Euthanasia in horses
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None of us like to consider the fact that euthanasia of our horses may
become necessary, however there are some injuries and conditions which
just aren’t treatable and for which euthanasia is the only option.
These include horses with untreatable fractures, synovial (joint and
tendon sheath) infections, some types of neurological (nerve related)
disease, and any condition that causes unremitting pain or suffering.
It may also be necessary to consider euthanasia when treating severe
conditions if sufficient funds are not available for appropriate
treatment, rather than to subject a horse to treatment with little or
no chance of success, and thus further suffering. Permission for
euthanasia should be sought from insurance companies for those horses
which are insured, unless the horse is in constant and unremitting pain
and immediate euthanasia on humane grounds is necessary.
There are basically two main methods of euthanasia which involve using
either a gun or a lethal injection. The choice of technique may be
based on whichever method is available to alleviate the horse’s pain
and suffering the fastest, or which method is most appropriate for a
horse depending on the type of disease it has. Those horses that are
difficult to handle may first need to be sedated.
A gun can be used by a vet or licensed horse slaughterer with the
appropriate firearms certificate. It results in immediate loss of
consciousness and death although the noise and subsequent reflex
activity may make this method more upsetting for the owners. A lethal
injection can only be administered by a vet, and whilst a little more
preparation time is needed (a catheter usually has to be put into the
vein first), and the response to the injection also takes a little
time, some owners find this less upsetting.
There are three main methods for disposal of the horse’s body. Horses
that are euthanased using a gun may enter the human or animal food
chain if they are euthanased in an abbatoir. If euthanased by this
method at home, horse slaughterers and huntsmen may use a horse’s
carcass for various purposes or alternatively burial or cremation may
be options. If a lethal injection has been used, burial and cremation
are the only appropriate methods of carcase disposal. However, recent
legislation means that burial is not always allowed, though it may be
possible in certain areas given permission from the local council or
environmental authority. Cremation in a pet crematorium is probably the
most commonly used means of disposal of horses’ bodies these days,
although it is relatively expensive. Local vets can put owners in
contact with nearby huntsmen, horse slaughterers and pet crematoria.
Coming to terms with the death of a pet or horse is never easy. In an
American survey it was found that people had the same kind of emotional
response to losing a pet as they did to losing a family member, but pet
and horse owners often feel shocked and isolated by the severity of
their grief, and can find it hard to recover from losing an animal.
Bereavement counselling can be helpful.