Beth Fisher copied me with the following email. She thought that perhaps HACA members might appreciate knowing of this very sad situation so that they could offer support to Christine and her mare.
 
Christine's mare has been sick for several weeks now as a result of a strangle's epidemic in her dressage barn. The mare was in quarantine at Dr. Heitman's a few weeks ago and must have gone back to their Barn and then regressed ending up at TAMU in the condition described in Christine's email below.
 
Hello All,
 
It has been a very difficult holiday week-end.  Long story short, Gisela began worsening again a couple of days ago.  She collapsed and quit breathing.  Fortunately, Rebekah happened to be at barn late checking another horse.  Ian Walton, Catherine and Julie Orton happened to be at the barn also and they did a great job of keeping her alive and loaded onto a trailer.  Julie picked me up at my house and got me caught up with the trailer in Hempstead so that I could go with Gisela to Texas A&M.
 
We were turned away from Waller Equine Hospital but Gisela is now up at Texas A&M in Intensive Care/Isolation.  She had a tracheotomy which has improved her breathing tremendously.  The MRI and endoscopy were not very successful today in finding pus from strangles that can removed.  The vets were amazed how tough she has been since her windpipe was almost totally closed.
 
Visiting today, she was visibly happy to see both Ian Walton and me with our associated goodies of carrots, watermelon, alfalfa and her regular feed.  She has dropped a large amount of weight, but now that she can breathe, her appetite is back with a vengeance.  
 
Trach holes are not pretty. None of the plastic tubes would fit her and they finally found a metal one.  She also has other various lines going into her.  She is now my 'Franken-mare'.
 
Tomorrow they will run a biopsy on the largest hardest lump to see if it is cancerous.  (Another possibility). Long and short of it....regardless she is destined for some major surgery with a mixed outlook.
 
Please keep Gisela's recovery in your prayers....as well as the other Hearthstone horses still ill.  Gisela just needs a bit more.
 
Best Regards,
Christine
Christine Smith-Byerly <csbyerly@msn.com>

General Meeting/Election of Officers
September 13, 2008
Location: Haven Hill, Navasota, Texas
Speaker:  TBA

HACA Haven Hill Driving Trial IV
November 8-9, 2008
Location: Haven Hill, Navasota, Texas