pts

A

alfiesmum

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 January 2010
Messages
1,194
Location
sunny scotland
Visit site
hi sorry for this horrible question but its sunday and i cant stop thinking about it.
my horse is reluctantly going to have to be pts (2x bute daily and still lame, we know what is wrong however thought bute might help but hasnt, very long and winded injury that i am not going into.)

anyway, i have no idea how much this is going to cost and who takes the horse away etc? sorry but never had to pts before and thankfully not experienced in this field. i have found info in england but not any here in scotland?

i am looking for a rough estimate of price as i am sure up here you have to pay on the day?
any info that will help is appreciated.
 
Cant really help but at moment having similar issue sort of vet said will do what i want them to do. The vet can organize everything for you including collection dont know prices guess it depends on what way you choose and if you want cremation etc.
 
thanks (been a total insurance nightmare!!) i have not slept properly for months and although i have started to look for another horse i just feel so guilty. have not ridden for six months (hence been looking), and every time i think about another horse i go down to field and get my boy in and spend some time with him. i just feel so guilty but i keep thinking he will get better and i know deep down and with vet reports that he wont.
i just have to name the day and i cant do it x insurance been a nightmare but i think this week coming i will have to choose a day. he is looking so well and his coat is gleaming but he is struggling with his lameness and its just not fair. going to take loads and loads of pics the next few days x
hope you dont have too a hard time with it ---where is the fairygmother with the magic wand when you need her?
 
Ok. Depends on the method you use.
If you use the hunt, it could cost as little as £80 to have him shot. Price could be factored on how far away you live, or if you can take him to them yourself.
Or you could have him PTS by injection. This is far far more costly ( I paid £230 for one of mine to be PTS this way). I then had to pay for the knackerman to come and collect him, and cremate him (the only option due to the drugs in the system). This cost a further £300. And he was only a 12.2 pony.....
Have done it both ways, but with a healthy horse I would have it shot everytime. Over before they know whats happening, and far better if they are iffy with the vet.
The only thing I would really stress, is be sure you insurance company agree to him being PTS, if you are going to claim his loss.
 
I know if i do go down this road insurance will not cover it i know that only way around it is loss of use then after that they cant say anything. Its so hard to decide what to do sometimes whats the hardest thing is mine has recovered from spavins, liver damage, her anemia and lami so well when in Oct wanted to give up but vet said not to. However now her behaviour has changed one min fine next can be dangerous if you dont know how to handle her and has had a fit. So hard vet said they will come out and do whatever i want them to do.


Dont feel guilty for looking ive just brought a youngster and have an appointment at local horse charity next week to see a horse. You have made your horse happy im sure he has had a good life with you if he is on bute his liver will end up being damaged long term. Hope you have a good support network around you to help you decide what to do or maybe to give him a few weeks in the sun before the time comes x
 
Your vet can make arrangements for you - I've recently had a bill for £175 from the vets for the injection and removal of body was £150 plus vat - Hope this helps? It's an awful situation - hope you're ok?
Kate x
 
Am sorry to hear about your horse - sounds like you're doing the right thing for him.
Am not sure what the rules are in scotland but you can have your horse buried in your field as long as it is away from a water source as most horses are classed as a pet.
You'd need to speak to your vet as they will be more up to date on rules and regulations, if you don't have your own land then I'm sure a neighboring farmer maybe willing, will save the £250-ish cost that your knackerman will charge - also check your insurance policy as some cover pts and disposal.
 
thanks guys, just spent another wonderful afternoon grooming and painting his toe-nails.
i think what really hurts the most is that when he sees me, he comes flying up the field (he never used to do this).
got the dreaded call to the insurance then the vet in the morning and take if from there.
i dont know of the huntsman? not clued up on these things so if anyone can give me contacts i would appreciate it .
thanks
(in scotland)
 
Your vet should have contact details for the local hunt and can organise everything for you which makes things easier.
As someone who has put horses to sleep, Id chose to shoot my horse rather than inject. Much easier and quicker.
 
First of all so sorry for your situation - been there so know how heartbreaking it is.
My vet made the arrangements for us as I was too upset to speak to the collection people, just cried everytime I tried to speak about it. My daughter was a teenager at the time and wanted to be there so we had him injected. All together with collection and cremeation it was about £500 and that was 7 years ago though I don't think it has gone up much.
Do not feel guilty about getting another horse. Try to separate putting your lad down and getting a new one in your head. It sounds as if you need to do this regardless so you are not putting one down to get another. You are doing the right thing by a much loved animal.
 
Other than what everyone else has said, just wanted to add, if you can (financially/time wise etc) I just wanted to suggest that it may be a good thing if you got your other horse now rather than after you have parted with your current horse, just having another there, to keep you busy and focused, it really helps with the loss of a horse having another to look after and ride etc, I know it may not seem like a good idea (you may feel your replacing before they have gone) but you know deep down it has nothing to do with that, they can never be replaced, there all indiviuals but I can't stress enough how much it helps having another horse there.

(((hugs)))
 
thanks again again guys for all your messages.
insurance still wont agree on themoney side and i cant do anything until they do.
had a ww fright today he was very quiet and not his self at all but seems to be ok at the momentx
been looking for another with no luck until my fabby instructor who knows all my faults said that she might just might sell me her fabby mare = goin to try this weekend so fingers crossed x
 
sorry to hear your situation.

i have had one old boy put to sleep by injection and it was very peaceful. he was quite ill and in early stages of heart failure. i'm not sure if it would be harder having a 'healthy' but lame horse pts in same way.

i asked for a specific vet who was really sensitive to both myself and the horse and this made a huge difference as it is a very personal thing.

the vets arranged whole thing for me and we chose midday as i had time to fuss him in the morning and was not rushed afterwards. the peolpe who took him away were lovely too and very sensitive.

I am not sure of the full cost as he was a horse that i had looked after for a friend after she died so her hubby paid the expenses, but just to say that you can have your horse cremated individually or together with other horses. it is quite a bit cheaper to have him cremated with other animals (and he won't mind!) and then you can have a token of the mixed ashes back. so suggest you ask for costs of both. this old boy was done alone so that his ashes could be mixed with my friends.

good luck with your decision
 
http://www.horsevet.co.uk/euthanasia.php

This is a valuable link which may help.

On a personal level I have had two horses put down my lethal injection, one when I was not present (he was at a hospital) and another whilst I was there although I did not watch. I would say as a tip that if you do not wish to attend whilst the horse is put down with injection, but wish to see the body afterwards you wait ten minutes as the horse can make various noises/movements following death for up to ten minutes which is called agonal gasping - nothing to do with agony- and the following link describes this in detail. http://www.ehow.com/facts_5859937_definition-agonal-respiration.html When I saw the body of my previous beloved horse who was put down aged ten with wobblers it distressed me greatly as I was not warned there could be noises/movement and it was very upsetting not being able to understand the reasons why. Not all horses do this but it is important to know that some can/do.

I also had a horse put down by humane captive bolt pistol. Unfortunately as I walked away from the horse towards my father who had just arrived and was asking what happened I shouted out at the exact moment the vet pulled the trigger and it appeared my horse moved his head at the last moment. He had to be shot twice. I really would not wish to go through a similiar thing and with today's powerful drugs on the market I would rather go for lethal injection every time. But again if you wish to attend this method of euthanasia I would suggest you are quiet and calm just in case.

I am sorry you have had to make this sad decision but I admire your courage. x
 
I'd also like to add that I have lost four horses in under seven years and the only thing that ever got me through it was the thought of having something else to love and cherish. So don't feel guilty about having another one, but make sure you give yourself time to grieve too. Don't rush headlong into the first thing that comes along, but instead take a step back and make sure that you are not buying something in haste. THis was an expensive lesson for me following the death of my first horse when I bought my next one in haste. Each horse I've lost has been 'replaced' (I mean that word in the loosest possible way) within 6 weeks and I have loved each horse as much as the one before. Good luck, god bless, will be thinking of you x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top