When is it time

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rebeccaandgrace

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When is it time to have your horse put to sleep, my boy is 19 he's a chunky cob he's got arthritis but it has gotten worse since coming out of winter it's in his hocks spavin :( he's not flexing his back legs and has muscle wastage in his quarters he dropped a lot of condition in winter as well, he's seems a bit better now but he's not being ridden at all he's just to crippled he seems ok in himself cheeky etc but he lies down a lot, am I right to think that keeping him this winter will only be worse for him and him to be in more pain? He's had bute but surely I can't keep him on it and feel its only fair he is put to sleep :( is it time ?
 
To me you describe a horse for whom another winter would be unfair. I'm assuming he's on pain relief medication to support him. But from your brief description I'd be making that all important phone call very shortly. Sorry.
 
You can keep him on bute at that age but is it fair? The question I always ask is what is the quality of life? If it's good, then fine, if not, then PTS.
 
I would have him on bute all the time and see if that improves his quality of life, my friend,s old cob was on it for years and it kept him comfortable and she had him until he was 36.
 
I had my six year old cob PTS on Tuesday, we had come to the end of the road, and his problems had to come before anything I was feeling emotionally, otherwise he would still be here.

My vet and I where chatting, and he said he PTS quite a few horse in the Autumn his words where " they are dragged through the summer " , there is nothing enjoyable for a horse in pain, having to get away from flies, the hard ground and the heat, and having to get up and down. So I would set a date, sooner rather than latter, they really do not have a clue, they live in the now, and I unfortunately have had to make this decision four times, and it gets harder each time, but it is what's best for the horse.

all the very best.
 
He won't eat the bute I've tried everything and I just feel like pumping him full of pain killers is not reay fair as you can ask a person with arthritis they say it doesn't realy matter how many they take the pain is never gone :(
 
I would change to Danilon to see if that makes any difference.Horses seem to take Danilon better than Bute. I would syringe it into him give him a few days of this lovely weather we are going to have and if this does not work then I would let him go.
 
I have never had a problem wit Danilon, with any of my horses , but they have all hated bute!
My boy is on danilon for his arthritic pastern joint and I know of plenty of older horses that are being managed on this and are perfectly happy!
I personally have aches and pains especially in my back and taking pain relief makes a big difference to me!
 
rebeccaandgrace said:
He won't eat the bute I've tried everything and I just feel like pumping him full of pain killers is not reay fair as you can ask a person with arthritis they say it doesn't realy matter how many they take the pain is never gone :(
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As Paulineb says, change him to danilon. They tend to eat that much better.

I think you have your answer when you say he seems ok in himself, cheeky etc. He's not ready to die yet! :)

I hate the way people go on about it not being fair pumping them full of pain killers. It's hardly that, is it? A sachet of danilon a day. I agree, I don't like to give them pain killers just so you can ride them, but to keep them comfortable in retirement, why not?
 
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Have you thought there could be other things going on. Have you had a Osteopath/Chiropractor/Physio to see him.

As for losing weight over he winter, a lot of horses did that. What feed is he on and do you give him a joint supplement.
 
rebeccaandgrace said:
When is it time to have your horse put to sleep, my boy is 19 he's a chunky cob he's got arthritis but it has gotten worse since coming out of winter it's in his hocks spavin :( he's not flexing his back legs and has muscle wastage in his quarters he dropped a lot of condition in winter as well, he's seems a bit better now but he's not being ridden at all he's just to crippled he seems ok in himself cheeky etc but he lies down a lot, am I right to think that keeping him this winter will only be worse for him and him to be in more pain? He's had bute but surely I can't keep him on it and feel its only fair he is put to sleep :( is it time ?
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There are many things that you could do for your horse.

Arthritic horses are better ridden for 20 mins every day than for 2 hours once a week. You haven't said if the vet advised against riding him, but exercise keeps the joints mobile. The horse needs to lose as much weight as possible to avoid putting extra stress on the joints, so a slight change in diet may be needed. Most respond really well to drugs from the vet in the form of Tildren which is administered via transfusion or even better 'fusion' using ethanol which is pure alcohol and kills the nerves in the hock so the horse feels no pain. This is meant to last for the horses life although its a realtively new procedure as so there is no long term data to support this. My horse has had both these done and is jumping dressaging and fun rides like before- he is 16 and is jumping 1.05m and elementary dressage like before.

I beleive you can give one sachet of bute indefinetely to your horse. Bute is only like aspirin but is very effective. It can cause problems if fed on high doses long term, but a sachet a day isn't going to really cause problems for your horse and lots of horses have this for many, many years without ill effect. If you are reluctant to try this (although I'm not sure why you would be) then try no bute or zero bute which are liquid bute free supplements.

Then on top of all this there are your natural remedies such as devils claw and cider vinegar or you can try a joint supplement. You can also try magnotherapy.

You need to avoid concussion on hard ground as much as you can, rubber mat your stable if possible and offer a decent bed.

There are many things you can do, I think you need a chat with your vet. Your horse may never be able to be jumped or cantered again but he may be able to go on some gentle hacks, or enjoy a pain free retirement in his field.
 
Applecart14

I disagree with you when you say Aspirin is like Bute. One is a straight forward pain killer and the other is an anti- inflammatory drug


Aspirin is a Non-opioid analgesic where as Bute (Phenylbutazone) is a Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
 
He gets a scoop of sixteen + and chaff everyday that has msm and glostomine in towards the end of the summer I plan to have the vet back out and sort an action plan out,for now he seems happy enjoying his time with his friends I would like him to have this freedom for now such a bad winter here in west coast of Scotland hoping its not a repeat this year thanks for your advice x
 
It is time when you know in yourself (you know him better than anyone) it is. I would imagine that cause you are asking questions it will be sooner rather than later.
He is still cheeky and happy, so maybe not quite yet. Maybe if you change the meds he will be better, and it will put it off for a long time. Maybe not.
I will tell you the story of my old mare.
I brought her as a rescue horse as a 3yo. While she was getting weight and strength someone put a colt in next field. He jumped in and covered her injuring her back (I still have the resultant foal)
She never was going to be ok to ride, so as bred from her, all cracking foals, all much loved.
Mum mum got cancer, so I loaned her to someone. I lost my mum, then when I saw her after she foaled for that lady, she hadnt been looking after her (She had up till foaling, and I had seen her 2 months earlier) and was again a total hat rack. on vets advice the foal was weaned at 3 months to give her chance. She came home and was eating a 400kg bale of haylage in a week, and after 6 weeks was nearly back to weight. In that time she slipped slightly while playing, and you could see it had irratated her back.
So I wintered her, believing in myself that it was a added strain that would heal. In spring I saw her getting up, and while it had always been difficult, it was so much worse I nearly cried. I knew then that she would not go another winter. That said in general she was happy, but i watched her, she would have a play, and be hurting after.
She nannied a youngster that year, as she was a real mummy, and when he was sold, I made the decision, and had her PTS.
A few people guilt tripped me. But my answer was the same, In summer the ground was firm and she could get up, in winter if she hadnt got purchase, I could see that she could be stuck on the ground and unable to get up, and would be getting more and more stressed. Then everything would be done in a stressful situation that was forced on me, in high emotion that would be more stressful all round. That and it would be possible that I wouldnt have been able to get a lorry in to remove her body.
So my decision was to let her go in a peaceful way, with minimal stress. And it was, calm, peaceful. and over very quickly. And I had talked to her, told her what was coming, and believe that she was at peace with the decision.
I believe that for your horse, it is better to let them go before you regret hanging on too long.
 
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paulineh said:
Applecart14

I disagree with you when you say Aspirin is like Bute. One is a straight forward pain killer and the other is an anti- inflammatory drug


Aspirin is a Non-opioid analgesic where as Bute (Phenylbutazone) is a Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
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I think asprin is an unusual drug. It works more like an anti inflammatory. The reason I know this is that I have an anaphylactic reaction to NSAIs and the consultant told me never to take asprin as it works the same way in the body.

But a good human equivalent of bute is ibuprofen.
 
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