How hard is it to actually have your horse PTS.

I lost my mare to colic last summer. She was just getting over her first bout of lammi. The vet gave her pain killers which didn't do anything relieve her pain. Tried in vain to get transport for her to be operated on. In the mean time she went down and was totally exhausted and in so much pain. Vet also suspected something more sinister was happening internally. Given the fact that there was rotation of the pedal bone, and had a severe pollen allergy it was kinder to let her go. She also hated being stabled too.
So he sedated her while she was down and let her go, she went peacefully but did require 3 injections for her to fully go.

I haven't witnessed the bullet but have seen the mess left behind.
 
I have seen many horses PTS I have my own shot I think it's quicker for the horse and have seen two really distressing PTS's by injection.
I never Ask anyone's opinion it is my horse and my desision , I had a funny one I decided to PTS a three year old who had damaged itself during a storm it had been on six months box rest and was still lame I decided for many reasons not the least that it was so miserable in the stable to call it a day.
The senior partner was on holiday but I rang the vets and said I want you to PTS the three year they rang back and said because the senior partner was away they would not in case SP did not like it . I was taken aback but thanked them nicely hung up and called the kennels who did it that day. It caused a bit of a fuss when SP came back but it was not there place IMO but it was my decision not theres
 
Alphamare said:
I can't work out how to word the title better so I hope people read this. The PTS measfan thread, I hope I've spelt that right, is very interesting.

Last couple of posts though have got me thinking. There are many scenarios where an owner may have decided to PTS where the vets wanted to keep treating.

Not having had to have done it myself yet I got to wondering, especially if you have a horse that might be sound of body but not sound of mind say...

How hard (difficult) is it to have a horse PTS. Surely it's the owners call or are there one million hoops to jump through? Is it any different using a knackerman or the local hunt rather than a vet?

Sometimes the horse suffers because we are not prepare or the decision is waylaid so perhaps those who may know could enlighten me and everyone else. It may one day make the process easier and smoother for someone if they know what they are dealing with.

I have for example my vets number (of course who doesn't!) but also the local knackermans number who has an excellent reputation... Just incase I get need it. Then I am not panicking and scrambling to find the right numbers
Click to expand...

Very Hard- But we do it because we Love them.

xXx
 
my mare is 21, has cushings and some soundness issues but is fine at the moment.(in fact too fine!!) i have already discussed pts arrangements with my vet so that when the time comes i only have to call my vet and say its time....i can now forget about it and hope it doesnt need to be done for a very long time....
 
littlelegs said:
Wagtail- without going into too much graphic detail, the adrenaline rush from fighting the first injection will effect the second too so that & even the third injection don't take immediate effect.
Click to expand...
I don't see how this can be possible, and neither did the vet who I asked about this and who has lots of experience with equine euthanasia. Assuming the correct dose of barbiturate actually went into the bloodstream there is no way an animal could fight it, "adrenaline rush" or not, because it's going to cause loss of consciousness very soon after it reaches the brain.
 
If for any reason your vet didn't want to do it there is nothing to stop you contacting a knacker man to come and do it and take them away. They wouldn't question it, but they would charge.
 
Moomin1 said:
Pentobarbitol sodium. Stops the heart.
Click to expand...
A dose that induces terminal loss of consciousness won't stop the heart. The primary effect of barbiturates is to depress central nervous system function. For that reason, potassium chloride is also administered in human lethal injection - to stop the heart, after the person has lost consciousness.
 
fburton said:
I don't see how this can be possible, and neither did the vet who I asked about this and who has lots of experience with equine euthanasia. Assuming the correct dose of barbiturate actually went into the bloodstream there is no way an animal could fight it, "adrenaline rush" or not, because it's going to cause loss of consciousness very soon after it reaches the brain.
Click to expand...

My first horse was PTS by injection she fought and fought to stay on her feet made the most awfull screeching whinny as she went down it was not quick and she was distressed and I said never again and have had all shot since then.
 
Maesfen said:
I would use our hunt every time, failing that our knackerman before using the injection by a vet not because I wouldn't want to pay their charges but rather knowing the injection can often go wrong whereas IME, there has never been a problem with a bullet.
Click to expand...
Both methods can go wrong in not rendering the horse unconscious (and hence putting it beyond any further suffering), but fortunately it rare for either to go wrong. I think it's misleading to say that the injection can often go wrong.
 
Cobrastyle said:
If it's the same as small animals (and if I remember correctly!) they are PTS by anaesthetic, then essentially an overload of Potassium Chloride, which stops the heart.
Click to expand...
Some equine vets like to use a preparation which is mixture of barbiturate (for terminal anaesthesia) and another drug (cinchocaine) which stops the heart.
 
I've had 3 PTS. All old. Only one was a problem where the vet was reluctant...despite mare being 30 years old, no teeth and had only 6 months before been nursed back to health by me after spotting her for sale in a terrible terrible state. She had a sky high temp and was colicking and the vet insisted on stomach tubing her. He caught a blood vessel and my poor little old lady was finally freed from her pain after it didn't work and four of us told the damn vet to put her down. She was blowing blood bubbles over me as she died, it was horrendous
 
Goldenstar said:
My first horse was PTS by injection she fought and fought to stay on her feet made the most awfull screeching whinny as she went down it was not quick and she was distressed and I said never again and have had all shot since then.
Click to expand...
I'm very sorry to hear that. :( It is possible the injection was delivered too slowly - that is known to result in some cases in "thrashing about" and gasping (even though the horse will be unconscious by that stage).
 
Fburton- in my original post I did say I'd seen the injection go correctly also. This was about 17 years ago, I was in my teens & couldn't say what was injected or whether the vet messed up (which I do suspect). But whether you find it likely or not, watching a dying 17h hand horse fighting to pull itself up by its forelegs, fall down & start again, while calling pitifully for long enough for a vet to make several more attempts to get another needle in is a memory i'll never forget. It did feel like hours before he dropped but was told after it was 10mins. Still a long time to watch a horse suffer. The horse had circulation problems, maybe the vet screwed up either dose or administration, maybe drugs weren't as good then, who knows. Like I say, I've seen it go right too with small animals & other horses. But I still feel easier watching a bullet do it because I don't fear seeing that horse die again like I do holding one for the vet. Maybe its not relevant today, but I still prefer a bullet.
 
fburton said:
Some equine vets like to use a preparation which is mixture of barbiturate (for terminal anaesthesia) and another drug (cinchocaine) which stops the heart.
Click to expand...

Thanks fburton - I'm a human nurse, not a veterinary one; we don't tend to deal with euthanasia!
I know the trade name for one of the products was Euthasol, I remember it well from when I did work exp at a vets many moons ago and saw a dog being PTS. It was a horrid blue colour.
 
I've only seen it done where the horse was on its last legs anyway. Injection was a nice way to go then - an already 'ready to go' animal went to sleep and collapsed on the floor,then its heart was stopped. There was no fighting, it was long past that point.

In general, I always think it must be hardest when the horse isn't ready itself. I've only pts animals that were ready to go, where it wasn't fair to carry on, and don't know if I could deny one its last few days of pain-free life. Maybe that's because I'd want those days if it were me, I don't know. Most vets are pretty practical about it though, and if not, there's always the knacker man.
 
Wagtail said:
I would always choose the needle. Both methods CAN go wrong, though thankfully quite rarely. Both methods are humane but if it DID go wrong, I would rather have to inject twice than shoot twice.
Click to expand...

Not read the rest of the replies, but this jumped out at me. After reading something a 'friend' wrote on facebook, I would also rather inject twice, than shoot twice!
She had to put her bull down, after it became too aggressive for her to handle. She didn't shoot it once. She didn't shoot it twice. She shot it THREE times before it went down (Changing guns after the 2nd time didn't work) No matter how nasty the animal was, it didn't deserve to be pointlessly shot THAT many times! The poor thing must have been in agony. She even joked about giving him a headache :(

Now..to read the rest!
 
Last edited:
Had wife's Pony of a lifetime PTS by injection as he was bad with Colic and very distressed. Still upsets me now 15 years later as I held him for the Vet and Pony was looking at me when he went down. Very sad and very quick but it was the right decision
:-(
 
My boy had laminitis and after 3 months of hard work, twice weekly vet checks, x-rays, heart bar shoes etc the farrier came to trim his feet and notices fluid seeping from his hoof. Called the vet out and they said that his pedal bone was coming through and if it wasn't today it could be in the night, the next day and It came though he would be in allot of pain.
I made the heart breaking decision to PTS that day as I couldn't stand the thought of him being in pain. Even though it might have meant a few more days with him I couldn't bring myself to see him suffer.
I took him to his field (which he bucked and draged me too!!) for a munch of grass and the vet injected him under the oak tree that he used as a tail scratch!!
I have never felt pain in my heart like it but I know it was right for him.
I miss him everyday...
 
hudsonw said:
I have never felt pain in my heart like it but I know it was right for him.
I miss him everyday...
Click to expand...


Big hugs hudsonw. I have had to have 2 PTS and felt the same as you.

Incidentally, one was a horse in pain after a broken leg (pinned, plastered, never to quite recover) and yet my vet at the time was convinced that we should soldier on with her pain control.

I got a 2nd opinion from another vet practice who advised he'd have had the horse PTS a long time before. This vet was very careful non to 'slag off' the other veterinary practice by saying that my original vet would've had a vested interest in trying to see this horse through to recovery from start to finish and he obviously thought there was still a chance of her being field sound and painfree. But the mare wasn't either of those things.

I have used a knackerman and the hunt. Both were fantastic to deal with. But I couldn't bear to be there to watch it.
 
It is harder to have your horse die on you, we cared for an old boy for a year,
with his owner's and vet's agreement, we gave him the summer, knowing he would struggle through another winter, he was PTs by injection on an agreed date and while it wasn't pleasant it was reasonably quick, surrounded by those that cared.
We had an injured horse came down with colic, the vet said it was pain related, he kept going down and getting up, at the end we were begging him to stay down and rest, even the vet was telling him to stay down, his gorgeous big heart gave out, I just hope he realised we were there at the end
I know which senario I prefer
 
My horse was diagnosed a year ago with DJD of the coffin joint and pastern and side bone. She had steroid injections into the joints and has been sound on one Bute per day. Recently she has become lame again, had the vet out. We are having more xrays next week and have increased to 3 Bute a day on vet advice.
We love this mare to bits and although her passport says she is fifteen the vet says she is more like late teens. We discussed different treatments in including neurectomy and pts. The vet told me not to feel guilty regarding pts option as she is not sound in the field. I feel awful as she still seems happy in herself.
 
littlelegs said:
Fburton- in my original post I did say I'd seen the injection go correctly also. This was about 17 years ago, I was in my teens & couldn't say what was injected or whether the vet messed up (which I do suspect). But whether you find it likely or not, watching a dying 17h hand horse fighting to pull itself up by its forelegs, fall down & start again, while calling pitifully for long enough for a vet to make several more attempts to get another needle in is a memory i'll never forget. It did feel like hours before he dropped but was told after it was 10mins. Still a long time to watch a horse suffer. The horse had circulation problems, maybe the vet screwed up either dose or administration, maybe drugs weren't as good then, who knows. Like I say, I've seen it go right too with small animals & other horses. But I still feel easier watching a bullet do it because I don't fear seeing that horse die again like I do holding one for the vet. Maybe its not relevant today, but I still prefer a bullet.
Click to expand...
How awful for you! Given the dreadful experience you had, your preference for the bullet is entirely understandable. Clearly something went wrong in the case of your horse because when the whole procedure (including any pre-sedation) is done properly an injection leads to complete and irreversible loss of consciousness in less than a minute, and often much quicker.

On a separate point, the vet should always explain to the client that any limb movements after this period are involuntary, even though they may sometimes appear violent - the horse is completely away by that stage. The same applies to any gasping or apparent vocalisations. It would be very unfortunate if an owner interpreted such movements and sounds as the horse suffering.

As someone said already, there is a huge personal element in the choice of method and it is not helpful for anyone to try and claim that one is clearly superior to the other 'medically'. The differences are largely 'aesthetic', and possibly practical in terms of carcass use. Every vet will have a preference too.

Neither injection nor bullet are infallible. The prospect of either going wrong is ghastly, though I think a failed shooting would be worse for the horse. However, in the vast majority of cases, both bullet and injection afford a kind death.
 
Fburton- agree entirely. The vet is one that with hindsight the vet was not the best in other areas too, & in no way do I think its representative of the usual way. It's not my intention to put anyone off that method, I have also seen two old mares who both simply lay down like they were having a sleep without even any reflex movements, but really its all personal preference. It's a horrid experience without anyone trying to force their preference on others.
 
Unless there is a medical emergency my vet does not euthanize my horses or have any say in the matter. My horses go to the kennels.
 
Wagtail said:
I would always choose the needle. Both methods CAN go wrong, though thankfully quite rarely. Both methods are humane but if it DID go wrong, I would rather have to inject twice than shoot twice.
Click to expand...

This.

Having had my old boy pts by injection, I would always choose that method.

Also, having pts'd animals myself by both methods, and in the knowledge of how each of them can and do go wrong, then I would still definately pick the injection method for my girl now.
 
My beautiful, much loved, quirky 23 year old Arabian was pts on 17.12.2012. He had arthritis related to his previous use as a stallion and the community I bought him from using him as a racing trotter on metalled roads. He was carefully managed by me, my lovely equine vet, horse osteopath, farrier and saddler. He lived a merry, useful life with me for twelve fun-filled years, known and admired for his stunning presence and spectacular spooks! ("just testing, to make sure you know who you have the honour of riding")! I knew when the meds and management weren't holding the stiffness and pain at bay at a level consistent with his continued enthusiasm for life/leaping about. The vet, farrier, osteopath, me and his groom held a meeting in his stable with him there: we had a clinical review and discussed what was best for him then, with icy winter closing in. He could have been kept going for another six months apparently, but with an increasing liklihood of slipping over and struggling to get up. The vet said it was my decision how to proceed.
He was pts, via injection, two days later. Groomed to shining perfection, braided mane, polished hooves, in his best show rug, chewing carrots as fast as I could give them to him. The day was full of bright sunshine; he neighed loudly at hounds working up on the hills that surround the farm. He died peacefully and left his painful body behind, having no further use for it. The hunt took it away later in a respectful and efficient way.
I would not change my vet or the method used to review and decide what was best for my dear friend. It was a prviledge to have the opportunity to know and care for him to the best of my ability. I do not believe one should 'strive to keep alive' horses whose quality of life is compromised.
 
When the vet turned up to my colicking mare one of the first things she asked was would I operate, at almost 22 I did not want this, had her since she was 2years old, so I was dreading the day this came, but never expected to lose her to colic as she had never suffered a bout in her life. However, vet administered some drugs and she improved, vet left, 5-10 minutes later my mare started having seizures. Vet was called back and said we had to do it then and there, so really the vet I think thought there was something very wrong at this point and I do not believe any operation would have saved Seren, although it tortures me when I think about it, the what if's, I think the vet made the right call to tell me we had no option at that point. So really the decision was taken away for because I think nothing could be done.
It really depends on why the horse is being put down, I think there are occasions when horses are pts and it is not needed per say(i.e an owner cannot afford to keep a perfectly well older horse), I think this must be harder still. I have not experienced this so really do not know. I can only speak from my experience
It was tough to say yes to my vet with Seren, I was a wreck, but it was the right and only option

I would always get the injection, nothing else, could never personally stand the idea of the bullet
 
Last edited:
I have seen many many horses PTS .
I would never allow one of my own to have an injection they are all shot at home by my vet who is my BF I would always choose to have a vet shoot them as they can have a little sedation if I choose .
But there's no right or wrong way to go about this as long as you will go about it when it needs doing .
It's the owners desision apart from in emergency situations and it's one of the things that you need to embrace responsiblity for when you buy a horse.
I have had horses PTS for many reason from arthritis in old age which was no longer responding to pain relief to straight economic ones it has been in all cases my call to do it .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top