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It just doesn't END. Kenzie has been mutilated.

131K views 968 replies 159 participants last post by  verona1016 
#1 ·
I don't even know what to feel anymore. Devestated? Horrified? Exhausted? Angry? Frustrated? Maybe all of them...all at once. I just...I don't get it. WHY does this have to happen? Especially to Kenzie..of all horse. I don't understand.


I'm sure you want to know what I'm blabbering on about. I want to know too. How do you explain this?!



I came out yesterday and found her like this...with her ear literally torn in two. Only about 1/2 an inch of skin is holding it on, covered in grime, flies all over it, and a huge knot on the ear. Its hard to tell, but from above you can clearly see that the tendon or whatever is severed, as is all of the muscle- with only tissue holding it together.





I'm usually strong with this kind of thing. I stood through Peppin detaching his eye, Xcia being found with gashes from a bobcat fight, and Gorilla bleeding from the eyes after being kicked in the head. But I don't know...after all that Kenzie has been through, after all of her progress...coming out and seeing her like this just broke my heart.

I immediately called for the vet and texted him pictures, and I was horrified when his answer was " no reason to come out, that can't be fixed. Wash it and let it heal on its own. " What kind of answer is that? I called another vet. Same answer. Another vet, 'just put her down if she has that many problems.' I called SIX VETS as far out as 3 hours away trying to get them to come out, and not a single one would. I was furious. Even if it can't be stitched, she needed help. I needed help. She's a 400 lb baby with minimal handling and a torn ear. What could I do?

It took me 16 calls to finally push one vet (that I honestly don't like) into coming out and making an emergency call on, God forbid, good Friday- but it was already 4 hours after I found her. Just as I suspected, even if it had been stitchable at first, after 4 hours of waiting and however long it took for me to find her, it was too late. She was so terrified and hurting so badly that we had to tranq her to even look at it, and it was NASTY. The vet was able to put a few stitches in the muscles and stuff to hold it together, but everything else was already dying. She thinks part of the ear will fall off, because it has lost its blood supply. And theres nothing we can do about it. She's almost guarenteed to have lost all of her hearing in that ear, and it appears that she can't and won't ever be able to move it again.

Whats worse? Its a completely clean slice, like someone used a razor to do it. As soon as I realized that I started looking around for evidence, and found a piece of paper in her feed bucket with the word 'your warning' written in red on it. This was ON PURPOSE, and I don't know why. I obviously called the police but without anything else, they have nothing to go on. We're going to install security cameras on her fence....which we can't afford...but that change what happened.

I am devestated. She was making so much progress... both physically any mentally. But now its all for naught. No one is going to want a horse with a lop ear, if we even can keep the infection out of it. I can't afford to buy or keep her. BO can't afford to keep spending money like this. The rescue is pretty much done with her. She's terrified of me again. It took me over an hour to get close to her this morning to look at her ear, and she tried to kick me twice. WHY? Why would someone do this to her? I've lost hope. I'm exhausted. I don't know what to do. But I have to do something, don't I? She has nothing without me. But I've begun to question...if its even fair to make her go through all of this. If its even worth it. How do you know when a horse is done? When it just doesn't care anymore? How do you know when its not just your petty human emotions that are forcing them to go on?









It looks a little better today in terms of cleanliness, but the vet only gave her a shot of antibiotics and cleaned up some of the blood. I don't know how to wrap it, what to put on it to keep the flies away, whether or not to clean it... and she won't even let me near her, much less near her ear. Add to that that the BO is really wary about me even touching her because she's gone crazy with fear, and I just don't know what to do. It took me 1 1/2 hours to get her caught and tied to look at her ear today, and I really didn't get anything accomplished. Its like everything we worked for has just...left.

I don't even know what to do now.
 
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#2 ·
Oh my god. Someone did that on PURPOSE? What the hell?! What kind of sicko is going to come mutilate your innocent animal?

Keep a gun nearby. Cameras. Locks. Do you have ANY idea who could have done it? Warning for WHAT? I don't even know how to get out what I'm trying to say...

As for the wound, the ear will likely either fall off or remain flopped over once it heals, especially if the tendon is severed. It's disgusting that it took you 16 calls to even get a vet out... I don't even know. This is just horrid. I'm so sorry you have to go through this, and your poor horse too. :( Maybe some of the wiser horse gurus can come tell you the best way to keep it clean and sterile. Can you keep her inside at all? A stall, etc? It would be easier to get to her, and keep her safer.
 
#4 ·
I don't even have words to explain how upset I would be, especially knowing somebody did that on purpose. Firstly, what motive would anyone have to do such a horrible thing to a completely innocent horse... and secondly, what type of psychopath would go to such a great length to "give a warning"? And a warning for what? I'd be on the phone with police and everyone within a hundred mile radius.

Poor Kenzie, I haven't been on in awhile but you've done so much for her and I can't imagine how painful that was for her. I'm so glad that you're the one taking care of her though, because every horse deserves that quality of care. I hope that her ear is able to heal up as good as possible and that eventually, it doesn't cause any trouble. I'm completely livid that someone would do that, so I can't imagine how you're feeling about this.
 
#5 ·
I don't know >.> we have SO many idiots in our area...there is a high crime rate and we've been stolen from multiple times (once even all of our tack), horses being dropped off half dead, criminals trying to hide in our wooded area, and a nude woman tied to our barn and gagged. But there is no reason that I can possible think of for someone to do this, or to 'warn' us. We're targeted a lot because we run a non profit that works with Juvies and community service workers...but nothing like this has happened before.

I don't even know what to say about the vets. They're usually good about this sort of thing but I couldn't get ANYONE out. It took a lot of pestering to even get that one out, and she only did a 'half job' IMO.


She's in a run in stall with a 30 x 30 panel pen right now, as opposed to her 2 acre pasture. Its the closest thing we have to a stall.

I'm in tears still. I've poured my entire past few months into her care to get her better, and she was ALMOST there. And now this. I'm sickened by humanity.
 
#6 ·
Oh wow, poor baby :-(

I COMPLETELY understand your pain regarding vets.... some people are very blessed in that department, others, not so much and it is frustrating to say the very least.

I cannot believe someone would do this on purpose. What would their motive be? Then again, I suppose I can believe it. A friend of mine has a very upset previous boarder and found her calf rat poisoned (dead), then her favorite dog, her yearlings loose in the street etc. The extent that some people will go is very scary. Inform the police, invest in cameras, stay out there if you have to. Do you have any hunch as to whom?
 
#7 ·
I'm speechless.....who would do that to an animal? Really I am sorry you and Kenzie have to go through all of this.:-(
 
#8 ·
I am just sick. For someone to do that to her was horrid and then for a vet to not want to come out.
My husband is a firefighter, if you call him to come to a fire big or small he has to go. If there is a car accident, large or small he has to go. Summer winter fall spring holiday, birthday or for that matter if it is while he's home and on call and it interrupts adult time. Sad sad to see professionals act that way.
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#9 ·
My god. I agree with you, humanity is sickening sometimes.

I can't give you any advice on caring for the would as I have a limited knowledge myself. Hopefully someone, or a couple someone's, will chime in with some help.

As to whether she should go on.... You will know when it's the end. From reading your threads I can see that you alone have cared for her and poured your whole heart and soul and all of your time an energy into her. You are a saint for all you have done for her. When she's done fighting, you'll know, and you've loved her enough to hear her when she tells you.

Sending a cyber-hug your way. Keep us posted on how she's doing :)
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#12 ·
Churumbeque- I last saw her myself on Thursday night, because I feed her in the evenings. She was fed again Friday morning at around 6, I think, and thats the last time she was checked on. No one lives on the property, so it could have been as much as 12 hours (I came out at 5:30 Friday night) after the injury that I found her. I don't have any excuses, but I don't have any solutions either.

As for her not looking healthy, its because she's not. She's had a HARD time of it, as you might see in her other thread 'Stunted Yearling'. She's had a hell of a time. First being orphaned, then neglect with no feed whatsoever in a muddy paddock, then battling EHV when she first came to us and nearly dying. She was about 100 lbs underweight and weighed barely 300 pounds when we got her in late December. Add that to abcessing, a messed up shoulder, and lice- and she DOES look ill cared for, but I promise you that I'm doing everything I possible can to help her.

The greyish dusty tint to her coat is lice dust that I brushed into her coat Thursday, but her coat IS unhealthy. Its been the last thing on our minds though with all of her health problem though, honestly.
 
#13 ·
Oh my goodness... I am so sorry, that looks awful and I hope she's able to recover. It might not be an option because of the circumstances (not wanting to advertise what happened, not being able to with the cops involved...) but is there any way the rescue can set something up to receive special donations for the poor girl?
 
#15 ·
I don't know. Its possible. There are so many variables though, with all the people that come through our stables on a daily basis...


Anyone have an idea of what to put on it to keep the flies and ick out of it? Part of it was stitched closed but theres still a good 1-2" gash along the top where I can see the tendon and 'meat' of her ear that I'm worried about. Someone told me sugar but that just doesn't sound safe to me... we have an extensive first aid supply so I'll likely have whatever I need, I just don't know WHAT. And I can't think of a single workable way to get it covered... I can't even halter her properly because the ear is torn right at the base of her poll.
 
#17 ·
I use SWAT on my boys little cuts and scrapes in the summer to keep flys out of them. It's a antibiotic/fly repellant ointment that is really 'smeary' you can goop it on almost anywhere and it will stay.

However, as I said I don't know anything about severe wound care as I've never had to deal with something like this. I would get someone else's opinion on using the SWAT on a wound such as this before using it, but it's an idea
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#19 ·
You can use it on big wounds as well. The breeding farm I used to work on used it for a large head wound that was not stitchable, kept the flies off and healed up the wound.
 
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#21 ·
Ok. Would steinhausers or TSC have that, or do I need to order it? I don't think we have any if it actually. Theres the issue of actually getting it ON too, since she's so paniccy right now, but I'm sure I'll figure something out. She let me get as far as touching her upper cheek and around her eye while she was eating her dinner, so that might be an idea. I can't imagine how bad that must hurt.

Doesn't seem to be affecting her energy though, crazily enough...I actually saw her canter for the first time ever today because she's upset about being seperated from her new 'bestest friend ever' that she met last month. And she was totally cool with wolfing down dinner as usual.
 
#25 ·
That ear may do better than you think it will. I have seen ears torn severely like that and they heal ok. She could have gotten it caught on something.

This is not a lethal injury. She may end up looking funny, or she may look just fine. I don't think that she is going to be a high dollar horse, but that doesn't mean that she can't be a nice little riding horse.

Don't panic. She should be ok.
 
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