post transplant - can I clean horse stalls?

[WishIKnew]

I recently discovered a horse rescue farm very near me and would love to volunteer.  They need people.  The job includes mucking stalls, along with grooming and exercising the horses and ponies.  I think I'd really enjoy the horses but wonder if it is advisable...  What do you think?

 

[boswife]

Awwwwwwwwwwww, dont know the answer yu need, but LOVE horses, stall cleaning and all!!  Something that throughout my life has been so satisfying to me..  LOVE the smell of the horse, and love seeing a clean stall.. I think you'll LOVE it too if your 'cleared' to do it   Wish it were me   

[Sax-O-Trix]

I kept my three horses until I was 14 months post-transplant.  Don't eat the manure and be careful of moldy hay.  I'd recommend wearing one of those surgical masks to keep the mold spores and other airborne nasties at bay and to wear gloves.  I re-homed my horses a few months ago because I found a great home for them when I was in a non-crisis situation and had worried all the time about their welfare if something were to happen to me (as if a transplant weren't enough, lol.).  Worrying about where they would end up if I could no longer take care of them in a crisis led to my painful decision to place them with someone I liked and trusted.  They were my babies for eight year of their ten years. I helped build their barn on my property, installed a few different types of fencing, maintained the fence, fed, watered, wormed, mucked, stacked bales of hay, groomed, held them still for the farrier, etc.   I still miss them!  The new owner had been good about keeping me utd on their many show endeavors this summer!  Having a compromised immune system sucks...

[Chris]

It is almost like changing kitty litter with the precautions. As Sax, gloves and a mask, but carry some handi wipes towash hands and face if you have to scratch or find a sink. Then change clothes, but that is usually a given once home with any farm animal. Just keep mask on due to dust in your clothes.
 
 Go For It! Have Fun
 
I was in Vet Tech classes and had no problems with the various farm animals.

[jbeany]

I think sensible precautions after you have passed the initial months should be fine.  I fail to see how horses are any more dangerous than cats or dogs! 

[WishIKnew]

I'm going tomorrow to check it all out.

 

[fearless]

Yay!  I hope it's a GO!  I agree with jbeany: can't POSSIBLY be worse than cats and dogs!  They eat such yucky stuff and they STINK!
(But I love mine all the same)

[jeannea]

If I remember, you're over 6 months out. I would think you could esp if you take the precautions others suggested. My question: Are you cleared for heavy lifting? Hay, straw, whatever is heavy.

[AnnieB]

Oh, it sounds like fun.....let us know how it turns out. I've been wondering if it's okay to do anything around horses with this disease/treatments, since I love horses too...

[Rerun]

Because of the placement of transplanted kidney I was advised to ride English and not western due to the horn.  But, I rode my horse and all the other stuff to do with horses.  I didn't have stalls..... just pasture.  So, if I were you, I'd would wear a mask mucking out the dusty stalls.

Have fun.             

[WishIKnew]

Thanks for all of the encouragement, guys!  I went twice.  It was, of course, stall cleaning that they needed me to do.  I actually kind of enjoyed it.  Though 2 hours was about my limit.  After my second volunteer day, I talked with a good friend of mine who is a nurse and told her all about it.  She went on and on about the unnecessary risk I was taking and by the time I got off the phone I had it in my head that I should not go back.  I have not gone back.  I guess she fed my fears and they grew to overpower my enjoyment.  So, can an 8 month post transplant person be around horses and clean stalls - yes.  But should they knowingly choose this risk?  I don't know.  It would be different if I had my own horse which I NEEDED to care for, but going out of my way to expose myself to horsey bacteria is, maybe, silly...


 

[Chris]

If you were a year or more out, then I'd say don't liten to her, take it with a grain of salt, ect. However since your not a full year out, she does have some credability to her thinking without fully understanding our situations. If you were a lung transplant, she is spot on and it would be highly unadvisable to dothis. The first year of transplant is regarded as the hardest due to risk of infections, med adjustments, and anything else that can be thrown at you with credability.
 
Now since you haven't had problems that I can remember, I say go back and enjoy working there. You feel better doing that and it releves stress right? But again, ask your transplant center. If they are ok with it, then have a rebuttle with your friend. That may encourage her to learn more.