A new Hyperbaric Chamber which treats horses with pure oxygen at 2 to 3 times atmospheric pressure was slated to be delivered to Pegasus this week from Equinox Inc, a Canadian manufacturer of Hyperbaric Chambers capable of treating a horse. This relatively new technology has been used in the human medical field for some time but has been available to the horse industry only in the last few years. A well proven method for treating equine laminitis, now the life threatening problem to Barbaro, would also lessen the chances of further infection and complications. If Hyperbaric oxygen treatments were available to Barbaro the ensuing medical complications may never had occurred.
 

Very few of these (supersized) units exist and the one slated to be delivered to Pegasus was perhaps the only one available in North America which could be moved right away, simply because it was ready for shipping. Mr. Scherder was contacted by Petr Siemens of Equinox Inc. and asked if he would mind a delay in delivery of the new Hyperbaric Chamber because it was needed to treat Barbaro and would be shipped to him after Barbaro was (out of the woods). This was agreed to by Mr. Scherder who himself is in the business of equine rehabilitation and who felt that whatever he could do to help save the champion would be well worth it.

The offer was made to New Bolten Veterinary clinic and after some consideration was turned down. In the words of a party involved it seemed that (politics got the best of the day)Hyperbaric oxygen treatments are now being used by most major hospitals in the treatment of many problems from cycle cell, diabetic sores, burns and major trauma, to blood disorders. Major medical insurance will pay for most uses of Hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and as we all know, insurance will not pay for unproven methods of treatment.

Hopefully Barbaro will recover without the Hyperbaric oxygen treatments, but there is no doubt that his recovery chances would increase dramatically with this proven technology.If the prognosis turns sour we will never know if Hyperbarics could have saved him.