Small Gift Inspires MedicineBig

When patients check in, the hospital assigns a veterinary student to each case, along with a resident, an intern and a supervising faculty member. Fourth-year veterinary students experience hands on clinical training and interns and residents receive additional training at the teaching hospital. Assigned to Gift’s case were student Renee Mead and equine medicine intern Dr. Ryan Royse.

“In a case like this, many people help care for the patient,” says Holbrook. “Dr. Dustin Devine, Dr. James Hart and a senior student on emergency duty helped when Gift was admitted, while Renee, other veterinary students, our technical staff, the foal team, Dr. Royse and I were all involved in Gift’s intensive care. It’s a team effort.”

Gift had about a 10 percent chance of survival. The team placed a feeding tube, started her on steroids for acute respiratory distress and placed her on antibiotics for aspiration pneumonia. In addition to the oxygen, Gift had to have nebulizer treatments several times a day.

“The owner named her Gift as she is certainly a special girl,” Mead says. “Gift required 24-hour ICU care and that’s what we gave her.”

After one week, the team removed the feeding tube and taught Gift to drink from a bottle. After nine days on oxygen, the little foal was able to maintain her blood oxygen adequately breathing room air.

“We fit Gift for shoes to help her fetlocks, which were dropped due to tendon laxity associated with her premature birth,” Holbrook says.

The foal was able to go home after two and a half weeks.

According to Holbrook, little Gift should not suffer from any long-term affects because she will be someone’s pet and not a competitive racehorse.

According to her current caretakers, Gift has a very strong will to live despite all the odds against her. Her postveterinary hospital visit shows her lungs clear, and she is gaining weight and strength daily.

Thanks to Holbrook, Royce, Mead and the rest of the staff who provided their loving 24-hour care, Gift is a much loved filly kicking up her heels to show how much better she feels.

DerinDa Lowe