euthanize or not...what should i do?

[EquineAlberta]

I miss my Ziggy mare every day. My main regret is how hard we tried to save her...it is not the thousands of dollars we spent...it is the result that she died in pain after suffering. I wish with all my heart that my last memories of her weren't of her suffering. I realize that my desire and effor to save her HAD been selfish. i wanted her to live so much that she paid the price. Would i have regreted not having tried? maybe, but I doubt that pain could possibly be as much as the guilt and weight I feel knowing the price she paid while I tried to save her.

Now I am facing having to put down an Appy gelding that we have owned for 7 years. He has back issues that we aren't sure are resolvable. We will try some more things, but if his pain gets worse, or isn't resolvable, we will dope him up and give him one last good day, and then put him down near the feilds he grew up in.

Life at any cost isn't life.
A horse is not a human...they don't have the concept of the future so it is not like they are willing to sacrifice their comfort to stay alive to see a grandchild be born, or the future unfold. THey live in the now.

I am sorry you are facing this decision. I am too. It is hard being God isn't it?

Karen

[Jean Genie]

I'm with Kanoo, a fresh pair of eyes could make all the difference for him. You've repeatedly tried the same thing with no lasting improvement. Someone else might have dealt with a situation like his and have a whole new treatment plan. I know you said that pictures showed no gutteral pouch issue but it sure sounds like that kind of a problem; or maybe it wasn't back then but has developed now. I'd be looking at that closely. If you've hit the wall and done all you can for him, enjoy however much time you can keep him comfortable. I think you'll know if and when the time comes to let him go.

I'm sorry your guy is having so much trouble and I hope and pray you find a solution, whatever it may be. Best of luck to you both.

[kshnooks]

ditto trying everything with your means and power to find an answer. Have you done as much research as possible? Tried getting in contact with experts, if anything but to see if they would take a look?

I honestly think its a good idea to set a price for yourself...as much as you love your horse it doesn't make sense to go into huge debt to save them. And I say this as a huge animal lover. I would never, however, endanger the roof over my head to being able to provide for my family or other animals to go to extreme measures to save another who is clearly suffering, or would not have the same quality of life after treatment. I faced that issue with my kitty would had kidney failure...we were given the option of a 10K surgery to do a kidney replacement however that was just too extreme. I know my decision was a little more black and white, however I think you will know if its time to let him go or not.

Good luck and I hope that a solution comes soon.

[paintedpastures]

I also agrre with some other poster's here about getting a second opinion.I haven't followed what has gone on with your horse but Sinusitis should be something treatable unless some other underlying things are going on causing a chronic recurrance. If indeed you get similiar prognosis from someone else then I would think more about the euthanasia. Consider HIS quality of life,is he useable after all this for riding or only able to be just a pasture puff.how much more can you afford to give to him both financially & emotionally to have him comfortable/healthy again these are all things you have to ask yourself in trying to come to a decision.
I know this can't be easy for you deciding the fate/direction for a beloved horse. Thoughts & prayers are with you & Max .....

[horsecrazygal]

hmm... That is a tough one.

I think you have 2 major concerns here: the financial cost, and the horses welfare.

I think you need to ask yourself how much more can you spend? Can you borrow the money for further treatments and would you be able to pay it off in a reasonable time frame? If you cannot save him, would you be buying a new horse? Would your family be willing to help you financially?

As for your horse, do his good days out number his bad? Is he trying to and willing to continue to fight this? Are there other treatments available? Is there hope of a possible cure or will he be continually sick on and off for the rest of his life? Has the vet recommended that he be put down or is this something you are worried about it coming down to?

I also think you need to look for the cause of these infections. Is it an antibiotic resistant bacteria, allergies, or something else causing this? I have had chronic sinus infections on and off for years and I was told it was allergies. Last year I finally went in for extensive testing only to be told I have non-allergic rhinitis. For years, I had been treating my "allergies" with the wrong medications and wondering why I felt horrible all the time? It turned out that the rhinitis clogged up my nose, trapped the bacteria which caused an infection. By treating the rhinitis with the correct medications, I could help prevent the infections.

If your horse has allergies and is not getting treated for it, couldn't that cause the recurrent infections? Have you had him checked for allergies? I don't think it would be very expensive to check for that.

Have you tried getting a second opinion, or having 2 vets come out at the same time and work together to come up with a treatment plan? If you took him to the university, are there other less expensive tests that they could do?

When I read your previous posts, you mentioned he had some rain rot. I would recommend trying Nolvasan ointment or betadine and keeping him in a dry/drier environment.

Goodluck. I am sure you will make the right decision for both you and Max. It is obvious that you love him very much.

[tahani z's momma]

im sorry that you are struggling with a decision and i know it is a hard decision but since he is not suffering right now i wouldnt put hbim down. i dont know how old he is but you said your self that you have spent as money on his care that you possibly can and to have him euthanized costs even more money to the vet and it wont heal him so imo if he is a young horse and when he beats this if he would have a normal life to where he can be roidden and played with i think maybe you should put up an ad in a few feed stores and a few internet listings as free to a good home but put in his struggle with this illness as your reason for selling. there are alot of warm hearted people out there that would jump at the chance of fixing a sick horse. either way he wouldnt be with you any longer but you would know that he was safe and happy and if he is close enough then maybe they would let you visit him from time to time. just because your finances are exhausted doesnt meant that theirs will be. and that way you wont have any regrets later about doing wat you had to do becuase not only had you done everything you could to help him another family can too and hopefully thier efforts last long enough to get him completely healed.

[GodsGifts]

I've moved him to a place where he is stalled. I don't know if this will help. I've checked the hay...there isn't any dust but we'll be watering it down. His bedding has been changed, his feed has been changed, even his treats have been changed. EVERYTHING has been changed...twice since he got this.

He is rideable...lol..even when he's sick he still enjoys a SHORT ride out. He loves his hay, and treats and loves to kick up his heel in the paddock. He loves my mare Mya and I know he loves me.

If I had to euth him...no i wouldn't get another horse...at least not for a long time. He'd be the 3rd horse I've lost...I would just concentrate on my mare and hope nothing happens with her.

I would give my life to save this boy. I don't have kids so my animals are my kids. The treatment We've done didn't cure it but it has helped for the short term. It has bought me time with Max. I don't think any amount of flushing is going to solve this.

Last night i went to the barn to think and "ask" Max what I should do....he hit me with his head...lol...then he proceded to search for "his" treats.

In the bible it says something along the lines "if you cry out I will hear you"
Last night i think I was heard.
I'm not going to worry about Maxs' possible future. I'm going to worry about today, today. I'm going to call every vet i know, I'm going to take Maxs records and I'm going to try and figure out what can be done.

I figure I'll use the rest of my student loan, but not until I feel the treatment will solve this problem forever or that we at least have that chance.

I can't spend much more money on Max, but i don't have kids and the rest of my debt can wait. I just hope my fiance keeps understanding why I have to do this. I know that the possibility of putting Max down is still very real, but I also know that I would rather put him down with him knowing he was loved and him being happy then making him suffer and be scared cause he can't breath.
I will sit down with Stan and figure out a price limit...I may only be able to come up with enough money for one more procedure, so I'll have to choose it wisely.

And no...my family wont help with fianances. My parents are just as broke and my in-laws hate my horses and think i shouldn't even have them.

There is a reason everything happens...I haven't figured out what purpose this is serving...but I know Max isn't ready to go...not yet...and hopefully not for a long time.

Thank you everyone. I know I'll come to the best choice for Max...even if it is too painful for me to bare. But for now...Max is staying with me and I'll do what I can with what I have, for as long as he tells me he can fight.

[Slim Pikkens]

A tough choice. The key question here is "who am I keeping this animal alive for, me or him?"[/b] If you say you will miss him, then it's for you. If you know his health issues won't get any better, then it's for him. You've done your best so don't feel guilty that you could have done more. Not all conditions are fixable.

[PaintsQH]

After doing what Kanoo said (second opinion) find someone who can afford his treatment to make him comfortable, as in give him away. Will the treatment ever make him 100%? Can he live a normal life with the proper care?
Ive been in several situations (Chief stepped on a roofing tack and got a coffin bone infection despite getting immediate vet care, Junior was born in the sun (Thank you very much Laila for giving birth at 3pm on a warm day in April and the one day I didnt close you in the stall) accidentaly ran over my dogs leg and broke it...the list goes on)with my animals over the years and Ive sold my trailer, round pen, worked out a payment plan with my vet, used the money I had put aside for Chief's training and brake job on my truck and so on to take care of them. My vet once told me every horse owner should set aside 1K in a "cookie jar" for an emergency. Its never been the lack of money for vet care, its been a huge vet bill situation. No fault of my own, things happen you cant control. Thank God I havent had any serious issues like colic in ions. Im a very "easy keeper". I buy nothing for myself and sacrifice alot so I can keep my horses healthy.
Godsgifts, I hope you get your boy taken care of and figure out what to do, but please dont wait too long to decide whats best for him. He cant tell you what he wants so like many said, you have to be the voice of the animal. Best of luck

[WickedNag]

I have not read through all the replies. I just want to offer you a shoulder and my best thoughts. We all want to be selfish with our loved ones, whether they are two leggers or 4 leggers.

If he is not in pain IMO I would stop treatment and let him be. If he starts to suffer euthanize him than. In the mean time enjoy him

[jjsimsez]

personally, i'd get a 2nd opinion. find out if a diff vet would treat same way. options and cost. and most important, if treatment will fix the problem or just make him better for a little while. if treatment cant cure him, i'd put him down. you love him alot, but there is a limit to pocketbook. IMO ,its dumb to pour lots of money into a horse that will not be usful again. sounds mean, but they are not humans. yes i'd pay some money to fix but you got to set a limit.
sometimes one needs to be told of the selfishness to keep alive cause we love them. a horsewoman told ME this, when i talked about promise.my horse. i had tears in my eyes when i walked away cause i realized she was right. after much thought on our conversation, i put her down, as she was just getting worse, and vet could maintain her pain but not stop what was happening to her. while every vet visit wracked up more cost. when you question like this, your heart is telling you and, honey , you will 2nd guess yourself, even after horse is put down. its been 2 years now and i still wonder if i did the right thing and if a better vet could have fixed her.
you will know when its time. when you see him and in your heart. your situation is different. take everyones advice and sort thru it. what is true for your situation and what is not. hugs to you. your choice is NOT an easy one.

[Rhiannon]

I have sinusitis - as do many residents in the rainy climates of the Pacific Northwest - and although it's a huge pain to deal with - I am not sure that putting the horse down is the answer.

I would get a second opinion - perhaps even a third - and see what can be done to strengthen the animal's immune system.

I think it's worth trying to save him. That doesn't make you selfish. I think you will feel better about letting him go - if it comes down to that - if you know you have made a heroic effort to save him. You will know when you have done as much as you are capable of doing. You will know when it is time.

I am sorry for the pain and suffering you are going through. It is not easy to make decisions like this.

[kanoo32]

I strongly believe that you are treating this problem the wrong way....Not only does he need to have the flush done but he needs to be on a maintenance plan to keep him "dried up" so that the acute sinus infection does not come back.....You have the infection flushed away but then your vet drops the ball per say and does not have you follow through with a long term maintenance plan to keep it from coming back....it is a chronic problem for him that is being treated as an acute onset problem....do yourself and your horse a HUGE favor and have someone else take over this case....PLEASE!!!!