We had a little unwanted excitement just before Christmas. Up until Dec 23rd, Anakin had not tried laying down in his stall at Cedarbrook. He’d just graduated to free choice hay (as opposed to the small frequent meals he’d been getting up to that point) and he’d stopped trying to eat his bedding, so his stall was once again filled with fluffy shavings. It must have looked very inviting because he laid down for a nap…but when he tried getting back up, he was unable to do so. In the end it took several large men with a length of heavy netting to hoist him back to his feet. And as usual, nothing about the experience seemed to bother Anakin in the least.
However, we knew this was not something that could keep happening, so the decision was made to move Anakin down the road to Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital. If you’re not familiar with Pilchuck, it’s the premier large animal vet practice in our area, offering world-class care by the best doctors and staff in the business. SAFE relies on Pilchuck for emergency and surgical care as well as top-notch diagnostics and therapy. Anakin would be in great hands.
The trip to Pilchuck was uneventful, and soon Anakin was tucked into a large, warm stall with a double load of cedar shavings for bedding. He’s getting excellent, round-the-clock care and monitoring, and best of all, his stall is equipped with a ceiling hoist that can be used to help him to his feet when he lays down.
Hello Anakin!
Anakin is taking full advantage of this opportunity, spending about 6 hours a day resting. He likes to alternate between snoozing full out on his side, and rolling up onto his sternum so he can relax and eat. He’s currently wearing a sling full time, which has been taped and padded for comfort, so that getting him back up is a fairly simple procedure. And of course you know Anakin…he’s a perfect gentleman and makes no fuss whatsoever when the hoist is used!
As you may have guessed, keeping Anakin at Pilchuck is considerably more expensive than at Cedarbrook. The donations that have been made to help with Anakin’s recovery are the reason we are able to provide him with this level of care. This is an amazing community of people who have joined together to help save this horse, and we are so incredibly grateful to all of you who have donated towards his recovery. On behalf of SAFE and Anakin himself, thank you so much for your generosity and kindness.
Anakin will likely be at Pilchuck for several more days. His condition continues to improve and he is eating, drinking, and pooping with great enthusiasm. His spirits remain high. However, he is still incredibly weak so he’s just not able to use his back legs to push his hind end up off the ground. We hope to see some improvement in this very soon. Until then, his team at Pilchuck is there to lend a hand when he needs it.
Thank you so much for being part of Anakin’s journey! Happy holidays!!
Here’s a short and uneventful video from a visit with Anakin on the day after Christmas:
