PTS problem

The wife said:
Yes I have been the unfortunate witness to an injection euthanasia going seriously wrong, 9 years ago and it still haunts me to this day. Horse was a very strong, young, big WB. A lovely animal in every which way, unfortunately after years of treatment for Navicular and him not settling to a retired life he was to be PTS.

The vet was very young and obviously intimidated by this horse, it was the first (and consequently) the last injection PTS experience I will ever witness. She injected him first but with nowhere near a high enough dose. He initially dropped to his knees and fought it. 5 injections later, a severed artery, a heavily bleeding head and neck and a horse who was literally banging his head against the floor, half with it, half completely out of it and I was begging the gamekeeper to just shoot him with his shotgun. She started crying and went and sat in her car while I had to phone her boss and tell him to do the job properly.

45 minutes that poor animal waited to finally be put out of his misery. He was in a serious mess by the time her boss arrived and we had, had to wrap a rug around his head to stop him smashing it against the floor and used to jumpers to stem the bleeding from his artery and neck - Transpires she had never put a horse to sleep before unaided and while the 1st lot did go into the artery, it was hit and miss about if the rest went IV or muscle.

I vowed to this day to only ever have mine shot, we are blessed to have an exceptional good knackerman here, a very kind and compassionate young man who is fantastic at his job. The last horse he did for me was a pleasant experience as it can be, it's never going to be a nice thing to do but I didn't even realise he was carrying his gun, the horse has his head in a bucket and didn't know anything about it and went very quickly, peacefully and with his mum at his head.
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I haven't experienced a bad injection first hand however a very close friend had a similar story to yours although not quite so messy her horse fought it and fought it hard he was dragging her up and down trying to rear and pulling himself around on the floor she is truely traumatised by the whole experience and I am glad I was not there to witness it. When the decision had to be made for my own horse last year I couldn't risk the same scenario so I chose to got to the hunt yard which was as good of an experience it could of been we were met and lead into a stable i have her a pat and cuddle and stepped outside he walked her in a circle have her a carrot and the deed was done I then went back in to see her afterwords. It was very professional and the man was lovely and very supportive and should I ever have to do it again I would go back there
 
Yes mine. He got up, fell over, got up, staggered, almost fell on bonnet of vets car and eventually went down and stayed down. He was still breathing and panicking on the floor though. I will never forget it and never use the injection again.
 
Vet did a lamb by injection and nothing happen. He missed the vein so had to do it again which worked.

My mare reared up and went over backwards and travelled from one end of the treatment room to the other backwards. Which really made a bad situation worse for me.
 
I would prefer a bullet for my boy done by the huntsman if possible. But if it's not possible due to circumstances IE the vet has no gun handy or they don't send a firearms registered vet to me then I will use the injection even though I have seen in fail on more occasions than I've seen it successful.

I wouldn't make my horse wait in agony because of personal choice.
 
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