Planned Euthanasia

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Thats interesting Milesjess that you recommend that other horses be out of view.

Over the years it has been recommended to me, and is a rule of thumb I have followed, that companions are allowed to witness the death and the final removal or burial, and are allowed several hours with the body, to sniff, paw and take in the fact that the horse is dead.

Sounds rather macabre, but I have always found that this allows the companions to realise that their friend has, indeed, gone forever and helps them to move on from the sad event.

Interestingly though, the only time this did NOT work and had the opposite effect on the remaining horses, was when I had the horse shot and taken away by the hunt. But PTS by lethal injection has always been peaceful and calm for all the herd, although watching them pawing and sometimes whinnying loudly at their friends body can be quite distressing.
 
ive got a KS boy, hes just a companion for my other horses as i cant afford surgery, nor would i want to put him through it. if there ever comes a time when i cant afford him, or his back becomes too painful i would have him PTS.

my old horse was PTS by injection and he was dead before he hit the ground. in my experience it was very peaceful.
 
Ceders - there is a sticky post in the vet forum bit on here that is useful and might help, all about different methods etc.

Also can I just add, i think your very brave and are very much doing the right thing (in my opinion!) I always promised myself that I would not put my horse through surgery that i saw as unneeded. Two weeks ago I made the choice to let me boy go after he developed colic then an infection. He would not have thanked me for surgery, he had a lovely life since I owned him and I still know I did the right thing for him. The vets looked after him and made sure he had lots of painkillers and let him go. It was quick, extremley heartbreaking for me but not for him.

Kissing spines in a horrible thing for them to have and I completely agree with your outlook on the situation, ignore the nasty comments that I am appauled to have just read!!!
 
Maesfen, not the issue.
I think its actually the injections that Cedars was refusing, as apparently the operation was not an option. However, that wasn't my concern.
I just don't see why she bothers to have animals, since all she does is create imaginary illnesses & then kills them. Seems odd, but each to their own.
Crack on Cedars, and for what its worth I opted for the bullet when my KS horse was put down two days ago, but then, you already know that don't you :)
 
Just to say my friends horse had KS surgery in 2010 and this year competed intermediate, and up to CCI** with clear xc on every occasion. KS surgery can be really effective.
 
Lady La La said:
Maesfen, not the issue.
I think its actually the injections that Cedars was refusing, as apparently the operation was not an option.
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I turned down the injections for my KS horse because it numbs the back but does not treat the problem. I turned down the 2 bute every time I rode him for the same reason. I just could not do that to him. He was not a candidate for surgery so the only option was to retire him. Even kept as economically as possible we are talking £15,000 over the next 10 years so I can understand someone choosing not to do it.

To the original question I would go with the hunt every time.
 
My boy was pts by being shot by the huntsman when it seemed the right thing for us to do. At the time I wished I could afford the injection for him but I couldn't. Knowing what I know now, I would choose the gun in the future for my current horses.

FWIW I don't think I could put mine through surgery either, I say think after a recent colic scare because we almost got to the point of the question being asked, but I don't think I would. The decision to pts is yours and yours only. If you're happy it's the right decision for you both then don't let anyone upset you over it.
 
Just a very quick post as I am going through this at the moment with my eventer having been diagnosed with KS and injections proved not successful so I am going to have the operation and I just found it quite interesting that those who are saying people have no right to judge on whether someone wants to kill a horse thinks it perfectly acceptable to judge people who do have the operation to give the horse a chance. Double standards at work again!
 
Lady La La said:
I highly doubt thats what the vet is saying, Cedars is just dead set on killing her horse, just like she was with her dog.
I wonder if she has all the other posters on UI that were disagreeing with her quite obviously fabricated vets reports ;)
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:eek: AFAIA, Cedars doesn't actually own any horses, so who's horse is she intending to kill?!!? :eek:
 
People do know that in some studies up to 70% of horses had KS even in the control group right? That means 70% of horses with absolutely zero clinical symptoms. I just think that's quite interesting and I'd want to know 100% it was the KS before I went forward with anything.
 
Cedars said:
I'm looking for opinions on which method is best for a planned euthanasia. I have never held a horse before but feel its important for me to hold this one. The facilities allow either and so it really is a personal choice. Horse is not needle nor head shy.

Also, opinions/experiences with disposal options please? We're not interested in keeping ashes or anything so what are the removal and disposal options available to us?

Thanks.
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With my friends horse, the gun was a misfire, he didn't die and wasn't helped along by the vet... I am sure he knew nothing, but he did not die instantly, his heart didn't stop for 10mins. Either option has scary stories, but knowing this, I went for the injection, my vets said that it was the only method they use, luckily it was what I wanted. I would use this method every time, it was peaceful, she fell gently, I was able to look in her eyes with love, I was the last thing she saw, either way the end is the same, but the brutality in my opinion was less. I could not have borne seeing her shot, or her body marred in anyway. There is a fantastic sticky on euthanasia in veterinary with a link to info from WHW, it really helped me. I would reccomend the injection. If a gun is used, your horse should be sedated prior to this... If you choose the gun, do not allow euthanasia to happen without sedation. The vets did not sedate my friends horse and over a year on she is still haunted by her experience. I can only share my experience, she had some grass, lots of love, and looked into my eyes, she was utterly peaceful at every moment... the thought of using the injection gave me some comfort, the practicality and the experience of it helped my heart to be eased when she went.


Thoughts with you xx
 
BeckyC said:
Just a very quick post as I am going through this at the moment with my eventer having been diagnosed with KS and injections proved not successful so I am going to have the operation and I just found it quite interesting that those who are saying people have no right to judge on whether someone wants to kill a horse thinks it perfectly acceptable to judge people who do have the operation to give the horse a chance. Double standards at work again!
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Becky, if this is aimed at my post, I didn't say anything about judging anyone for anything. I just said that FWIW that would be my choice, not that it was wrong to choose differently. I certainly wouldn't judge anyone for what they did for their horse. We all do the best we can, so in my mind there's nothing to judge :confused:
 
Wagtail said:
I've not seen any horse shot but have seen three PTS by injection. They are sedated first, just as they are for many veterinary procedures. You can hold them whilst this happens, but when the vet administers the fatal injection, he/she will usually request that you move to a safe distance away in case the horse falls on you. The horse falls very quickly indeed. Every bit as quick as those I have seen shot (on you tube). Ears are usually pricked and there is some heavy slow breathing for a little while afterwards, but the horse is long unconscious/brain dead by then. They do not twitch at all when PTS by injection, but the heavy last breaths can be unsettling if you do not expect it.
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you may also hear short fluttering breaths and a bit of rapid eye movement... but the horse IS gone - brain dead by then. Ebony went down gently, here heart stopped 10 mins later - maybe less. I held and sat with her throughout. Please remember this, the second the heart stops and the blood flow stops, they eye will go opaque very fast... it will look dead and creamy. Have it covered, if only with your hand. Bullet or gun, this is a disturbing thing to see. It was the one thing that shook me and the one thing I didn't think about happening.
 
BeckyC said:
Just a very quick post as I am going through this at the moment with my eventer having been diagnosed with KS and injections proved not successful so I am going to have the operation and I just found it quite interesting that those who are saying people have no right to judge on whether someone wants to kill a horse thinks it perfectly acceptable to judge people who do have the operation to give the horse a chance. Double standards at work again!
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i may have missed something but i have not seen any post that judges people who want the op, i think most have said it is not somethig they would do thats all-forgive me if i am wrong
 
Lady La La said:
Yes, the 'intermediate' Cavaliar bred horse thats trained by a 3* rider... The one thats currently competing at 90 :rolleyes:
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Nothing wrong with that - a lot of eventers go onto a second career at a lower level. I have an intermediate event mare, now retired and she had to go back to PN when we started.
 
Hi sorry I've only just come back to this, ended a truly spectacular day with the vet coming out to patch up a hole in one of the other horses legs. Can't help but laugh! :(

This is the eventer that was naughty in the warm ups to whoever asked. (Not the coloured)

Thanks to all those who have been helpful (including those who have PMed).

Those who think I've made up a vets trip, X-rays and report, suit yourself.

Going to eat some dinner then go back out to the mare to feed her. We're waiting for the insurance to confirm LOU payment, then we're not free for a few days anyway, so it won't be an instant decision but its really good to be aware/prepared of what can/might happen.
 
Um, some of you are beginning to sound at best extremely b*tchy, and at worst more than slightly unhinged (and I don't mean the OP....)
 
Cortez, that what happens when you're forced to sit back & listen to people tell lie after lie & then put down healthy animals.
It starts to send you a bit loopy after a while ;)
 
jesstickle said:
People do know that in some studies up to 70% of horses had KS even in the control group right? That means 70% of horses with absolutely zero clinical symptoms. I just think that's quite interesting and I'd want to know 100% it was the KS before I went forward with anything.
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My horse has KS, confirmed by xray at a referral vet.
I only asked them to xray her spine as an animal communicator picked something up there :o.
The vet was absolutely amazed as no clinical signs whatsoever and 3 years on, she still doesn't have any :).

Cedars - unless the horse was downright dangerous, I'd be looking for a solution, not looking to pts.
If it comes down to insurance money as to what your decision is, I think you're doing it for all the wrong reasons.
 
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