Sad Day

[Brent]

Sad day for me yesterday. I had to put the best ranch horse I ever owned down. He was only five and had the biggest heart I've seen right up to the end. Spent the rest of the day tinkering with my Cub. Real good therapy!

[Bigdog]

Brent, I am so sorry to hear that. There's a special bond with animals that you can't get with mankind.

[Rudi]

Brent, ditto here. I know exactly how you is feeling. I still have yet to get over losing Spook. Our 4 footed friends are as much family as us humans and it hurts just as much when we have to say goodbye.

[rleggitt]

Brent,

I can certainly feel your pain having growh up on a farm and had many pets that were like family. Heck, I even cried a time or two when the cows left for the sale barn.

Horses are just special!!

[Brent]

Thanks gents, I've already started working with one of the others. Should have him ready for the fall brandings.

[johnbron]

Brent, Sorry to hear of your loss of a favorite horse.

I am curious to know why you had to put him down at such a young age.

[Brent]

Bronson,

It was a type of colic where the large colon can actually displace itself and rest on either the top of the kidney or liver, I can't remember which. In his case he only showed minor signs of colic. I called the Vet right away and he oiled him and did all that you do for a horse showing signs of colic. He showed signs of recovery then took a turn for the worst by late afternoon.

I took him to the large animal hospital and they did a intestinal tap. Turns out he already had dead intestinal tissue which can't be fixed or reversed so the only option was to put him down. Like I said in my first post, he was all heart that's why he was my favorite out of the bunch. The vet at the hospital said he couldn't understand why he wasn't showing signs of severe pain. Guess it was his big heart!

[johnbron]

Brent I have seen that happen to a few horses. I had one neighbor that got lucky enough to save her horse by catching the symptoms early enough. She knew not to let the horse lay down and she walked it all night long and it survived. I dont know that much about it but I have heard that the internal parts in a horse can get twisted up sometimes just from them rolling over on the ground. Doesn`t it seem like the best ones leave us early.

[Brent]

Bronson,

In his case we think the wost happened during the night so we weren't aware anything was wrong until the morning.