Thoroughbred Survives Severe Case Of Life-Threatening Pneumonia; Gives Birth To Healthy Foal – Horse Racing News

Lillipad overcame a situation of extreme pleuropneumonia immediately after being addressed for various months at the UC Davis veterinary clinic.

Lillipad, an 11-year-aged Thoroughbred mare, was presented at a breeding sale in Washington, but was labeled barren and went unsold. A close friend of Jillian Fallon of Reno, Nevada rescued Lillipad following the sale and despatched her to Fallon’s ranch. Although the trailer ride to Reno was uneventful, her affliction deteriorated soon right after arrival.

Fallon seen that her respiration, heart level, and temperature were all elevated to dangerous amounts. A regional veterinarian executed an ultrasound at the ranch and identified her with pleuropneumonia, obtaining observed fluid make-up in and about both lungs. Medicines administered onsite assisted provide Lillipad’s important signs down nearer to usual ranges, but it was obvious she necessary further more procedure, so Fallon introduced her to the UC Davis veterinary hospital the upcoming early morning.

“I was hesitant to set her through one more prolonged trailer ride looking at her condition,” Fallon mentioned. “But soon after all we went as a result of, I am happy we went to UC Davis.”

Lillipad would continue being hospitalized for a few months culminating in a surprising surprise for her proprietor and treatment staff.

She was handled extensively for intense pleuropneumonia for a lot of weeks, including administration with fluid drainage via many chest tubes and a thoracotomy, intense antibiotic remedy, and powerful supportive care by a dedicated workforce of pupils, specialists, people, and college users in the Equine Inside Medicine Provider.

All through all of this, Lillipad was not responding as very well as could be anticipated, and she dropped a significant volume of bodyweight – apart from in her stomach. To be selected of all attainable eventualities, her care team carried out an ultrasound and could not imagine what they discovered.

Lillipad, formerly deemed barren, was expecting!

They also found evidence of hemorrhaging into her stomach as a consequence of the pregnancy. The Equine Copy Company examined Lillipad and observed the foal to be of good dimension with a great heart fee. Nevertheless, Lillipad was nevertheless critically sick, and it was not known how her health issues and its problems would affect the ongoing development and well being of the unborn foal, as very well as her ability to have a typical beginning. The good news is, it was recognized that this would be her fourth foaling, so the medical staff felt far more self-confident she could manage the beginning if she and the child were being healthful plenty of.

Fortunately, Lillipad’s hemoabdomen stabilized quickly and her pleuropneumonia continued to slowly enhance over the future two months, and she was transferred from the hospital’s Massive Animal Clinic to the layup companies at the UC Davis Heart for Equine Well being for a few months prior to returning home. There, she was checked consistently relating to the progress of her pneumonia, thoracotomy incision sites, and the viability of her foal.

She was discharged in January 2022 with about two months remaining of her pretty higher-chance pregnancy, with the ongoing hazard of foaling prematurely. Because of these risks, it was advisable that Lillipad return to UC Davis for the beginning if she carried the foal to term. In the event that she would will need surgical procedure, had problem in the course of labor, or commenced hemorrhaging yet again, time would be of the essence and speedy intervention would be required.

Lillipad did pretty nicely at household, attaining bodyweight and eventually starting off to act like a spirited mare with a zest for lifestyle. Fallon returned her to UC Davis for foal check out in March, wherever she continued to make improvements to and was off all medications prior to the major working day. On March 27, she expert a fast, uncomplicated birth and delivered a healthful filly.

“Lillipad was a hard circumstance and associated the perseverance of absolutely everyone on the Equine Interior Medicine Service, as very well as many technicians and college students,” claimed Dr. Emily Berryhill. “She is a excellent case in point of the collaborative character and extensiveness of our treatment at UC Davis. This accomplishment showcases that committed teamwork involving our scientific workers, our consumers, and our referring veterinarians can final result in a good consequence, even with several ups and downs in in between. We are grateful to Ms. Fallon for entrusting us with Lillipad’s care.”

Lillipad and her filly, LP’s Sunny Wonder, or Mira for quick, ended up capable to return household a week later on. Currently, Lillipad and Mira are healthy and happy at their endlessly home with Fallon in Reno.