Help Us Help Gosling, the Cleveland Bay Filly

Gosling was born June 19th, 2023, a month earlier than she should've been. She was lively but unable to stand, with no suckling reflex. She had a small seroma on her chest, an umbilical hernia, and her legs were contracted.

Though two vets came and a feeding tube was placed in her nose to give her colostrum, within hours she was dehydrated and weak. She was rushed to the Marian Dupont-Scott Equine Hospital in Leesburg, Virginia. Being premature, her digestive system couldn’t handle the colostrum and she developed pneumonia. She was kept for a week on IV antibiotics, tube fed, helped to stand, and taught how to nurse. When she came home, she could (with help) stand for a few hours a day and gradually grew more lively, but continued to have high fevers and required antibiotics three times a day. The seroma on her chest continued to grow, until there was concern it might split her skin. A homemade compression vest was made, antibiotics were switched multiple times, and blood was repeatedly drawn, but the seroma never shrank and no clear cause was discovered.

At six weeks old, Gosling and her mother returned to the hospital to determine what to do about the seroma, since the usual treatments of compression and time were not effective. The doctors decided that in this case, the best course of action was to put off the umbilical hernia surgery, and lance and drain the seroma.

On August 9th, 2.25L of fluid was drained from Gosling’s chest.

The first week of care for Gosling’s life at the hospital cost 15,000 dollars. Veterinary care at home has cost almost 5,000 dollars since. We have not yet been given the bill for Gosling’s second stay at the hospital (where she remains as of this writing.)

The financial burden is tremendous. Please help us care for Gosling through this difficult start.

Information: Gosling is a purebred Cleveland bay filly. Cleveland Bays are a critically endangered breed of horse with approximately 1,000 purebreds in the world. Only about 15 foals are born each year, not enough to maintain current numbers. Because of this, fillies are incredibly precious to the future of the breed.