when the time comes: PTS-Needle phobic worried horse

Kadastorm

Kadastorm

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I'm not having my pony PTS in the near future but it may have to be an option if he doesnt come sound or financial reasons force it.
However, it has crossed my mind many a time that i really dont know what would be best for him.
He is needle phobic and so injection would be stressful for him. he is also very wary about things, he hates bottles/sprays, hoses, random objects and i worry he would be very wary/worried about a strange person with a gun. he can be very wary of certain people unless i am with him or he knows them. Selfishly i really dont think i would be able to be with him if PTS via a gun.
what would you do? really i need to have a plan of action for when the time comes as anything could happen.
 
Probably best if you're not there then but if you get the hunt to shoot him they have masses of experience and will handle the whole thing in a calm professional manner such that he'll have a bite to eat . . and that will be the end.
 
If its a controlled planned pts Domosedan gel will sedate and settle him within 45 mins before the lethal injection if thats how you want to have him pts, this is what ive in mind for when my needle phobic lad goes. If unplanned and the horse is in shock he unlikely to notice the needle.
 
I would get the hunt too there is an excellent video somewhere of a pony being shot Not for the feint hearted but it show how a really nice guy is walking the pony round fussing it and he shoots it I found it very reassuring I hope all hunts are as good
 
If he's wary of strangers and strange objects then I think I'd go for sedating followed by injection. I've witnessed a headshy horse that had to be shot twice, so I'd want to make sure the job was done quickly and with as little stress as possible. I'm sure that most skilled huntsmen can pts a headshy horse with no problems, but if there is a chance of it going wrong I wouldn't take the risk. Of course sedating with domosedan and then shooting is another option.
 
We had an old pony like this. He was 44 and I was really worried about to get the deed done. The vet was able to sedate him and the pony was no more upset about the needle than he would have been with any vet visit. Once he was fully sedated, he was given the lethal injection and went peacefully.

I don't think anybody, not even an really experienced horse person, would have been able to hold a gun to his head. He had been through some very rough owners in his younger life.
 
To be honest 7 of mine over many years have either had the hunt or the knackerman, it's been quick and they never knew what hit them, I had a loan horse who went down hill fast, over 4 days, the vet wanted pts, the owner said no, so after a week she finally agreed but wanted the injection, the vet didn't really want to do it as several horses, he'd done didn't go down well and he said he hated do in it, but seeing I wouldn't allow the horse to be buried on my land and she would have had to get a special licence to bury him anywhere else, she finally let him be shot, she had put him through a week of pain that he needn't have suffered, just for a principle that got her nowhere and the last 5 days of her horse's life in a lot of pain.
 
I would sedate with domosedan before shooting or injecting .
CF was PTS by injection as it was what the vet had to hand and I feared I would weaken if I waited till the next day.
It's quite a big job to get the catheter in not as simple as say an antibiotic jab so he would need to be well sedated before the vet started .I would say it took a good ten minutes .
Its definatly less dignified than being shot IMO CF went over backwards was still 'there' for a few moments when he was on the ground it's reinforced my view that the gun is best .
However I don't regret my desision .
 
My own personal opinion is that if it's planned then I would much prefer the hunt to come out. From experience they are highly professional and know how to treat any horse. The horse will go quickly and not be aware of anything. Even sedating a horse can be stressful and I would prefer the horse to be themselves at their final moment rather than dopey.

My first one was munching a bucket full of apples and polo's, he was wary of strange people, smells and sounds and in that situation was head shy but the kennelman spent at least 15 minutes making a fuss of him and feeding treats by hand so he was calm and happy with the new person that brought him loads of goodies. His attention was completely on the big bucket full of yummyness.
 
The only first hand experience of PTS I've had is by the injection, however having seen a video of a horse being shot I would choose that for my lad when his time comes. If the horse is needle shy I really would be looking at an experienced knacker man or huntsman to come out and shoot him, it's a lot quicker and less stressful for the horse.
 
The horse has never seen a gun before, it has no reason whatsoever to be frightened of it. The huntsman or knacker will be a very experienced, professional true horse-person who will deal quickly and quietly with what needs to be done.
IME it is only the inexperienced owner whose only view of guns is that gained from watching American TV progammes, who is worried about the gun.
IMO it is the most humane way possible to pts. We have just had to have a 3 yr old sedated twice for vet treatment. It was very obvious, although she behaved well for the actual injection, that she didn't enjoy the sensation of being sedated (long before the vet started the treatment), I would not want that to be my horse's last conscious thought.
 
My 35 year old HATED needles. To the extent that when my dad gave her her boosters every year, she would charge us both round the stable, at 13.1hh.

When the end came, we had the equine vet out to see her. I wasn't home at the time (mum and I were out, but raced home as soon as we had the call from my dad) so I don't know how difficult she was to sedate. When my dad gave her the final injection however, she was already lying down and was pretty out of it. She died with her head in my arms, and it was very peaceful.

The only reason I had her PTS by injection was the risk (as my dad rightly pointed out) that by the time a marksman was able to make it out to us the sedative might have worn out and she would have been in a lot of pain. I didn't want my dad to have to pit her to sleep, he did Harry and it broke his heart.

It could be easier for you both to consider an alternative method. As pearlsasinger said, horses don't recognise a gun as something that will end their life, and the marksman will be very professional and experienced. I would prefer that than seeing a terrified horse charging round and the vet struggling to get a fatal dose administered quickly.
 
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hnmisty said:
My 35 year old HATED needles. To the extent that when my dad gave her her boosters every year, she would charge us both round the stable, at 13.1hh.

When the end came, we had the equine vet out to see her. I wasn't home at the time (mum and I were out, but raced home as soon as we had the call from my dad) so I don't know how difficult she was to sedate. When my dad gave her the final injection however, she was already lying down and was pretty out of it. She died with her head in my arms, and it was very peaceful.

The only reason I had her PTS by injection was the risk (as my dad rightly pointed out) that by the time a marksman was able to make it out to us the sedative might have worn out and she would have been in a lot of pain. I didn't want my dad to have to pit her to sleep, he did Harry and it broke his heart.

It could be easier for you both to consider an alternative method. As pearlsasinger said, horses don't recognise a gun as something that will end their life, and the marksman will be very professional and experienced. I would prefer that than seeing a terrified horse charging round and the vet struggling to get a fatal dose administered quickly.
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If the horse is sedated properly its hardly going to be charging round the stable while the vet administers the lethal injection. I think its a very personal choice whether to shoot or inject but either is effective if done properly.
 
Marydoll said:
If the horse is sedated properly its hardly going to be charging round the stable while the vet administers the lethal injection. I think its a very personal choice whether to shoot or inject but either is effective if done properly.
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^^^ This exactly, if the horse is already sedated then I'd go with the method you're most comfortable with. I have a needle phobic horse that has to be sedated to get her teeth done. Once under sedation the vet can do anything with no trouble at all.
 
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