Quality of life

tabithakat64

tabithakat64

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 October 2006
Messages
5,942
Location
Herts, UK
Visit site
What is the minimum quality of life you would want for your horse or pony, in terms of turnout, socialisation and pain?

Is it acceptable to keep an animal alive if it has permenant pain related lameness and will always be in discomfort even if on medication?
 
[ QUOTE ]

Is it acceptable to keep an animal alive if it has permenant pain related lameness and will always be in discomfort even if on medication?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not acceptable for me, i'm afraid.
frown.gif
frown.gif
 
My girls will have to have 24/7 turnout, no box rest for months on end, they like freedom. (Fine if box rest for a week or 2). Again medication, fine if for a week or 2 but if it looks like it will be months then I will think.
And NO, not in my eyes, I couldn't bear to watch ANY animal in pain, disomfort and on hight medication.
 
Not acceptable for me either. A woman I know kept her 17hh for about 2/3 years knowing he was in a lot of pain from permanent lameness, no amount of medication made him comfortable and he was only 5 and yearned to be in the big field with his friends and gallop around. She kept him all this time because she couldn't bear to have him pts. after nearly 3 years she finally did, however during that time I resented her for not pts sooner.

Very sorry for you if you are having to make the decision
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Is it acceptable to keep an animal alive if it has permenant pain related lameness and will always be in discomfort even if on medication?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not acceptable for me, i'm afraid.
frown.gif
frown.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Me neither hunny...I know where you're going with this one, I just read your other post.

He would thank you for it, if he could
frown.gif


((((((((hugs)))))))))
 
Not acceptable to keep something going thats in pain even when medicated. But I also think they need to be able to live in a routine that they are happy with, be that out, or coming in at night if thats what they prefer etc.

Someone I know kept her horse for about 2 and a half years, always trying something else to make him right again. He spent most of that time on box rest, and when he did go out he was so lame he would have to be kept in again. But the vet was always suggesting something else that might work and I think it was partly this that dragged it on and on. Finally he was pts, but very sad as he had no life poor thing.
 
Acceptable life for me would be MINIMUM or NO pain, and they can eat, drink and do normal horsey things (play with friends, lay down roll etc)

When I say minimum pain, I think arthritis is acceptable, as long as they can still get around in the paddock/stable. The moment it stops them from being able to move, get down to roll, or get back up from rolling, thats when I think PTS is a consideration.
 
I think you know the answer to this question before you posted. As hard as it may be to accept, it isn't acceptable to keep the animal alive if it's pain is such.
 
I do know the answer.

I'm going to give Fudge until his re-scan and the treatment is over and if the prognosis hasn't improved and pain will be a major factor in his life and he wouldn't be able to move around normally (I could live with arthritis type discomfort that could be helped with non-perscription meds etc) I will be having him put to sleep

The vet told me that horses get used to being in pain and some pace themselves (ie no hooning around) accordingly. I don't agree with life at any cost though.

Personally I think keeping any animal alive in this situation would be cruel. The same as I wouldn't have a horse that could never be turned out and run and socialise as I also think this is unacceptable.
 
There is a shetland x on my yard who has chronic lameness so for well over 6 months (cant remember how long as its been aaages!) he has had to stay in his stable. He gets some soaked hay and has water but he's too short to see over the door and he's in 24/7. I think he gets walked out once maybe twice a day now he's getting better but I cant help thinking his quality of life isnt great.
frown.gif
He's 18/19 and his owner has had him since a foal. Poor thing doesnt go out with his friend and must barely see more than the 4 walls all day cuz he cant hang his head over the door with it being so high.
 
No not if in pain all the time.

I have a chronic laminitic pony who is very labour intensive. However, she does get turnout when she is OK and when the grass is too rich I let her loose in the stable yard while I muck out.

She can help herself to hay and water and nibble a bit of grass around the edge of the yard.

My horses would have to be very sick indeed to be stabled 24/7.
 
If they can be sound in the field on bute, then life is acceptable, but even if on pain killers they are in pain, and there is no prospect that this will change in the future, then though it would break my heart, I would help them move on to the place of happiness, no pain and sunshine and grass to wait for me to join them.

Cairo's last months was in the field, on 2 danilon a day. He was sound, not in pain and happy pottering about and being taken for walks. We always said the day he could not get up, was the day we called the vet as he was getting very stiff. Blessing for us, we never had to make that decision when to call, as his liver failure meant there was no decision to be made other than to say goodbye.

I hope Fudge pulls through for you and sending you huge hugs for your difficult time.
 
[ QUOTE ]


Is it acceptable to keep an animal alive if it has permenant pain related lameness and will always be in discomfort even if on medication?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not in my book, no, sorry.
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

Is it acceptable to keep an animal alive if it has permenant pain related lameness and will always be in discomfort even if on medication?

[/ QUOTE ]

Not under any circumstances.

However just because its the right decision doesn't necessarily make it easy.
 
(((hugs))) and the answer is no
I had to make the decision to put Higgs to sleep as he had grass sickness, we could have tried as he was eating and drinking a little but I went up on the Sunday which was the 5th day after he had colic surgery and I just knew it was time to let him go.
I also had to sit back and watch my husband die of cancer and there was nothing I could do to stop the pain or his suffering
frown.gif

I know which one had the happier ending and to me it sucks that we can't do the same for humans as we can for our animals. At least with them we can take the decision not to let them suffer and for that I am eternally grateful, I wouldn't hesitate to make the same decision with Pidge as I did Higgs, even though it would break my heart as it did with Higgs but we owe it to them not to let them suffer
frown.gif

If you want a chat please PM me xx
 
It is a hard one to call as it depends on so much and vet opinion etc. If I knew I would never control my horses pain then I would have to make the hard decision...my lad cannot cope being shut in a stable 24/7 as being on box rest for just a few weeks with laminitis proved...he got very depressed, stressed and was loosing weight at an alarming rate so the vet told me to turn him out regardless on a bare paddock to try and stabilise him mentally.
I myself am in pain most of the time, most of the year...not excessive pain, but discomfort netherless...whether it be from my arthritis in my feet or my back troubles...it wears me down and makes me very exhausted...I would not want my horse to feel how I do on a permanent basis.
 
QR

So sorry to hear this. And I would say no, it's not acceptable.

I do think that many horseowners now (and this is not directed at you in any way btw, but my point is I think it influences vets' advice somewhat) leave it far too late to PTS.

Every yard I've been on, there has been at least one animal I have thought should have been PTS years before.

It's not even about pain for me, either. There are other factors, such as losing status in the herd, and not working, that I think people should take into account.

I do also find some very odd owners, who almost enjoy having the unrideable horse and constant vet visits, supplements, bandaging, and worry. Some I know are almost Munchhausen candidates!

PTS hurts only us, not them. There's no way I'm ever letting my lad's quality of life slide.

Sorry have gone a bit off topic and this thread is not the place. I hope you are ok and I am sorry you are having to go through this but you will clearly make the right decision for your horse. Lucky horse xxx
 
I think if there is no or little quality of life, and your horse is in pain, then the only thing you can do for them is PTS.

I think others have mentioned vets being swayed by owners, but it also happens the other way around if you have insurance. I've seen horses that so clearly should be PTS yet because they are insured, the vets influence the owner to do this and that as its covered by insurance, and during that time, the horse continues to suffer.

Go with your heart, you will do what is right for your horse x
 
[ QUOTE ]

Is it acceptable to keep an animal alive if it has permenant pain related lameness and will always be in discomfort even if on medication?

[/ QUOTE ]

Under no circumstances! Its a hard decision but really you dont have any other option.
A horse needs to be able to move comfortably and freely to feel safe, being crippled even if not in pain can cause emotional stress as they can't flee from perceived dangers.
Being kept permenantly stabled when the animal is a wee sheltand that can't even see over the door ( Post further up) is animal abuse.
frown.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

I do also find some very odd owners, who almost enjoy having the unrideable horse and constant vet visits, supplements, bandaging, and worry. Some I know are almost Munchhausen candidates!

[/ QUOTE ]
In total agreement with the bit about Munchhousen Syndrome by Proxy. I ve know quite a few people who seem to enjoy having horses with ailments.
confused.gif
 
I'm going to rock the boat and say, yes, depending on their level of pain.

If it's just low grade discomfort but doesn't stop them living a proper horsey life (out grazing with friends for the majoirty of the day, can get up and down easily, can do a bit of playing etc) then I would be happy to keep them as a field ornament. There's a vast number of arthritic horses out there who live with that level of discomfort quite happily.

However if their pain level stopped them doing normal horsey things, or required them to live a miserable existance (i.e box rested for the rest of their life) then I would have them put to sleep.
 
I agree with Kallibear. My grandmother has chronic arthritis and other ailments and is in a degree of discomfort every single day, but if I asked her if she would rather be dead the answer would be no! My little girl was alive probably longer than others on here would have allowed, but because she was still romping round the field, shovelling down her feeds, following the ridden horses around, rolling and generally being cheeky I decided she didn't seem ready to go. Pain (in moderation) doesn't mean you can no longer find joy in life.

That said, the day I went up to see her and she didn't polish off her tea and her eyes were dull and tired, I didn't hesitate and she went that day. As above, they need some quality of normal life, but don't let anyone make you feel cruel for giving him a chance, you will feel in your gut the right thing to do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top