Those that know me well understand that I’ve faced more than my share of unfortunate events. I’ve also experienced the loss of loved ones in recent years. 2024 had even more to give in this department. Not only losing a childhood friend and another friend both long before a normal life expectancy. I started the year losing my horse very suddenly from an illness. I was off work because it was the anniversary of my son’s death at that time. When those mysterious powers decided to give a little more crap to me.
So I arrived at the yard early morning as usual to find Remi had only passed one bowel motion. He looked reasonable in himself and this had not been the first time he had done this. Remi had an out of hours vet call maybe 18 months previously. There was also a close call on whether to call the vet at Somerford camp the previous year. Luckily, he was just kidding that time.
I have had a lot of experience with colicky horses over the years running a yard. I got him out and started to gently mobilize him in the school. Came back a little later and he still didn’t seem right. As soon as vets opened I called them and they were not on their way. He then decided a small poo which gave me me hope. Also I’m now thinking typical vet bill for nothing now.
Vet examined him and he had temperature of over 40 degrees. A small amount of stool was felt on examination. Medication was administered. There are no major concerns at this point. I chose to keep him home that day regularly moving him around school and monitoring him. The vet returned that night and we thought he was going in the right direction. He seemed to have picked up.
The next day he had taken a turn for the worse. I took him straight to the veterinary hospital.
He was investigated over the next few days, blood tests, multiple examinations, belly taps, scans. No clear diagnosis. He was placed in ICU and given multiple IV antibiotics and fluids. I visited, and he became worse. At one point, he looked like a horse with tetanus or a cow with staggers. He couldn’t get up properly. His calcium was out and this was corrected but still no improvement.
I decided that enough was enough. We will give a final try at changing the antibiotic overnight. If his condition worsens or shows no improvement, he was to be put to sleep.
The next morning that would be the case. The vets asked if an autopsy could be performed as they were baffled at what the issue was. This showed that he whole 18 metres of small intestine had died. They agreed that no surgery would have saved him. They only see this about once every 10 years.
My now rising 10 year old was no longer here. I was now left with some wonderful vets bills to pay and some decisions to make…
Horseless Adventures 