PLUMWOODS ZARA

"February 23, 2010, was a cold morning, and as I went into the barn to feed, I was surprised to see Bliss' new filly had arrived not long before. She was just struggling to get up. As I watched her in the next hour, I realized that she was going downhill, not thriving as she should-- she was slow to nurse, and didn't nurse for more than a few swallows at a time. I called Dr. Rusin who agreed to come check her right away.

When she arrived, Dr. Rusin took a blood sample to confirm her worst fears, rushed to the lab, quickly made arrangements for the foal to be admitted to the Univ. of Florida Veterinary Hospital in the Septic Foal Program. She called me, telling me to hook up the trailer, but not to leave before she got back with antibiotics for the foal.

When she returned, Dr. Rusin explained that I should expect 6-8 people all dressed in white isolation clothing there to meet us and take over the care of Bliss and Zara. My son carried Zara into the trailer, with the mare eagerly following. I was terrified driving there, thinking that if the foal made it to UF alive, she might have been stepped on by the mare traveling with her. Happily, when I arrived, Zara looked even better than when we had loaded her-- she was standing up by the mare and walked out of the trailer!

Zara spent 5 days in the hospital, then came home for follow-up care from Dr. Rusin, with me giving shots of antibiotics twice a day for two weeks. The veterinary staff at UF all said that it was Dr. Rusin's quick response to an emergency situation by analyzing the blood sample, correctly diagnosing, and arranging for round-the-clock care that saved Zara. They said that most septic foals do not survive. And she is a beauty!

When she arrived, Dr. Rusin took a blood sample to confirm her worst fears, rushed to the lab, quickly made arrangements for the foal to be admitted to the Univ. of Florida Veterinary Hospital in the Septic Foal Program. She called me, telling me to hook up the trailer, but not to leave before she got back with antibiotics for the foal.

Thank you, Dr. Rusin!"

Laura Causey, PlumwoodArabians.Com

MAX

"On March 15, 2010, my horse, Max, apparently had been scratching her face on the edge of a fence rail where it was “peeling” apart and must have jabbed the corner on her eye, then yanked into it, causing a large, thick “sliver” to rip off the rail and into her eye. She came up to the barn in the evening and I saw the wood sticking out of the bottom of her eye! She must have done it much earlier; because the blood around it was dried completely and she was no longer rubbing it on her leg to try to remove it (she had dried blood all over her front knee).

I called Dr. Rusin, and she was at my house within 20 minutes. She was able to remove the wood, which had gone across Max’s eye (scratching the cornea, but not puncturing it) and into her upper eyelid. Dr. Russin, gave me instructions, medicine to apply and a mask to protect her eye. After a week, she was just about completely healed!

I would not trust my horses’ health in anyone else’s hands but Dr. Rusin!"

ANNIE

Dr. Rusin,

I just want you to know what a comfort it is having you and your expertise available whenever we are in need of emergent veterinary care. Your quick, kind and expert care were a blessing to us last week when our baby Annie received such a devastating injury to her beautiful little face.

You have an uncanny ability of combining tenderness with professionalism and did a beautiful job of literally putting her face back together. She is doing well and I look forward to sending you pics of her without her staples. Thanks again for being such a GREAT vet and the one we are happy to have caring for our animals.

Sincerely, Rita