Like human medicine, Veterinary medicine is continually advancing. With the advancement of knowledge, resources and Veterinary services, horses are now living longer than ever before. This is an amazing progression within the equine field. No matter how young or old our pets are and how long they’ve been in our lives, euthanasia can still be the most difficult decision an owner is ever faced with. This article aims to discuss when the right time to think about horse euthanasia is. If you are in this devastating situation, I hope the discussion points provide you with comfort and helpful information. 

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How to decide when the time is right?

Euthanasia is a subject that most people don’t want to even think about but, sadly, many owners are faced with confronting. As a first opinion Vet, I regularly have conversations with owners about whether it is the right time to think about euthanasia for their beloved pet. This is a decision which can be extremely difficult, especially in certain circumstances. Of course, there are times when the decision may be almost taken out of our hands, for example following a catastrophic injury. But, in other less clear-cut situations, there are certain things to think about and consider.

Firstly, let’s think about ‘quality of life’ 

This is a term which has been around for many years. The dictionary defines this phrase as the standard of health, comfort and happiness experienced by an individual. A simpler way to think about an animal’s quality of life is to compare their good days to bad days. If the bad days far outweigh the good, then this usually reflects a poorer quality of life. Additionally, I want to quickly mention age. Age is not a disease and I have met many ‘geriatric’ and older horses that still lead a great life. Certainly, it is unsurprising that older horses are more prone to developing problems e.g., joint disease but age is not always a clear-cut factor when making the decision of euthanasia. 

An easy checklist

There are certain questions that I feel should be asked to owners who feel unsure whether it is the right time to think about euthanasia for their horse:

  • Is he/she exhibiting normal horse behaviours? E.g., interacting with other horses.
  • Is he/she eating well? Are they interested in foods and maintaining their weight?
  • Are they moving around comfortably? Or are they spending most of their time lying down? Are they limping or not seen to be putting weight on all 4 limbs? Are they seen to be struggling when trying to stand up?
  • Does your horse generally seem sad and dull? Are they displaying differences in behaviour e.g., aggression?

If any of the above questions are relatable and trigger a red flag, then it could be coming to the right time to either consider Veterinary assessment for your equine friend – and potentially think about end of life care or euthanasia. Of course, there may be many other factors to consider first, but these questions/answers may highlight that your horse could be struggling. I highly recommend seeking advice from your Vet to discuss further.  

Situations where euthanasia needs to be considered

The following list will discuss some scenarios where euthanasia may need to be considered (this list is not exhaustive):

Sudden severe illness or injury

As mentioned earlier, there are some situations that can arise where the decision of euthanasia is very much decided for you. Horses are magnificent beings, but they are quite injury prone too. A horrid scenario is one where a horse has a broken leg and often the only humane and kindest option is to euthanize them. 

Chronic disease 

Like people, horses can develop illnesses and diseases and some conditions are lifelong. This means that they are likely to require continued management and treatment throughout their lives. This can incur high costs and can involve a high level of commitment from their owners. For many reasons, euthanasia may be discussed in horses with chronic health conditions and whether the time is right. For example, if their condition starts to worsen and deteriorate, despite good and optimum management, this may indicate euthanasia is the right decision to make. 

Uncontrolled pain 

There is nothing worse than seeing an animal in pain and not being able to manage this. As a Vet and a horse owner myself, pain control is something that I care deeply about. This may link to the earlier discussion point about sudden injury or severe illness. For example, severe laminitis can be excruciating and sometimes euthanasia is the kindest decision to make to alleviate their uncontrolled pain. 

If I’ve made my decision, what happens next?

You may have already been in contact with your Vet prior to making the decision but, if not, the next step would be to reach out to your Vet to arrange the euthanasia appointment. Your Vet will really understand the emotional difficulty that you will be experiencing. Your Vet will discuss with you what happens during the process and will also inform you of the options after euthanasia, such as cremation and body disposal etc. 

As animal owners, we are often faced with making the decision on euthanasia when the time is right. I hope the discussion point provides some guidance to those who are in this situation but please reach out to your Vet to discuss further, we are here to support both you as the owner as well as your horse. 

Further reading