Rooster


by Abbi Gardner

Springtime in the South ushers in warmer days, blossoming flowers and for many horse owners, foaling season. Bringing a new equine life into the world is an exciting adventure that doesn’t always go as planned. In the spring of 2020, Katie Robinson and her Oldenburg colt, Rooster, learned how complicated the birth of a foal can be.

Rooster was born prematurely and experienced significant complications shortly after birth. Thanks to the quick actions of his owner and his primary care veterinarian, Dr. Barbara Benhart, Rooster was referred to the Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital for intensive care treatment. After several touch-and-go days in the ICU and around-the-clock monitoring from his care team, Rooster made a remarkable recovery.

Now, almost a full year later, Katie said Rooster is “massive, incredibly personable and about as acclimated to being handled as a weanling can be.”

“I have zero doubts that my foal would not be here without my local veterinarian, Dr. Groover and the entire staff at the Auburn Veterinary Teaching Hospital,” Robinson reflected. “I hope that any fellow horse owners who notice their mares or foals struggling will act quickly to get them the help they need.”


Katie Robinson, Rooster’s Owner

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