3/16/2023 – Found Ranger lying in the field when I went to give him his supplements and hay. He got up and followed me to the shed, would not eat, and laid down in the stall. He would not get up. Called First Equine’s emergency line and Dr. First called back within 15 minutes. He said that it sound like colic and Dr. Bastiani would be here by 8:45 am.
Called Ted and before I told him what Dr. First said, Ted said it sounded like colic.
He got up a few times and walked a little as Ted said that is the best thing we could do while waiting for the vet.
Dr. Bastiani arrive at 8:45 and ran five tests. The diagnosis was Ranger has colic that included a twisted and ruptured intestine leaking into his abdominal cavity: based on two abdominal fluid tests showing feed in the fluid. She said that even if they operated his chances are slim and at age 18 years there is not much hope he would survive. She put him down for us.
I asked and she recommended Carlos Espinosa to bury Ranger. I called him at 251-366-6000. Carlos arrived about 11:30 and buried him just south of the smaller old oak on the south side of Mary’s Springs.
This was a sad day.
