Covered in lice, Hazel, Willow and Oakley needed urgent care

Covered in lice and in desperate need Hazel, Willow and Oakley needed urgent care

When Hazel arrived at the sanctuary just a few months ago, she was struggling with patches of sore skin and her coat was crawling with lice. Her friends Willow and Oakley were also in poor condition, each suffering with health issues that needed urgent veterinary care.

When our Field Officer, Leah, visited the site she was immediately concerned about their situation. An emergency meeting was called by our welfare team, and despite being at full capacity, we knew we had to make room for Hazel, Willow and Oakley in their hour of need.

This rescue was possible thanks to kind people like you who love and care about horses like Hazel. Can you donate today to give horses and ponies a brighter future?

Hazel was suffering with uncontrolled sweet itch causing chronic inflammation and open sores. The itchy lice had caused her to rub her skin raw in some areas. Willow was underweight and very weak. She had severe dental issues and was struggling to eat. Oakley's eyes were an immediate concern. They were sore and showed signs of conjunctivitis. Sadly, further investigation revealed he was blind in his left eye.

Thanks to your support, our expert team sprang into action. Each horse was assessed by our vet and treatment began to bring them back to health. Hazel was treated for lice shortly after arrival. She was nervous so we had to do this very carefully and offer lots of positive reinforcement – including a few treats. Having lice and sweet itch at the same time would have been incredibly uncomfortable for Hazel. In the last few weeks her skin has dramatically improved, her sores are healing and her hair is growing back. Willow started a gentle feeding plan to improve her body condition. Oakley was prescribed eye drops three times a day by the vet. He was treated for lice and his feet were trimmed by the farrier.

Tragically, help came too late for Willow and Oakley

Despite the best efforts of our team, Willow stopped eating, showed signs of colic and went into shock. In the end the kindest decision was made and Willow was put to sleep just 10 days after her arrival, surrounded by her loving grooms. Oakley lived for another two months surrounded by love at the sanctuary. He would stand in the field with no headcollar on to be groomed and enjoyed a scratch and a cuddle from his groom, Chelsea. Sadly, his chronic eye condition led to the difficult decision to put him to sleep. Oakley's lack of vision was severely affecting his quality of life.

Can you help to give horses like them a brighter future?

This rescue came at a time when our sanctuary was already at high capacity. Unfortunately, we can only bring in the most urgent cases, but with your support, we can continue to be there for horses like Hazel when they need us most. Together we can help vulnerable horses and ponies. So please, if you can afford to, give a gift today to help horses and ponies in need. Your support is vital to ensure that we can provide a safe home for them.

https://mareandfoal.org/hazel/?form=

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