Desperate for advice on putting my horse to sleep..... LONG!

Pretty much what MFH_09 said. I've spoken to the guys who deal with the (inedible) remains of our sheep at the local hunt kennels. They have said that they are happy to come out and get a horse, they will shoot it on your premises or take it to the kennels and shoot it there. They are very used to shooting animals, there can still be reflexes but that really is all they are. I can't remember the charges but not very much at all. IMHO it's the treatment of the horse BEFORE it's death that's important.

You are a brave person doing the best for your horse. My best wishes to you both.
 
As a former equine vet nurses, I have seen far too many people hang on to sick, unhappy horses for their own selfish reasons instead of doing the kindest thing & humanely euthanasing the horse. Vets would rather deal with somebody like you who is realistic & considering ALL the options before putting a mare that is older in years through treatment when it may be kinder to call it a day. It's horrible to have to do but often for the best. Your vet really won't think badly of you for considering it, most vets now simply don't mention it until it needs doing because they now how people react.
 
If shes in that much pain and she cant be retired as a companion horse because of her aggression in the field then what much else can you do......? May sound harsh but it seems like a lot of money in vets bills for a horse that sounds beyond much help.....if shes had problems in basically all her legs and it keeps occuring then what else can you do?

*YOU CAN ALL SHOUT AND DISAGREE WITH ME NOW!*
 
Just got back from meeting the vet, he came out straight after our telephone conversation. They really are a great vet practise.

He has absolutely no idea what is going on with her back end. As he prodded and felt for sore bits she was wild with anger and swung for him with her teeth and hoof simultaneously!

He said I have 2 choices if I wanted to atleast find out what was going on - one being take her to the clinic and let them do tests which would include interntal (rectal) examination for which she would need to be heavily sedated for him to do it safely. Or turn her out and see how her problems present themselves. We both agreed that keeping her on box-rest had not helped and just makes her more grouchy.

So I agreed to turn her out and monitor how she moves about, any improvements or the opposite.

So I am going to give her a little longer and see what happens over the next week or two.

Thanks for everyones advice and kind words. I think Devil mares days will be numbered but for now atleast she can mooch around in the paddock.
 
[ QUOTE ]
So I agreed to turn her out and monitor how she moves about, any improvements or the opposite

[/ QUOTE ]
Sounds very sensible.
 
Nothing much to add. You're not being selfish, far from it. Do talk to your vet though. I think vets don't like to suggest euthanasia unless it's desperate and are quite relieved if an owner is being sensible enough to think along those lines. Other than, if she's not a happy horse and looks unlikely to become so, then let her go before Winter sets in.
 
I think that might have been my thought, to turn her out for a couple of weeks and then reassess.....although I'm not sure; if a mare of mine behaved like that to the vet, I might be thinking that she is in extreme pain and would possibly have had her shot then and there. Who knows; that's the difference between reading something and actually being there.

Whatever decision you make sounds like you only have her best interests at heart and is selfless.
 
The only similar case (the "collapsing") I can think of is a friend who rescued a 6yo shire cross from what I can only assume was an allotment...

He was actually a nasty peice of work and she still loved him and gave him a chance despite him routinely taking chunks out of her. She kept insisting to our vets that something was wrong in his back end as she'd feel this little "collapsing" movement behind her (riding) but the vets couldn't find anything. Anyway they eventually referred her to the vet hospital at York and they said he was equally lame in both hinds, hence vets not really seeing what she was feeling.

It was the cartilage in both stifles - he had them operated on and scraped flat where they had bubbled/rippled and he was on box rest which he hated. It wasn't working so they operated again and removed the cartilage completely saying it would regenerate. He was allowed in hand grazing and she was doing that one day when he almost collapsed, and she decided in floods of tears, that she couldn't keep him in pain, so at 6 years old she had him PTS (he collapsed again when vet was there) with what was classed as DJD. She lost all her money on him as the insurance didn't think he should be put down but she said she couldn't stand to see him suffer any more. He was a stunning horse but the pain was making him nasty and downright dangerous and it was no life for him.

At 16 at least your mare has had a life, and I dont' think anyone will judge you badly for wanting to do what is best for her.

Hugs to you, and to Bounty as I didn't realise Cybele had gone x x x
 
I think that you are being considerate and responsible to your horse.

If your horse hates being examined then putting her down is the kindest thing you can do for her.

A very hard decision but a very responsible one.
 
Whilst giving a horse every chance to survive is a good thing, there is also a time when the right decision is to give the horse a dignified end without more suffering. I have used my local hunt kennels, and that would be my first choice on every occasion, they are quick and efficient but also sensitive to the horse and the owner - they do this kind of thing every day.

Going into winter I think the decision is going to be made for you, a collapse in a stable is much harder to deal with than one out in a field.
 
It is more selfish to keep them alive when they are in distress than it is to put them to sleep. You have to ask yourself what it is that you are hoping for them. If they are not going to make enough of a recovery to be able to enjoy life with you then putting them to sleep is the kindest option. I had my previous horse PTS 4 years ago, non-horsey friends thought I was being cruel, but I explained to them that horses are not like old dogs which can spend their latter years sleeping in front of the fire and pottering in the garden. We've had 2 PTS with injection and then collected by the kennels.
 
you are being anything but selfish considering having her pts.
if shes in pain and not enjoying life and has poor prospects i would also be talking to my vet about it too.its an awful decision to have to make.go with your instincts.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have just had a good chat with my vet. He said he would be reluctant to PTS without one last good look at whats going on. He said he really doesn't know what the intermittent lameness on her fore is, and her collapsing at the back end is very strange. He wants her to come into the clinic before he can confidently say there is no point in carrying on.

I was totally honest about how I feel. I also said that she is too uncomfortable to travel.

Actually after speaking to him I feel even more inclined to end it for her - she hates being fussed over and prodded and poked by vets.

I've never been in this position before.

Maniscorse -can you tell me more about the kennelman???

[/ QUOTE ]

ah...so he wants to sale you a yarn...get you to pay for it, then...oh, surprise..we need to PTS your mare....shame on him....

go with your gut feeling...save her some loss of dignity and yourself extra payments to your money grabbing vet....
mad.gif
 
JM07 - actually if you had read on a little further you would see that my vet and I agreed to turn her out and see how her problems present themselves.

My vets are very good and have the horses interests at heart, they are not money grabbing at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top