Complications For Racehorse Barbaro

For six weeks, Barbaro was the perfect patient.

His broken leg was healing well, his appetite voracious and he was even seeing well-wishing visitors in his ICU stall. One tumultuous weekend full of sudden complications was a harsh reminder of how far the Kentucky Derby winner still has to go on his perilous road to recovery.

Barbaro faces major problems for the first time since surgery to repair the right hind leg he shattered in the Preakness seven weeks ago.

Why the setback now?

"I don't know the answer to that," Dr. Dean Richardson told CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts. "He had an unusually smooth stretch with six weeks of virtually no complications. And then we had a number of complications occur at once starting last week."

Barbaro had a new cast applied for a sixth time Monday — the fourth change in a week. The latest development followed three hours of surgery Saturday night when doctors replaced the titanium plate and many screws and also treated an infection.

"I think we're in for tough times right now. I think we're going to have some tough days ahead," Richardson said at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center. "I'm being realistic about it. When a horse has a setback like this, it's a problem."

Richardson, the chief surgeon at the New Bolton Center, said he never expected Barbaro to be in this situation a week ago because of what had been a smooth recovery. But a fever, a swollen pastern joint and an infection derailed the strapping 3-year-old colt's recovery.

He said Barbaro was back in his stall in the intensive care unit, where he's been since the catastrophic injury occurred a few hundred yards after the start of the Preakness.

"He's got a normal heart rate, normal temperature, he's eating like crazy," Richardson said. "He's very hungry. He's making lots of manure. He looks actually pretty happy today. Now we have to see how he responds to what's going on."

Last Monday, Barbaro had the cast on his injured leg replaced and three new screws inserted. On Wednesday, another new cast was applied after the horse showed discomfort. A small abscess on the sole of his left hind hoof also developed.

Richardson said Barbaro's main fracture was healing well, but the pastern joint — located above the hoof which was shattered into more than 20 pieces — continues to be a concern. The joint, which doctors are attempting to fuse, was stabilized with "new implants and a fresh bone graft."

"Maybe we've been lucky that we haven't had any big problems," owner Roy Jackson said. "Then a little problem like this crops up. The whole recovery is a difficult thing."

"You're talking about a 1200-pound animal that has to bear weight on a broken leg," said Richardson. "If you were to break your leg and we were to put the same plate on your leg, any competent orthopedic surgeon would tell you 'don't walk on it,' and you can't do that with a horse."

The long cast applied Saturday night was replaced by a shorter cast Monday, and "was done with Barbaro in a sling and under mild sedation," Richardson said.

Barbaro is receiving pain medication, antibiotics and other supportive care, Richardson added.

Richardson said it took more than 15 hours from the start of Saturday's surgery until Barbaro had fully recovered from anesthesia.

There's reason for optimism, though, especially if Barbaro responds well to his latest surgery.

"If he stays comfortable, then I think we're OK," Richardson said. "If we can't get him comfortable than it's going to be a difficult problem."

The infection developed in the leg in which the plate and 27 screws were inserted after Barbaro's breakdown at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

After Barbaro showed discomfort and had a "consistently" high fever, the plate and screws were replaced and the infection treated late Saturday night.

"It's one of those setbacks that we've prepared ourselves for as best we can," owner Gretchen Jackson said. "Sure it's disappointing, but we've been warned. ... But a lot of bone has healed, a lot. There's a lot of good stuff. And the horse is incredibly strong, healthy and we've got to keep the faith."

The Jacksons, who live in nearby West Grove, Pa., and trainer Michael Matz continue to visit Barbaro.

"I don't know if he can get through all this or not," Roy Jackson said. "Nobody knows the answers to that at this time."

Richardson said there was no reason to think Barbaro's life was in immediate jeopardy, and he never discussed with the Jacksons putting the colt down.

"We're not at that stage, no," Richardson said. "That never was even brought up as close to a topic of conversation. The issue is what's the best thing for the horse."

Barbaro won the Derby by 6½ lengths, was unbeaten in six races and expected to make a Triple Crown bid before his misstep ended his racing career. He was taken to the New Bolton Center hours after breaking down and underwent five hours of surgery the next day.

At that time, Richardson said the chances of the horse's survival were 50-50.