The Nose Weener Update

Sorry for the delay in updates! I've been working on a few details regarding what is written below.

Last Friday the vet came out to take a look at Ben's "growth." As it turns out, this tumor appears to be much more serious than I was expecting. Upon proper inspection, the nose weener is GINORMOUS. It is blocking roughly 70% of his right nostril. It is also quite inflamed, and sore.

Basically, "it" needs to be removed. And removed it will be. Unfortunately, though, there are some challenges, because nothing is ever easy when it comes to horses.

• Location Part I: This is not a fly-by-night routine surgery. It is a delicate deal, in a delicate area. As such, there are not many places that are equipped to handle such procedures. This means that Ben has to go to Washington State University to get this taken care of. Our vet has already talked to their soft tissue surgeon, and they will do the procedure and biopsy.
• Location Part II: WSU is a 6-7 hour drive. I do not own a truck or a trailer. So I must find transportation. I reached out to my horsie friends and have the return trip taken care of, but not the trip there. TBD on that.
• Money: This is going to be costly. Enough said.
• Time: Ben is on immediate leisure time. No more work for him. Gentle walks in a halter, and turnout. He will have a multiple day stay in the hospital post surgery.  From there, he will need some time off to fully recover, but that time is TBD.

 So there we have it. With so much to coordinate as well as the sheer expense of this procedure, Ben's surgery will likely be in April. Travel will be much safer anyway, with fewer storms coming through and causing trouble in the mountain passes. Both the vet and surgeon believe he is okay to wait until the spring.

 I will keep this updated with the actual date, and when the time draws near, I will obviously post about the journey.  Thank you in advance for all the good vibes and well wishes- we're going to need them!