Vet Explains What Happened To Theodore O’Connor

Vet Explains What Happened To Theodore O’Connor

Renowned veterinarian Kent Allen DVM, who attended to the devastating injuries of international event pony Theodore O’Connor yesterday morning, explained what happened and why he had to be euthanized.

Allen, who practices near the Middleburg, Va. base of Team O’Connor and is a long-time friend and veterinarian, shared the story with thehorse.com. Here’s what he said.

"Karen and David (O'Connor) would have done anything to let this little guy have a shot."

Allen described the accident as “a freak thing” and said, "The right thing to do was euthanize him."

"He spooked at something while being ridden and bolted," Allen said.

"The rider came off and the horse ran toward the barn. He got into a freak accident and slid into the side of the barn and lacerated his right hind leg about 4 inches above the fetlock on the back of the leg. It looked like a knife cut it; he severed the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons, ligaments, cut both branches of the arterial blood supply, and nerves. My experience with injuries like this are that the chances of reattaching the vascular supply and nerve supply and reattaching the tendons and ligaments is almost zero The horse was remarkably calm and let me examine him completely,” Allen noted.

"Realistically, there was nothing we could do," he said. Allen said two other veterinarians were there, and agreed with the decision to euthanize the pony.