Does your YO/keeper of your horse have written permission to PTS?

[Tiddlypom]

For all of you who have lodged instructions with your vet, just bear in mind that out of hours most vets don't have access to you animal's records. Some now do, but for the majority it would involve being in the office in front of a computer. Also a lot of practices now use an out-of-hours service who definitely wouldn't have any notes. So a copy on the yard would be far more practical. In the course of a normal working day there is no issue with accessing records, but late at night or on a weekend when these things tend to happen it may well be that no-one knows you have left instructions with the practice.

Good point from the sharp end.

I have a signed hard copy of the written vets' instructions/authorisations pinned to my feed room notice board.

 

[Rowreach]

In the case of an emergency a vet would just pts an animal, they don’t wait around waiting for permission or for the owner to be there, they just act in the best interests of the animal.

No, it is not always a straightforward decision.

 

[Rowreach]

For all of you who have lodged instructions with your vet, just bear in mind that out of hours most vets don't have access to you animal's records. Some now do, but for the majority it would involve being in the office in front of a computer. Also a lot of practices now use an out-of-hours service who definitely wouldn't have any notes. So a copy on the yard would be far more practical. In the course of a normal working day there is no issue with accessing records, but late at night or on a weekend when these things tend to happen it may well be that no-one knows you have left instructions with the practice.

Yes, this is why I feel the YO or person looking after the horse should have the permission in writing. Where we are, any one of three practices could potentially turn up, as the vet I use comes from miles away by appointment and wouldn't be the closest in an emergency situation.

 

[Kat]

Yes I have given my YO permission to make the decision if necessary. I trust her 100% to do the right thing and would probably ask her advice if I was around. She's sadly had to deal with PTS for her own and livery horses quite a lot since I have known her and she makes the right call for the horse.

My sister has permission too (she's on the same livery yard) and in the unlikely event that I can't be contacted her and YO would likely make the decision together, which is less of a burden. It would also mean there was someone my horse knows and trusts present.

 

[EventingMum]

The contract I give to my liveries states that every effort will be made to contact owners should the horse require emergency treatment or euthanasia but if we are unable to make contact with the owner we are able to authorise any treatment deemed necessary by the vet. We also have a section to fill out re disposal should the owner be unable to be contacted. Hopefully, this rarely occurs as with so many ways of messaging now it is usually possible to make contact - one owner recently viewed her lame horse via a video call from her sun lounger in the Mediterranean!

 

[Auslander]

I noticed a few comments re preferred methods of pts in this thread - and this is something that doesn't sit right with me. If a YO is making the decision to pts in the owners absence, one assumes that it is on immediate welfare grounds 0 in which case, I would opt for the quickest available method. Taking the old boy at mine as an example - he had his accident at 2pm, vet was called immediately, and got to us in 10 minutes, and he was pts 20 mins after the accident. Had the owner wanted the gun, he could have been waiting a lot longer than that. He was up, trying to move around, and clearly in horrific pain, and it would not have sat comfortably with me to have let it go on any longer than it did, just because the owner wanted a specific method used.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I noticed a few comments re preferred methods of pts in this thread - and this is something that doesn't sit right with me. If a YO is making the decision to pts in the owners absence, one assumes that it is on immediate welfare grounds 0 in which case, I would opt for the quickest available method. Taking the old boy at mine as an example - he had his accident at 2pm, vet was called immediately, and got to us in 10 minutes, and he was pts 20 mins after the accident. Had the owner wanted the gun, he could have been waiting a lot longer than that. He was up, trying to move around, and clearly in horrific pain, and it would not have sat comfortably with me to have let it go on any longer than it did, just because the owner wanted a specific method used.

Agreed. I'd try to stick to what was preferred but in sos emergency situation the quickest arriving method takes precedence.

 

[Ratface]

Today, prior to reading this set of posts, I have written clear instructions to my equine veterinary practice stating specifically that my YO has my absolute permission to authorise the euthanasia of my old horse in the event that the practice is unable to contact me.
I have sent a copy to the YO and will ensure that a hard copy is in his passport, which is also securely at the yard. I shall inform the Head Groom and the the rest of the yard staff, should they be in charge at the time.

 

[Equi]

Im not sure if it is in writing but my YO knows me well and knows what i would or would not put my horse through. She knows roughly my financial limits and that i would not do a colic surgery or any form of "this will be a year on boxrest or pts" type of thing. Any time we have talked of it my view on the matter has been "do what you would do if this was your own horse" because shes empathetic but also sensible, so i would trust her judgment a lot. Re method: ive had both. Both result in the death of the horse and if im not there frankly it doesn't matter what the method is as long as the horse is no longer suffering whatever it was suffering with. The same spoken agreement is in place should anything ever happen to me, she can have full decision on what to do with my horse. Last horse that one was simple, he would go to the grave with me. Current lad is a useful sort so i expect she would find him a decent home fairly easily.

eta: my closest vet (and the one i used regularly for the old lad and who vetted this one, i think would also know of my way of thinking. He went through it all with me before and i was very greatful to him)

 

[wills_91]

I have unfortunately been in this position. Where I was unreachable and a decision had to be made. YO had my permission ( well my mums as I was under 18 at the time) it made a very stressful situation for all involved a little bit easier. I couldn't livery on a yard where I didn't trust the YO/YM to make decisions in my absence.