Having a horse put down - Injection or Gun ?

[laura_nash]

I think the main thing is to use someone experienced who knows what they are doing, whichever method you choose. Shooting is better if the horse is vet or needle phobic, or has serious health problems (eg failing circulation) that might effect the injection. I went with the injection for the last pony I had PTS and it was very quick and peaceful.

 

[celeste-izzy]

I'm sorry to hear this.
It really comes down to your own preference. I've held many for the gun, it's instant for the horse but more traumatic for owners. Infact I held my pony which id had for 20 years when her time came.
I have witnessed a couple go by the injection, and in comparison I'd say the gun is quicker.
Every time I've been with a horse there has been no issues. Do you know of a local knacker man who you would use? You can always ring them for a chat about it if you feel you need too. Depending on your area I would highly recommend who I use, he will travel out of the county and provides free removal. He also provides cremation services.
If you opt for the injection have you had a chat with your vet?

 

[Lois Lame]

I've never had a horse shot, but it is my preferred method due to what Pearlsasinger wrote. It's also better environmentally.

BUT, you have to be comfortable with it, you have to also know someone who is capable of doing it well. I didn't know of anyone so always chose the injection.

Interesting what tpo said about not enough anesthetic administered in the past. I also have heard horror stories, but only on forums.

The pony I had put down about 18 months ago went off fairly well. Put it this way, it was hard for me to judge. Before the vet administered the anaesthetic, he asked me if I'd ever seen a horse put down. I said, "Yes, yes," thinking of all my past geldings, but as a second and third dose of anaesthetic was administered, I thought, I don't remember all this anaesth- hang on a minute! I've only seen dogs put down, and the cat. Oh God.

Luckily the vet had told me to be aware that the horse might lurch a bit afterwards, before falling. Yet, when it happened, I kind of screamed. And bust into tears. He had been sedated, it's not that he felt anything. The vet assured me that the horse was dead when it happened.

Anyhow, what I am trying to say it's a personal choice what you choose. We're all behind you in this difficult time.

 

[ycbm]

I've never had a horse shot .... It's also better environmentally

I'm struggling to understand that one?
.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

All bar one of mine have been shot either by the local hunt or by a knacker. I usually hand over to the knacker and walk away hands over ears. He prefers to hold them himself as he can move with them until he gets the right spot and they are quiet. Have to say I can't fault him. The one that was put down by injection was a colic case. I would think shooting is cheaper, only have the cost of the knacker. Usually costs us about £240 or did back in 2017. Plus side of injection is that you can spend time with them after if you want to. Personally I don't.

 

[Birker2020]

All mine bar one were put to sleep with injection but I wasn't around any at the time. The one that was shot had broken his leg in the field and I wasn't asked which method I preferred but to be honest it was a time crucial thing, so it didn't matter.

My last horse was pts with an injection, we chose to stay and had already told the vet that but I said to the vet at the last minute I wanted to have my back to her when she went down as I didn't want my last memory of her to be falling.

The vet told us to go and wait behind the trailers which we did and within about 40 seconds we heard a thump, when I dared look around the trailer a few seconds later she was gone, no breathing.

I'd had her 17 years.

The injections are different to the horror stories of years ago, these days you don't have horses 'fighting lethal injections' or anything similar.

 

[honetpot]

My preference is shot, the hunt or a good fallen stock company does many a day, and you do not have the body waiting for truck. There is also the cost, fallen stock is cheaper, usually a couple of hundred pounds, including disposal. My last one cost £140. I have had three PTS by injection, and keep in mind if they have poor circulation, or the vet underdoses it may not always be quick.

 

[rabatsa]

In the last 18 months I have had to have four pts.

One on a Sunday afternoon was vet and injection. This was very harrowing for both us, the animal and the vet as she refused to die. The veins in the neck ended up all blown, she had been treated for colic several times that weekend. The vet had to go back to base for heart needles and it still took a further two attempts to pts.

The other three were all planned in advance and were shot by the local knackerman. All dropped at once.

If price is a consideration then the knackerman did not charge for the shooting, the removal costs were the same for all four animals. The vet only charged me for the drugs, he also did not charge for the colic callouts, he was extremely upset himself but it was no ones fault that things went tits up.

 

[Birker2020]

All mine have been Injection. Some planned some not. All sedated before hand and went very peacefully. Definitely as said before get a professional huntsman if you prefer to shoot as I have witnessed a vet making a complete mess when he missed my friends horse twice. Absolutely terrified the horse who reared and fell breaking his leg.

Yep my ISH had to be shot as he had a compound fracture of his tibia whilst turned out in the field, friend was trying to catch her horse for a lesson and fortunately saw the accident so was able to get help immediately.

The vet shot him once and then shot him about 15 seconds later. Apparently he'd turned his head or something. I had walked behind a big clump of bush by that point so I didn't see it thank God.

Please don't let that put you off if you want to go for that method though. Just make sure its not a vet that is doing it.

 

[Birker2020]

In the last 18 months I have had to have four pts.

One on a Sunday afternoon was vet and injection. This was very harrowing for both us, the animal and the vet as she refused to die. The veins in the neck ended up all blown, she had been treated for colic several times that weekend. The vet had to go back to base for heart needles and it still took a further two attempts to pts.

The other three were all planned in advance and were shot by the local knackerman. All dropped at once.

If price is a consideration then the knackerman did not charge for the shooting, the removal costs were the same for all four animals. The vet only charged me for the drugs, he also did not charge for the colic callouts, he was extremely upset himself but it was no ones fault that things went tits up.

How terribly sad for all involved, that is not something you would ever want to witness. So sorry x

 

[Lyle]

Its a very personal decision. just went through this with my old boy. It wasn't planned, although I knew it was coming soon and had been making arrangements. A field accident meant he took that decision away from me. A friend/neighbour came and used a gun. I said my good byes, my partner held him and the old boy was stuffing his face with feed. No stress, no anxiety, they don't know what a gun in a person's hands means. My personal choice, I did not stay for the shot, as i feel me crying would potentially add anxiety to the situation. He knew my partner well and was more than happy to stand and eat out of the bucket. I'm lucky that we were able to bury him on our property.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have seen lots and I mean lots of horses put down .
IMO by far the best way is shooting it’s what I work hard to achieve for my own .
Injecting which I have seen as well was mainly used in situations where shooting was not safe for those around the horse for example a horse stuck in a ditch unable to get out and it situations like that it is the best option.
Large horses need a catheter fitted one of mine was PTS like this as it was all the vet did not have access to a gun when we needed it , this was around five years ago.
This horses needed a lot of drug it was a protracted thing getting enough in despite sedation he was very aware and resisting in the end he went over backwards although I was assured he was unconscious and that what caused him to fall it was not an easy end .
I have mine lightly sedated with an injection this reduces the small chance of anything going wrong then shot .

 

[chaps89]

Both of mine had the knackerman. Different chap each time, both were professional. I handed the horse over, gave them a last treat, went and sat in the car, gave it a few minutes then went to say goodbye, they had their heads covered. I then left them to it to load up.
Both were done at the crack of dawn before anyone else was at the yard (different yards) and knackerman happy to come at that time.
I didn’t have either of them sedated first but my current one I probably would as he does like to fling his head around for a good scratch and wouldn’t want any chance of it going wrong, I felt that risk much smaller for the others and don’t personally think sedation is much fun for them.
It’s personal choice, so whatever you are most comfortable with ultimately.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Both of mine had the knackerman. Different chap each time, both were professional. I handed the horse over, gave them a last treat, went and sat in the car, gave it a few minutes then went to say goodbye, they had their heads covered. I then left them to it to load up.
Both were done at the crack of dawn before anyone else was at the yard (different yards) and knackerman happy to come at that time.
I didn’t have either of them sedated first but my current one I probably would as he does like to fling his head around for a good scratch and wouldn’t want any chance of it going wrong, I felt that risk much smaller for the others and don’t personally think sedation is much fun for them.
It’s personal choice, so whatever you are most comfortable with ultimately.

I agree I wouldn't want my horses' last experience to be the haze of sedation. One of our current horses really doesn't like being sedated and my personal experience is that it is a very unpleasant feeling.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Duplicate

 

[milliepops]

again it's an individual thing. The unsedated horse i witnessed being injected reacted violently eventually breaking its neck, with just half a syringe successfully put in at that point. it was catastrophic and chaotic and my friend was absolutely beside herself. a haze of sedation would have been a kinder way IMO. I think people should weigh things up for themselves but if in doubt, err on the side of caution.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

again it's an individual thing. The unsedated horse i witnessed being injected reacted violently eventually breaking its neck, with just half a syringe successfully put in at that point. it was catastrophic and chaotic and my friend was absolutely beside herself. a haze of sedation would have been a kinder way IMO. I think people should weigh things up for themselves but if in doubt, err on the side of caution.

That is one reason that I prefer the gun, I should have made clear that my comment was supplementary to my previous post

 

[southerncomfort]

'People' ought not to be telling you what to do.

As many have said above, it's a very personal choice. You need to remember that it's you that has to live with the memories afterwards, so what you feel comfortable or uncomfortable with is very relevant to the decision.

 

[meleeka]

'People' ought not to be telling you what to do.

As many have said above, it's a very personal choice. You need to remember that it's you that has to live with the memories afterwards, so what you feel comfortable or uncomfortable with is very relevant to the decision.

This. Both methods can be very quick and both methods can and do go wrong. For me it depends on what is available at the time and how I personally feel about it. My vet is easier to arrange and I don’t have bad experiences of the injection, so that’s what I chose recently. I think the person doing it is more important than the method chosen. If they do their job well, the risks of anything going wrong are small.

 

[Birker2020]

'People' ought not to be telling you what to do.

As many have said above, it's a very personal choice. You need to remember that it's you that has to live with the memories afterwards, so what you feel comfortable or uncomfortable with is very relevant to the decision.

Yes. I agree. Its the memories that will stay with you, if you are going to be there. So I would suggest if you opt for injection you have the horse slightly sedated first, Bailey was only give a little bit, I think the vet said 5ml but I may have got that wrong.

This gives more information

https://feeva.fve.org/cms/wp-conten...protocol-for-Euthanasia-of-horses_adopted.pdf

 

[criso]

I chose to have mine shot. He was very good with vets but hated being sedated, his nickname at horsepital was grumpy drunk as he got really bad tempered and fought it as he felt himself going under. I didn't want his last moments to be unpleasant.

I also felt it was less stressful as they also took the body so I didn't have to coordinate the vet and the removal.

It was very quick, I brought my other horse who was very attached to see him (think it helped as he never looked for him after) then went out of sight until I heard the lorry pull out of the drive.

 

[scruffyponies]

Shooting for me. Have only had to do it once. Knackerman was professional, kind, and very very quiet with the pony, who was a nervous type and not normally accepting of strangers.
There was no mess, and he was taken away right away.

 

[IrishMilo]

Gun every time. I don't want the horse's last few moments to be poked with needles and feeling doped. Gun is instant.

 

[tda]

Making me quite sad reading the replies ? you must do what you are most comfortable with. All mine have been with the gun, but we have an amazing knacker-lady who is quick and efficient. I also have a few great friends who will hold pony for me, I think I could do that for someone else but not for my own
Sounds a bit daft but I am ok with the body being used - it's the circle of life

 

[throwawayaccount]

my old gelding was pts with sedation and the injection, it was pretty quick and i was with him the whole time. once he was gone i lay with him for about an hour crying and cuddling/holding his head until he was no longer warm. i didn't stay for the disposal because i couldn't face it.

 

[Birker2020]

again it's an individual thing. The unsedated horse i witnessed being injected reacted violently eventually breaking its neck, with just half a syringe successfully put in at that point. it was catastrophic and chaotic and my friend was absolutely beside herself. a haze of sedation would have been a kinder way IMO. I think people should weigh things up for themselves but if in doubt, err on the side of caution.

You see, everything that I have read about injection states to sedate the horse first, so why a vet wouldn't want to do that (in the very small chance something did go wrong) is beyond me, it only takes seconds.

My vet said "I'm just going to administer the sedative first in case there is a horse that gets loose or something that makes a noise and startles her". Given that we were stood about 15 foot from the gate in an open field, that made complete sense.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Sorry you find yourself in this position OP.

I have and would always have them shot but you need to do what is best for you and your horse.

Sedation isn't a pleasant feeling for a prey animal, and neither is the injection that euthanises them - they can obviously feel it coming on, or a strange feeling as they resist often if unsedated. I am therefore not fully comfortable in my mind that they don't feel this, but due to the sedation just cannot physically react, which true or not is a traumatic thought for me and I don't want to risk it. I have seen several horses PTS with a gun, done either by the hunt or the fallen stockman and it has been immediate and distress free every time.

I have always held them to the end, but don't ever stay to watch them loaded into the stock trailer. It's horrid and uneccessary - they are gone at that point and you will be left with those images in your head.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Eta about the collection - your vet may be able to organise this for you if you ask them, mine did and they turned up half an hour after the vet visited (they could probably give you longer if you wanted it)

 

[criso]

With collection, with me it was the other way round and didn't want to wait. I'd arranged it all in a small paddock not much used with a gate onto the lane for access for the truck. However with a footpath going past, houses opposite and children in one, not ideal for him to be lying there for a long time.

 

[maisie06]

I've had 2 done by shot, both very quick and the horses were calm and went with food in their mouth, these were planned PTS and honestly cost was a factor as much cheaper booking despatch and disposal direct with the knackerman. saved over £200 when having the vet PTS and having to pay disposal on top.

horse 3 was an out of hours emergency PTS by injection, again peaceful and dignified...

I would say if you are going for shot have a strong plastic bag such as a hifi bag to put the head on to collect the blood.