It's been a couple of months now since Jack completed the experimental Mitomycin C injection therapy for his eye sarcoid. There was no apparent reduction of the sarcoid and now, unfortunately, he has completely lost vision in the affected eye. I'm still not 100% certain the Mitomycin treatment protocol recommended by the consulting vet in England was followed properly. But... we tried. And I
AM certain my vet tried his best to save the eye.
I had first promised Jack to give him until Memorial Day to show some improvement before putting him down. Then I moved the decision date to Independence Day. This morning, after one more good look at Jack's eye, I called my vet to schedule euthanasia.
Of course, Doc knows this horse well now since he had him at his clinic for 6 weeks for the treatment. He knows how mellow and friendly Jack is and was just as disappointed as me the treatment failed. Neither of us can tell for sure if he's in any real discomfort with the eye. But Jack's inability to gain and maintain weight (he's about a 3.5 now) also indicates there's stress or something else we can't find that's at work on him. I was heartsick making the call.
We chatted about Jack's condition for a few minutes and then Doc offered to take Jack and find a place for him at a private retirement farm he knows rather than put him down! Have you ever tried to hug someone through a telephone?
I'll be trailering Jack to Doc's place early next week. It will be a bittersweet day. But much better than what I had resolved myself to when I made 'the call' this morning.
Jack has a charmed life. And I have one helluva great vet. ~FH
