Euthanasia which method is the more favourable option,why?

[Tia]

I agree - but not everyone does. Some people are obviously more sentimental than others. I know full well once one of ours dies that that is it - they are dead.

Last year one of our old mares died whilst waiting for the vet to arrive to shoot her. It was the middle of the night and we knew we couldn't leave her body out in the open because of the wolves and bears, hence we had the tractor with winches waiting outside her corral. Well she died before the vet arrived and as soon as I had checked her heart-rate to make sure she was definitely dead, I brought the tractor in, put all the straps underneath her body and lifted her right up into the bucket. I then drove the tractor down to our big hay barn and left her in there overnight - 16ft in the air.

Called a friend first thing in the morning and he came over and dug a huge hole for her down in our bottom woods and popped her in it. I say hello to her every time I pass her grave though, so I am a bit of a softie sometimes.

 

[Tia]

You know the thing is, I don't think there are any right or wrong means of putting a horse to sleep; it really is quite a personal decision......however what I do find quite odd, is the people who don't remain with their animal till the very end. I could never not be with my animals right at the end - it's my final part of ownership and responsibility to my beloved animal.

 

[NIKKI1974]

it is hard though because if they are shot i wouldn want to be the one holding it and the last vision i had of my horse was one of it with a big hole in its head and bits of it every where. all three that i have seen when the horse has been shot have been messy especially when they are winched into the wagon is not nice hence why mine was injected because i didnt wanna remember her like that. mayb like you say some people are more sensative to these issues but its not nice when your the one who has to clear the mess up did it for my bosses horse and ended up being sick all over the place .thats just my opinion mayb some others are not as sentimental!

 

[Chex]

I worry so much about what to do with the body

. Although I know that he's gone, so it really doesn't matter, its just heart wrenching to think of him being winched onto a lorry/chopped up/burned etc. I guess its differentiating between his dead body, and himself as he is alive that I struggle with

 

[Tia]

I guess. A horse being shot does not normally have blood and brains blasted all over the place though. It all depends on how long the horse is lying dead on the ground for - we are very quick at having dead horses collected (normally in conjunction with the vet arriving) and we've never had tonnes of blood to clear up. The only time there was loads of blood was with our old pony who had to lie overnight in the field because he was put to sleep late at night and knackers weren't open till the morning.

 

[NIKKI1974]

these were collected within half an hour of being pts and its norrmally fine until they are moved by the winch either way i wasnt expecting it to be like that!!!!!

 

[NIKKI1974]

sorry everyone for being so graphic in my posts it is not a nice topic to talk about but this is about personal choice and experiences so i appologies if you find this not very nice reading material xxx

 

[Tia]

Doesn't bother me - life and death - all part of the cycle.

 

[Shilasdair]

Nice to read a calm and rational thread about the subject, for a change.
S

 

[NIKKI1974]

thats what i was hoping for, get fed up with those who have to try and ruin things for people who are genuinly interested in the subject although everyone entitled to their opinioni suppose!

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
thats what i was hoping for, get fed up with those who have to try and ruin things for people who are genuinly interested in the subject although everyone entitled to their opinioni suppose!

[/ QUOTE ]

And you have achieved! Like most things in life...it's never black and white....but all shades of grey.
S

 

[vieshot]

Shooting every time. Last thing a horse knows is being stood in his field, rather than a strange man coming up to him and sticking a needle in him and then having to deal with losing balance and falling while still alive, i no its fast but id still go with shooting, at least its instant, rather than nearly instant.

 

[Honeypots]

[ QUOTE ]
You know the thing is, I don't think there are any right or wrong means of putting a horse to sleep; it really is quite a personal decision......

[/ QUOTE ]

agree...

[ QUOTE ]
however what I do find quite odd, is the people who don't remain with their animal till the very end. I could never not be with my animals right at the end - it's my final part of ownership and responsibility to my beloved animal.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one of the reasons why I prefer injection...I could not choose to hold my horse while being shot but could for injection.

 

[jojoebony]

I would have mine shot.

Horse one - shot - I stayed - very quick

Horse two - injected - I stayed - fought it, reared up and panicked. I found this very distressing as it took time.

Horse three - shot - I didn't stay but he was done at home in comfortable surroundings by a vet he trusted and new very well.

If I had a horse that was already on it's way I'd probably opt for the injection. If I had something that was being put to sleep for lameness, etc I would opt for the gun every time.

Jo

 

[MizElz]

I'd have mine shot, every time.

Having known two occasions where the injection has 'gone wrong' for a horse, and another two where it has gone wrong for a dog, there is no question for me.

Someone I know had their horse injected in his own field - it should have been a peaceful, dignified experience. Instead, it ended with him breaking loose, staggering wildly around the field, crashing through a barbed wire fence and finally, suffering a heart attack, induced both by the injection and the stress of its effect on him. Another was so-say dead within minutes of being injected - vet checked him over, and left the yard. Half an hour later, my father (farrier at the yard) heard a dreadful moaning and kicking coming from the stable, and discovered the horse convulsing and lashing out, frantically trying to get up. He had to sit on the horse's head for 45 minutes before the vet came back to finish the job.

Perhaps the most disturbing case involved a dog we knew; she was an old girl, and her end should have been quick and peaceful. instead, the vet took eight attempts to find the vein, and when he did, he didnt manage to get all the fluid into her. She struggled, fought, yelped and screamed as four people tried to pin her down to find the vein again. Not an end I would want for any of mine.

I would always opt for the bullet for my horses, and would for my dogs if it were possible.

 

[tarbra]

I agree with sodapop Quote:'have witnessed both, shooting horrendous had very bad experience as knacker man missed and horse staggering around, took 3 more shots and lots blood and very distressed owner, awful to watch. i know it was probably an isolated incident and most don't make these errors but it has most def put me off, injection on all occasions has been very peaceful. End Quote:

Have witnessed similar myself. You can have your horse collected ect and have the ashes back if you want to.


http://www.equinetourism.co.uk/equineservices/arthurduckett.asp

 

[polyphonic]

Not had too before but I would certainly go for the bullet... seen many shot and killed out right, seen 3 with injection and it was a highly distressing thing to see, took many minutes.