[ 54 horseillustrated.com | october 2019 ]
By the time the veterinarian arrived to exam-
ine him, Shanghi’s condition was irreparably
compromised, and Barry had little choice but to
instruct the veterinarian to euthanize him.
“I knew that this was eventually going to hap-
pen, but I was forced to make the decision that
day,” she says. “Even though I knew it was best
for Shanghi, it was an awful decision to make.”Facing the inevitable
Like Barry, most horse owners are aware that
they will have to make end-of-life decisions
for their horses someday, but euthanasia is not
something they’re likely to think much about
until they’re forced to do it. That’s largely
because facing the end of life, whether for
humans or equines, is not pleasant.
Also, some owners put off making end-of-life
decisions for their horses because choosing
appropriate euthanasia makes them vulnerable
to guilt and criticism from other horse owners.“Think about a relative in hospice care,” says
Jim Boller of Code3, a firm that teaches law
enforcement officers, veterinarians and others
to recognize signs of equine abuse. “Hospice
care is end-of-life care and [seems] acceptable
for people, but not for animals.”
Whether a horse can stay in his own home
has become a standard question for making
the euthanasia decision. Perhaps illness or
injury have compromised his physical comfort,
or his owner can no longer afford to provide
specialized medical care.
“It has to do with quality of life,” says Emily
Weiss, Ph.D., CAAB, vice president of equine
welfare for the ASPCA. “But people don’t want to
have a [horse euthanized] just because they can’t
keep him anymore.”e. spek/shutterstockHow EutHanasia works
euthanasia is the final act of kindness that a horse owner can perform,
but the process can be stressful. knowing how the procedure is per-
formed can help reduce your stress. here’s what to expect.Who performs the procedure? euthanasia is performed by a licensed
veterinarian. a vet tech may or may not be present for the procedure.What drugs are used? Most veterinarians performing chemical
euthanasia use sodium pentobarbital, a barbiturate drug that depresses
the horse’s nervous system and breathing and leads to cardiac arrest.hoW is the procedure performed?
n euthanasia begins with the horse in a standing position. a veteri-
nary technician, trainer, or anyone else the owner might designate holds
the horse’s head.
n the veterinarian then injects the drug directly into a vein in the
horse’s neck.
n the horse will begin to feel tired, and the veterinarian and a helper,
often the vet tech, will help the animal to the ground.
“t he horse is usually dead before he [reaches] the ground,” says emily
Weiss, ph.D., caaB, vice president of equine welfare for the aspca.
once the horse is on the ground, the veterinarian confirms that the
horse is dead.
When it’s time to euthanize a horse, many owners seek the support of
a trainer, friend or even a local horse rescue operator, whether they have
experienced the procedure or not.
all owners need do is ask, says elizabeth steed, founder and operator
of the Livestock & equine awareness & rescue Network (LearN).
“it’s always an emotional time for the owner,” says steed. “people are
always willing to help do the hand-holding when the time comes.”