Samson's Leg Tumour Surgery
Donation protected
Please Help Us Raise £2000 to Fund Samson's Leg Operation!
**Unfortunately I have had to remove the photo of Sammy's leg, as Facebook deemed it 'too gory'. I think that says it all really! Picture can be found on our Facebook page though (apparently it's ok on there).
We are Wealden Horse Rescue Centre , a small horse rescue charity (registered with HMRC) based in East Sussex, UK, funded and run solely by father and daughter team Gordon and Vanessa. We were contacted in October by the daughter of a gentleman who was no longer able to care for his two ex Riding for the Disabled Shire type horses, Samson and Owen, due to his severe illness and old age. We were told that Samson had an issue with 'proud flesh', but nothing prepared us for what we were confronted with when he arrived.
Our vet attended a couple of days after his arrival and the true scale of the lesion became apparent, along with a horrible infection and maggot infestation.
After more vet visits and investigation, it now transpires that the lesion is in fact a 'trichoblastoma', usually found on dogs and pretty rare in horses.
Our vets have advised us that the only options are to either remove as much of the tumour as possible, or to have Samson put to sleep. Samson is an absolutely super horse, kind, gentle, and extrememly tolerant of the daily cleaniing and dressing of his tumour. He worked many years of his life teaching disabled children to ride, and is otherwise in good health, and we are heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to repay his kindness and good nature by giving it our best shot at resolving his ongoing tumour issue, but we just don't have the sort of money which is required for the surgery. It is bothersome for him as it is a large open wound, which protrudes several inches from the bone and runs halfway around his leg, and as a result it is constantly getting knocked by his other foot when he walks, plus it is at constant risk from flies and infection.
If we are not able to raise the funds and have the operation carried out by January/February 2017 at the latest, then we will have to seriously consider having him put to sleep as it is not fair to expect him to continue with the constant pain and aggravation that this causes him.
If we are able to raise the funds, then the money will be spent on: the actual surgery first and foremost, transport costs to get him to the clinic and back as we don't have a vehicle big enough, specialist bandaging, specialist topical dressings and therapy, and his ongoing treatment as an outpatient for the duration following his operation - he is going to be on box rest for at least four months, with the wound being bandaged for at least that long.
We ideally need to carry this out by January 2017 at the latest as poor Samson is suffering and we do not want to delay any longer than is absolutely necessary. Also, it is far preferable to have this carried out during the winter months when we do not have the added problems with flies.
We just cannot tell you how much it would mean to us - and more importantly to Samson - to see this longstanding and painful issue be successfully resolved. Our vets have said that they've never seen anything like it, and honestly, neither have we.
We would be so, so grateful to anyone who can spare a couple of pounds to help us to help Samson as we do not want to give up on him, he has many years of happy life ahead of him if we can rid him of this awful tumour!
**Unfortunately I have had to remove the photo of Sammy's leg, as Facebook deemed it 'too gory'. I think that says it all really! Picture can be found on our Facebook page though (apparently it's ok on there).
We are Wealden Horse Rescue Centre , a small horse rescue charity (registered with HMRC) based in East Sussex, UK, funded and run solely by father and daughter team Gordon and Vanessa. We were contacted in October by the daughter of a gentleman who was no longer able to care for his two ex Riding for the Disabled Shire type horses, Samson and Owen, due to his severe illness and old age. We were told that Samson had an issue with 'proud flesh', but nothing prepared us for what we were confronted with when he arrived.
Our vet attended a couple of days after his arrival and the true scale of the lesion became apparent, along with a horrible infection and maggot infestation.
After more vet visits and investigation, it now transpires that the lesion is in fact a 'trichoblastoma', usually found on dogs and pretty rare in horses.
Our vets have advised us that the only options are to either remove as much of the tumour as possible, or to have Samson put to sleep. Samson is an absolutely super horse, kind, gentle, and extrememly tolerant of the daily cleaniing and dressing of his tumour. He worked many years of his life teaching disabled children to ride, and is otherwise in good health, and we are heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to repay his kindness and good nature by giving it our best shot at resolving his ongoing tumour issue, but we just don't have the sort of money which is required for the surgery. It is bothersome for him as it is a large open wound, which protrudes several inches from the bone and runs halfway around his leg, and as a result it is constantly getting knocked by his other foot when he walks, plus it is at constant risk from flies and infection.
If we are not able to raise the funds and have the operation carried out by January/February 2017 at the latest, then we will have to seriously consider having him put to sleep as it is not fair to expect him to continue with the constant pain and aggravation that this causes him.
If we are able to raise the funds, then the money will be spent on: the actual surgery first and foremost, transport costs to get him to the clinic and back as we don't have a vehicle big enough, specialist bandaging, specialist topical dressings and therapy, and his ongoing treatment as an outpatient for the duration following his operation - he is going to be on box rest for at least four months, with the wound being bandaged for at least that long.
We ideally need to carry this out by January 2017 at the latest as poor Samson is suffering and we do not want to delay any longer than is absolutely necessary. Also, it is far preferable to have this carried out during the winter months when we do not have the added problems with flies.
We just cannot tell you how much it would mean to us - and more importantly to Samson - to see this longstanding and painful issue be successfully resolved. Our vets have said that they've never seen anything like it, and honestly, neither have we.
We would be so, so grateful to anyone who can spare a couple of pounds to help us to help Samson as we do not want to give up on him, he has many years of happy life ahead of him if we can rid him of this awful tumour!
Organizer
Vanessa Grant
Organizer
