Orion had a big day when Dr. Metcalf came to evaluate his health on August 29th. After listening to his lungs and performing an ultrasound, the doctor expressed concern over some fluid around Orion’s heart, known as pericardial effusion. This condition can be serious, and we’re worried it might spread to other areas.

To keep him comfortable, we’re keeping him on Exceed every four days and following our quarantine protocols. Since he came from Stroud, we’re treating him with caution as strangles is statistically likely.

A Worsening Condition

Just a few days later, Dr. Metcalf returned for a follow-up. Unfortunately, Orion had deteriorated since Thursday evening. The fluid around his heart had worsened, and new fluid had developed in his lungs. Orion wasn’t feeling well at all and spent most of the day lying in his stall. To help combat this, we’re switching him to three different antibiotics and Dr. Metcalf will be back in a few days to recheck him.

A New Challenge

On Tuesday, September 3, Orion continued to struggle, spending most of his time resting in his stall. Later that evening, he started holding up his back right leg, indicating he might be developing a hoof abscess. To bring him some relief, we applied a wet Animalintex pad.

Dr. Metcalf checked in on him again, and while his ultrasound showed no significant changes, Orion was diagnosed with a laminitic episode in his front feet, causing him discomfort. We switched his Soft Ride boots for dental impressions to provide better support. Thankfully, we noticed an increase in his energy and spirits—he was standing more often and looking brighter!

Glimmers of Hope

On September 13, Dr. Metcalf returned for another ultrasound, Dr. Metcalf was back again yesterday for another ultrasound, and we are overjoyed to report that Orion has shown improvement! The fluid around his heart has cleared up, and there's a reduction elsewhere, indicating about a 40% improvement overall.

Orion will continue his course of antibiotics, and he needs more time with the dental impressions before we check his feet again. Although he still spends significant time lying down, we’ve seen him getting up more frequently. Thank you all for your support during this challenging time!

Steady Progress

Today, September 19, we had another recheck for Orion. The ultrasound results revealed no significant changes, good or bad, and he still has about a Dixie cup of fluid in his chest. We’ll continue his current treatment and plan to recheck his feet next week.

A Remarkable Turnaround

We are thrilled to share that Orion is doing much better! On September 25, Dr. Metcalf came out last week for a full checkup and found that the fluid in his system had decreased to about a third of what it was during his last visit—this is a MASSIVE improvement! During the appointment, he trimmed Orion's feet and re-evaluated his dental impressions.

Orion's mood has noticeably brightened! He’s showing more of his feisty personality and enjoying life at the sanctuary, filled with sunshine, food, and love from our Sanctuary Team. Your support made his rescue possible, and we can't thank you enough for being a part of his journey!