Thoughts on PTS... Should I wait?

milesjess

milesjess

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As some of you know my horse was diagnosed with bone spavin last year.

Unfortunately he didn't respond to treatment, living out etc... And it's quite severe.

To cut a long story short, lots of treatment later, the prognosis from his vet is that PTS is probably the kindest option. We have given him a final steroid injection which I was hoping would get him through summer to enjoy our time together...

However it seems that he is getting worse :( and now I don't know if I'm being cruel keeping him going.

He has basically started dragging his leg with the toe every step, taking a few steps and then stopping and his leg appears to twist at the joint when he walks?! It's quite horrible to be honest and only started over the past few days.

He's not on danilon at the request of his vet.

He's eating, but his spark seems to have gone :( he seems so depressed and gloomy.

I know it's on me to decide and do right by him but it's the hardest decision of my life... I was hoping for a lovely summer but I don't know if we'll get there.

...
 
Thanks. I'll have to speak to his vet and discuss with her.

I don't wish anyone for be in this position, it's so heart breaking. But the decision will be right by him x
 
it is a very difficult dission which i had to make and i would say better a day to early than a day to late. only you can decide but if he is in pain and my horse i would let him go
 
Huge hugs - all I would say is its a million times harder for us and having a horse PTS is the last, kindest and bravest decision you can make for your horse if you think they have had enough and its never easy! Tikino is right, better a day too early then a day too late.
 
I've been where you are, I tried everything and the spark had also gone out of his eyes, and he was certainly in a lot of pain. It's not an easy decision but it's the best for the horse. (((hugs)))
 
I am so sorry to hear this.

We recently had our family dog pts. He was 13yrs old and all of a sudden started to collapse, and knew his back end was going. A couple of times he collapsed on walks and although we got him back up each time, couldn't bear the thought of him going down one day and having to carry him home.

Although we could have kept him going for a few weeks longer, we wanted him to be able to walk into the vets with his dignity in tact. He spent his last 2 days being cuddled and spoilt rotten, and we all had time to say goodbye.

It was one of the hardest decisons I have ever had to make, but strangely once we decided to do it, I also felt a huge sense of relief. I believe we did the best thing by him and also advocate the adage, 'better a week too early than a day too late'.

Thought with you in this difficult time x
 
How horrible for you - it's never nice watching any animal suffer or having to decide what is the best way forward.

Has the vet given any reason as to why he is so bad? I only ask as usually bone spavin does not affect horses so badly and does not result in them having to be PTS. I had one years ago who was diagnosed and, although treated with bute first (vets then didn't know any better - you didn't have the injection option) he was eventually bute free and was still leading anactive, competitive life.

Have you had him looked at by a decent chiro? Again, I only ask based on my own experience when mine, following a fall xc, appeared to be crippled a couple of days after and we thought the spavin had finally take it's toll. Turned out not to be and, although the main probs were aas a result of the fall, the years of him compensating for his spavin had resulted in him sort of twisting when he walked which, in turn lead to some muscle issues. After two chiro treatments he was sounder than he'd been for years.

Of course, every horse is different and, I assume the vet is pretty sure there is nothing else tthat can be done and, as you say, the horse is miserable. I have no idea of what you have already tried and, at the end of the day sometimes, no matter what we try we have to ultimately make the decision to call it a day. I am really sorry.
 
im not going to tell you what i think you should do or even what i wold do - it is a excision for you to make - you know your boy better than any one of us - just enjoy the time you have left with him, but i offer all my sympathy and support
 
Most of us that have had to go through this wouldn't wish it on their worst enemy. But as someone has said rather a day early than a day late. You will just have to bite the bullet.((((((hugs))))))))
 
I had my mare pts last year and I don't think her problems were as bad as you have described. My biggest fear was finding her down in the morning and not being able to get her up and us feeling really distressed.
I made what was the hardest decision I've ever ever made BUT I do not regret it for one second. The pain I went through was minimal compared to the pain she would have felt if she fallen in the field and the guilt and pain I'd have felt not making the decision sooner.
I was able to plan everything, I said a proper goodbye and her fieldmates did too and I was lucky enough to bury her at home, something I may not have done if it was an emergency.

I hope you don't think I'm trying to persuade you either way, I'm just giving you my experience.
I totally agree with rather a week to early than a day too late.

Go with your gut feeling, you know your horse and you know in your heart what is the right thing to do is whether you do it now or after the summer.
 
I had a similar decision to make a few weeks ago with one of my gorgeous dogs, he was chasing pheasants in the field at the weekend and by the tuesday couldnt hardly breathe, just over a week later I had to make the same decision, like Sidney I could have probably kept him on steroids for another week or two but he lost so much weight and the spark in his eye went we think it was cancer - it was the hardest decision I have made and I really understand how you feel but you do know when the right time is x
 
We had to face this last month but seeing him in pain was so hard, we knew it was the only thing to do. Talk to your vet and take the advice they give, its hard but be brave.
 
It has been like summer this week, without the oppressive heat and flies though. If you think this is the right time then it is, he is telling you by the sound of it. Animals have a different perspective to death than we do and we keep them alive for our benefit and not theirs. My view is that making the decision at the right time, no matter how painful for us, is the final (and the biggest) thing we can do for them to show our love. I don't envy you one bit and when you make the decision then remember the wonderful times you have had together and how you did the right thing. xx
 
Sounds like its time. Either that or put him on a course of bute. After all, the bute may have long term effets but in the short term would make him more comfortable
 
I always try to make quality of life the criterion by which I make the last decision I can for my horses. As others have said 'better a week too soon, than a day too late'. I do wonder though why the vet has said 'no Danilon'.
Unfortunately if there's no possibility of improvement, I think you know you will have to make the decision soon.
All the best.
 
ladyt25 said:
How horrible for you - it's never nice watching any animal suffer or having to decide what is the best way forward.

Has the vet given any reason as to why he is so bad? I only ask as usually bone spavin does not affect horses so badly and does not result in them having to be PTS. I had one years ago who was diagnosed and, although treated with bute first (vets then didn't know any better - you didn't have the injection option) he was eventually bute free and was still leading anactive, competitive life.

Have you had him looked at by a decent chiro? Again, I only ask based on my own experience when mine, following a fall xc, appeared to be crippled a couple of days after and we thought the spavin had finally take it's toll. Turned out not to be and, although the main probs were aas a result of the fall, the years of him compensating for his spavin had resulted in him sort of twisting when he walked which, in turn lead to some muscle issues. After two chiro treatments he was sounder than he'd been for years.

Of course, every horse is different and, I assume the vet is pretty sure there is nothing else tthat can be done and, as you say, the horse is miserable. I have no idea of what you have already tried and, at the end of the day sometimes, no matter what we try we have to ultimately make the decision to call it a day. I am really sorry.
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I agree with this. My horse has really bad bone spavin and has never dragged his leg. Are you sure the vet is not missing something higher up? Bone spavin can end a horse's ridden career if it's really bad, but they are usually able to retire quite comfortably. Why had the vet not allowed bute? If it is bone spavin, then it can resolve itself if the bones fuse, unless your horse has spavin in the upper part of the hock. This is rare, but more serious and painful.
 
We had a similar quandary with a lamb, beautiful bright big lamb but slowly his back leg usage was deteriorting. When we took him the vet did an autopsy after and found he had a spinal abscess, which wouldn't ever get better and was shutting off his back end.
We were SO glad we took him earlier rather than later.
When they go "too early" you have the benefit of never knowing what might have been however leaving them and taking the risk - then them getting worse, is the most pitiful thing in the world IMO.
Hard decision for you, sending hugs and thoughts either way.
 
Nothing to add except you know the answer and it's horrible but it's part of the price for having them to go though this when luck runs against you .
 
I would also follow your vets advice, if you know his condition is painful and deteriorating then you've got to ask what are you waiting for? I would also be asking for bute for him in the meantime.

It is an awful position to be in and sadly one that most of us will encounter at some stage, but doing right by the horse is what matters. x
 
Big hugs to you! I'm currently having to have 'that talk' with my parents about my cat. We took her to the vets once to have her PTS, but the vet said she'll be fine for a few months. I had already said my goodbyes and I don't want to go through it again :'(

Wishing the best for you x
 
Sorry for the delay in replying -

Basically (I'll try to keep it brief), last Aug he went lame behind quite badly. He had appeared stiff a week before so he was given time off to see if it helped. Vet was called out next day and he was mis-diagnosed but eventually he was taken in, xrayed and diagnosed with spavin. When he was nerve blocked he was lame both hinds and his front left.

It took us a good 4-5 months to get him to the point of light work. He was put to 24/7 turnout, bute, magnetic boots, shoes taken off, back was checked fine etc...

He had tildren (sp?) and steroids.

He constantly shifts his weight, stands with his legs under him, can't hold his feet up for long, trips up... Eventually I stopped riding as he felt too lame again and unfair on him, which the vet agreed with. He has gone ribby and gloomy, started dragging his back leg and it sort of twists when he walks. I think in a way to cope with the pain.

So another trip from vet who done another steroid injection and we discussed letting him enjoy his last summer. She doesn't believe he'll ever come sound or even get through another winter :( he can't be stabled as his legs swell but living out in the cold is hard going too.

He was on danilon, 1 per day but she said take him off after the steroid but I might just re-start him but it will probably affect his liver, but he is better with it. So again a dilemma.

Dont get me wrong he did improve, but he's just slipping backwards now so I was hoping the warm weather would help him. But now I do feel cruel to a point...

I keep thinking that he might come right with the way spavin works?!

Don't get me wrong he can still have a mad moment and loves his food :) I'm trying not to be selfish but it's such a hard decision and I always think well what if.

Wish I could buy the silly thing new legs :p

And here we are 9 months on...

Thanks for the support and advice, it really does help x
 
Sounds like its time to let him go. And from your description he would only have a matter of days with me - not the summer. Apols for beings so frank.
 
This really does not sound like bone spavin to me - which I struggled with and retired a horse with. Has vet not given you the option ethanol injections to encourage fusion? Tildren isn't much good, imo, too short lived.

Can you get a second opinion and also some pain killers (btw, one danilon a day really is a very small amount of painkiller).
 
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