The Beginning...

So I decided to start a blog during Stryker's treatment for EPM.  We start the treatment tomorrow, we're going to use Marquis & do the 28 day treatment & evaluate from there.  The first 6 days he'll also be given Banamine to help with the inflammation & also due to his urination issues & immuno deficiencies during this we're going to give him antibiotices (SMZs) 2xday for 10days.  I'm also going to start him on a Vit E/Selenium supplement to assist as well due to the side effects of the Marquis.  I've been reading & told by other owner's who've gone through the treatment of EPM using Marquis that giving a probiotic & baking soda help to ease the tummy as well.  Stryker will be getting quite the concoction for the next month.  Hopefully one round of Marquis will do the trick & we'll go from there to see if anything needs to be administered for the following months to hopefully prevent any relapse.  (By the way his veterinarian throughout all of this has been the wonderful Dr. John Hanover, along with the assistance of Dr. Chris Downs with Merritt & Associates.)
I'll also be using this blog to track his vital signs daily throughout this as well.  So far his temperature has been 99.7 degrees for the past week.  This is pretty normal for him, as far as any of my past records goes he's ranged from 99.4 - 99.7 degrees.  Since his colic surgery in Aug 2010 his gut sounds have been very normal & any time I see him, we make it a point to make sure he's pooped at least once or there is a fresh pile in his stall.
So much running through my mind, like was he showing symptoms sooner than the past month?  or was some of this just due to lack of muscling??  Anywho, we're here now & we're moving forward with the treatment plan.  I wish I could have started today but was unable to coordinate with the vet to pick it up until tomorrow.  Today Stryker was laying down outside, completely recumbent, just laying there.  He sat up when I walked out to him, just laying there staring at me.  I started motivating him to get up, he got half way up with his front legs out in front of him & stayed there for a minute, I continued motivating him to get up & he finally did, shook it off & continued pestering me for treats & then walked over to his water & drank for a good while, always a good sign right?  His right side was covered in urine from him lying down & just leaking the urine all over himself.  He had no issues getting up or at all seemed wobbly.  I hosed him off, which he seems to be very anxious when I get to his back or rump now, I try to use warmer water in those areas but he just seems more bothered by the sensation, so I chose to get a sponge to run over those areas instead which he relaxed with that approach.  Later this evening I got a text from a fellow boarder who let me know Stryker was lying down again in his stall, so she made him get up, which she said she chose to use a halter b/c he was being pretty resistant to her efforts, but she said when she got him up, he was fine, proceeded to go to his water bucket & drink half the bucket.  Sigh...I want to start his treatments...
I'll be out there in the morning tomorrow to give him his antibiotics, then off to pick up the Marquis & other cocktails to start treatment in the evening.  I'm choosing the evening b/c I know I can be there consistently around the same time every day.
Well the following entries probably won't be as long as this one but we'll see what I have to talk about.  I think this will be good for me to track his progress & a therapeutic outlet for all the thoughts running through my brain.