04/12/2024
EUTHANASIA: SOMETIMES IT IS JUST TIME
People always ask us how we do it. "Isn't that the hardest part of your job?" they wonder. Sure, it's hard. And sad. But honestly, when our rescue euthanizes a horse we often feel like we are doing them a kindness. It is sometimes a choice that doesn't come easily, but it is one we are always prepared to make.
Making the Decision
These are the three most common scenarios you'll face that might result in a euthanasia decision: sudden severe illness or injury, slow decline in condition that causes quality of life to suffer, or temperament problems that cause a horse to become dangerous.
1: Sudden severe illness or injury.
Perhaps your horse has been kicked in the pasture and his leg is broken. You race to the barn and arrive at the same time as your vet, who tells you that the large bone in his upper leg is fractured. Even worse, it's penetrated the skin, making it a very severe and likely untreatable injury. Your horse is in incredible pain, and you must make a decision: Do you want him humanely euthanized?
In this situation, there's only one decision you can make, and it has to happen quick so your horse won't suffer any longer than necessary. While euthanasia-as-the-only-choice can be the most stressful of all scenarios in the short term, in many ways it's the easiest because you really have no other choice.
2: Slow, steady decline.
Your 30-year-old mare has been a part of your family for years. Recently she's lost a lot of weight and looks stiff and sore walking around the pasture. Your vet has done an exam and run some lab work; everything looks fine, and your mare's just old. You can't help wondering if it will soon be time to say goodbye.
This situation can be agonizing, keeping you wondering for months or even years about your horse's quality of life. Here's what we believe: If your horse's quality of life has declined so much that she can no longer do the things that define a horse (wandering around grazing, kicking up her heels, socializing with her friends) then it most likely is time. Most horse owners in this situation will have some event that occurs to make the decision clear. The beloved old-timer can no longer get up after lying down to sleep or roll, lameness becomes so severe that he or she can't move around the pasture at a normal pace, or sudden illness strikes and causes an obvious change. Usually people "know," and they just have a hard time bringing themselves to do it.
3: Things are Dangerous.
You've rescued a horse, only to discover that he's extremely unpredictable; in fact, downright scary. You can't turn your back on him for a minute or he'll bite you with ears pinned flat against his head. If you don't pay attention every minute, he'll spin and kick. He almost killed your vet when she came to do a simple exam, and you can't imagine how you'll ever provide even the most basic care.
The hardest decision you'll ever make is to end the life of a horse because of temperament. You'll be judged by others who don't understand, and you may find yourself embroiled in a controversy with your peers. However, if you truly believe your horse is dangerous to you or others, and you've taken the right steps to try to solve your problems, euthanasia may really be justified.
Before coming to this decision, it's important to make sure there are no training options that could help you overcome the behavioral issues you're experiencing. Consult with a qualified, ethical trainer (who won't be the cheap one) with experience in problem horses, and consider putting your horse in training with this person for a period of time for an accurate evaluation. Your veterinarian may be able to help you assess your situation, and perhaps have suggestions for a change in feed routine or housing that will help.
If you do reach the point where euthanasia seems to be your only choice, make your decision with the support of a couple of knowledgeable people, and try not to listen to opinions of others.
The Planning Process
Once you've made the decision to euthanize, there are planning steps you must take. Where and when? Should you be there? And what do you do with your horse's remains? Most of these questions can be answered with a call to your veterinarian.
Owners often wonder whether they should be present during the euthanasia process. Some prefer to have their veterinarian perform the euthanasia and arrange for handling of the remains while they stay far, far away. Others want to be there for the last minutes of their horse's life. It's really a personal choice.
When you mull this decision, we offer fair a warning that a horse's euthanasia doesn't always go as easily as euthanasia of a dog or cat, simply because of the animal's large size. There is something very difficult about seeing an animal this large lying in a coma on the ground. Occasionally, a horse will fight the anesthesia they are given to sedate them before the actual euthanasia solution. This can be tough to watch also.
Once the euthanasia has been completed, you'll need to have plans in place for handling his or her remains. Three basic options are available: rendering, burial, or cremation.
Burial
If you own land, you may want to have your beloved horse buried on your property. To do so, you'll need to find out the laws for your area. Some counties prohibit burial, and if they allow it, they often have strict requirements about the placement, depth, and size of the hole, and how the body should be handled. Be aware that you do not want anything to lick the blood of a euthanized horse. At the least it will make them ill and it really could kill a pet or wildli
If you think you might want to bury your horse on your property "someday," it's best to find out these answers well ahead of time, so you'll know whether it's even possible. If you find you can't bury your horse on your own property, there are rare horse cemeteries that offer burial services. Ask your vet whether this is available in your area.
Cost of burial will depend on availability of the equipment needed to dig the hole. If you don't have access to one of your own, a hired backhoe with an operator can usually do the job for between $150 and $400.
Rendering
This is a popular, and often, practical option. You simply need to call a rendering company that will send a truck to haul your horse's body away to the rendering plant, where it will be used for making products such as animal feed additives, soap, lubricants, and glue. When possible, it's best to schedule the rendering truck to arrive an hour or two following your appointment with your veterinarian. This way, the body can be removed before it has a chance to bloat and begin to decompose.
Cost for rendering ranges between $100 and $300, depending on your location; distance from the rendering plant; and whether your request comes as an emergency, with no ability to plan ahead.
Cremation
It's becoming more popular these days to have your horse cremated, and equine cremation services are becoming more widely available. With a simple phone call, you can arrange to have your horse's body picked up and cremated. The remains can be returned to you if you request a private cremation, or will be disposed of by the crematory if you request general or "communal" cremation.
Cost for cremation is usually calculated by the pound, with a minimum charge of around $500. Expect to pay between $1,000 and $1,500 for cremation of a typically sized adult horse.
The Euthanasia Event
With your decision made and plans in place, it's time for the actual euthanasia to take place. If you decide not to be present, your vet will usually arrive with a technician or assistant to help hold your horse. If you want to hold your horse while the medications are administered, your vet will give you careful instructions about what to do and what to expect. It's very important that you pay close attention so that you'll stay safe. Keep in mind that a 1,000-pound animal falling to the ground can be dangerous and unpredictable.
Hopefully your vet will decide to administer a sedative prior to the euthanasia solution. This can help calm not only your horse, but is also likely to make you feel more relaxed during such a stressful time. We personally feel that this is the kindest way to do things. Your horse will stand for several seconds, begin to sway, and then sometimes will slump to the ground. In an ideal situation, he'll go down softly, although occasionally they hit the ground hard; a disturbing thing to watch when you are already upset. Again, remember that your horse doesn't know what's happening; it is only hard on you.The vet will then administer the euthanasia solution, most commonly a medication called Sodium Pentobarbital. A fairly large volume of the solution (between 80cc and 120cc) is given as rapidly as possible in a vein.
If you watch your horse carefully after the injection has been completed, you'll see his eyes glaze over, usually within 10 to 20 seconds. We want owners to know that from the time you recognize that look, your horse no longer knows what's happening. Still finishing the process is often hard on owners, though logically they know the horses are feeling no pain.
Finally, because of a horse's large size, it may take a while for his heart to stop beating. Your vet will listen to his heart, and may check his corneal reflex by lightly touching the surface of his eye to determine when he's really gone. Be aware that even after his heart is no longer beating, your horse will make some reflex movements that can be hard to watch if you're not prepared. He may suddenly take a deep breath, move a leg, or make a loud snorting sound. If you want to be with him at the end, be ready for these things to happen so they won't upset you.
It's never easy to make the decision to end a beloved horse's life, and it's never easy for your veterinarian to administer that final injection. Just remember that when the time does come, euthanasia-a merciful death, will be the last kind thing you can do for your horse.
Memories
When you are in the middle of a difficult euthanasia decision, it's easy to forget about some of the simple things that can help create lifelong memories of your equine friend. Consider some of the following suggestions.
A lock of hair: You can cut a handful of tail hairs from your horse. If you wash and condition the locks, and braid them with colorful ribbons, it makes a nice memento. You can even have your horse's hair braided into fancy bracelets or fired into pottery pieces.
Shoe: If your horse is wearing shoes at the time he's euthanized, ask someone if he/she can pull one for you to keep.
Name plates from halter/bridle: If your horse is wearing a halter with a nameplate at the time of euthanasia, and you wish to keep it, be sure to remove it before the rendering truck arrives. Nameplates from halters or bridles are wonderful ways to remember your companion.
Under what circumstances are horses euthanized in the rescue?
We sometimes have to make the very hard decision to euthanize the following categories of horses...Horses that have serious health issues that make them poor candidates for long term comfort after adoption, very elderly starvation cases, unsound, uncomfortable horses, and horses with chronic conditions that the rescue cannot cover without effecting the care of the sound horses waiting to be adopted: ALSO horses with training issues so severe that their chance of finding a home is highly, highly unlikely or with behaviors so dangerous that the chances of harm to an adopter are too great. All horses are given the best chance at a home we can give, and all horses we accept have been rescued - no matter how that rescue ends. Rescue means, for us, safe from pain and suffering! We want to save horses from starvation and slaughter or abuse.
