On the day we picked up Tanis, we really only intended to rescue one horse. But she had a friend by her side that needed even more help than she did. Often when you make the decision to intake a horse, you can’t predict what type of assistance you’ll be providing, or even how long you’ll be together. In Nico’s case, he wasn’t with us for very long, but we are so grateful for the time we had with him. And so thankful that when the end came for him, he was here with us.
Nico arrived at SAFE in very rough shape. He appeared to be sick, but our vet quickly determined that he did not have strangles. We set him up in a quarantine paddock with his friend Tanis, and got to work on his recovery. At first, he seemed surprised and delighted by the availability of hay and clean water, but after a day or two, Nico started to go off his feed. Then he quit eating entirely. We gave him Banamine and hand walked him every hour. After seeing no bowel movement for an entire day, Dr. Renner was called out to take a look at him.
A rectal exam revealed manure with mucus sitting in his colon, but everything else seemed fairly normal. We proceeded with an ultrasound, and found low motility in the lower intestine but no inflammation. Nico appeared to be colicing. Dr. Renner told us that based on his condition, Nico had a 50% chance to pull through. We put up cameras in his paddock and kept watch on him throughout night. Sadly, we saw no sign of improvement.
Dr. Renner called in the morning with devastating news: blood work showed that Nico was suffering from severe liver failure. It was something that he’d been dealing with for a long time, probably due to the poor quality of feed he’d been getting prior to his rescue. Nico was also developing neurological symptoms, most likely a direct result of toxin build up due to his loss of liver function, and we were seriously concerned that he might fall. There was nothing that could be done but to put a stop to his pain and discomfort.
Nico enjoyed a little grazing during his walks.
Nico was surrounded by many who loved him and laid to rest with peace and dignity. His friend Tanis was by his side and was able to say her goodbyes. We are so thankful he received the medical care he needed instead of suffering alone in a muddy field. He was respected and treated with love just like a member of our family. We are comforted knowing he is no longer suffering and thankful for the support that allowed him to not be forgotten. Nico was not a horse that we set out to rescue, but in the end, we are so grateful that we got the chance to help him.
