PTS Injections -

My lad was PTS by the injection when he had a compound fracture in which both his cannon and splint had gone. He was already sedated in order for the vet to properly look at his leg - he wasn't letting us anywhere near it - so once he was injected he just fell to the floor. Very peaceful and quick.

Can't imagine how it must feel to see the injection go wrong...before seeing the other thread it never occurred to me that it did ever go wrong. Saying that I still don't think I could have my horse shot... Just personal preference I guess.
 
4leggedfurries said:
I wasnt there when my boy was pts, my dad stayed with him as I didnt want his last image of me crying my eyes out. Dad said it was all very relaxed, the horse got heavily sedated, he went gently to the floor and then the vet overdosed him. He said he looked like he just went to sleep.
Click to expand...

This is how I want Ned to go, when the time comes (hopefully in far away in the future). I know YO always has them shot, so if something terrible happens before I buy him, then that's how he'll go, but if he's in my care when it happens I think I want the injection.

I always read threads like these, even though they're upsetting because there's so many things to think about! I want to be well prepared, as I know he could go tomorrow, or in 20yrs time.
 
Probally the vet knew them and knew he could get the drug into them with out needing to sedate, I totally understand why they might chose to sedate.
With shooting my vet leaves it to me to decide if its a bit windy I always do or if the horse is a bit head shy I always do I prefer it without though.
 
I've seen two pts by injection, my friend's youngster with a horrific tendon injury and my old boy with colic. The youngster was sedated first and went very quickly, she just sort of crumpled to the floor. My old boy was already down and his heart had slowed, he was already on his way. He took a bit longer because of this but it was very peaceful, he just lay there with his head in my lap and drifted off. The vet did warn me it might take longer, but promised me he wouldn't feel it. He gave an involuntary spasm right at the end but I could see in his eyes that it was just muscle and not him reacting. I'm not sure I could cope with the bullet. Selfish of me as I know it's best for them but I think not having me as a jabbering wreck holding them is probably better too. Such a hard decision though, my thoughts go to anyone who's had to make it or is facing it now.
 
Hippona said:
I've only ever had to have one PTS....he had lots of painkillers on board already, vets topped this up with sedation before doing the deed. She told me she was giving him sedation to make him sleepy and he would just fall asleep.

He went straight down.

Vet was brilliant. So was OH.....I was a mess.:(
Click to expand...

This was me in July I was a mess. My chap was so dignified and brave to the end , just sedation topped up and he went in his sleep.
 
Goldenstar said:
Probally the vet knew them and knew he could get the drug into them with out needing to sedate, I totally understand why they might chose to sedate.
With shooting my vet leaves it to me to decide if its a bit windy I always do or if the horse is a bit head shy I always do I prefer it without though.
Click to expand...

Thank you for explaining that - i always wondered if mine had had the best service
 
I am sure they carry enough to euthanise a horse but am guessing its quite dangerous stuff to be carrying around in a car and things get stolen etc ie wrong hands. I was told it was Thiopental type drug which is used in general anaesthesia. My vet drew it up discreetly and seemed to be very careful with the two syringes. They were quite big so probably a lot to draw up etc. He was so accurate in administration of drug. Spot on. That I was very grateful for(miserable sod otherwise)!

I had mine done by injection and dreaded it(horse was good for his injections) and vet gave sedative which sent him off to sleep so peacefully. He stood totally fast asleep(v sad for me as he was like a gentle baby dozing) the next injection was the killer and he took a bit of a heave and went down(I think it was the drug stopping heart etc, no twitching just still).But someone else I know just had the lethal dose only ie no sedation, so I cant comment on that, but was told immediately down and gone too. But yes if it went wrong I would have expected the vet to shoot /Bolt destroy my horse immediately if possible.

I did have a pony who the vet would not have got near with a needle and I would have definitely had the hunt to shoot or if horse crashing around I would imagine shooting would be easier? Safer for handlers etc.

My family always go for bullet I suppose we are spoilt for choice now. Personally I found injection 100% perfect for this particular horse. The hard bit was booking and waiting for the hour.
 
Our old mare was PTS very peacefully with the injection recently. It was as nice as the horrible experience could be. She didnt need sedated as was always great with needles.

I saw another horse PTS just a month or so ago with a twisted gut, also with the injection. Again no sedation as the poor horse was already in a daze of pain.

Both just lay down and went away. Horrible but peaceful.
 
The_angel_littlelegs said:
My first experience of injection was awful, the horse screamed like nothing I've ever heard before or since, & was dragging himself around on his forelegs, falling over & dragging himself up again with his quarters dragging uselessly behind. And he was beyond terrified the entire time. It still haunts me many years later. His back legs were why he was being pts, hence him only getting forelegs upright. Vet had more than one go at getting more into him, but horse thrashing around too much. He took far too long to die, & he was clearly suffering. However, especially considering errors that came to light after about the horses treatment, let alone pts, there's no doubt in my mind his horrid end was down to the incompetence of the vet, not the method. Since then, others I've held, & plenty more I've had first hand accounts of, have gone peacefully. Still, because of my first experience I would always choose a bullet. Even though I've seen my current vet pts by injection & I trust him, I have an illogical fear of it re-occurring.
Click to expand...

OMG that is so sad. One question was the vet equine or not? Just asking to satisfy my own curiosity. Even though the equine vet I had was a miserable sod he did do the deed accurately. Just asking as we have other vets round my way that dabble in equine, although so far they seem fine too. But sorry to hear this that is just terrible.
 
I had a mare PTS by injection, gun not an option as she had a neurological problem causing head twitching and shaking. She was sedated first then the lethal dose was given, she sank down quietly and was gone in a few minutes. It's not a nice thing as they evacuate bowels and bladder, she also gasped a bit and had nerve twitches all totally normal reactions and the horse is not aware - sounds horrible but I feel people should know so it's not such a shock when the time comes.
 
My lad was injected and went very quickly, my only problems was the vet was very rude to me and did not explain what was going to happen, so it was a shock to me. The important thing is that my old boy did not suffer. I read the thread and it brought tears to my eyes a very hard situation made into a realy bad one.
 
In the past, I have always preferred the bullet from our knackerman (who was fabulous) as I witnessed a horrific lethal injection failure, many, many years ago.
However, when Markie had to go suddenly a few weeks ago, I chose the injection as our knackerman has retired, I don't know the 'new' person and I know my vet is more comfortable injecting (he does hold a firearm licence). Markie wasn't sedated as it wouldn't have been safe. Once the injection went in, he slowly went down and passed over into the everlasting meadow very peacefully.
I'd be happy to use lethal injection again in the future (I believe it's changed since I had a bad experience)
 
I was involved in a mare being PTS by injection about 4 weeks ago, first time for me. It was very very peaceful and she was gone within seconds of the injection. She was such a brave girl, I had looked after her for the last 5 yrs so was very close to her. She looked into my eyes as the injection went in and it was a look of thankyou, no more pain now - and there wasnt... bless you Lady xx
 
I had my boy PTS last year with injection, although I walked away while he went down and the farmer held him for the vet - about 5 mins later the vet came to tell me that he was gone and had gone straight down - and that I could go and see him. In that 5 minutes they had already covered him over with a tarpaulin, so it must have been quick. There are four equine vets at my practice, and while I trust all of them to come out to diagnose and deal with an illness or injury, there is only one who I would have to PTS my horse - although out of hours in an emergency, I suppose you don't have that choice. However my practice always has one of the equine vets on call, so at least they are all used to dealing with horses.

When my boy was PTS last year, the vet gave him a jab something in the stable - I think it was a muscle relaxant because by the time we had walked him to the top of the yard, his legs were all wobbly. This was prior to the sedation. He then had the sedation and as he had always over reacted to sedation, when I walked away he was actually snoring....
 
We lost our old chap last week, he was 38. He was dying so the injection just let him slip away quicker. He was down already.
I lost my mare last summer to colic. The vet sedated her first as she was also down. She just lay there sighing until she peacefully slipped away.
Our local knackerman is a lovely man, so for a plnned pts i would also be happy to use him too.
 
I've known the injection go badly wrong and in 20years of being around horses, it is still the most traumatic experience of my life. It still haunts me at times to this day. I will only know have any of ours PTS like this now if the amount of time to make them comfortable before the hunt/slaughterman comes outweighs their suffering.

Horse in question was a big, strapping lad, permanently lame due to navicular that was one of my owners pride and joy. Junior vet attempted for 40minutes to put him to sleep, ended up severing the artery by stabbing him so many times with the needle. So I'm holding a big animal, fighting it, banging his head constantly on the ground, blood pouring out his head and neck and he isn't going. The poor thing kept trying to get up and kept falling down again, each time getting more exhausted by the second. He'd keep thrashing with his front legs, teeth bared. Eventually she phones the senior vet, I was struggling, she was hysterical, the game keeper who had heard the commotion came, I begged him to get his shotgun and down him there and then, vet (albeit correctly) said he couldn't do it-I was pretty desperate by this point. It took the senior vet another 30minutes to arrive, by this point horse was nearly down completely and struggles became not as violent, I'd managed to half plug his neck with a jumper. Senior vet eventually injected him further down his neck and he'd gone within a second.

From that day I vowed I'd never witness it again or even risk going through it again. I've held numerous horses to be shot and each one was quick and easy. I'd never say it was quiet because they know what's coming, I swear they do and obviously the noise is disconcerting but never again for the injection unless for the above reasons. Or old pony was PTS this year from twisted gut, only purely because the hunt couldn't come immediately, he was ready to go and the vet couldn't do anymore to make him comfortable. He went quickly but it's still in the back of my mind because he was the devil pony, what happens if he'd fought it.
 
We had our lovley mare pts last year and i stayed with her. Our vets were wonderful and Fly was calm and eating a feed when the injection was given. I was surprised at how calm and peaceful it was.
I too have read that thread and can not believe what happened and can only hope that is very rare.
 
Crimbowitch said:
I am still confused - neither my ginger or big lad were sedated - why ? this was not even suggested ??
Click to expand...

I don't know why he wouldn't have sedated your horse. All of mine have been sedated and my vet/s all know our horses are superb with needles and with the vet/s so Goldenstars theory doesn't work for me. Have to say my vets have always asked if I want them sedated though, maybe that's it? I prefer them sedated so maybe my vet/s are just accommodating my personal wishes? They have all known me in a professional capacity for many years.
 
Crimbowitch said:
I am still confused - neither my ginger or big lad were sedated - why ? this was not even suggested ??
Click to expand...

It isn't essential for the horse to be sedated. Sedation can slow the heart rate and so increase the time for the drug to get round the system. An unsedated horse tends to go down very quickly, I have never seen or heard of anything going wrong in an unsedated horse mine included. Obviously a stressed horse will be easier to inject if sedated.
 
all of mine have been anaesthetised before being injected with the lethel drug. Here in Italy it goes by the name Tanax. It is impossible to cock it up and they have to be anaesthetised first by law. Tanax paralyses the diaphram and so stops the heart. I found this and as you can see, the horse went quietly. I have no idea what was used but it works quickly.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqyF4E019uI
 
Munchkin said:
Unsure that it's the norm for them to carry the gun.

I watched a horse fight the injection and I never want to see it again. ............

I always opt for the bullet - and the hunt - as I don't trust vets with guns, either.
Click to expand...


This.
I've had 2 pts by injection, both were seriously ill at the time, the pony had on-going laminitis, the ID had septicaemia following cellulitis. They were injected years apart by different vets, (although as it happens from the same practice). neither was sedated and they both fought the injection. On both occasions, I said 'never again'. In fact I had intended to have ID shot but there was a breakdown in communication. Equine Crem now has a note on file ALWAYS bring the gun if we ring.
We've had others shot by both Equine Crem and the Hunt and never had any problems. The horse goes down with its head in a bucket of favourite feed and knows absolutely nothing of what's happening. Equine Crem have even been known to bring their own bucket of feed.

ETA, as for them knowing what's happening - one of ours was next door with only a 3/4 height wall between her and her best friend of 20 yrs when friend had a stroke. We sent for the hunt who shot and removed the body of friend with the other one still in the box, as they are inter-locking and we couldn't get through. When it was her turn 2 yrs later, the remaining one greeted her visitor, put her head in the feed bucket and went knowing absolutely nothing.
 
Last edited:
Yes indie, an equine vet who at the time was locally well respected. It was over 17yrs ago, & he must have been in his 50's then, so in part I suspect he had less experience of injection than a modern vet. But, he did also make catastrophic errors. And within a year or two he was a lot less popular, not just because of the horse I mentioned but quite a few cock ups he made with other peoples too.
 
50ml Somulose already has a sedative in the drug that causes the cardiac arrest, there is another drug used starts with a P (cant remember the name so dont want to try spell it) more than 50ml is required with this drug and they give a sedative first, the only reson for the sedative is if the horse is likely to mess around with being injected and to give the owner a chance to say good bye, sedating the animal has nothing to do with it dying, just another addition to the bill.

If a horse is thrashing around and fighting the drug, i was told by our work vet tht the kindest thing to do in that situation would be to pierce the heart with some more of the drug or a knife, this is the same as shooting it. Not nice but rather that than watching it injure itself, esp if there is no gun to hand.

Reasons why the drug sometimes doesnt work, it has passed its expiry date and gone thick so doesnt flow through the veins as easily, and also horses that have been on long term bute apparently have a resistance to the drug.

All the above i have either witnessed or been told by 2 different vets what needs to be done.
 
I am reading these posts with tears in my eyes and not feeling any clearer on what i will do (hopefully well in the future) for my two who are in their 20s. I did consider drawing up a plan well in advance with the vets because I am sure that when the time comes it will be difficult to think as clearly as I would want to. After reading these posts though I am really not sure on the best track. I have held a horse while it was shot by someone from hunt but it is very very different when it is your horse that you have had for twenty odd years. :(

Has anyone else drawn up a plan with their vet?
 
I haven't seen the other thread so can't comment on it, but when I lost my beloved horse a few months ago he was PTS by injection and it went in as nice a way as it could have done. He was suffering from colic and although he seemed to perk up in the night after painkillers, he suddenly went very quickly downhill in the morning and our vet took one look at him and said there was nothing else that could be done. She loved him to pieces too and had helped him through a lot before this, and although it's part of the job I really admired how strong and together she was, I was a total wreck as it all happened so fast. He was sedated & then PTS as I cradled his head in my arms, and then his knees buckled and he was gone instantly - a lot quicker than I expected it to happen, and I'm glad it was fast. He loved our vet, trusted her and so wasn't afraid, and was no longer suffering. I've never seen anything being PTS before so had no idea what to expect - I will admit that I didn't know he'd gasp afterwards, that really shook me, but on the whole it was a lot more peaceful than I imagined it would be and I'm glad we had his favourite vet there as we saw her as a friend and knew how much he meant to her as well as to us. She sent us a sympathy card afterwards too which meant so much to me.
 
The_angel_littlelegs said:
Yes indie, an equine vet who at the time was locally well respected. It was over 17yrs ago, & he must have been in his 50's then, so in part I suspect he had less experience of injection than a modern vet. But, he did also make catastrophic errors. And within a year or two he was a lot less popular, not just because of the horse I mentioned but quite a few cock ups he made with other peoples too.
Click to expand...

That is so terrible as you expect a vet to have had plenty of practice even if it was years ago and it wasnt a newbie vet even then? So sorry it happened. Our local practice is a horsepital so they seem to be really competent IV etc he did it so fast and accurate. In fact someone told me its hard for them to miss, which is more of a worry hearing your experience. I heard good and bad about both methods but I would use either again just what suits horse/situation. I even thought about the psychology behind both methods etc from our human point of view(ie injections are more acceptable to us v as we are paying more cost for an injection do we think its a better option ie paying for the best). Or is it not the best etc is a gun faster etc, I did ask myself these things etc, I came on this forum and had some really good private advice(even though I come from a horsey family & ignored their advice, went with injection, even now they tell me I am mad). Difficult situation.
 
RhaLoulou said:
Has anyone else drawn up a plan with their vet?
Click to expand...

Not with the vet but yes definitely with myself.

I've had horses pts so many times now that it's second nature and I go into autopilot. I know which vet I use, and I will ONLY use this particular vet for pts. He's excellent! I know which method I prefer nowadays (was always the bullet when I was younger but now that the drugs are sooo much better and effective these days I opt for lethal injection every time). I know the drill. Where I'll have the horse put down if there's an option. I know to always have the horse pts in a place that's accessible to either me collecting the deadstock or to the knacker truck if they are the ones collecting. I know where the special ones will be buried, we have a bit of a cemetery going on here on my farm (all perfectly legal). I like my horse's friends to be able to be a part of it so the place I choose to have the horse pts will be close to where their friends are and I always let the friends come and sniff the body afterwards.

I have one old lady who is in her 20s that I don't know if she is going to make it through the next year. And one of my real oldies (37 yrs old) I really don't know how he's going to fare over the winter. I am obviously hoping they'll both do fine but I have already considered that they may not and what I'll do if their time comes sooner rather than later.

I think it's part of your responsibility of being a horse owner to consider what you will do in every eventuality.
 
He didn't miss, at least with the first one. Subsequent attempts he did. Biggest issue was that the horse had very bad circulation. It had struggled to remain upright & to get up from standing a few times in the week previously, so imo its fear of going down meant it fought the initial sedative & was full of adrenaline before the lethal dosage. Which I'm also sure must have been wrong. Like I say, others I've seen since were peaceful.
 
RhaLoulou said:
I am reading these posts with tears in my eyes and not feeling any clearer on what i will do (hopefully well in the future) for my two who are in their 20s. I did consider drawing up a plan well in advance with the vets because I am sure that when the time comes it will be difficult to think as clearly as I would want to. After reading these posts though I am really not sure on the best track. I have held a horse while it was shot by someone from hunt but it is very very different when it is your horse that you have had for twenty odd years. :(

Has anyone else drawn up a plan with their vet?
Click to expand...

I just asked a year before what method my vet preferred and he said injection without doubt but I wasnt sure as he wanted to take mine to horsepital for tests too(I refused) and I had a doubt if he just wanted to make as much money! Nearer the time I spoke to the nurses who told me all I needed to know, collection etc But this is one subject that doesnt have much criticism on the forum and I had some nice messages re both methods and at end of day only you can make the choice and it is final. Anyway enjoy your lovely horses they are lucky that you have their best interests. Thats all they need. Difficult subject.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top