt comfortable releasing him and allowing the staff at The Bridge Center to reintroduce him to hay later on.

Saturday morning the call came. Colin can be released from Tufts and can come home to The Bridge Center. I think you could hear the cheers from Bridgewater to North Grafton that day. This was the happy news the Riding Center needed!

Just arrived at The Bridge Center!!

Colin loves Visitors!!

Kari visits with Colin at Tufts

 The Hospital for Large Animals at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine encourages you to visit with your animal.  Colin loves these moments.

On this day one of our dedicated volunteers, Kari, visited with Colin. She got to feed him some hay  - literally, just a handful - for the first time post surgery. He was searching for more.

First Meal

A video of Colin's first meal of Senior grain - it was about the size of a baseball....not even close to what a 1200 pound horse needs to exist. But if he can process it all the way thru, it is a good sign.

First good sign!

Dr. Ashley Houtsma, DVM Surgery Resident at Tufts called Saturday morning. 
The vets were really happy with what they saw this morning - a bright eyed, ears up horse greeting them at the stall door. His blood work showed good levels and he showed signs that his intestines are slowly working again. 

Read about how excited fans of The Bridge Center (& Colin) were on Facebook:

Like · · Share

• Debra Nichols, Shan Boss, Maureen Chalmers and 41 others like this.
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  Darlynn Oberg Thank God and everyone who 'helped' ! I'm Colin's previous owner. I gave him to the Bridge. SOOO relieved to see this update! YOU GO bubba (my pet name for him) you are not finished helping others :-) the kids need you big guy! Xoxo <3 Darlynn your old Mom

  Unlike · Reply · 4 · April 6 at 2:34pm via mobile
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  Judy Johnson I cannot like this status enough!!! yay!!

  Like · Reply · 3 · April 6 at 10:34am
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  Robin Urciuoli Keep it up Colin!!!

  Like · Reply · April 6 at 8:49pm via mobile
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  Paige Ashleigh Lawson I hope Colin is getting well fast good luck with him

  Like · Reply · 1 · April 6 at 11:31am via mobile
• 

  Alex Wilson Thank God he's going to be OK!!!!

  Like · Reply · 1 · April 6 at 11:16am via mobile
• 

  Jenn Pretorius You go Colin!!!!!!! ;-)

  Like · Reply · 1 · April 6 at 11:11am via mobile
• 

  Karen Bowman-Borges Praying always helps!! Great news!

  Like · Reply · 1 · April 6 at 10:52am
• 

  Becky Guillotte Yay Colin!!!

  Like · Reply · 1 · April 6 at 10:40am via mobile
• 

  Kim Judge Super super like !! What a relief!!

  Like · Reply · 1 · April 6 at 10:35am via mobile
• 

  Julie Blackburn Get well soon Colin!

  Like · Reply · April 6 at 5:39pm
• 

  Barbara Freeman Yay. Get better Colin???

  Like · Reply · April 6 at 2:56pm via mobile

  
  

First Day Post Surgery

Understandably, Colin was not out of pain on the next morning.

Colin tested positive for endotoxemia (toxins released into the bloodstreat)  - which while not entirely unexpected, added to concerns about his recovery.

The next 72 hours were critical for him. It could go either way - the toxins can cause inflammation and attack vital organs such as heart, kidney, lungs or even leave him fighting laminitis.

The photo shows Colin packed down in ice on his front legs and hind hooves. This was a preventative step to combating possible laminitis.

When our Barn Manager, Judy, visited, and describes what she saw, "Colin was shaking  - partially from the medicines flowing thru the IV and partially from being packed in ice. He was obvious he was not out of pain yet. I did some reiki and told him how much people were praying for him and how much he was loved. Despite his discomfort, he turned his head towards me and leaned against my hands. I may be reading into it but I felt in my hear he said he was trying but was hurting and very tired.  I told him to hold on for 24 more hours - that he had gotten this far and could do just a little more to get past all this. That the pain would go away if he could hold out just a little longer."

It was up to Colin's body now to fight the endotoxemia. Everything that could be done, had been done. It was just a waiting game now.

Four hours later....Surgery is over.

11:00 pm....still April 4th.

That is when the call came in from Tufts. Colin was out of surgery. Four hours of surgery....
That is a long time for a draft horse to be under anesthesia.

The surgeon, Dr. Jenei, explained they found a strangulating lipoma compromising Colin's small intestines. They removed 20 feet of his small intestines - as well as address an impaction in the large intestine. This was considered a complicated colic surgery.

Pricing for colic surgery has ranges. If there was no resection, the price could be as low as $6-8,000. With the surgery Colin had, the amount creeps up towards the higher range of $8-10,000.

To learn more about colic, visit here: http://www.equusite.com/articles/health/healthColicFacts.shtml

Day one - Colin in pain.

April 4, 2013.

Colic. Horse owners fear that word. It means pain for that animal you love.

Colin started his day happy and hungry. He ate breakfast, finished morning hay and after a while, lay down, as did many horses at The Bridge Center that day. Morning naps on nice sunny days were not unusual. But then, that first sign, Colin gets up and lays down again in a different spot. Then again. Then again, one more time.

The Barn Staff going about the normal routines of cleaning, notice. Watching him from over the fence, you can see his respiratory rate has doubled. His nostrils are flared and  has a dull look to his eye. There is no denying, Colin is very uncomfortable.

Always the steadfast horse, Colin knows help has arrived when staff enter the paddock with his halter and a lead rope. He willingly gets up and submits to walking around. Still no relief. Vitals are taken, pain medicine is administered....still no relief. Colin is walking like a stumbling horse - wanting to get down and collapse but always yielding to the encouragement of the staff to keep going. "Walk Colin!" and he plods on, despite the pain.

The first call is made to the vet - a few more tactics are discussed and tried - but inevitably, the staff calls back. "Come out - we can't control Colin's pain. "

Dr. Dana Pantano of Black Pond Vet is familiar with Colin. She has treated him in the past for respiratory issues and uveitis. He isn't a colicky horse though, she agrees.  After her assessment and on site treatments, she lays it out for the barn staff. "When you can't control a horse's pain, you have to consider other options" This meant a choice between surgery or euthanasia. This was devastating news for the staff.

The Bridge Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are funded entirely thru grants and donations. Colic surgery is expensive plus there were no guarantees that Colin could survive, let alone return as a Therapeutic Riding Horse.  This was a Board of Directors' decision that had to be made quickly and it appeared that the stars were aligned, as one of our Board Members had just arrived on site to discuss an upcoming fundraiser.

Dr. Neal Andelman is a small animal vet and Vice-President of The Bridge Center Board of Directors. He had a  frank discussion with Dr. Pantano and with the barn staff. After absorbing all the information, he went quiet. Then, the words, "Go ahead" were said.

Colin's surgery option was the choice made. Dr. Andelman later said, "This is what The Bridge Center is about, opportunity. It is the right thing to do for Colin".

Colin was quickly transported up to Tufts Hospital for Large Animals in Grafton, MA and was admitted for colic surgery exactly 10 hours after he started his day happily eating breakfast.

There was nothing to do but wait for news.