Second Verse Worse than the First

 I got my second COVID vaccine a little over a week ago. And oh boy is the second dose worse than the first. About  4-5 hours after getting the second dose, I started feeling sick. Fever, chills, body aches...the basic flu symptoms. 

My supervisor got her shot 5mins before me and took this super flattering photo

Thankfully I had gotten my shot on a Saturday afternoon, because I was pretty much bed bound for 24hrs. Getting up to go to the bathroom was exhausting, but I was so hot I couldn't sleep. Even taking the max amount of nsaids, my fever peaked at 100. Luckily I didn't have any nausea or vomiting, so I was able to stay hydrated and eat a little bit with my nsaids. Two of my coworkers spent the night vomiting, and my supervisor wasn't able to keep anything down for over 24hrs. 

My fever broke almost exactly 24hrs after it started, and I was able to sleep that second night. I did go into work Monday morning, but just did the essentials and went home after four hours because I was exhausted. By Tuesday, three days post vaccine, I felt fine. 

Obviously having 24hrs of symptoms is way, way better than getting COVID. I do recommend that you take the day off work after getting the second dose, and if you have pets/horses to care for, have someone around to help.

Round 1 Done

Disclaimer: Not Horse Related

 I got my first COVID-19 vaccine yesterday! Monday, the director of my department at work sent out an email saying that the Oregon Vet Med Association had petitioned the Oregon Health Authority to classify people working in vet med to be included in Phase 1A of vaccine distribution. And the OHA agreed. 

Now, I don't work in traditional vet med, but I'm an essential employee caring of animals and perform a lot of the same tasks that vet techs and vet assistants do. My director contacted OVMA to specifically ask about us lab animal techs, and they said we were included in Phase 1A. So she forwarded us the info and about two minutes after reading the email I was signing up for my vaccine appointment. 

For my insurance, the only site giving vaccines for vet med workers was a hospital 45mins away. But whatever, I'm happy to drive that to get the vaccine. It turns out that two of my coworkers also signed up for appointments within 5 minutes of me, so the three of us carpooled. We did wear masks the whole time, but we've been working together during the whole pandemic and figured we're in each others bubbles enough that it was ok. 

The shot itself was quick and easy. I did have a slight burning sensation, and they made us sit around for 15mins afterwards to make sure no one had any severe reactions. My arm was sore last night, and this morning, but some Tylenol and it's fine. Hopefully I won't have any other reactions when I get dose 2 in three weeks.

Lumps, Jumps, and Lunges

I realized I hadn't had a Cinder update post since the show over a month ago.  But in all honesty, until last week not much had happened with her.  After the show I let her be for a while and didn't mess with her like I did prepping for the show.  Which was maybe not the best idea for a smart young filly.

Apparently Cinder figured out if she wiggled her nose/butt/body against her stall door hard enough, she could get the latch to work its way free and the door would open.  She did it once while I was at the barn, but I had been in her stall earlier and figured I hadn't latched it correctly.  She's done it twice more over night and been loose when the morning feeder came. Both times she didn't appear to have gotten into anything, or done any damage except pulling halters off hooks and chewing a fly mask. She's super people oriented and is easy to catch as she walks right up to you.  She now has a clip on the latch so she can't work it loose.

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Someone’s learning how to lunge like a champ #marecrushmonday #goodgirlcinder #twoyearold #babywarmblood

A post shared by Molly Basney (@mollybasney) on Mar 25, 2019 at 12:12pm PDT

Since she's started displaying bad boredom behaviors, I've started doing more ground work again, including teaching her to lunge. I had used voice commands for our in hand work (trot, walk, whoa) so when I put her on the line she already kinda knew what to do.  What she didn't know was how to stay on a circle.  The first lunge experience was me basically water skiing behind her and Cinder  being confused as to why I was there. A round pen would make it so much easier, but we'll work with what we go. By the second time she was able to make egg shaped circles and mostly going off my voice and by her third session she was pretty darn good.  We only do 5 minutes mostly walk and trot, and only 2 times a week but I'm super happy with her progress so far.

Last week the ponies got their spring vaccines.  Cinder had broken out in hives a couple of day before the appointment, but they had gone away in a day.  So of course she broke out again the day of their appointment. She's not bothered by them at all, but some were pretty big.  The vet wasn't too concerned and vaccinated her anyway.  He did have me give her some banamine that day and the day after.  Since then most of the hives have gone away, but if she breaks out again she'll go on steroids.  The barn got a new shipment of hay the week before she broke out, so we figure there's something in it that's bothering her.  The distribution of the hives is mostly on her barrel and girth area, so she must be rolling/laying down in whatever it is.

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Cinder has her first little free jump session today and rocked it! Look at those knees!! #kneestonose #babywarmblood #freejump #goodgirlcinder

A post shared by Molly Basney (@mollybasney) on Mar 31, 2019 at 3:49pm PDT

On Sunday I convinced A to come out with me and help me free jump Cinder. I don't want to do too much since she's not yet 2, but a couple small fences shouldn't hurt. We made a chute and started sending her over just a ground pole. It then went up to a cross rail, then a small vertical. She did maybe 4 jumps in total. She was pretty darn cute over fence and didn't seem phased by it at all. She even trotted it once on her own after we finished and were taking the chute down. Hopefully she continues to like jumping as she gets older!

Rabies Vaccine

One of the horses in the barn is currently in ICU at the local vet hospital due to an infection from a vaccine.  Originally they thought it was a reaction to the vaccine itself, but now they believe its an anaerobic infection.  They have cut slits into her neck to open the muscle to oxygen as that's the only way to save her; pics farther down, but be warned it's bloody and gross.  They've already had to remove some necrotic tissue around the injection site.

The mare, as well as the owner's two other horses, were vaccinated by our vet Tuesday afternoon.  Wednesday morning the BO texted the owner saying the mare wasn't eating, didn't want to move, and looked pretty bad.  The owner didn't come out till that afternoon to check on the horse, and by that point her entire neck was swollen and she still wouldn't move or eat.  She called the vet and he came out and gave a dose of banamine as well as some topical ointment to help reduce the swelling. At 8pm last night, after the owner came out for a night check, the mare was worse and they loaded up to head to the hospital.

The vaccine that caused this was a rabies vaccine.  I've only ever given a rabies vaccine once, when Phoenix was being used for 4H and it was required.  He didn't have a problem with it. My vet said, as he was giving the shot that he didn't think it was necessary and he's never seen a rabid horse in 30+yrs of practice. I have no idea why the mare's owner choose to give the rabies, since I know my vet (whose she uses) wouldn't recommend it. Has anyone give the rabies shot?  I didn't even know they had one till I was told Phoenix would need it.  My ponies are due for their yearly shots and I'm kinda freaked out and no way in hell are they getting a rabies vaccine.


Picture of poor Poppi below.  The white you see are drain tubes, not puss.