Rachel Alexandra has baby #2

[TouchOfGrey]

From Rood & Riddle:

February 14, 2013-- After foaling Rachel Alexandra was closely monitored by Stonestreet Farm employees as well as Rood & Riddle veterinarians. On Wednesday afternoon around 2:30 a change in her demeanor was noted and she was immediately rushed to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital to undergo exploratory abdominal surgery to determine the cause of excess fluid in her abdominal cavity denoting an infection.

Surgery identified that the cause of the infection was a section of the small colon that had lost its blood supply due to an injury during foaling causing bacteria to be released into the abdomen. The damaged section of intestine was removed and extensive abdominal lavage was performed to remove inflammatory cells and bacteria. Due to the nature and the extent of the problem the surgery was long and technically demanding but recovery from anesthesia was uncomplicated.

Rachel Alexandra is currently receiving IV antibiotics, IV fluids, anti-inflammatory agents, IV nutrition and medications to counteract the effects of bacterial toxins. Medications are also being administered to aid in the prevention of scar tissue in the abdominal cavity. A standing abdominal lavage utilizing abdominal drains placed at surgery is also being performed several times a day.

Her condition is very serious but it is too early to give an accurate prognosis.

Dr. Brett Woodie (the attending surgeon on the case) said in his press conference this afternoon that she is doing "the best that can be expected”

[GenuineRisk]

Very upsetting news. Thanks for the updates.

[pmayjr]

Originally Posted by TouchOfGrey

From Rood & Riddle:

February 14, 2013-- After foaling Rachel Alexandra was closely monitored by Stonestreet Farm employees as well as Rood & Riddle veterinarians. On Wednesday afternoon around 2:30 a change in her demeanor was noted and she was immediately rushed to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital to undergo exploratory abdominal surgery to determine the cause of excess fluid in her abdominal cavity denoting an infection.

Surgery identified that the cause of the infection was a section of the small colon that had lost its blood supply due to an injury during foaling causing bacteria to be released into the abdomen. The damaged section of intestine was removed and extensive abdominal lavage was performed to remove inflammatory cells and bacteria. Due to the nature and the extent of the problem the surgery was long and technically demanding but recovery from anesthesia was uncomplicated.

Rachel Alexandra is currently receiving IV antibiotics, IV fluids, anti-inflammatory agents, IV nutrition and medications to counteract the effects of bacterial toxins. Medications are also being administered to aid in the prevention of scar tissue in the abdominal cavity. A standing abdominal lavage utilizing abdominal drains placed at surgery is also being performed
several times a day.

Her condition is very serious but it is too early to give an accurate prognosis.

Dr. Brett Woodie (the attending surgeon on the case) said in his press conference this afternoon that she is doing "the best that can be expected”

I made a comment in the article posted on DRF, and took some heat for it. You know, because that's where all the smart people post when they're not posting here ;p

I've posted some nonsensical garbage as you are all aware. But tonight I'd like to defend my nonsensicalness? Horse and human, they're 2 very different animals with very different anatomies. I get it.

But the description of Rachel's problem- made me compare it to Brock Lesnar's diverticulitis. I did it just to give people a comparison and a little perspective on what's happening with her. Yeah... that comparison didn't go over so well lol.

If you're not familiar with his story, I'll give you the summed up version.Lesnar got really sick while training for a UFC fight. The doctors at the first hosptial he went to couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. So he goes to another hospital after a couple days. They finally diagnose him with diverticulitis. Somehow he had a small hole in his intestine, which was leaking waste and other gross stuff into his blood stream. From that he got a nasty bacterial infection. He almost died from it, because they weren't able to diagnose him for days after he got sick.

At least with Rachel they were able to diagnose her quickly and hopefully she pulls through ok. I said as much in the comment section.

So was the comparison/overall comment really dumb, sorta dumb, or did I not deserve ridicule this time lol? By the way, I do hope the best for her. I don't want that to get lost in all this.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by pmayjr

I made a comment in the article posted on DRF, and took some heat for it. You know, because that's where all the smart people post when they're not posting here ;p

I've posted some nonsensical garbage as you are all aware. But tonight I'd like to defend my nonsensicalness? Horse and human, they're 2 very different animals with very different anatomies. I get it.

But the description of Rachel's problem- made me compare it to Brock Lesnar's diverticulitis. I did it just to give people a comparison and a little perspective on what's happening with her. Yeah... that comparison didn't go over so well lol.

If you're not familiar with his story, I'll give you the summed up version.Lesnar got really sick while training for a UFC fight. The doctors at the first hosptial he went to couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. So he goes to another hospital after a couple days. They finally diagnose him with diverticulitis. Somehow he had a small hole in his intestine, which was leaking waste and other gross stuff into his blood stream. From that he got a nasty bacterial infection. He almost died from it, because they weren't able to diagnose him for days after he got sick.

At least with Rachel they were able to diagnose her quickly and hopefully she pulls through ok. I said as much in the comment section.

So was the comparison/overall comment really dumb, sorta dumb, or did I not deserve ridicule this time lol? By the way, I do hope the best for her. I don't want that to get lost in all this.

you'd have been better off posting 'i will be lighting candles and praying for you. god is with you rachel'. that wouldn't be ridiculed, while cold hard facts will. but nice try!

oh, and i just stuck a stick in that bears cage and rattled it. this ought to go well. yet another question about rachel and getting back to her foal-it simply won't happen.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by pmayjr

So was the comparison/overall comment really dumb, sorta dumb, or did I not deserve ridicule this time lol? By the way, I do hope the best for her. I don't want that to get lost in all this.

I only saw one comment from someone else after your post, so I don't think you got all that much ridicule from it. And no, it wasn't dumb; you were basically saying that a hole in the intestines is very serious. Which it is.

Yes, horses and humans are different, but if we were so utterly and completely different from animals, science wouldn't be experimenting with animals for medical treatments. A DVM I used to know once told me when you came down to it, mammals are physically quite similar to each other, whether whale or ape.

What I can't understand is why that same poster who responded to you isn't saying the same thing to all the hysterical "OH MY GOD, NOW SHE WON'T GET TO BE A MOMMY TO HER BABY" posts. Because, lolwut?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

I only saw one comment from someone else after your post, so I don't think you got all that much ridicule from it. And no, it wasn't dumb; you were basically saying that a hole in the intestines is very serious. Which it is.

Yes, horses and humans are different, but if we were so utterly and completely different from animals, science wouldn't be experimenting with animals for medical treatments. A DVM I used to know once told me when you came down to it, mammals are physically quite similar to each other, whether whale or ape.

What I can't understand is why that same poster who responded to you isn't saying the same thing to all the hysterical "OH MY GOD, NOW SHE WON'T GET TO BE A MOMMY TO HER BABY" posts. Because, lolwut?

that's what cracks me up about some of our fellow humans. they take someone to task and remind them that there are differences between animals and humans, and then turn around and project human emotions onto those same critters.
will her foal go back to mommy...no, no she won't. that nurse mare is the 'mommy' that filly knows now. then there are the folks saying 'i stayed up all night worrying'. seriously?!
someone else posted something along the lines of 'i hope they don't pressure rachel to breed again'. pressure?! like there was a negotiation between people and the horse?! geeez

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Danzig

will her foal go back to mommy...no, no she won't. that nurse mare is the 'mommy' that filly knows now. then there are the folks saying 'i stayed up all night worrying'. seriously?!
someone else posted something along the lines of 'i hope they don't pressure rachel to breed again'. pressure?! like there was a negotiation between people and the horse?! geeez

How does a horse express 'no means no'? Maybe we can teach Rachel to paint it like a Moneigh.

I saw someone point out that by the time Rachel recovers, she'll have lived on decreased grain for awhile and her milk will have dried up. It's not as much knowing the nurse mare as 'mommy' that's the issue. The foal simply wouldn't have food to eat. I heard Rachel was raised on a nurse mare herself because even when Lotta Kim has healthy foals, she's not a particularly motherly type, i.e. her babies are, forgive the Latin butchering, equus non grata.

[Danzig]

How does a horse express 'no means no'? Maybe we can teach Rachel to paint it like a Moneigh.

no idea. i want to know how to get a horse to change it's mind. bribery? threats to release horse porn from the year before with curlin??

i wonder what the home looks like of the person who wrote they were 'praying with every heart beat' for rachel? i'm figuring crocheted afgans everywhere, with either stuffed animals or cats on them.

[Danzig]

Saw the promising update on bhorse. Rachel took a short walk outside, feed had been introduced, she ate some grass, all vital signs normal. Hope she is upgraded from serious condition soon. Good news, and hoping it continues.

[ateamstupid]

Really hope she makes it. One of my favorites.

[TheFlyingFilly]

Posted at noon ET today on Twitter--Rachel enjoying another mint at lunchtime. Looks like she's hanging in there.

[GenuineRisk]

Bloodhorse update:

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...-some-progress

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

How does a horse express 'no means no'? Maybe we can teach Rachel to paint it like a Moneigh.

I saw someone point out that by the time Rachel recovers, she'll have lived on decreased grain for awhile and her milk will have dried up. It's not as much knowing the nurse mare as 'mommy' that's the issue. The foal simply wouldn't have food to eat. I heard Rachel was raised on a nurse mare herself because even when Lotta Kim has healthy foals, she's not a particularly motherly type, i.e. her babies are, forgive the Latin butchering, equus non grata.

Maybe some of those posters will propose that the foal be switched to formula so that Rachel can still "mother" her. Heh.

Re: Lotta Kim- RA was her first foal, and she did reject her. Her second died (wobbler's syndrome- I don't know what that is) and her third (Samantha Nicole) she took to okay. I guess some mares need a trial run before they figure it all out.

[Merlinsky]

http://www.viddy.com/video/e56534bc-...b-fb5a4bee4aca

Here's a video from Stonestreet basically taken when the picture of Rachel getting her mint was. It's just a few seconds, but it's great to see her.

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

Re: Lotta Kim- RA was her first foal, and she did reject her. Her second died (wobbler's syndrome- I don't know what that is) and her third (Samantha Nicole) she took to okay. I guess some mares need a trial run before they figure it all out.

She had at least one other foal die from a virus or something because the Wobber's sufferer, apparently named Empire Ruler per the Breeders' Cup website, was just one. She was barren in 2008 (or at least that's what I assume happened when there's "Horse Not Found" for that year. 2009 she was pregnant to Any Given Saturday but no surviving foal. 2010 barren. 2011 Samantha Nicole, 2012 pregnant to Elusive Quality at some point, no surviving foal. There's a reason Lotta Kim's known for having problems. One foal dying is bad luck, 2 or 3 with maybe a miscarriage in there = problem child.