My BFF is 26 he has been fully retired a year and a half
I’m trying to make the decision to pts but I’m having an awful time with it
He is lame constantly standing with left leg stretched out
He was diagnosed with slight navicular and arthritis also some cancer in his sheath
I’ve done plenty of maintenance through the years currently
On 1 and half bute a day and monthly pentagon shot
He was on equinox but it didn’t help either as the bute is not really making a difference. I just need some input thank you
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It sounds like you have done everything you can to make him comfortable - but he is not. Now you need to do the difficult part of being his BFF and end his suffering. I am so sorry.
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Ask your vet, who knows your horse in real life, and can gauge the pain level.
I am usually one who is less quick to jump to euthanasia than some on this board. That said, if the bute isn’t really working, this is only going in one direction. He’s not going to get better, and he’s in pain. Which means the time has come, or will come very soon when euthanasia is the kindest thing.
I’m struggling with this decision too, with my arthritic donkey.
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I think it’s such an individual choice that it’s impossible to say. My two oldies both had emergencies that required euthanasia pretty quickly. The first could have been nursed along a little more, but he was 28, he was in pain, and it was winter. The second broke his leg horribly, so there was no decision, he made that for me. Both were heartbreaking, but in a way, I was glad there was no real other choice for either one.
I’d say, when the horse looks like he’s no longer content and happy in life, it’s time to say goodbye. At least, that’s when I’d be able to say goodbye. If he’s still bright-eyed, ears up, nickering for his feed, grazing, etc. then I’d let him continue living, even if he’s hobbling along a bit. But once I see that distant stare and he starts being withdrawn and/or showing no more interest in normal horsey things (food, friends), I’d be arranging to liberate him and lay him to rest.
But if you choose to do it sooner rather than later, that’s always preferable to waiting too late. He has no plans and no concept of the future. If he lays down and goes to sleep one day and doesn’t wake up, he’ll have had a blessed life and peaceful death. We should all be so lucky.
Hugs to you.
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I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. Can he get up and down without much struggle? When I was a kid, we had an old timer that became so ouchy he was afraid to lie down and then got narcoleptic and depressed. We waited too long.
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I have seen people wait too long to euthanize horses. I vowed I would never do that. And so I didn’t when it became my turn to make the decision. In retrospect, I think I could have done it sooner and felt just as OK about it.
People have different standards for their animals’ quality of life. I believe the AAEP (Association of American Equine Practicioners?) or the professional organization of vets has a set of criteria. Some bode worse for the animal than my standards and some bode better.
Applying my standards to your case: I’d happily do pain control for an animal if that “fixed it” so that the horse could do everything he wanted to do-- lie down to sleep and get up, use his body the way he wanted to**, get around safely where he lived. But I’d put one down if the pain control wasn’t effective.
I absolutely wouldn’t wait until the horse was depressed and/or losing weight. IMO, that means the horse has gotten to the point that the pain bothers him. I think animals don’t arrive at self-pity easily; it has to be pretty bad before they look like they want to be anywhere but where they are/alive.
A well-planned euthanasia is a great final gift to give a creature. For me, it was really hard but it helped me have good closure. It let me know I had done right by this horse for his whole life, no matter what.
Hope this helps.
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You know your horse best. If you want an internet stranger to tell you it’s OK, I will do it. It’s OK. You are not a terrible person. You are a kind person to your wonderful old friend if you take on the burden of relieving his pain.
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I’m also telling you it’s time and it’s ok to do it now. The fact that that much bute is not giving him enough relief to stand on all four legs would do it for me. Make the appointment, stuff him full of treats, love him enough to let him go. I’m guessing your vet would agree.
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I always hate making that decision. My advice is to try sodium Naproxen as that seemed to provide better pain control then bute or Equioxx. Equioxx may be safe but I don’t think it’s super effective as a painkiller.
The thing about any older animal, is that they only get worse over time. Deciding that today is bad enough and tomorrow won’t be better is always the toughest decision. I recently said goodbye to my cat and I sometimes wonder, what if I had just tried a little harder? What if I had nursed him over one more weekend? But then maybe I would have had him crash during the weekend. He was in kidney failure… The constantly empty water bowls are now full so he was obviously drinking a ton of water. Maybe I could have nursed him over a few more days or maybe a week? But would he be suffering during that time? Yes. So did I make the right decision in saying goodbye when I did? Yes.
My old mare was lame in both back legs and I went out one morning and found she had bowed a tendon in the front. As soon as I saw her limping on the front, I said, it’s time. Was she going to get any better? No. Could I manage her pain over the weekend? Probably not well enough for her to be comfortable. So I called the vet and said my goodbyes. Should I probably have put her down sooner? Maybe. She was clearly declining the past few years. I kept her going because I loved her and she had such a strong fighting spirit all the way to the end. Not all horses are as determined as her. She always knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to let you know her opinion on any subject. She could pretend to be so lame she couldn’t walk if you tried leading her in a direction she didn’t want to go… Then if you turned her around she would be trying to drag you away. But aim her towards the barn and suddenly she can’t possibly take a step and her back leg is so sore she has to hold it off the ground… Quite concerning if you didn’t know her act… As a young horse she was bad about making up ghosts when she didn’t want to do something.
She was a great horse though. She loved kids, the smaller the better. Toddlers could do no wrong in her eyes. And for me, she would jump anything without even a bridle on. It’s hard not to miss her.
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@Nancyc1 I’m sorry you’re going through this, but I hope it helps to know in your heart that you’re doing the best anyone could for your horse. Like others have suggested, ask your vet for guidance.
Several years ago I “inherited” a donkey from a neighbor who sold her property and was looking for homes for her animals. The donkey was already old and arthritic, and she had terrible feet from previous laminitis. Despite all that she lived a reasonably good life for seven years, rambling around the fields with my horse. But, inevitably she declined. She was still eating, and she could get up from lying down, but she no longer ambled around with my horse, and instead would not venture more than 100 feet from the barn. My horse would not leave her, so the donkey’s situation was not good for him either. I consulted both my farrier and my vet, and I tried giving her bute every day, but it didn’t help. I also read the criteria for euthanasia from the link posted by @Bluey, and that helped me make the decision I knew I needed to make. The vet euthanized her in the field, and it was a very easy death for her.
It’s not easy to euthanize an animal that you love, because in some ways it feels like a betrayal even though you know it’s not. It may sound perverse, but I’m glad we agonize over euthanizing our animal companions, because it means we treasure them so much.
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If your vet is out of tools in their toolbox and the horse is consistently standing pointing that front foot, I would be thinking it’s time. It doesn’t sound like something that will heal or get better.
I also rely on the horse’s facial expression and demeanor to know if they are having joy or mostly discomfort. A horse that is not standing like a normal horse is generally uncomfortable.
Your horse has had a good long life. We all want it to be longer. But, planning the day in this circumstance will be a gift to both him and yourself. You don’t want to have a euthanasia emergency when you have to be elsewhere or the vet can’t come.
I’m so sorry. Talk to your vet. If they think it’s not time yet they will tell you. If they set you up with the euth appointment you can be confident that you’re making a good decision.
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If you’ve done what you can to make him comfortable, and he’s not, there is no shame in humane euthanasia. It’s easier said than done, but I’d rather see my senior animals put down on a good day, than wait too long.
Just know there are people here that will support you. I’m so sorry you are faced with this decision.
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Yes he can still get up a little gimpy but he is able
He still eats and grazes also
This question for you to think about is both brutal and mean. I apologize for that, but I do think it’s the question you need to ask yourself.
How much daily pain does your horse have to be in before you will end that pain with euthanasia?
I have euthanized two horses, and now own a Wobbler and a 25yr old horse with multiple health conditions. I say this because I want you to know I have been there, that I am there again.
I am looking through old photos of the Wobbler and I found a head shot from six years ago and I was easily able to see that his expression entirely lacked the pain wrinkles he has today. It makes me very sad that he’s that uncomfortable.
If you have one, compare a pic from five years ago to his expression today. The subtle changes we miss when we see the horse frequently can jump out in comparing photos.
Here’s the other thing that might be holding you back (just think about it, you needn’t respond here) - you’re not ready to let him go. I can assure you that you never will be. Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of propping him up because you’re not ready to let him go.
This blog post might be helpful. It’s about what my first two horses taught me about knowing when it’s time. It’s hard because you care. The agonizing over when is because you love.
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Without knowing where you live, the question I would immediately ask is this: can you manage him comfortably though winter, do you think? Or are you thinking you need to put him to sleep before winter?
I have one who will have to be put down in about six weeks. Although she is bright-eyed, gets around just fine, and eats well, she cannot maintain weight anymore, no matter how much she gets to eat. I know the only option is to euthanize her before it starts to get cold.
So you might consider it from that point of view - the practicality of getting him through winter. If you have serious doubts he will make it, that might make the choice a little easier.
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I’m here bringing compassion and empathy. It sucks when they get old and you start staring at the end. Knowing he’s in pain and how horses don’t want to show it, it’s horrible and I feel emotion well up even typing this. The time is near for your bravery. Your horse doesn’t know. He just knows he’s in pain.
I was waiting on my old guy and he was lame too. Good days and bad and then there was the most mentally scarring day. One, no, the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. It was a horrible colic and 45 min of hell waiting for the vet. You won’t have that I hope for you.
When it does come know we’ll all be there with you in spirit and afterwards too. For us, it was last summer and already seems like a long time ago and I feel peace and he knew he was so so deeply loved for the 20 yrs I had him. But, that last day of hell he kept looking at me like “Mom! Please! Help me” No one deserves that but that is how it goes sometimes.
(HUG)
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Thank you
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Yeah, but colic is completely separate from an arthritic horse. That sudden and horrific end can come to any horse, even completely healthy ones. I wouldn’t euthanize a horse because he might colic one day – he might, and he might not, and if he does, that day could be tomorrow or in 5 years.
You’re right. My point was more that people talk of doing it in a good day and when you’re dealing with lameness already and knowing they are in pain…it’s just a thought and I see the value of it.
