Hokkaido Horse Racing Story.

Chapter 382 The Two Sides of the Balance

That day, for some reason, I returned to the stables after the morning patrol.

It was just past noon in the last week of September.

Even from the walkway outside the stables, a low hissing sound could be heard coming from the corridor.

To cope with the slight increase in weight, and also for the sake of adjusting grazing during the seasonal change, the older herds were allowed to return to an earlier grazing period starting this week after a long absence.

Dober, who was 34 years old when he returned to the ranch last year, was a year older than when he did, and still ran freely in the pasture.

but--

Even the energetic and healthy Doberman had to face the challenges that come with his age.

Recently, I've become more concerned about noodles.

Although it was just a seemingly insignificant change, the guy, being a veterinarian, still noticed it.

After examining the mouth, it was found that one of the teeth in contact with the hindquarters was visibly decayed.

Although the intake of high-sugar foods such as carrots was controlled from the beginning, this day still came as time went by.

Severe tooth decay can lead to persistent pain, pulp exposure and infection, osteomyelitis of the jawbone, difficulty chewing, malnutrition, and even infections that spread throughout the horse's body.

Although there has been no significant weight loss, some difficulty in eating has already occurred.

The original conservative treatment was no longer effective.

Treatment for tooth extraction – Before deciding to proceed, Dober underwent the most detailed possible examination of his blood and equine.

The organ functions of older horses may decline, which directly affects the choice of anesthesia regimen and the associated risks.

In addition, the ability to withstand the stress of surgery and postoperative recovery is an unavoidable aspect of pre-operative assessment for older horses.

After all the steps, including complete blood cell count and biochemical analysis, exclusion of anemia and inflammation, and visceral function tests, were successfully completed, the surgical procedure was finally scheduled.

—Then came the surgery.

Such a complex surgery could not have been performed by the ranch on its own.

While he was indeed a veterinarian with experience dealing with light stallions, he had absolutely no knowledge of dental treatments.

Although transportation is a considerable burden for an elderly horse, it was decided to send Dober to the Livestock Advanced Medical Center in Dong Penglai for treatment as soon as possible.

When they arrived at the stables, Dober, who was usually as mischievous as a child, seemed rather listless today.

however--

When I brought my hand close, it tried to bite me as usual.

"You still look quite energetic."

Slightly relieved.

As I fastened the leash to the ever-restless Dober and led him out of the stable, some curious heads peeked out from between the fences of the two rows of stables.

"Everyone cares about you, Dober."

As he said this, he half-jokingly touched the head of the deer-haired horse—and withdrew his hand before being bitten.

Then, he looked up at the guy in the stable directly opposite who was still munching away.

Seemingly noticing her gaze, Sakuya blinked and gave a concerned look while slowly chewing her food.

"Are you going to give me a mint?"

They practically wear that expression on their faces!

He instinctively reached for his pocket, but recalling his experience of weighing himself last week, his attitude immediately became resolute.

"We're out of mints."

As he said this, he pretended to pat the empty pocket on the other side that didn't contain any mints.

It's best to take good care of your teeth from the very beginning.

—As I was thinking this, the deer-haired horse had already turned around and was facing the corridor again with its round back.

It's so realistic.

Sakuya, who looked somewhat angry, was left behind as she walked out of the stable by the leash.

They led Dober onto the earthen platform, which resembled a pitcher's mound, and waited until the carriage doors were fully lowered before leading her into the carriage. Once inside, she pawed at the ground incessantly, quickly turning the bedding into a mess.

"It must be tough. Don't worry, the pain will stop soon."

As the barrier door slowly rose, the words that were spoken gradually became heavier.

Although the preoperative tests showed no significant problems, the use of anesthesia on elderly equines is still fraught with risks.

The unease lingered throughout the journey, but fortunately, the distance between the ranch and the livestock advanced medical center was not far, and we arrived in no time.

The results of the oral examination and blood tests were not available so quickly, so the other two company members who had come with them had to wait outside the examination room.

Although I knew that being anxious at this time would not help, my mood gradually became a little restless.

"Tooth decay is really terrible. When I was a kid, my husband was heartbroken for a long time when I went to the clinic to have my cavities pulled."

Rachel Ho rarely spoke with such emotion, and Zep nodded in agreement, seemingly sharing her sentiments.

Talking can distract you a bit, so while glancing frequently at the door of the examination room, I started chatting with the two people.

However, when speaking is merely a matter of dealing with the immediate situation, logic becomes irrelevant.

After chatting on and off for a while, the door to the examination room finally opened again.

The veterinarian in charge of the examination said with a serious expression that he had no experience in performing anesthesia on a retired horse of this age—even though Dober's heart was still considered healthy.

"If palliative treatment is used, it should be able to prolong the treatment for a while longer."

Long-term use of painkillers, grinding all the feed into a paste, and regular dental care can alleviate the pain caused by tooth decay to some extent.

However, this usually does not cure the problem, and the existing pain will continue.

On the other hand, if you don't address the problem as soon as possible while you're still relatively healthy, tooth decay may gradually worsen into a more serious disease.

As for the surgery itself, since there were no obvious signs of infection or jawbone resorption, and although the tooth roots were slightly absorbed, the actual difficulty was not high.

"Please proceed with the surgery."

As a fellow veterinarian, and after fully considering the risks of both options, I made this decision.

Just in case, two assistants were on the side to help with the anesthesia while it was still in effect.

To be honest, this process is not simple.

In addition to bearing part of the horse's weight, they also had to endure terrible noises from various orthopedic surgical instruments that sounded more like dental work than dental work.

Thoroughbred equine teeth have extremely well-developed roots that fit tightly into the jawbone, making it almost impossible to remove cavities as easily and cleanly as "hammering".

After carefully grinding or chiseling away part of the alveolar bone covering the outer side of the crown and root using a high-speed dental drill and chisel, the attending physician begins to remove the tooth fragments little by little with extraction forceps.

As expected, during the postoperative debridement and repair process, the attending physician dressed up in a bloody Halloween-like outfit.

Zepp and Rachel Ho, who were standing nearby, had already closed their eyes, having given up their curiosity about the surgery.

After the drainage tube was placed and the anesthesia was slowly stopped, the assistant waited until Dober gradually regained his swallowing reflex before removing the endotracheal tube.

The people present all let out a long sigh of relief.

Still seemingly confused about the situation, Dober, half-closing his eyes as he recovered from anesthesia, subconsciously retracted his exposed tongue and licked his teeth.

Then, as if they had discovered a new continent, their eyes widened suddenly.

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"[@Mejiro_JP:]"

We apologize for the inconvenience, but for the safety and health of the horses, the South Lodge of the ranch, which was originally open to visitors, will be temporarily closed.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to fans who have already submitted their study abroad applications or have plans to participate in study abroad programs.

——Mejiro Ranch

"【Breeders' Cup】"

Hosaku Mejiro, who plans to compete in the BC Two-Year-Old Turf Race, arrived at Churchill Park Racecourse in Kentucky, USA, early this morning local time.

Trainer Yutaka Yoshida said, "There's no particularly noticeable mental strain, but the horse has lost a significant amount of weight. The primary goal after its release from quarantine is to help it regain its weight."

——《n○tkeiba》

(End of this chapter)