Euthanasia?

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horseygirlexmuth

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HI, im unfortunatly and heartbreakingly at the stage where i have decided to have my beloved ponio PTS. I have never been in this situation before and also never witnessed it. would anyone be so kind as to offer advice on methods. injection or humane bullet? what are your experiences and opinions?
Thanks in advance
 
Sorry to hear that you are going through this, but you are right that it is worth considering the options however hard the decision is.

This is a useful leaflet on euthanasia, produced by British Horse Society: http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/BHS/Files/PDF Documents/Euthanasia Leaflet.ashx It really covers most aspects.

My personal preference has always been for the lethal injection, but that is purely because I wanted to be with each pony at the end, and I thought I would not handle the sight of the gun and the chance of quite large amounts of blood well.

However, from all that I've heard from many people on email groups and in person, both methods seem equally humane for the animal. With either method, there may be a few reflex twitches/kicks after the animal has died. Of the five I've had put to sleep by injection, only one showed any reflex kicking at all and only for a couple of seconds. All of them just became more sedated, head low to the floor and gradually crumpled to the ground, and that was it.

You will probably hear one or two people speak of very rare bad experiences with either method, but the vast majority go very smoothly.

Definitely worth speaking with whoever you are going to ask to do the deed in advance so you have chance to consider/agree the best location (a soft grassy landing and good access for a vehicle to remove the body), whether to allow close herdmates to see the body, disposal of the body (our vet takes care of arranging that for us, and coordinates it so that the vehicle arrives very shortly after the horse has fallen) etc.

With one very stressy mare, the vet and I agreed to give her half a tube of sedalin half an hour before the vet arrived. It just took the edge off her, so she barely noticed the first injection of sedative, and that made it easier to put the larger needle in for the final injection. I have opted to give sedalin since then because I really felt it eased things for all of us.

Best wishes.

Sarah
 
I would book the hunt for a day when the forecast is good, turn pony out in the sun then let the hunt do the job when the pony has had a bellyfull of grass. A good huntsman will do the job quickly, efficiently and sympathetically.
Sorry you have had to make this decision.
 
jrp204 said:
I would book the hunt for a day when the forecast is good, turn pony out in the sun then let the hunt do the job when the pony has had a bellyfull of grass. A good huntsman will do the job quickly, efficiently and sympathetically.
Sorry you have had to make this decision.
Click to expand...

I agree completely - and is what I have done with all of my horses.
 
If it wasn't for the fact that my vet charges over £200 to do the injection, on top of what it costs to shoot a horse, I would probably choose that method next time. I'm a really tough person, but the gunshot and the sudden collapse of the horse is not nice for the handler. For the horse, I think both methods are good. One is more 'peaceful' but the other is over so quickly they don't know a thing.

I wish you well with whichever you choose.
 
I've gone for lethal injection every time. It's personal preference but I like to spend a few moments with them afterwards, I like to hold them and be there and I think the after effects of the gun would upset me far too much. They are usually sedated prior to the injection being administered and I've found the whole experience calm and peaceful.

I've held horses that have been shot and its different when they aren't yours but, for me, I wouldn't want to remember them that way.
 
cptrayes said:
I'm a really tough person, but the gunshot and the sudden collapse of the horse is not nice for the handler. For the horse, I think both methods are good. One is more 'peaceful' but the other is over so quickly they don't know a thing.

I wish you well with whichever you choose.
Click to expand...

I've never stood with the horse whilst it's shot - I've left the huntsman and his colleague deal with it. Coward, most definitely. However my views are that the professionals are best left to get on with it, without a very upset owner standing by.
 
My experiences of injection have been very positive. I like to be with them as they fall asleep. It's been peaceful and humane and enables me to be close as we part for the final time.
I'm as soft as lights, but I'm never upset until they're actually gone. It's the last thing I can do for them.

I'm sorry you're in this situation OP. Making the decision is the hardest part but knowing that you gave them a dignified and peaceful end is quite a consolation.
 
I went with injection as I don't like loud noises and my horse knew what guns were and that they went bang and frightened her. On the day she was gently sedated then given the final injection. The vet was very kind and explained every stage very carefully to me, although I was completely familiar with it, but I appreciated being warned of what might happen. As it turned out she started snoring then gently collapsed down. He explained that at the moment of collapse she would be completely unconscious so unaware of falling or the landing. I was able to sit and stroke her neck until he confirmed that her heart had stopped and she was gone. She never once twitched or suddenly breathed or anything like that. It was exactly as I'd wanted for her and although it was obviously very upsetting for me, it wasn't frightening, messy, or apparently violent so everything was calm which helped me to hold things together so that I didn't alarm her. She was an old lady who wasn't going to benefit from another miserable winter, so it was the right time and the right thing. The only thing I would say is that the process of dying can take a couple of minutes, but as they are completely out of it, I don't think that is a problem. You hear horror stories of people saying oh the injection makes them have a heart attack and its really painful or whatever, but the injection slows the heart gradually until it stops, just as a natural death does and if they are unconscious they aren't aware of anything anyway.

A friend of mine has had two put down, one by each method. She said she never got over the sound of the gun going off with the first pony.
 
You need to be mindful that the horror stories of injections gone wrong are usually in the very very small minority and usually a long time ago when injections were not so efficient as they are now.
 
So sorry to hear the news, it's the hardest decision to make but a very brave one too - sending huge hugs your way. Before losing my horse I'd never seen anything be put to sleep so didn't know what to expect either.
When my beautiful boy was put to sleep it was completely unplanned, he came down with severe colic one night and just kept getting worse despite our vets efforts - she used the injection method early in the morning. She sedated him first which sent him into a very dreamy state, I'm sure he didn't have any awareness of what was going on by that point but I held his head and said my goodbyes. She then gave him the final injection and it was all over very quickly, his knees buckled and he fell to the floor as if he'd suddenly fallen asleep, with me still cuddling him - she explained that the reason he dropped so quickly was due to the pain he was in - he was just ready to go. What did shock me is that he gave a few loud gasps as he lay there, which she assured me was normal but it did upset me as I didn't expect it - so that's something to be aware of. Although it was completely heartbreaking, I feel he went in a nice way - the vet who was there loved him to bits and he absolutely adored her, so he had complete trust in her and wasn't worried by anything. I'm so very grateful for how strong she was throughout the whole thing, I completely broke down once he was gone but she was incredible.
I would advise you not to be there when the body is taken away as it will be very upsetting to watch - I'm extremely grateful for my mother being there for that part, so that the last image I have of my special horse is him lying curled up on the floor in his stable. x
 
I had my pony injected, I wasn't there when it was done.

I was there for my friends pony to be PTS by injection and after seeing how he went am glad I chose that method for my own. As long as you are warned what will/could happen you will be fine.

Like when they put a dog to sleep, there could be some movement/sounds after etc.

Gun ! as long as its dead 1st shot ! all I have to say, I'd much rather it go to sleep and drift off

It is your personal choice.....
 
sorry you have to do this . its good to know all of the options. i have had a combination of the 2, mine was given a sedative injection first and i stayed feeding mints until she was virtually asleep on her feet and didnt want any mints. i then walked away and she was shot..i didnt look back and had a friend who made sure she had gone and stayed while she was taken away.....mine was done by my lovely vet who suggested that i remember her standing dozing and happy...and for me this was the right option. i have had this method with my last horse and will do when the time comes for my current one (who is now 22 and suffering from cushings) good luck with whichever method you choose, remember with each method, the horse wont know, its only a problem for us..
 
I personally used a professional knackerman - he is an expert as pts is his day job rather than a vet who might do it once in a while. Hunts round here don't do it sadly. He is extremely gentle and kind and clearly understands horses very well. Things that I hadn't thought of
The gun is small - fits in his hand - not a shot gun size
The hole it makes is small so v little mess - he recommended standing him on grass and I threw a bucket of water over the spot which was plenty
I was strangely pleased I was there as it was soooo quick I was very sure he had no idea - if I hadn't have seen I might have wondered but I am control freak in most things so not everyone would be the same here.
Totaly agree with everone above - don't watch him being put on the lorry

Cost is also a factor - knackerman is c.£150 for a 16.1 horse to pts and dispose of body - vet are quite a lot more than this.
 
Am so sorry OP you're in this position, it comes to all of us at some stage or another, sadly.

The thing you need to think about, whichever method you choose, and particularly if you elect for the hunt to come as the carcass will be whisked away very quickly and you won't have time........ is what, for want of a better phrase, "mementoes" of your horse you keep, i.e. a piece of mane and/or tail, shoes, etc etc.

When my last horse was PTS by lethal injection, there was a delay of several hours before the people could come and collect his body, so it was left in the field, which some people might find a bit distressing, and he'd started to go all cold and stiff, so I covered him up and said goodbye, and left him, but this is the risk you take with the PTS by injection option, i.e. that the picking up of the body can happen almost at the same time, OR as in my case, you have to wait for them to come.

Whereas with the hunt, they collect the carcass there and then and its done. The disadvantage here is that (obviously) you won't get the chance to sit with your horse's body, and gradually say goodbye in your own time, simply because the hunt staff need to crack on ......... so you might like to bear this in mind too.

BEFORE the "deed" is done, think about what you'd like to keep of your horse, morbid thoughts I know, but it will help you if you think about it beforehand. I kept my horse's lovely tail, and some of the hairs on his face/muzzle area because that's where we always used to kiss and cuddle....... and stuck it on a piece of sellotape so that I'd have it for ever. Also you probably will want to keep some shoes from him.

And DON'T take any pictures of your horse on the same day as when he's PTS.... you'll only look at them in the future and wish you hadn't.

And ditto what others have said about whether you're there or not for the end. Only you can decide. I have a very special friend who performs this service for people & horses she knows, and can remain detached from the whole thing whilst providing support for the friend AND the horse when it needs it. Horses are extremely sensitive, and if their owner is upset then this can and does upset them. If you think you might be a bit wobbly, then it might be right to ask someone else like a friend to hold your horse and be a calm influence for them when they need it most, and at this point you say your goodbye and walk away.

And ditto not being there for the loading up. Most professionals would gently steer you away anyway at this point. Don't be there. Go and have a fag, get yourself a stiff drink, whatever, but don't be there. Let your last memory of your horse be a pleasant one, its what he'd want.
 
Sorry to hear this, it's such a sad time.

I had my boy pts with injection. I phoned the vet at 9 in the morning and they came at lunchtime so I had all morning to know what was coming and for me it was awful so this is something to bear in mind. I guess for some it would be lovely to have the last few hours together as you wish so give it some thought.

As has been said the injection is reasonably peaceful but I wasn't prepared for the 'falling' and it actually knocked me off balance as I was holding him. I think if I had known what would happen it would have been fine but I wasn't prepared. My boy also gave a few sharp breaths and then a complete let out of air after he was down, as well as a lot of urine leaving his body. It's just things you may not be prepared for and unfortunately it's those things that have stayed with me.

I couldn't agree more with everyone who has said don't be there for the removal of the body, please for your own sake leave before this happens. It took a few hours for my boy to be collected and I had long gone but there were signs left in the dusty ground of him being moved so try to have yours on grass if possible.

Sending you hugs at this difficult time.
 
Sorry you are in this position. Luckily I've only had one horse PTS and I wanted to be with her so opted for the injection simply because I couldn't bear to see her shot.
She went very quickly and peacefully. She went down like she would normally and when it was over she just looked like she was asleep.
I didn't stay to see her taken away.
(((Hugs)))
 
Splash mine was the same 3 weeks tomorrow ago, I wasn't present some amazing friends were but she was heavily sedated and then shot by the vet and the hunts nen turned up early and were asked to come back in a hr or so once the other horse had chance to say bye to her best friend. They sat with her after and say she knew nothing, yes it may be more expensive but it's s very personal decision.
 
I think every horse-owner should decide before the time comes how they want to do the final kindness for their horse.
I've had several horses pts over the years, by vet injection, shot by hunt and shot by knacker. Having seen 2 have a difficult reaction to the injection (no incompetence by vet, just the horse's reaction), I would always have them shot if possible. The horse knows nothing at all about guns and is dead literally before it hits the ground. I would never have one shot by the vet as they get very little opportunity to practise and the hunt and knacker are experts. You are not able to hold the horse if you opt for the gun, as you must stand behind the gun for safety.
I last had a horse pts by injection 2 yrs ago and one shot earlier this year. There was very little more blood from the shot horse than from the injected one. We've always had the job done on the yard, which is also used by Labradors and after a quick clean up, even the labs have been none the wiser, they certainly haven't been rooted to the spot as you might imagine they would be.

I agree that you really don't want to be there when the body is moved.
 
OP - a sad but brave decision. I hope it goes smoothly, whichever method you choose. Having been present at both methods, right to the end, personally I prefer the humane bolt over the injection, but each has their advocates. Great advice on thinking about momentos, and not watching the removal.

eta- the pony who was PTS with the humane killer, by the hunt, was laid down. I sat next to him and and held his head as the huntsman did the job. Not messy, not particularly loud, very very quick.

Holidays-you said 'once the other had a chance to say goodbye'.

Please can you describe how that went? It is something I have been wondering about when the time comes for my old mare. Mine are kept at home, and the old mare ( now 25, a bit arthritic and losing her mind a bit) has lived with her son for most of his 9 years, and the other mare for most of the last 15 years- so they are all very close. Do you think it will help if they are allowed to say goodbye to the old mare after she has been PTS?
 
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Cragrat I think it's very important for the rest of the herd to see the body and to know what's happened. With mine we just allowed them all into the field where he was and they had a look and a sniff and moved on, so once they had all moved away they were closed back into the other field.

I've found it the same with the dogs, when our old dog was pts at home we allowed the boys in to see her and the did exactly the same - a quick sniff and then left the room.

This way they know and don't have to wonder where their companion is - well in my view anyway, we are all different when it comes to this sort of thing.
 
horseygirlexmuth said:
HI, im unfortunatly and heartbreakingly at the stage where i have decided to have my beloved ponio PTS. I have never been in this situation before and also never witnessed it. would anyone be so kind as to offer advice on methods. injection or humane bullet? what are your experiences and opinions?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

We're very sorry you've found yourself in this position. Putting an animal to sleep (euthanasing) frequently means a difficult time for the owner but often it's ultimately the best and most responsible thing that can be done for the horse or pony, which you should take comfort from.

Flintfootfilly has already helpfully steered you to our downloadable leaflet on euthanasia, but it sounds like you might also benefit from our free support service, Friends at the End.

More than 100 of our volunteer Welfare Officers have attended training that will help them support horse owners through the difficult process of saying goodbye. BHS Friends will discuss the choices with owners, from the method of euthanasia to what to do afterwards. Many are willing to be there on the day to offer support, and some will even hold the horse if the owner doesn’t feel able. All BHS Friends are Welfare Officers who love horses and know what the owner is going through. It might help to know that if you don’t feel able to be there for your horse’s final moments, there is a horse lover willing to be with them.

All of our Friends at the End have lost horses themselves and received training from bereavement counsellors, so they have a genuine understand of the loss and grief that come when a horse dies. They aren’t there to take the place of a counsellor or vet, but they can offer an extra source of support. At the hardest time in a horse owner’s journey, our Friends are available to make it as smooth and straightforward as possible.

For others who are interested, Friends can also explain and discuss the other options available if you find you can't keep your horse for whatever reason - depending on the individual situation, it doesn't always have to end in euthanasia.

More information and contact details are available at http://www.bhs.org.uk/ownership-advice/euthanasia-and-friends-at-the-end. We wish OP and anyone else in this situation the very best.
 
I can truthfully say that the worst part of the whole thing for me was ringing the vet and the crem to book it in - do it in that order so that the crem if you are using one know roughly when to come down. I paid for her collection over the phone with the booking and the crem staff were very kind but not laying it on with a trowel. It was business-like but not impersonal. The vet surgery staff were warned about 3 months before of my plans, so it wasn't unexpected when I called them and again, it was right, what would you like? The "taxi" ( I did actually greet the driver that way!) arrived about 20 minutes after the vet left. I had already loaded up my car and turned it around in the yard so that I could just get in and drive away. I took some pieces of mane and tail and photographed and filmed her the day before - that was hard too as I felt I was somehow spoiling her mane and tail and in reality I didn't take enough to make any jewellery (I might be able to get a ring out it though, but that is for the future). I took it from underneath so that it didn't show - crazy I know. I also spent the last few weeks collecting some of her winter fur as it dropped out so I have a bag full of chestnut hair from her body and white hair from her stocking and star. When the vet came I did my best to treat as just a normal visit. I even covered her eye as he put the sedative in, just as I would have done if he had simply been taking a blood sample or something - it was just the autopilot for me I suppose. Seeing her fall wasn't upsetting for me as being an epileptic, I had seen her fall far more dangerously and violently numerous times over the years. The vet had instructed me to hand him the leadrope and step back as soon as her legs started to go so that he could guide her down but she actually did it very neatly and gently all by herself.

By funny coincidence, when I had my old cat PTS a few weeks ago :( it was the vet who had met my horse when he was just a student many years previously. Not surprisingly he remembered her! He was sad to hear that she had finally gone, but was pleased to hear that she had done so well.
 
We've had rather too much of this over the last couple of years and have lost 4 - they say with oldies, once one goes, it's like dominoes... and it's true. I've told the others they've got to last at least another 10 years.

I've got no real personal preference for method as long as the person doing it knows what they're doing. We opted for injection for our oldies purely because their friends would be watching and they were in tight knit stable herds. We wanted it to be quiet and we also needed those few seconds gap between cause and effect, so as not to upset the others and so they didn't think that the humans had done it. We let them climb all over their departed friend afterwards if they wanted to and arranged for the collection to be around 45 mins after. It generally took a couple of weeks for the status quo in the herd to be restored/rebalanced each time and we didn't ask too much of them in that time. Horses do grieve - Spud in particular was very down after losing H, and I was quite worried about him as he is such a happy, simple soul.

Hugs for you, OP.
 
If you have a look on Youtube, there is footage of an oldhorse that had been rescued by a sanctuary. They realised they could do no more for her other than have her gently PTS. It is worth watching to give you an idea of timescale and what actually happens when the choice is injection. There is nothing too close up or intrusive. Even the vet cried.
 
It's actually still quite hard for me to write on one of these threads, its so emotive. I chose the injection and wouldn't hesitate to do so again, I held ebony, yes I was feeling sick and shaking... Talking some incredibly stupid lies saying 'its ok, it's ok' over and over again... When it was anything but. For me, it was the most important thing that I be there to hold her, and yes I was a mess, but she didn't care, she remained absolutely calm, she gently dropped to the floor as if she were lying down, and slowly her heart stopped. It was so painful, but definitely what I would choose to do again, she was relaxed and calm, and I know if it had to be the bullet I simply couldn't have been there and I wouldn't know that I was the last thing she saw... This gives me huge comfort. Not all injections or gunshots go the same, but the brutality of the gun, is something I couldn't deal with.
 
BHS_official said:
We're very sorry you've found yourself in this position. Putting an animal to sleep (euthanasing) frequently means a difficult time for the owner but often it's ultimately the best and most responsible thing that can be done for the horse or pony, which you should take comfort from.

Flintfootfilly has already helpfully steered you to our downloadable leaflet on euthanasia, but it sounds like you might also benefit from our free support service, Friends at the End.

More than 100 of our volunteer Welfare Officers have attended training that will help them support horse owners through the difficult process of saying goodbye. BHS Friends will discuss the choices with owners, from the method of euthanasia to what to do afterwards. Many are willing to be there on the day to offer support, and some will even hold the horse if the owner doesn’t feel able. All BHS Friends are Welfare Officers who love horses and know what the owner is going through. It might help to know that if you don’t feel able to be there for your horse’s final moments, there is a horse lover willing to be with them.

All of our Friends at the End have lost horses themselves and received training from bereavement counsellors, so they have a genuine understand of the loss and grief that come when a horse dies. They aren’t there to take the place of a counsellor or vet, but they can offer an extra source of support. At the hardest time in a horse owner’s journey, our Friends are available to make it as smooth and straightforward as possible.

For others who are interested, Friends can also explain and discuss the other options available if you find you can't keep your horse for whatever reason - depending on the individual situation, it doesn't always have to end in euthanasia.

More information and contact details are available at http://www.bhs.org.uk/ownership-advice/euthanasia-and-friends-at-the-end. We wish OP and anyone else in this situation the very best.
Click to expand...

Just to say that I found this leaflet incredibly helpful when I made my choice.
 
Queenbee said:
It's actually still quite hard for me to write on one of these threads, its so emotive. I chose the injection and wouldn't hesitate to do so again, I held ebony, yes I was feeling sick and shaking... Talking some incredibly stupid lies saying 'its ok, it's ok' over and over again... When it was anything but. For me, it was the most important thing that I be there to hold her, and yes I was a mess, but she didn't care, she remained absolutely calm, she gently dropped to the floor as if she were lying down, and slowly her heart stopped. It was so painful, but definitely what I would choose to do again, she was relaxed and calm, and I know if it had to be the bullet I simply couldn't have been there and I wouldn't know that I was the last thing she saw... This gives me huge comfort. Not all injections or gunshots go the same, but the brutality of the gun, is something I couldn't deal with.
Click to expand...

Exactly, just how I felt too. And don't say that you lied to her because you didn't. You made it all right because you took away all the pain and made her better again, just not in this world.
 
So sorry you are facing this OP.

Just a few days ago I booked the huntsman to come at the end of this month. It's my first time and I'm pretty much alone dealing with it. My girl is 28 now and last winter was hard on us both. Especially after the washout of a summer.

I've spent the last 9 months reading as much as I can and preparing. I believe both the injection and shot to be quick and painless in 99.9% of cases. So my choice came down to finances. £80 with the huntsman for a 13h pony, compared to £100s for the vet and body removal. Reality bites.

Being alone I have contacted the BHS about their Friends at the End. I've had a mail back with the leaflet and the contact number for a local BHS welfare officer. I've already done all the planning but I will probably give her a call next week. I just think I am going to burst into tears really talking about it and I'm trying to avoid that because becoming too emotional might make me question my decision.

When spring arrived and my girl moulted I kept as much of her winter fluff as I could and now have a good carrier bag full. The day before she goes I will give her a bath, take my last pics and take a good bunch of tail hair and some mane/forelock. She will go with her head in a bucket of food with chunks of Mars bar on top. Hopefully it will be a dry day and with luck she will have the early morning sun on her back. She won't know a thing about it and she will never be in pain or cold or hungry again.

My digital photo taking is getting to be 100's a week and I prop my phone up to video us a couple of times a week while I groom her and she wipes slop food all over me :D. I'm always on my own with her so last week a friend very kindly came and took some photos of us together as I only have about 3 pics of us both! I spruced her up, put on some clean clothes and brushed my hair and we led her to a little sunlit glade where he took some beautiful photos on real film (lol) so I have real photos to hold. I already treasure them.

I have booked the week after off work and my bosses are understanding so if I need to be locked in a room on my own when I go back they will do it lol

I am being brave and realistic because I know this is the last thing I can do for her. The breakdown will come afterwards. I hope you can find the strength to do the same xx

Thank you to everyone that has posted, I've found it to be very comforting xx
 
Local knackerman, he was on time, understanding and the job was done very quickly outside one off the fields with a mouth full of grass, horse knew nothing and was shot and loaded up and gone in no time.

Only thing I'd suggest is make sure you are out of the way, so you don't hear the shot or see the horse being wenched up onto the wagon.

Really sorry to hear you are having to decide but it does make it a little easier talking about it, so you can be sure you have made the right choice for you and your horse. Either way you have the same outcome, which is putting an old or injured friend out of any further or future pain, they are lucky that we can sort that out for them.

Your friends will support you, you may have to return the favour one day, won't make it any easier now but you'll gain the stregnth you'll not have now, to deal with it for them.

Take a shoe or a piece of mane or tail , make yourself a nice keepsake, cherish the good times and take experience from the bad and remember you have given them what every horse deserves, a dignified ending.
 
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