Some of these are just harder to talk about than others. I’m so sorry to let you all know we had to let Arigato go. She was diagnosed with severe degeneration of her right hind coffin joint and navicular bone resulting in ongoing lameness issues. She was euthanized due to a grave prognosis for life without significant pain. The disease was likely the result of a previous infection before she arrived at SAFE.
We are unclear when the trauma to her hind foot occurred but evidences of this were present from the day she arrived at SAFE. However not being gentle, we could not safely sedate her and x‑ray. She managed well and the work we did to gentle her never seemed to cause too much discomfort. She was always slight lame but happily living and getting more and more peaceful around humans.
Last week she presented with signs of colic, within a few days started to become tender on her hind and the last 2 days not bearing weigh. Her pain was severe the last 2 days and we greatly appreciate our vets getting to her as soon as possible. She was not afraid or frightened, she took comfort in human touch and love, and was peaceful about everything we needed to do to help her this past week. She found a forever home with SAFE and had found love with our family. She was surrounded by love and friendship when she was peacefully laid to rest and like all things she did this with grace.
You will be dearly missed sweet teddy bear mare. Thank you for trusting and loving us as much as we loved you.
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- Prepping Arigato for the Xray
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- Bonnie with Arigato
