Advice needed

R

Ruftys mum

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 May 2012
Messages
107
Visit site
I have an elderly horse aged 31who is medicated for Cushings and arthritis. Last December he was very unwell, lethargic and not eating. The vet could not find what was wrong with him He lost a lot of weight. He has not put much back on even with 3 feeds a day, as lib hay and good grazing.
I am now worried about. the winter although at the moment he seems happy and eating well.
Shall I see how he gets on, or make the decision at the end of the summer? A lesser problem is finance as a large part of my pension is spent on him
2 bute a day plus Prascend mounts up. He is on full livery
 
Thirty one is a good age for a horse. My honest opinion is that you should give him a dignified end before the winter comes, especially as you say he didn't do very well last year. We have had a few on the yard who did very well until they turned 30 then went downhill. Do it while he's feeling good and looking well and the sun is shining on him. It's a better way to remember them. So sorry, if only they could live forever 💔
 
My mare had cushings which we couldn’t control with 4 prascend a day so I was aware that laminitis could strike , the day she was pottery I called the vet to discuss and confirm my thoughts that it was time and I arranged to PTS after the weekend so she had bute for a couple of days and was spoilt , she was 25 and it wouldn’t have been fair to keep her in the stable . She moved better once she had bute and I then felt I had waited too long to make the decision so I would say sooner rather than later is best especially when they are old..
 
I have a 32 yr old, who although she has good teeth, did not do well last winter. She was on a huge amount of hay replacer and soaked feeds.

Only now does she start to look ok weight wise, and she's still getting the same amount of hard feed, as well as grass. I have already decided that she will not do another winter.

She's currently very happy with her friends, and canters in each evening for her feed, but by the end of September she will be gone.

You are making the right decision.
 
I am in the exact same situation as in I’ve got a 32 year old TB x cob who has Cushings and arthritis. She’s also on 2 bute a day, half a prascend and a recent addition of paracetamol too. We too have debating if and when to let her go as she found last winter tough but right now we seem to have a feed, medication and daily routine sorted that suits her and she’s thriving again so I am not prepared to make the call right now. I’m going to see what winter holds and hope that she doesn’t start to deteriorate when the weather turns. I’ve just posted for rug recommendations as despite having PPID she struggles with shivering when wet but in winter I can just rug her up well so hoping this won’t be a problem. I would rather make a decision if I see her start to struggle rather than make it now when she’s looking amazing but I’m constantly vigilant and checking how she’s doing as do not want to leave it too late.

Sorry for the ramble, I know it’s probably not helpful but just wanted to share x
 
**puddleduck** said:
I am in the exact same situation as in I’ve got a 32 year old TB x cob who has Cushings and arthritis. She’s also on 2 bute a day, half a prascend and a recent addition of paracetamol too. We too have debating if and when to let her go as she found last winter tough but right now we seem to have a feed, medication and daily routine sorted that suits her and she’s thriving again so I am not prepared to make the call right now. I’m going to see what winter holds and hope that she doesn’t start to deteriorate when the weather turns. I’ve just posted for rug recommendations as despite having PPID she struggles with shivering when wet but in winter I can just rug her up well so hoping this won’t be a problem. I would rather make a decision if I see her start to struggle rather than make it now when she’s looking amazing but I’m constantly vigilant and checking how she’s doing as do not want to leave it too late.

Sorry for the ramble, I know it’s probably not helpful but just wanted to share x
Click to expand...

I would now do it differently, I knew my mares cushings was advanced and I PTS when she became pottery as I knew that it was a sign that laminitis was likely. I really wish I had done it before she had to suffer with pain. It made that final decision easier for me but when they are old it’s unlikely that they will be pain free anyway so earlier is better for them IMO
 
My lad is rising 30, and the grinding surfaces on his remaining teeth are not performing as they should. All his winter fodder is now soaked mashes and sugar beet mixed with damp grass chop, his haylage is chopped (Silvermoor Veteran haylage) and the haynet of soft haylage is just to give him something to do. He can eat normal haylage quite convincingly, but he isn't chewing sufficiently for it to be broken down in the digestive process. I am now watching closely for the time when the feeding regime no longer works for him. Hugs to you.
 
Two bute a day is a lot and a lot of horses that age have pedunculated lipomas which would explain his gastric discomfort last year. I would also pts before winter. I empathise, as I have to do the same for my mare and she's a relatively young 22, which is nothing for an Exmoor. :(
 
It’s awful but this is the worst part , deciding , then waiting ,after the doing of it you get over it one day at a time .
Quickly you remember not the end but best of it .
On the basis of what you have posted I would be aiming for a planned PTS in the autumn .
Your horse is lucky to have his long term family at this stage in life.
 
As you say I think the decision has been made for you.

I'd set a timeline of before the clocks change as 'autumn' is to open to interpretation for my decision making abilities.

Give him the best few weeks having all the things he likes the most and then say goodbye before the weather changes.

Your pony is lucky to have such a caring owner.
 
He is still with me. I had arranged for him to be euthanised but the 2 ladies who look after him were in bits and pleaded with me to give him a reprieve. Which I suppose stupidly I did
He got through the winter ok but it is now one expense after another. A foot abscess a couple of weeks ago and now a suspected tooth abscess(he had his teeth done 2 weeks ago)
I have been retired many years and the cost is becoming prohibitive. I only see him once a week to give him a pat and a carrot so have lost some of my connection with him
.I know what I need to do but how to go about it. ?
Should I say to the ladies, who love him I can't afford to keep him much longer but give him the summer?He is 32 next week and basically a well cared for happy chappy..
I just feel so torn
 
I feel for you, it’s a hard enough situation to be in, finances aside. Having to ‘justify’ your decision to others is so hard when you’re already doubting yourself.

Personally, I wouldn’t mention finances to these ladies. At the end of the day, it’s the ponies welfare which is the most important. Does he have a good quality of life? I suspect not and I’m very much in the “better a day early” camp. I had to put our 21 year old pony to sleep last November and it didn’t go down well with his previous owners. He was riddled with melanomas and his condition plummeted in weeks. It was as case of when, not if. I felt enormous guilt afterwards, especially when I received some shirty messages from them. I made it very clear that the vet was in agreement with my decision, and I know in my mind I did the right thing by him.
 
Ruftys mum said:
I have an elderly horse aged 31who is medicated for Cushings and arthritis. Last December he was very unwell, lethargic and not eating. The vet could not find what was wrong with him He lost a lot of weight. He has not put much back on even with 3 feeds a day, as lib hay and good grazing.
I am now worried about. the winter although at the moment he seems happy and eating well.
Shall I see how he gets on, or make the decision at the end of the summer? A lesser problem is finance as a large part of my pension is spent on him
2 bute a day plus Prascend mounts up. He is on full livery
Click to expand...
this happened to my old girl, so I decided to have her PTS in a couple of months but before I did that I was halved her prescend, to stretch out how long it would last, without having to buy more! and it was like she got a whole new lease of life, and started to gain weight again and was eating properly, before I halved the dose, she would only eat hay, and was turning her nose up at hard feed! so might be worth giving that a try!
 
It must be awfully difficult in your situation, but the pony's welfare has to come first x

Sadly the time has come to say goodbye to your sweet boy - I personally wouldn't mention finances to the other ladies, but at the end of the day his quality of life must come first. It isn't fair to keep him going if his quality of life isn't there. I totally understand why you gave him a reprieve as it's never easy making that decision. I'm in the camp of a day too soon rather than a week too late.

My first (and only!) loan pony absolutely shattered my heart when he passed, and I desperately tried everything to avoid the PTS but his quality of life was compromised and it wasn't fair to keep him going. 10 years on and I still get a lump in my throat whenever I mention him, but I am also aware that I put his quality of life before my own feelings and gave him the most beautiful send off x
 
I'm afraid that I wouldn't discuss the matter with the ladies. I would arrange for the deed to be done on a date that suits you in the not too distant future, having had a tooth abscess myself in the past, I know how awful they can make you feel. Then the day before, I would tell them what is to happen, so that they xan say goodbye.
I think I would start with 'the vet says that he needs pts". Hopefully then, they won't ask for another 'reprieve' which as you now know, has been nothing of the sort and was for their benefit, not his, or yours.
Stay strong. This really is the hardest part of owning a horse and when you know that there won't be another one, that makes it even harder.
 
Must be really hard when others are involved. I'm sorry they are putting you in this situation or even just making you feel like you are.

I wouldn't mention finance when discussing this with the 2 ladies looking after him. 'I'm booking the PTS for XXX date, lets enjoy the time we have left with XXX as friends and give him the best time. I think it's for the best that he goes with sun on his back and fresh grass in his belly before anything else crops up to put him in any more discomfort and the vet agrees'

Be prepared for your friendship to be different/strained afterwards unfortunately.
 
I'm afraid I'm quite black and white about these things, which can come across as unkind, which is absolutely not my intention.

It isn't really up for discussion with the other ladies. He is your horse and you must make the best decision for his welfare. Your opinion (in conjunction with your vet) is the only one that matters. I personally wouldn't tell them it was being done if they aren't likely to be supportive, but I suspect that will be a bridge too far for you (you sound far more compassionate than I am coming across!). Assuming you do wish to tell them in advance, simply explain to them that it is happening and I would probably do so after you have made arrangements for when and how etc. You don't owe anyone any more of an explanation than that.

It is also entirely up to you if they are there or not. Given you have said they are emotional I would probably suggest they say their goodbyes and leave you to it on the day. Again I don't wish to sound harsh about them, I actually had one of my horses previous loaners there when he was PTS, but we were both on the same page about what was happening. I'm not sure I could have coped if there was someone there on the day who overtly disagreed/disapproved (whether its their business or not).

If he's getting abscesses it is probably time sooner rather than later, I'm not a fan of 'one last summer' in general as it will only hang over you and it's obviously something that is causing you turmoil as it is.

All that said I do understand it isn't an easy decision. I'm still deeply affected having had my heart horse PTS 4 years ago (I'd lost another in 2017 but he wasn't my horse of a lifetime) and you need to be comfortable it's the right thing to do. Even if you do feel you've lost a connection with him, it will still be hard on you so please be kind to yourself and remember a dignified end is the last gift we can give our beloved animals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top