Current TOTAL expenses for ELVIS, including transport to SD, intensive medical care, supplements, medication, wormings, etc.: Approx. $900+ (not including future Vet bills for dental care, etc.)
Adoption Fee: $100 OR BEST OFFER !! - Donations towards his Vet bills and daily care would be greatly appreciated.
Still needs his teeth floated, but that will have to wait until he is doing well enough to handle the sedation.
Transportation Fees HERE - possibly less if adopted with Tim
"This sweet old man was rescued from a livestock auction for $175.oo he was skin and bones and full of worms. Our boarders all chipped in to buy him and care for him. He is still a bit thin as we rescued him at the end of September. He has gained about 100 pounds so far and is eating well. He is free to a companion home that will continue to keep up with his weight gain.
..... is a 25 year old TennesTennesseer gelding we rescued from a livestock auction the end of September. He was very thin and could barely walk straight. Now with lots of beet pulp, feed and soaked alfalfa cubes, he has gained at least 100 pounds. What teeth he has left are in rough shape and will be tended to once the vet feels he is healthy enough to withstand sedation and the power tools. This sweet guy is free to a adoptive home who will continue to fill his belly and love on him. Who knows, once he is fat again he may even be ridable."
This is why I took him in:
Former owner: "I was told by the guys at the sale that he was a great riding horse in his day. They said they told the owner to grain him, but the old man just left him in a field to fend for himself. Anyhow, he is gaining weight very well and I do not see why he could not be ridden in the near future. Is he beginner safe? I don't know. He is currently herd bound, but he'll snap out of it with someone who is dominant over him. I am taking him back to the sale the 3rd sunday this month. I just have no more room for him and no time. I rescued him to give him away to a good home and so far everyone who has said they were taking him has stood me up. So, my last resort is to send him back through the sale and hope he gets a nice home now that he is fatter. There is a picture of him on my website on the sale horse page. I did adopt him to a family friend, but their daughter quickly lost interest since he is not rideable yet. So, I am back to square one with him."
I sent the rescuers $100 and then I paid $450 for his transport to SD. While on the trailer, they got caught in a very bad winter storm, so his journey took 3.5 days. He lost a lot of weight on the trailer, and after arriving here, he didn't drink or eat anything. He arrived on 01/18/07 at 2:30 in the morning. That afternoon I made him different kinds of "soup", trying to find out what he liked. He slurped a little bit of one bucket, and 2-3 hours later he had a colic - I thought I would lose him right then and there.... He was down, flat on the ground, paddling, grinding his teeth, unable to get up, but less than an hour later, he was on his feet again. What a fighter.... He made it through the night and the Vet came out the next day to give him IVs.... After looking at his teeth, the Vet said that in her opinion he must be over 30, and that his teeth needed work, but could not be "fixed" to a point where he could chew normally. I gave him IVs for 5 days and now he is doing much better - slurping his soup 2-3 times a day, but still not drinking regular water. He only drinks what is mixed in with his feed....... I'm also treating him for ulcers and he's getting Antibiotics.
02/06/2007: ELVIS is doing much better, gaining weight steadily. Eating as much as I give him, even nibbling on some hay. I'm fixing him "hot soup" twice a day with soaked beet pulp, some soaked Alfalfa pellets, rice bran, senior feed, Corta-Flx supplement, electrolytes, digestive supplements and herbs to treat his ulcers. And he LOVES dry Alfalfa pellets as well. We had a minor set-back recently - diarrhea and a runny nose - so I had to put him on Antibiotics again. Elvis seems to have a hip problems on the right - when he walks he rotates his foot inward at times. However, that doesn't keep him from trotting around, and he also lies down and gets up without any trouble. Maybe, as he gains weight, muscles and strength, this issue will take care of itself, or at least improve. The more he walks around, the better it gets, so maybe he just gets stiff or sore from standing in the stall. Other than that, his hooves and legs are in excellent shape, his eyes seem healthy and his coat is improving. Well, and his spirits are back for sure !!
02/23/2007: ELVIS has gained about 150 lbs, possibly more, since he first arrived here. He is looking great and today he got his feet trimmed, and the Vet gave him the OK to travel. That is a BIG accomplishment, going from being near death to being ready for his new and hopefully last home - and all that in less than 6 weeks. What a trooper !!
Now he just needs a loving and caring retirement home in a warmer climate and he would be the happiest "Old Guy" around....... He might even be able to have little kids on his back for short walks once in a while - I'm sure he would love that.
SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY, PLEASE.
ELVIS & TINY TIM - Trying to find a home for those 2 together.... Not necessarily a requirement, but it would be so wonderful: Elvis and Tiny Tim arrived here within one week of each other - one old and almost starved to death, the other a tiny foal, malnourished with some other minor handicaps. So due to the fierce weather conditions, Elvis and Tiny Tim have been living in the barn - in separate stalls side-by-side. Sometimes they have the run of the barn together, and they just LOVE each other. Tim thinks Elvis is his mom, and Elvis enjoys Tim's company just as much, almost acts like his parent and is really kind to little Tim. They even eat out of the same feed bucket together and sleep side-by-side whenever they can. They are soooo loving and cute together, it's unreal. Both have their own health issues to deal with, but it seems they give each other strength, joy and a feeling of safety, and it would be a dream come true if they could find a home together....
TINY TIM - Please find more info about him here: TINY TIM
02/09/2007
02/09/2007
02/09/2007
02/09/2007
02/09/2007