Ranger's Vet Bills & Surgery

Ranger was recently diagnosed with Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy, or THO. This is a progressive syndrome that results in bone thickening and fusion of the temporohyoid joint to the skull. This pinches and causes a range of issues in the nerves passing through to the brain, including stroke-like symptoms and permanent hearing loss. The cause is still unknown.

**Jenna is a photographer and has happily offered to donate a photoshoot of your choosing to the top 2 highest donors!

A few weeks ago, Ranger fell down in the turnout. He trotted and cantered fine on the lunge line afterwards and we thought maybe it had been a strange fluke. The next day he stumbled a bit as he walked out of his stall. The morning after that, Jenna's trainer called her and said something was definitely wrong. He was skittish in his stall and stumbling around like he wasn’t sure where his back feet were. His trainer and owner called a vet out and she did a few physical neurological tests on him: “Keep him comfortable over the weekend and get him in on Monday.”

The minute she pulled out of the drive, Ranger stumbled & collapsed in his stall. They hooked up the trailer right away and brought him into the vet.

He was easily startled, weaving on his feet, shaking his head and nearly falling over with the motion. Over the next week, he underwent radiographs, scoping, bloodwork and more. Their biggest fear, EPM, was eventually ruled out.

Ranger is on medical maintenance for the next few weeks and surgery will happen in the next few months. The good news is that the surgery should fix most symptoms. The bad news is that his hearing loss is probably permanent. While Jenna is heartbroken over it, she is so thankful that there is a light on the horizon to focus on. Ranger has always been his calmest under saddle when she sings to him or jabbers his ear off about life. He’s always had a tendency to be tense and a little spooky, and this hearing loss has made him extra skittish at times, so his family and friends are all committed to helping him navigate this new, quiet world as best they can.

Because his symptoms are still very much present, he is unable to be ridden as it is just not safe. The surgery has a 90% chance of overcoming his symptoms and returning to normal work eventually. His hearing loss is permanent. Jenna, her trainer Nathalie, and the entire barn family at Baughman Ranch are beseeching the horse community for help during this hard time, no amount is too small.

**Jenna is a photographer and has happily offered to donate a photoshoot of your choosing to the top 2 highest donors!

Thank you so much to the amazing horse community and thank you to everyone who has offered support and prayers during this hardship.