Should our vet had noticed before it was too late?

x.Moomoo.x

x.Moomoo.x

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Apr 28, 2009
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Sorry this is so long but I'd really like to know what you lot think...

On Thursday 19th March 2009 my share/loan mare had a regular vet check up. Her owner was concerned as recently she had lost quite a bit of weight (she was always putting weight on and it coming off again as she was a 26 - nearly 27 year old Arab who lived out 24/7 never lived in, she hated it and as we'd just come out of an awful winter it was no surprise really that her condition wasn't at its best) Don't get me wrong, she wasn't severly underweight at all, but was slightly more than normal so we were more concerned.

I wasn't there but he told her owner that it was more than likely due to the terrible weather conditions i.e. snow, rain etc. that we'd had, that would cause her to look a bit underweight as there was no grass - although still had lots of hay to munch on and 2 feeds a day, and that now the weather had started picking up, we should see a change and also it'd give us the chance to ride more - meaning more muscle build up.

On the Saturday I'd walked her down the lane in hand, gorgeous, sunny day and let her do what she wanted (within reason) of course. We took it slowly, she munched on juicy bits of grass that she could get her little mouth on and said hello to ponies in their fields. She was as happy and bright as usual and then I took her back to the yard. Later on in the afternoon, some of the YO grandchildren had a little ride on her in the school with the other ponies (this was nothing unusual as we did it almost every Saturday - we were the only livery at this yard.)

Anyway, not trying to drag this on, by Sat evening, my gorgeous girl got very poorly and I called the vet out as these symptoms had happened before... lying in the field, not wanting to get up (colic-y signs really) but with some meds she got better by the next morning.

She was put in a snuggly stable (which she hates going in) so it said something in itself that she went in and stayed there happily and he gave her meds and did tests. I got up there 6am next morning and she was worse, so vet came out did tests and said it wasn't good but see how she goes. So I stayed with her all day until 8pm when she had to be PTS because of Peritonitis. It acutally broke my heart that my amazing pony was gone, and never to come back. And now we question it, should our vet have noticed a difference in her weight due to other reasons other than the poor weather? (as he did various checks to see why she may be a bit more underweight than usual on the Thursday)

She went downhill very quickly and it just makes us wonder.
I know there is nothing that can be done now as my precious baby has gone to heaven, but I'd like to know, so in the future, I'm more aware of things.

We were so soooo careful and watchful on her weight, condition etc. there's nothing else we could have done different, but what do you guys think?
 
tbh i think you did all you could....

i dont know the problem you stated

but from the first bit of info she sounds like atypical 'oldie'...

tbh the vet probably had no other cause for concern... her age may have just been it

*hugs*x
 
Peritonitis is basically the intestines and internal organs starting to stick together (horses are prone to these adhesions but obviously it depends on the severity of the individual case)

But we saw how poorly she was and we could see for ourself, it really was the best option allround, and I think she'd be greatful to us now.

It's just one of those things, you know... :(

(hugs) thank you. x
 
Since I couldn't bear a post-mortem on my beloved show horse who died last March, this might have been what happened to him. In his case, there was no obvious prior warning signs, no loss of weight or anything. It was also very quick once it started, and showed like colic symptoms first. There was nothing to be done once the vet found blood in a belly tap test.

By the sounds of it, Moomoo, your mare had a wonderful life and lived it to the full with you right to the end. Sometimes they seem to know when the end is inevitable, and all you can do is let them go peacefully. She would have thankful for that, so don't beat yourself up on the what-ifs. Remember her fondly and talk about her with joy.
 
Luna Corona said:
Since I couldn't bear a post-mortem on my beloved show horse who died last March, this might have been what happened to him. In his case, there was no obvious prior warning signs, no loss of weight or anything. It was also very quick once it started, and showed like colic symptoms first. There was nothing to be done once the vet found blood in a belly tap test.

By the sounds of it, Moomoo, your mare had a wonderful life and lived it to the full with you right to the end. Sometimes they seem to know when the end is inevitable, and all you can do is let them go peacefully. She would have thankful for that, so don't beat yourself up on the what-ifs. Remember her fondly and talk about her with joy.
Click to expand...

Yes this is exactly what happend to her, it was awful to see her go through it and deteriorate so fast :( but I know you're right...
 
Peritonitis can cause quite a rapid deterioration, and in all honesty it's indicative of the quality of love and care that she received from you that she did well at all. I don't think the vets had missed anything, and nor did yourselves.

Think of it this way: worse-case scenario would have been surgery to try and resolve an unknown issue - would you have wanted that for her at such a senior age, and with a greatly reduced survival rate? Given the final diagnosis she would most likely have been pts under anaesthetic, leaving her (and yourself) no time to say goodbye.
Better by far that her last few hours were spent with the human she loved, and who loved her in return.

Your memories of her are precious, be positive in that you did all anyone could possibly do.
 
I'd say that horse was well cared for by someone that loved it and gave it a good life .... when its time came it was a short illness and you did right by it at the end like you had always done.

I doubt the vet had reason to suspect it and it would probably made no difference if he had.

You have nothing to feel doubt or guilt about and like so many that have taken the time and trouble to care for an animal through its twilight times you now feel that huge hole that has opened up in your life. It is a great leveller, and the grief you feel is every bit as real as grief you would feel for the passing of a human freind. In the end, when they cross from this world to the next, we are all as one ...... the only difference being that we help them do it with a dignity we don't always bestow upon ourselves when our time comes.

If you look in the Rainbow Bridge area I started a thread called The Night He Nearly Crossed the Bridge when my old boy came close to it. When he thought it was his time he just wanted me there with him.
 
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