Barbaro Recovering

[misskitty]

I am so very happy that Barbaro has managed to get through his surgery. I hope he gains strength and improves and that he will be able to live happily ever after in a beautiful field. I've been to the races when a horse broke his leg and had to be shot on site. It was Horrific to say the least. I can't imagine how his owners, trainers, barn staff and fans feel. Me and the kitts have said a wee prayer for his well-being. I realize it's probably his racing "worth" that has kept him alive so far. If he wasn't a Derby winner or contender he would not have such care available.

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Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro out of surgery
Attachment 17351
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro appeared to be doing well after spending seven hours in surgery Sunday. He suffered a massive injury to his right rear leg during the Preakness Stakes one day earlier.

Dr. Dean Richardson, who operated on the horse at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Centre for Large Animals, said Barbaro "practically jogged back to the stall."

Richardson earlier told The Associated Press the injury was life-threatening.

"You do not see this severe injury frequently because the fact is most horses that suffer this typically are put down on the race track," Richardson said.

Barbaro suffered a broken cannon bone above the ankle, a broken sesamoid bone behind the ankle and a broken long pastern bone below the ankle. He also dislocated the fetlock joint, or ankle.

Richardson said veterinarians would "attempt to perform a fusion of that joint and to stabilize it and make it comfortable enough for him to walk on."

Well-wishers gathered outside the New Bolton Center during the operation, posting signs for the horse: "Thank you, Barbaro," stated one, and "Believe in Barbaro" read another.

The horse broke his leg just moments into Saturday's race, turning sideways with his right rear leg pointing out, to the horror of 118,402 spectators.

Jockey Edgar Prado managed to stop the horse and waited for medical assistance. Attending veterinarian Dr. Nicholas Meittinis managed to fit Barbaro's broken leg with an inflatable cast.

The horse was then transported to the New Bolton Center, placed in intensive care and stabilized overnight.

"He was very brave and well behaved under the situation," Barbara Dallap, a clinician present when Barbaro arrived, told AP.

Trainer Michael Matz was also present Saturday, trying to remain positive.

"Two weeks ago we were on such a high and this is our worst nightmare," he said.

The New Bolton Center is located on a 650-acre campus in Chester County, Pa. It's known as one of the top hospitals for horses in the region, and specializes in complicated surgery for bone injuries.

The unbeaten three-year-old Barabaro was a significant contender for the Triple Crown.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

[Google]

 

[misskitty]

Apologies for double-posting. The veterinarians were amazing. After seeing these radiographs, I am totally in awe that Barbaro is standing and walking after his surgery. I LOVE VETS!
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[veejer]

Unfortunately, his survival chances are still 50-50.

Barbaro underwent more than five hours of surgery Sunday to repair rear leg bones he'd broken in the Preakness, calmly awoke from anesthesia and "practically jogged back to his stall" for something to eat.

His survival, however, is still 50-50.
.......
Barbaro sustained a broken cannon bone above the ankle, a broken sesamoid bone behind the ankle and a broken long pastern bone below the ankle. The fetlock joint -- the ankle -- was dislocated.

Richardson said the pastern bone was shattered in "20-plus pieces."

The bones were put in place to fuse the joint by inserting a plate and 23 screws to repair damage so severe that most horses would not be able to survive it.

When he came out of surgery, Barbaro was lifted by sling and placed on a raft in a pool so he could calmly awake from the anesthetic.

Richardson said the horse "practically jogged back to his stall" and was wearing a cast from just below the hock to the hoof.

"He's a real genuine athlete, there's no doubt about it," Richardson said. "Even the way he woke up from anesthesia, he was very much the athlete waking up from general anesthesia."

Richardson again stressed that Barbaro had many hurdles to clear.

"Horses with this type of injury are very, very susceptible to lots of other problems, including infection at the site," he said.

Horses are frequently euthanized after serious leg injuries because circulation problems and deadly disease can arise if they can't distribute weight evenly -- and lying down for long periods can cause internal problems, making immobilization or elevation impossible.

Complete article: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?cnn=yes

[Stargazer]

I felt so horrible about this. He really had such a good shot at being the next Triple Crown winner. He was a joy to watch race. God bless him, I hope he recovers.

[Lois Lane]

Originally Posted by misskitty

I am so very happy that Barbaro has managed to get through his surgery. I hope he gains strength and improves and that he will be able to live happily ever after in a beautiful field. I've been to the races when a horse broke his leg and had to be shot on site.

Misskitty, thanks for the updates. I saw this race and was afraid there'd be trouble when he prematurely bolted out of the gate. Barbaro hopefully will now have a nice long life as a stud horse. (Good thing he's not a gelding!)

But they don't shoot race horses anymore of this caliber ... not with a gun anyhow. Usually the equine ambulance will pull a blue tarp around the injured horse and euthanize him and then drive him away in the ambulance. It's humane, the horse goes in peace and the crowd doesn't witness anything traumatic. We saw this happen at one track and our friend said, "I didn't hear the gun shot."

[Stargazer]

Originally Posted by Lois Lane

But they don't shoot race horses anymore of this caliber ... not with a gun anyhow. Usually the equine ambulance will pull a blue tarp around the injured horse and euthanize him and then drive him away in the ambulance. It's humane, the horse goes in peace and the crowd doesn't witness anything traumatic. We saw this happen at one track and our friend said, "I didn't hear the gun shot."

This is true most of the time. However, a horse was just put down in Kentucky ON the track just a few weeks ago in front of a horrifed crowd. It all depends on the methods of the track, owner, vet, etc.

[Leo]

Okay, I know next to nothing about horses, and I hope someone knows to answer to this, but humor me: doesn't it sound a wee bit drastic to put down a horse for a joint injury?

[veejer]

Leo, a horse's footprint is about the same size as a human's. So only twice the area to displace a lot more weight. If a human had a similar break, they would be put in traction, but horses can't be immobilized like that.

From my earlier post,

Horses are frequently euthanized after serious leg injuries because circulation problems and deadly disease can arise if they can't distribute weight evenly -- and lying down for long periods can cause internal problems, making immobilization or elevation impossible.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?cnn=yes

[Stargazer]

Generally if a horse is lame, they are put down, Leo. Their bodies are very heavy and their legs very thin, so it can be almost impossible for broken or injured legs to heal properly. The weight of the horse has to be kept off of the leg long enough for it to heal and then the leg has to be conditioned afterward so that the horse can bear weight on it again. Horses are expensive animals to begin with. It would take enormous, obscene amounts of money to keep a horse alive through a catastrophic leg injury. There are alternatives and even prosthetic legs available, but they aren't often utilized because of the extreme cost and time needed to take care of the horse throughout its injury.

ETA: Lois, I read your post wrong and see now that you were talking about "shooting" a horse. It is correct that they usually use lethal injection nowadays. However, shooting is still acceptable in extreme circumstances when other means aren't immediately available.

[Leo]

Okay, that makes sense... thanks veejer and Star.