GUIDELINES FOR NON-EMERGENCY
EUTHANASIA OF EQUINE

The decision to euthanise a horse is not an easy one. Emergency situations requiring euthanasia include certain critical injuries and illness that leave the owner no choice but to end the horse's suffering. Non-emergency situations include terminal and or chronic illness or conditions, or the financial cost of treatment for an injury or illness. Economic, emotional, and space limitations can force an owner to consider euthanasia for a horse if a suitable home is not available. Other reasons to consider euthanasia are a horse that has become dangerous and unmanageable.

The horse's veterinarian is best qualified to examine and evaluate the horse's condition, and to discuss potential disabilities and long-term problems with the owner.

Location

Horses can be euthanised on the farm, on the racetrack, at the boarding stable where they are kept or at the scene of an accident. There is no need to transport a horse to a special facility to perform euthanasia.

When possible the specific location must be accessible by removal equipment. Removal equipment may be a truck that is especially designed to transport dead animals or a backhoe. Due to the condition of the horse, it may not be possible to move the horse without causing further pain and suffering. A quiet, open grassy area is an ideal location for euthanizing a horse.

Depending on laws, regulations and availability, a horse's body may be buried, cremated, rendered or taken to a landfill.

Who Performs Euthanasia

Licensed veterinarians are required to perform euthanasia because the drugs used are a controlled substance by the Food and Drug Administration, FDA. Horses that are euthanised with drugs cannot be used for human consumption due to the drug residue in the meat.

Method

Two people are needed to perform the euthanasia procedure. A handler is needed to hold the horse while the veterinarian administers the drugs.

The veterinarian may prefer to pre sedate the horse with a tranquilizer. This allows the handler to better control the fall and reduces the horse's unconscious and reflex movements. A violent fall and reflex movements can be very disturbing to the horse's owner and observers who are not familiar with a horse being euthanised. The drug overdose is delivered via an intravenous injection in the horse's neck. The veterinarian will use two 60cc syringes to administer 120ccs of the barbiturate to the average 1000 pound horse. The drugs used, (barbiturates, anesthetics), directly depress the central nervous system. The overdose leads to a depression of breathing and cardiac arrest.

The horse may or may not become ataxic (wobbly) upon delivery of the drug. The drugs will cause the horse to lose consciousness and collapse. Due to their large size most horses tend to drop rather suddenly. Some horses may go over backwards or lunge forward. It is helpful to realize that a horse that is being put under anesthesia for surgery also collapses to the ground in much the same manner.

During surgery a horse's eyes will remain open, the same as a horse that has been euthanised. The horse's mouth will open and often their eyes will roll back in their head. This can be very disturbing to the owner and or the horse's caretakers. Again, it is helpful for the observers to understand that these same actions and movement occur when the horse is going under for surgery.

The horse is unconscious and feels nothing. Frequently following euthanasia, muscle tremors and involuntary jerking take place. The horse's legs may move and there may be an exhalation or gasping sound. The owner and observers may be disturbed by this, but should understand that these are unconscious movements. The horse is actually unconscious and feels nothing just before the initial fall.

People who have undergone general anesthesia realize just how quickly the drugs take effect. The horse's breathing stops and then the heart. Owners and observers must also remember that in a non-emergency euthanasia the horse is in a familiar surrounding. The horse is led outside by a familiar handler and receives an injection.

The horse does not realize or know what the veterinarian has in the syringe. There is no panic. There is no pain. There is no trauma. To consider this method inhumane, would be to consider putting horses under general anesthesia inhumane.

Confirmation of Death

Confirmation of death is essential. The horse must be checked within 5 minutes to confirm death. Death may be confirmed by the absence of breathing, a heartbeat, and a corneal reflex (a blink). The veterinarian will check for a corneal reflex (blinking response), by touching the horse's cornea (surface of the eye); there should be no response to the touch if the horse is dead. The presence of any eye movement or blinking at this time is evidence of sustained or recovering brain activity. If that were to happen, the veterinarian would administer more drugs to the horse.

Drugs Used

Sodium Pentobarbital

The barbiturate, Sodium Pentobarbital is the most widely used drug, and is the drug of choice for euthanizing horses. Barbiturates depress the central nervous system, with unconsciousness progressing to depression of breathing and finally cardiac arrest. The advantage of barbiturates is speed of action. This effect depends on the dose, concentration, and rate of injection. Barbiturates induce euthanasia smoothly, with minimal discomfort to the animal.

T-61

The drug T-61 is considered inhumane by many veterinarians. The horse is paralyzed but fully conscious.

The horse is suffocating and is fully aware. This drug was often used to benefit the observers of a horse being euthanised, such as at the racetrack. Due to the horse's lack of movement the fans wrongly assumed that the horse was instantly dead. T-61 is a nonbarbiturate, non-narcotic mixture of three drugs. These drugs provide a combination of general anesthetic, curariform, and local anesthetic actions. T-61 has been withdrawn from the market and is no longer manufactured or commercially available in the United States. It is available in Canada. It contains a local anesthetic, a strong hypnotic agent that depresses the central nervous system causing unconsciousness and another drug which has a paralytic effect on the respiratory center and a relaxing effect on skeletal muscles.

Summary

When owners purchase their horses, they assume responsibility for their horses' health and welfare. Preparing in advance for euthanasia can make an emotional and difficult decision less traumatic for all involved.

Death is part of the lifecycle. It cannot be avoided, but understanding and compassion can help you, your family, and your friends manage the grief associated with it. Try to recall and treasure the good times you spent with your horse. You may also wish to establish a memorial of some type or contribute to a charity in honor of your horses memory.

COPING WITH THE LOSS

After your horse has died, it is natural and normal to feel grief and sorrow. For some people, spending some time with the horse after euthanasia is helpful. The grieving process includes accepting the reality of your loss, accepting that the loss and accompanying feelings are painful, and adjusting to your new life that no longer includes your horse. By understanding the grieving process, you will be better prepared to manage your grief and to help others in the family who share this loss.

There are many stages of grief, and not everyone experiences them all or in the same order. You may experience denial, anger, guilt, depression, and acceptance and resolution.

Your first reaction may be denial—denial that your horse has died or that death is imminent. Denial may begin when you first learn the seriousness of your horse's illness or injuries. Often, the more sudden the death, the more difficult the loss is to accept.

Anger and guilt often follow denial. Your anger may be directed toward people you normally love and respect, including your family and your veterinarian. People coping with death will often say things that they do not really mean, perhaps hurting those whom they do not mean to hurt. You may feel guilty or blame others for not recognizing the illness earlier, for not doing something sooner, for not being able to afford other types of or further treatment, or for being careless and allowing the horse to be injured.

Depression is also part of the range of emotions experienced after the death of a special animal. The tears flow, there are knots in your stomach, and you are drained of all your energy. Day-to-day tasks can seem impossible to perform. Sometimes you may even ask yourself if you can go on without your horse. The answer is yes, but there are times when special assistance may be helpful in dealing with your loss.

Eventually, you will come to terms with your feelings. You can begin to resolve and accept your horse's death. Even when you have reached resolution and acceptance, feelings of anger, denial, guilt, and depression may reappear. If this does happen, these feelings will usually be less intense, and with time will be replaced with fond memories.

Although the stages of grief apply fairly universally, grieving is always a personal process. Some people take longer than others to come to terms with denial, anger, guilt, and depression, and each loss is different. If you understand that these are normal reactions, you will be better prepared to cope with your feelings and to help others face theirs. Family members should be reassured that sorrow and grief are normal and natural responses to death.

Sometimes well-meaning family and friends may not realize how important your horse was to you or the intensity of your grief. Comments they make may seem cruel and uncaring. Be honest with yourself and others about how you feel. If despair mounts, talk to someone who will listen to your feelings about the loss of your horse. Talk about your sorrow, but also the fun times you and the horse spent together, the activities you enjoyed, and the memories that are meaningful.

If you or a family member have great difficulty in accepting your horse's death and cannot resolve feelings of grief and sorrow, you may want to discuss these feelings with a person who is trained to understand the grieving process. Your veterinarian certainly understands the relationship you have lost and may be able to suggest support groups and hot lines, grief counselors, clergymen, social workers, physicians, or psychologists who can help.

The death of a horse can upset you emotionally, especially when euthanasia is involved. Some people may feel they would never want to own another horse. For others, a new horse may help them recover from the loss more quickly. Just as grief is a personal experience, the decision of when, if ever, to bring a new horse into your life is a personal one. If a family member is having difficulty accepting the horse's death, getting a new horse before that person has resolved his or her grief may imply that the life of the deceased animal was unworthy of the grief that is still being felt. Family members should agree on the appropriate time to acquire a new horse. Although you can never replace the horse you lost, you can obtain another to share your life

*Resources: State of California, Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Animal Industry, Animal Health BranAnimal Care Program, 1220 N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 654-1447 
*American Veterinarian Medical Association, AVMA, on Equine Euthanasia
*Equine Protection Network

Disclaimer: Stolen Horse International does not intend the release of these guidelines to affect the legal issue of criminal responsibility in any way.