OSU just called. It was most likely cancer, and I definitely made the right decision. His liver was "very abnormal" and there was "only a small amount of normal liver left." The abnormal part (the tumor, I suppose, but we won't know for sure til the path people look at it) was what ruptured and caused the internal bleeding.
My poor Champ. I hope he wasn't miserable for years; he always seemed like a happy laid back horse. I feel ever so slightly better about things.
I rode Dixie today, but I'll write up a post on that later.
Liver cancer in humans is often asymtomatic until the late stages, meaning that Champ probably had not been uncomfortable for years. You are a careful horse owner and you would have noticed if something was off.
ReplyDeleteThat last comment was from me! I am migrating between Google accounts and I haven't worked out all the kinks yet...
ReplyDeleteI'm certain, from reading your blog...your sweet champ didn't suffer. Thinking of you. Hugs
ReplyDeleteStill think he was a darn lucky horse to be with you Funder.
ReplyDeleteWill be keeping you all in my thoughts for a long time to come. Chin up girl, and keep on keeping on. Keeping him alive in your heart by remembering all the fun times will help too.
You said the symptoms came on pretty fast right? In that case, I think it's likely that he wasn't suffering. When he started to hurt, he showed it. There's no doubt in my mind that you gave him the best quality of life, and continued to think only of him until the very end, when you did the right and painless thing.
ReplyDeleteNecropsies are a good thing in this way, telling us that we did the right thing. When I put Metro down, it was horrible because he was so lame for so long, and that day I pulled his shoes and let him go in the arena for one last taste of freedom - he had been locked in a stall for 8 months - and he trotted off TOTALLY SOUND. I was like wow.... why am I putting him down, he's sound. (And then of course he promptly laid down in the arena and had a huge seizure, and I went ah. That's why.) The necropsy showed massive hemhorraging in his suspensory, so even if he looked sound he wasn't, and was going to be in pain forever. I did the right thing.
I hope you're feeling better today, and that Dixie made you smile.
Oh, I am glad somewhat too Fund, he really held onto being weith you and Dixie... till he just couldn't anylonger~
ReplyDeleteYou were so good to be speedy for his need.
I am so sorry.
Kac
Thank you, again. I think (and hope) yall are right, and he wasn't in pain until that last day. He did always communicate his feelings pretty clearly. :)
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