09/02/2026
We had to say goodbye to Jack (Jack Russell, North American Curly) today. We found him down in the pasture at 7:15am. We got him up. It took some doing. I administered banamine but it didn't help very much. We got him to a stall for observation and tried everything. He was so weak on his legs that he fell in the stall. We got him up again.
Our Doc Emily was in surgery. We called everywhere and almost gave up but Old Dominion sent their vet. She did the standard checks but followed with an ultrasound to confirm her suspicions. The ultra sound was clear, a strangulating lipoma. A lipoma is a benign (non-cancerous) fatty tumor that grows on the mesentery, which is the thin sheet of connective tissue that suspends the horse's intestines within the abdomen. Over time, as the tumor grows and gets heavier, it pulls on the tissue, stretching it out until it forms a long, cord-like stalk or stem (called a pedicle). which swings freely inside the abdomen like a tetherball. Eventually, the stalk or stem can wrap tightly around a section of the small intestine or small colon. When this loop tightens, it acts like a tourniquet, and it blocks the passage of food through the digestive tract. It cuts off the blood supply to that section of the intestine. Because the blood supply is cut off, the affected intestinal tissue quickly begins to die (strangulate), causing sudden, severe, and life-threatening colic pain. And, Jack was totally fine yesterday. There has never been a sign of anything
The only recourse is surgery, but Jack was an old guy and not a very good candidate. She recommended euthanasia and we sadly agreed. We'd been with him all day and saw his pain.
Jack came to SFES about 4 years ago. He was in quarantine with King Arthur (a HUGE Belgian Draft) and they bonded immediately. They always reminded me of the Skipper and Gilligan. He was so skinny and afraid. But I absolutely know that he had the best 4 years of his life. He had a best friend who was always with him. He was mischievous and once walked into the volunteer room as several volunteers were eating lunch. Realizing he interrupted our lunch, he went down the 3 steps and returned to the barn while we watched in amazement.
Arthur was in a stall today and watched from the window. Afterward we brought him out to say goodbye. He'd go towards Jack, then run away, then back, then away. His grief was evident. We gave all of his friends a chance to say goodbye. We always do.
Jack will be buried here at SFES and will always be with us. We have a long night ahead. Please say a prayer for all of us here at SFES especially Jack's best friend Arthur.
In video below, Arthur pushed Orla away so that Jack could drink.
