Bad News

zigzag

zigzag

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 May 2007
Messages
3,725
Location
Land of nod
Visit site
Sunbeam has been ill for a while, been losing weight and has very loose droppings, had bloodtests done, which showed gut damage/liver damage, but some of the results had discrepecies in them, so had more tests done.. these tests show that the liver damage indicated to be caused through a tumour on the gut somewhere, there is no treatment, vet says we could refer him to Willersley for intensive tests that would just prove what he suspects, as Sunbeam is 30 it thought that it would just put him through hell doing liver biopsys etc for no reason, Sunbeam is still losing weight even though he has as much as he can eat
frown.gif
vet said I have to make a decision, PTS now befores he starts suffering or wait til he is suffering
frown.gif
, however I feel he is suffering in a way cos the other horses sense there is something wrong with him and don't want anything to do with him, If sunbeam was your horse what would you do?
frown.gif
 
Oh hun thats so sad. ((BIG HUG)) to you.

What an awful decision to have to make. But only you can decide and Im sure you will make the right decision.

My old pony was 25 when we had to make the decision to have him PTS as winter was coming and it wasnt fair to put him through another winter. xxx
 
First of all, huge hugs and Im so sorry xxx

I would have him PTS now, heis already showing that he isnt right with the condition loss, and if he is only going to get worse then i wouldnt wait.

x
 
oh I am so sorry to hear this news, how hard for you. As it's not my horse I can't possibly know how you feel but I think I would be thinking about having him PTS. Huge {{hugs}} I'm sure you'll make the right decision.
 
Oh thats dreadful,
frown.gif


Lots of hugs

unfortunitally you have to make the desision for sunbeam. Is his quality of life suffering if so then I would PTS if there was nothing I could do. It is not an easy desision. He has by the sounds of it lived a good life.
 
This is a horrible position to be in, I know.
frown.gif


I would have him PTS. You would never forgive yourself if he started to suffer, or if he went downhill quickly and you had no choice but to put him to sleep. If you make the decision in plenty of time you can arrange for it to be done when you feel strong enough to cope and before he goes downhill. I did this with my old horse and although it was the hardest decision I ever made, it was the right one and I know I did right by him.
 
I had my old pony pts in October 2 years ago when her quality of life started to go downhill. I could have kept her for a few months as she wasn't really suffering but I chose to let her go before that suffering began. Winter is not a nice time for old unwell ponies. Only you can make the decision but in your situation I would have him pts now before he deteriorates further. So sorry you have to face this, sending you hugs.
 
Hi im so so sorry was in the same situation a year ago my mare had salmonella she went from looking well ,rounded, to looking like a rescue case.I had to make that same choice and as hard and soul destroying as it was as i had had her for 24 years i had to let her go i couldnt bare to c her so frail and weak.At the end of the day it has to be your decision i slept in the stable holding her all night ,talking to her and grooming her and had her pts the following morning by injection. i held her after and said my goodbye although i was devastated she looked at peace and i knew i had made the right choice she was 27. Not an easy decision and my heart goes out to you it really does! xx
 
7 years ago I had to make the heartbreaking decision to PTS Sovereign. He was 25 and like your chap had started to loose weight dramatically. We had various tests done and my vets concluded that there was something cancerous going on inside Sovy's gut. He became anorexic (normally he was a greedy pony), he started moping around the field and generally looked unhappy so on 25th October 2000 (yep, that date is ingrained in my memory) Sovy went on to graze in the great big field in the sky. My vets did a PM and discovered my little man had chronic intestinal cancer and if I hadn't made the decision to end his life humanely he would have continued to deteriorate and would have been in a great deal of pain. Telling my vets to go ahead and PTS was the worst phone call I have ever had to make but I am so glad that I allowed Sovy to go out with dignity and prevent him from suffering any more. The best way of thanking your horse for the years of pleasure he has given you is to know when to call it a day. If it was spring then it might be different and you would think about letting have a couple of weeks of sunshine, but this time of year when it looks like we are going to have a hard winter there really is only one desision you can make. It won't make it any easier but at least you know you are doing the best thing for your horse.

Big hugs!!! xxx
 
Aw what a horrible situation to be in and I am very sorry
frown.gif

I think all owners dread the day they have to make that very hard and final decision.
It is a brave one to make though imho because it is hard saying goodbye to someone you love or care very much for x
I do believe though like other people have said that it would be kinder to Sunbeam to have him pts now rather than later.
Horses -like many other animals- cannot tell you how they are feeling or whether they are in pain. I think sometimes it is hard for us to judge how they are feeling too.
However he is 30 which is a good age and you have said he is losing weight.
Going into winter - and it looks like it may be a cold wet one this year - is not always nice for any horse especially one which is ill.
The fact that he is losing weight and is being ostracized by the other horses would be a huge worry for me to be honest.
I think you have already made up your mind on this one but because you are a caring and kind person ( and maybe feeling a tad guilty having him pts now because he is not yet at the point of losing quality of life) you wanted reassurance from others that you were making the right decision.
It is hard to let go and I am dreading the day I will eventually have to
frown.gif
but in your case it is the right decision. I honestly believe that in many cases it is best to let animals go before they really start to go very downhill. It also helps you to remember them as being full of joie de vivre rather than waiting until they lose the sparkle and will to live. Remember your special times with Sunbeam and remember that what you are doing is out of kindness as this will be the very final act of love and compassion you can show towards your horse x
with condolences and big hugs (((( ))))
Caroline x
 
I am in the same situation as you, my poor old boy has cancer, and various other problems too, and this wet weather really doesnt help, I am going to have to make the dreaded phone call any day now, but I know it is the right thing to do, I cant wait until he is really struggling.
You will know when the time is right.
My thoughts are with you.
 
What awful news - big hugs to you both.

If it were me, I would have him PTS now. I wouldn't want any of my animals to spend their last days suffering. If I were you, I would set a specific date and then spend lots of time with him until this date, making his last days his best ever!

At least you have picked up on the problem now!
 
I am so sorry to hear this awful news zigzag, If it were me, I would pts now. It really is the kindest thing someone can do for thier beloved horse.
Ultimately though, you are the one that knows him, and you will know when the time is right.
My thoughts are with you.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Aw what a horrible situation to be in and I am very sorry
frown.gif

I think all owners dread the day they have to make that very hard and final decision.
It is a brave one to make though imho because it is hard saying goodbye to someone you love or care very much for x
I do believe though like other people have said that it would be kinder to Sunbeam to have him pts now rather than later.
Horses -like many other animals- cannot tell you how they are feeling or whether they are in pain. I think sometimes it is hard for us to judge how they are feeling too.
However he is 30 which is a good age and you have said he is losing weight.
Going into winter - and it looks like it may be a cold wet one this year - is not always nice for any horse especially one which is ill.
The fact that he is losing weight and is being ostracized by the other horses would be a huge worry for me to be honest.
I think you have already made up your mind on this one but because you are a caring and kind person ( and maybe feeling a tad guilty having him pts now because he is not yet at the point of losing quality of life) you wanted reassurance from others that you were making the right decision.
It is hard to let go and I am dreading the day I will eventually have to
frown.gif
but in your case it is the right decision. I honestly believe that in many cases it is best to let animals go before they really start to go very downhill. It also helps you to remember them as being full of joie de vivre rather than waiting until they lose the sparkle and will to live. Remember your special times with Sunbeam and remember that what you are doing is out of kindness as this will be the very final act of love and compassion you can show towards your horse x
with condolences and big hugs (((( ))))
Caroline x

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks I think your right, I know its the best decision

Thanks everyone you have all helped me ,

I'm so sorry Sprout, (((Hugs)))))
frown.gif
 
I am really sorry to hear this sad news

I think you are right in the decision that it sounds like you have made, as hard as may be now, it would be 10 times worse if he started to suffer. Just think of all the pain you will be saving him.

Be brave and remember that you are doing the best thing for him.
 
so sorry to hear this, it has made me cry just thinking about it. I agree with the others re PTS, better to go while he still has quality of life. Good luck.
 
So very sorry hun. I can only agree with everyone else on here - if he is now taking himself off or being ignored by the herd then this is normally a sign that his time may be short. You will know when the time is right and I believe he will be telling you sooner rather than later. It is so very true that making this decision for a very poorly friend is the last kindness you can give to them.

I am only around the corner hun and, if you need me, I would be there instantly.

Sending my special healing vibes to Sunbeam and to you. PM me if you need me. Hx
 
All of us that keep our horses till the end will have to face this difficult decision.You should be so proud that you have cared for him and never just sold him on .He was lucky to find you and you know what to do.
 
I had to make the decision to put Higgs to sleep when he had Grass Sickness and I did so before he started to suffer too much. He was getting mild colic and I was advised it would only get worse
frown.gif

Remember with animals we have the option to give them a quality of life, which we don't with human life, and therefore we can take that very hard decision to have them PTS before their quality of life suffers. Our horses give us so much whilst we have them, the least we can do for them is to make their end as painless as possible. It broke my heart to have Higgs PTS and I can still remember leaving him at Leahurst looking over the door saying "are you coming back mum?" when he realised I wasn't he went and stood at the back of his box resting a leg. However hard it is and I'm shedding a tear now thinking about it, I would do it all again without hesitation.
 
Very sorry to hear this, its a very sad situation that we all find ourselves in at some point, no matter how we try to avoid it...
frown.gif


Sending you {{{hugs}}} for what is a difficult time for you, but I know you will do your best and make the right decision for your loving Sunbeam. xx
 
Oh what terrible news, hugs to you both.

If Sunbeam is suffering then I think you really have to think about putting him to sleep.

I really really feel for you and know how hard making that decision is going to be.
xx
 
Very sorry to read this
frown.gif
.

You know what is the best thing for your lovely Sunbeam and I send you the strength to go through with it.

So sorry,
Tia x
 
just read this loads of love and hugs to you. Its two years to the week we had our wonderful Dudders pts and there are times when i still cry and yes i still miss him like mad.The one thing that kept me going and is still a comfort, is that we made a quick decision and dealt with him how we wanted, so however sad we all were we have no regerets. Best of luck
 
Ah bless you both - so, so sad
frown.gif


Winter's never much fun - so perhaps it would be kinder to say good bye now, rather than have him battle through a miserable winter in discomfort.

What a wonderful age to have reached though......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top