Having a pony PTS

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Kirstd33

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This isn’t a sympathy post as we all have dreadful runs of luck in our lives and I’m certainly having mine at the moment. 2.5 weeks ago I had a hemi- throidectomy, due to a malignant nodule on my thyroid with further treatment needed, and I think the drop in hormones is causing real tiredness and anxiety issues. Yesterday I posted about a bit of a run in with the lady we share horses with and then it’s looking like coblet is going to have to be PTS at some point in the next couple of weeks. In a nutshell he had surgery on his annular ligaments 12 months ago, I did all the neccesary box test and rehab but after a promising start once we started ridden work he never came sound and further deteriorated so at Xmas I made the decision to officially retire him and then a month ago I moved him off his solo turnout/stabled livery yard of 2 years to grass livery to live out with a lovely local ladies 2 endurance Arabs and her retired appy. Honestly turn away heaven and he’s had a lovely relaxed time on 9 acres mooching round, however he’s really further deteriorated badly and his back end is awful despite being on a bute/day. We always knew this was going to be his last place and hoped against hope he may have a lovely summer but the past 24 hrs he looks so uncomfortable and is struggling on her undulating terrain. I have the barefoot trimmer coming tomorrow to trim/check his hooves and of course I will have the vet out next week after the bank holiday but I think I know what is going to be the outcome. I’m just so torn but really don’t want to do more investigations, box rest etc as it’s not fair on him. Just feeling so sad.
 
TheMule said:
That’s really sad, I'm sorry. If he were mine, I'd up his bute significantly over the rest of the weekend and then arrange from him to be PTS next week.
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This is what I would do I'm afraid. I doubt from your description that trimming is the solution and asking him to hold his feet up may not be kind.

A friends (large) horse was on 6 bute in his last few days.

I'm very sorry it's come to this, you've done your very best for him.
 
I'm so sorry you are going through this.

I agree with the above posts, and would add that if you can get hold of some boswellia to use in addition to the bute/danilon that might help a bit further in the short-term too.
 
nutjob said:
This is what I would do I'm afraid. I doubt from your description that trimming is the solution and asking him to hold his feet up may not be kind.

A friends (large) horse was on 6 bute in his last few days.

I'm very sorry it's come to this, you've done your very best for him.
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Have I thought? I keep wondering if there is something else, anything else I could do at all??
 
Kirstd33 said:
Have I thought? I keep wondering if there is something else, anything else I could do at all??
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I think we all worry whether there's more we can do, but yours would be more surgery I think and it's OK to draw a line under that. It really does sound like you did everything you could.

You're OK to increase the bute short term. My old boy looked incredible on his final day - he was up to his eyeballs in bute & paracetamol after an unexpected visit from the hunt the day before.

**hugs**
 
Kirstd33 said:
Have I thought? I keep wondering if there is something else, anything else I could do at all??
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You have the long weekend to think it through, so make the priority to make him comfortable in the meantime.

He has had the surgery that he needed, the necessary rehab. You were sensitive enough to see that he wasn't comfortable when back in work. You retired him to what sounds like an idyllic situation which many unrideable / retired horses never get the benefit of. Despite this and being on pain relief he's going down hill. You're in a hard place but sometimes there isn't any good option.
 
Sorry to read this, thinking of you and I apologise for putting a ‘like’ on your post it was meant to be a ‘care’ but couldn’t see how to change it!
 
When I was in a similar position I had an honest conversation with my vet who knows me and my ponies. She wouldn't tell me what to do, but together we worked out a plan and a 'red line'. That helped me act swiftly when the time came and it helped that I didn't have to dither over the decision. Of course it's a tough decision, but with animals we are always just prolonging the inevitable.
 
You have done your absolute best for him, he has had a lovely time in an idyllic field and is only getting worse. Realistically there is nothing more that can be done to make him more comfortable and with hard ground as it is now and fly season really getting underway letting him go now is the kindest thing you can do. I know only too well how hard it is, been there too many times myself, but he will be at peace and you can relax knowing that he isn't suffering.
 
So sorry to hear this, I hope you’re healing up ok after your treatment. It’s so hard to know what to do when they’re not right, but it sounds like you’ve done the best you can. Thinking of you both x
 
All good owners wonder if they could have done more. It doesn't ever really go away, but you do become more certain it was the right thing to do once some time has passed.What you are thinking and feeling is perfectly normal. Drug him to the eyeballs and have him PTS asap. The longer you wait the longer you both suffer. The waiting is the absolute worst bit. Hes a lucky pony to have someone to do this for him.
 
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