Euthanasia

If youhad to have your horse PTS what method would you choose?

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Wagtail

Wagtail

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This is sadly a common subject on any animal forum. It is something that most horse owners will have to face at some time in their horse owning life. The decision is always a hard one and made for a variety of reasons. When it is done solely for the benefit of the horse, then I have nothing but sympathy for the person facing the ordeal. It is a very brave decision to make, especially when it is not an emergency, but more a judgement of the horse's quality of life.

I often wish that we, as humans had that 'way out'. Animals are luckier than us in that way. But what I can't get my head round (and maybe I'm being a total whimp), is why, when lethal injecton has been perfected so that horses go peacefully and quickly, do some of us still choose the gun? I have seen three horses PTS by injection, and none by the gun so I can only speak with first hand knowledge of the injection. All three were very peaceful, with only a bit of heavy breathing (when the horse was unconscious), no jerking of the limbs etc. It upsets me to think of a horse being shot. But maybe that is because I have not witnessed it. Is it peaceful? Does it ever go wrong?
 
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I would have to say injection, after witnessing a rather distressing "Gun" option i will opt out of that one.
 
I go for what is most appropriate for the circumstances - have had one done by injection, and two by the gun. The end result was the same for the horse - immediate end to pain and no distress to the animal - but the injection is easier on the handler. Yes, the gun can go wrong, but so can the injection.

Factors to take into account when choosing the method are:

* What is available at the time, when in an emergency situation (most vets will have the injection but not the gun with them)
* Whether a horse is head-shy
* Whether a horse is needle-phobic
* Whether circulation is comprised which may make gun a more effective option than injection.
 
Will be the hunt for me, if it has to be planned but say horse was ill, colicy etc....and vet was already out treating it and we then make the decision it will then be injection so as not to delay and cause more pain while waiting for the hunt to turn up.
 
I've only ever seen horses euthanised by the gun which in all bar one case was instant. I think this is the method I would choose for my mare as she is vet and needle phobic and I would want her last moments to be as calm and peaceful as possible. I prefer shooting as a quick and painless method for the horse, although possibly more traumatic for the owner/handler.

I think that you've got to consider how the horse reacts to vets/needles and the preferred method of the person doing the euthanising, as presumably that is what they are most comfortable and experienced with.

There are things that can go wrong with both methods, but hopefully these instances are rare.
 
Always had injection and then cremated individually with ashes returned, have been with friends that have used the gun and its not for me. Its personal choice in my opinion, no right or wrong.

I say to anyone in that awful position, do what you think is best for you and your animal. I sat recently with a friend who chose the gun for her horse as he had such a bad time through out his life with vets and injections.
 
TGM said:
I go for what is most appropriate for the circumstances - have had one done by injection, and two by the gun. The end result was the same for the horse - immediate end to pain and no distress to the animal - but the injection is easier on the handler. Yes, the gun can go wrong, but so can the injection.

Factors to take into account when choosing the method are:

* What is available at the time, when in an emergency situation (most vets will have the injection but not the gun with them)
* Whether a horse is head-shy
* Whether a horse is needle-phobic
* Whether circulation is comprised which may make gun a more effective option than injection.
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Thank you TGM. I think what you say is entirely correct, and wonderfully put.

Horses I have had put down by the gun have not been emergencies. But clearly there are other things to take in to consideration too.

Above all - neither method is wrong. It's about what is appropriate, as TGM says, to the circumstances.
 
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What ever feels right at the time I think, I don't think it's always something you can decide on until you have made the decision to let them go, obviously circumstances comes into it as others as said but if we are just talking about what option you'd take if for example you had to let your horse go, a straight forward put down/non emergency type of situation then I really couldn't say, for a quiet horse the gun, but for a bit of a lively fidget type who can sense things, I'd feel better having it done my injection.
 
Both of mine were PTS by injection. I couldn't be there for either of them (I was 14 when first one was PTS, and the vet didn't want me there; I was in an exam when the decision was made with Dylan and it wouldn't have been fair to wait for me).
 
TGM said:
I go for what is most appropriate for the circumstances - have had one done by injection, and two by the gun. The end result was the same for the horse - immediate end to pain and no distress to the animal - but the injection is easier on the handler. Yes, the gun can go wrong, but so can the injection.

Factors to take into account when choosing the method are:

* What is available at the time, when in an emergency situation (most vets will have the injection but not the gun with them)
* Whether a horse is head-shy
* Whether a horse is needle-phobic
* Whether circulation is comprised which may make gun a more effective option than injection.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. I would have liked an option of 'whichever is most appropriate for the animal'.

I have seen many large animals, cattle and horses shot over the years (farmer's daughter). I have never seen it go wrong so for me it is quick and instant. My horse of a lifetime was shot, he was dead before he got to the ground, he knew nothing whatsoever about it. I have said before on these type of threads it is important to do whatever is right for you after considering the factors TGM has outlined above. I am grateful to my parents for never shielding me from animals being put down with a gun, it has made it easier for me to chose what I believe is often the quickest and easiest way.
 
I had my first horse shot and the other two were pts with injection. From my point of view the injection was by far the best, it seemed much more peaceful.
 
I put injection as it is what I have experience with, had a couple done this way by an experienced vet, most recently my old boy in Jan. It was quick, dignified and painless and he felt nothing. However I wouldn't discount using the gun if needed, as long as the person handling it knew what they were doing. Would use our local hunt but don't think they do it any more.
 
it depends on the situation and who is doing it, the people who have ever been out to shoot any of the horses i know have spent the day with them (obv not very useful if there is a rush or really bad pain) got them to trust them, stood in the school with them offer them an apple and just as the horse takes it they shoot the horse, the horse doesnt know its gonna happen and completely trusts the person doing that i think that is the best way to go.
 
In theory i'ld like to say the gun, but I don't think I could say for definite unless I was in that situation.
 
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The ones I've had PTS were done by injection by a vet who is very good at it and there was no trauma, it was quick and silent with no muscle twitching afterwards so thats the way I would always go. Had a "downer" cow put down by the knacker with a gun and would never let it happen again, the bullets didnt seem strong enough and it had to be repeated, the next time I had a cow to go I got the vet to put her down and the knacker to collect her!
 
fizzer said:
Always had injection and then cremated individually with ashes returned, have been with friends that have used the gun and its not for me. Its personal choice in my opinion, no right or wrong.

I say to anyone in that awful position, do what you think is best for you and your animal. I sat recently with a friend who chose the gun for her horse as he had such a bad time through out his life with vets and injections.
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I completely agree.
 
NOISYGIRL said:
Injection, and as long as you are prepared for any after movements so it doesn't frighten you
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I have not seen any movements when a horse is PTS by injection, but they do make some heavy breathing noises tat could be distressing if you are not warned first. By then the horse is completely unconscius though an it is no different to being put to sleep for an operation. It is just that the dosage is so high that it stops the heart a few minutes after the horse goes to sleep.

With the gun, I have been told there can be quite a bit of thrashing about afterwards. Again, I have been told that ths is post mortem. But as I have no witnessed it myself, I cannot say whether this is true.

I guess at the end of the day that both methods can go wrong, but I would much rather have to reinject a horse, than shoot it for a second time. It's all down to personal choice though, and as others have said, some horses are needle shy. I have one on my yard. It takes three of us to give him his annual injections!
 
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I think it definitely depends on the horse/situation In ideal circumstances I would always choose the injection but if there was a reason why it could not be done then I would have to go with the gun.
Pharaoh was put down with the injection, he was sedated anyway so he was lead to a nice grassy bit and then injected. I have heard some horror stories about the injection and it did worry me as I didn't want it to be drawn out or go wrong (have heard of people sedating the horse and letting it go down then being injected whilst the horses head is on the owners lap which is definitely not something I wanted) but Pharaoh went quick and peacefully which made the situation much better.
 
I would choose the injection as a preference but if however either of my horses should be in a hopeless distress say out on a hunting field as happened to one horse I knew then I would go for whatever would be available quicker to put the horse out of its misery.
 
Wagtail said:
With the gun, I have been told there can be quite a bit of thrashing about afterwards. Again, I have been told that ths is post mortem. But as I have no witnessed it myself, I cannot say whether this is true.
QUOTE]

This is exactly what i witnessed, i wont go into detail as its far too gory. But it has to be the most horrific thing i have seen (and i enjoy watching the Saw films).
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MaisieMooandCometToo said:
I would choose the injection as a preference but if however either of my horses should be in a hopeless distress say out on a hunting field as happened to one horse I knew then I would go for whatever would be available quicker to put the horse out of its misery.
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Could not agree more! Having just had to put my girl to sleep on sun with a fracture to the tibia I would have used any method to get her out of pain. Vet use injection and was as ok as it could be.:(
 
just had to let my boy go and decided on injection wouldnt want it any other way now especially with our vet who we really love
 
Depends on the situation.

If a horse is down or on the table and it's easier by injection then that, but by choice and appointment I'd go with the gun - preferably at the Kennels.

In an emergency (and allowing for the fact that my Vet can be 4 hours away) I'd call a neighbour and have them shoot them, if I had a gun and the necessity arose I'd do it myself.
 
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appylass said:
Completely agree. I would have liked an option of 'whichever is most appropriate for the animal'.

I have seen many large animals, cattle and horses shot over the years (farmer's daughter). I have never seen it go wrong so for me it is quick and instant. My horse of a lifetime was shot, he was dead before he got to the ground, he knew nothing whatsoever about it. I have said before on these type of threads it is important to do whatever is right for you after considering the factors TGM has outlined above. I am grateful to my parents for never shielding me from animals being put down with a gun, it has made it easier for me to chose what I believe is often the quickest and easiest way.
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I totally agree with this although I'm 'not a farmer's daughter' but I was brought up in an age where children weren't shielded from real life and death of animals unlike today when parents seem to want to wrap their preciouses in cotton wool which does them no good whatsoever if they are going to own any animal. Nature can be the cruellest thing, the sooner they realise that it also applies to their own and not just wild creatures, so much the better I feel and you wouldn't have so very many animals suffering because owners can't face up to putting them down by any method. Reading about some events when horses have been injected and things have gone wrong brings me very much to the conclusion that it is the 'prettier' but not always the most efficient way of doing things in this sheltered age but as long as owners are doing the right thing, I think that's the main thing, how they choose their method is entirely up to them.
I still remember how very shocked and upset I was when the first picture of a murdered human body was shown in the papers many years ago, it was horrific and affected me a lot which is almost laughable now it is so commonplace and not even screened from children but owners still can't face up to facts that the right thing to do would be to put their horse down; it defies logic to me.
 
i think what ever method we choose, it isnt going to be nice, we are ending a life in a circumstance which often is sudden like injury, whether it is injection or gun, there will be twitching etc as that is what happens natrally either way it will happen, with injection about 5 mins after the heart has stopped beating a lot of horses take a huge gasp in, which to be an owner who hasnt been warned is horrible as you think they are still alive, and by the gun, eyes sometimes twitch and muscles contract and release which makes there body move this happens in both cases, i think we should do what is right in a situation, not all vets carry a gun and often there has been a build up to when the time is right to let go when you can make the decision to have the gun or not, i think either way they are going to the same place its just for our comfort x
 
Wagtail said:
I have not seen any movements when a horse is PTS by injection, but they do make some heavy breathing noises tat could be distressing if you are not warned first. By then the horse is completely unconscius though an it is no different to being put to sleep for an operation. It is just that the dosage is so high that it stops the heart a few minutes after the horse goes to sleep.

With the gun, I have been told there can be quite a bit of thrashing about afterwards. Again, I have been told that ths is post mortem. But as I have no witnessed it myself, I cannot say whether this is true.

I guess at the end of the day that both methods can go wrong, but I would much rather have to reinject a horse, than shoot it for a second time. It's all down to personal choice though, and as others have said, some horses are needle shy. I have one on my yard. It takes three of us to give him his annual injections!
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I would defo do it by injection, not an option for me, my horse is good with needles, I've seen it done to my friends horse and he just went peacfully, thats what I want for my boy. My pony was injected but I wasnt' there so dunno what happened and haven't asked my husband and my father has past away now so can't anyway.
 
I have had both used on my horses and have to say they are both only as good as the person administering them. I have seen a few horses react badly to the injection - I don't think they suffered, but I have seen one go straight through a brick wall, and another take out a barn door before it's head exploded on the far wall as it was at a gallop basically - they were both dead as soon as the injection was finished but the reflexes kicked in and it kick starts the flight reflex big time. I also know one that was running on the spot once it went down for 20mins before it stopped, which can happen for a few minutes with a gun too, but rather upsetting for the owners to watch if you don't understand or haven't seen many animals pts before.
So personally I don't mind either but the injection would be my first choice as less chance of missing!, and most vets are pretty good at jabs and most horses are OK with needles, all of mine have been dead before they hit the ground and it was all very calm before that.
 
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