Carson: Farewell Good Friend

On Monday, Nov. 30, Carson did not finish his evening meal and seemed agitated in his stall. We observed him and measured his vital signs, and then decided that a dose of anti-inflammatory would be a good idea. Once the medication was active in his system, he perked up and was eager to return to his herd mates and hay. Tuesday seemed better for Carson, but on Wednesday, Dec. 2, he was not quite himself. He did not want to eat and was quite agitated in his stall. We asked our veterinary team at Janssen’s Veterinary Clinic to take a look, and they discovered that Carson’s colon was displaced due to an enlarged spleen, and he had developed a low-grade fever. We discussed options with our veterinarian and decided to treat him at home overnight since, now, he seemed calm and relatively comfortable. We were hopeful that treatment would allow the spleen to shrink, which would lead to the colon sliding back into place. Unfortunately, shortly after our vet left, Carson’s condition deteriorated. He went down in his stall and became unresponsive to touch or having his name called. He also experienced several seizures, lost his vision, and was unable to control or stabilize his body. We asked the Janssen veterinary team to return and humanely euthanize Carson. Upon arrival, they agreed that there was nothing further we could do to save Carson, and they kindly laid him to rest. We are not totally certain what caused Carson’s death. We cannot point to an accident that occured, or injury. We do not know if the enlarged spleen and displaced colon were the main medical issue that Carson was facing, or if it was one issue among many. We do know that his sickness was affecting his gastrointestinal system and his neurological system. We also know that with such vital systems failing, there was nothing we could do to overcome his challenges. The very kindest thing we could do to steward him was relieve his pain and distress with euthanasia.