Oliver is an 18 year old Thoroughbred that is the best boy around. Thursday, February 20, I went to see Oliver after work and he didn't want to get out of his stall, which is super unlike him. He's a very happy boy and will follow me to the ends of the earth. After coaxing him out, I immediate saw he was walking like he was drunk. We called the vet out immediately and thought we were dealing with a bout of colic. After some bloodwork and suspicions of neurologic issues, we let him rest for the night. The next morning, I had the vet out again as he had worsened. We took a nasal swab, and held out for a bit longer. Then, a second horse showed exact same symptoms. We knew then, that it had to be EHV1, or equine herpes virus. Both horses were shipped to Mid Atlantic Equine hospital. Upon arrival, Oliver had fallen in the trailer and needed a sling to be escorted onto the facility. After several grim hours, he finally had to strength to stand up on his own, shocking everyone. He is now improving slowly, but improving nonetheless. Before shipping him, I called my mom sobbing. I knew it wasn't an option for me financially, as the past couple years have taken their toll on my bank account, forcing me to even move back home after living on my own. I could not lose my heart horse after tragically losing my first horse in 2019 due to a freak accident. Thankfully my mom has loaned me her credit card, but this will be a rather large bill that I will need to pay back. I am not one to ask for help, but I know I will owe my mom for years to come for this bill if I were to handle this on my own.
Oliver is fully vaccinated and we have done everything right biosecurity wise to stop the spread on the farm. Anything donated that goes above his bills will be donated to the farm, as my barn owner and staff have been working tirelessly to ensure everyone's safety. Even if $1 is donated, I am eternally grateful and don't know how I could repay anyone ❤️
