euthanize or not...what should i do?

GodsGifts · 10-30-2009, 04:35 PM

So I'm heart broken....and confused.

My gelding has sinusitis as some of you may know. I've already put sooo much money into getting this solved and well....it's not working.

I'm currently in school so I'm not working much and we're already in debt trying to get my gelding healthy.

I've had some people tell me I should just put him down. But how do I make a choice like that? I can't afford to go further with this, but I can't stand the thought of walking into the barn and not seeing my Max there. To me it doesn't matter that I never ride him and that I spend more time nursing him then anything else.

Before we did the last procedure (4wks ago) Max was super sick. Lost alot of weight, dull look in his eye, lethargic, couldn't breath well. I can't put him through that again, but it will happen again.

So what would you guys do if this was your horse? Do I go further in debt and try to get this cured or do I just let him go.

ruffian · 10-30-2009, 04:40 PM

OOh boy, that is a tough one, first off I'm so sorry you are going through this
Without any treatment at all, what is his quality of life? If it puts your finances at risk to keep him comfy, or the way round if you really can't keep him comfy, regardless of what you spend then the kindest choice might be to put him down.
If he still has more good days than bad and your ok with having him as a pasture puff, then enjoy him as long as you can
Either way it is your decision to live with and I don't think anyone can judge you for what you do.

paso_lover · 10-30-2009, 04:49 PM

Yes it's a toughy. When I lost my mare we put a price on her care, $2500 and that was exploratory surgery only. Full care and a 50/50 chance of recovery would have cost us $5000+. Go with your gut, mine said to let her go

BarnBum · 10-30-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GodsGifts

So I'm heart broken....and confused.

My gelding has sinusitis as some of you may know. I've already put sooo much money into getting this solved and well....it's not working.

I'm currently in school so I'm not working much and we're already in debt trying to get my gelding healthy.

I've had some people tell me I should just put him down. But how do I make a choice like that? I can't afford to go further with this, but I can't stand the thought of walking into the barn and not seeing my Max there. To me it doesn't matter that I never ride him and that I spend more time nursing him then anything else.

Before we did the last procedure (4wks ago) Max was super sick. Lost alot of weight, dull look in his eye, lethargic, couldn't breath well. I can't put him through that again, but it will happen again.

So what would you guys do if this was your horse? Do I go further in debt and try to get this cured or do I just let him go.

I think you are beling selfish by not wanting to walk into the barn and not see him there. He is suffering. Would you want to feel the way he does ? If you love him, do what is best FOR HIM. They depend on us

QUALITY of life over QUANTITY.

Sometimes, you just cant fix everything. You are giving it a great try, but ......

IMO- Euthanize

paso_lover · 10-30-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarnBum

I think you are being selfish

Not necessary, it's a hard choice to make, you didn't need to go there

dunamovin · 10-30-2009, 05:30 PM

What is he telling you? Usually they will let you know when they're ready to give up. If there's no hope of him having a happy life even as a pasture puff then it's time to say goodby. You will have only good memories if you let him go before he gets worse. Always a tough choice. Will pray for you to make a wise decision.

sundancer maiden · 10-30-2009, 05:32 PM

Yes, it is selfish, in a way. But every single one of us feels it, to one extend or another. Your gut twists, your heart hurts sooo badly, it's hard to think straight, etc. Have a stiff drink, or two or three...., take deep breaths, go in the stall and cry until you have no tears left. Unfortunitely the tear ducts fill back up way sooner than we think is possible. But that is the best time, I have found for me, to be able to see, to think. Try to turn off the emotions and only use your brain, think about what is best for him.
The word selfish sounds so harsh, but finding another word for the feeling is near imposible! I can say the word euthanasia easily, until it comes to one of my four legged babies, then I, for the life of me can't say it. When I try nothing comes out. I need a vet that will ask the question and all I have to do is nod my head!
Don't feel bad for having selfish feelings, but you need to put them aside. It is doable, hard but doable.

horselady · 10-30-2009, 05:43 PM

That is a tough call, I would have payed any amount of money to make my mare healthy again, but it was her choice to die with cancer.
I feel your pain and being in a very cold region do you think he will have another attack than, or are most of them in summer?
We can not answer that question, if it were me, I would take one day at a time, and let him tell me when he is ready.
please read the prayer in my signature it might help.

BarnBum · 10-30-2009, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paso_lover

Not necessary, it's a hard choice to make, you didn't need to go there

No its not. He is suffering and SHE wants to see him everyday

It my opinion and I gave it, I am sorry you disagree. WE (owners) are the voices for the animals and they depend on us for a QUALITY life. Not QUANTITY.

And just for the record, I didn't bold/blue my response, Paso did. I didn't make it that blunt / mean !!!!

GodsGifts · 10-30-2009, 05:53 PM

He's nt suffering right now. He's happy and bright and playing around in the field...but the sinustitis is not gone, it's just been calmed down. But the discharge will come back, the sickness will come back. He's gotten this in the winter as well as in the summer. We've done this procedure twice and it hasn't worked. Nothing has worked.

This is where I don't know what to do.
Obviously right now I dont have to euth but when he gets bad again...do I do the procedure again and give him a few more months...then just keep doing it every 4-5mths? I can't afford to do that. I can't afford to go any further with this...It just feels so wrong to euth him...he's only 10yrs old!

tuffsmom · 10-30-2009, 05:53 PM

I would put him down if he is suffering. We do have a dollar amount on all the horses. It is not an easy choice but I have made it and will do it again. We have made it on all my animals. In a way, we did it with Mom when she was sick.

Horsie Michelle · 10-30-2009, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffsmom

I would put him down if he is suffering. We do have a dollar amount on all the horses.

Ditto and I agree with most of the post here. I don't think you're being selfish...obviuosly you care deeply about Max---IMO if you didn't you would even be considering putting him down b/c of this not to mention put $$ into trying to fix him. I see what she meant though...maybe I just read your op different.

If I were you I think I would put him down as well. It's hard to let go, I know I've been there myself like many on here have, but it's harder to watch something you love suffer. The Helen Keller quote I have on my signature is in memory of a mare I had to make "the choice" for. It's been close to 15 years now and it still hurts...God forbid I read Chicken Soup for the Horse lovers soul...I'll start thinking about her and cry like a baby. But I know I did the right thing...one final act of kindness and if I was in the situation again I would do the same.

My heart goes out to you and prays for strength for you no matter what you choose.

singing tree · 10-30-2009, 06:48 PM

I also had to make that very difficult choice for a Morgan mare a few years ago. She was losing weight (very unusual) so I did all the normal stuff -teeth, wormings, etc. Then she had an impacted colon, so I doctored that, with money that we had, but did not want to use for the vet. She passed it, and I breathed a sigh of relief. But when she colicked again 3 weeks later, it was evident that something was wrong, and she would need exploratory surgery. We were going away, and I could not leave someone else in charge of a mare than could very well need vet care again, nor could I afford to go through another impaction, much less surgery. So I made the very difficult call to go ahead put her down. The worst was that the day the vet came, she was feeling fine, and thought we were going to go on a ride or something. We could not bury her, so had to bring her out by the road so her body could be easily taken away. It was awful! But in order to take good care of my other horses, I could not justify spending more on her. I have never found another driving horse that is her equal, but I did the very hard but right thing for not only her but for our family.

Only you can decide what that right thing is, but if you cannot afford to take care of something that is so chronic, euth. might be the best.

NorthernHorseGirl · 10-30-2009, 07:25 PM

OMG my heart aches for both of you. I don't know the whole story, sorry I missed it, so I don't have all the information but here's my humble opinion.

I've had to have 2 horses put down. One was my 31 year old gelding Clint. I was absolutely crazy about him and have never had a horse I liked to ride as much before or since. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure just over a year ago and I had him put down a year ago as they really suffer over the winter. I spent $4000 to buy a horse to replace him but if $4000 could have fixed him- and made him younger- I'd have gladly forked it over. I'd have spent more than that, actually.
The horse we had to have put down before that was a gorgeous paint filly who was just being started and would have been 4 in a couple of months. She started lying down a lot and doing the walking on eggshells thing. I took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with severe navicular. We had her put down a couple of weeks later. It can't be fixed, reversed or stopped so there was really no other option. It was really hard putting down such a nice young mare and I sat over her body sobbing and telling her how sorry I was.

After my stories here's what my opinion is. He's young enough to make it worth it to spend the amount of money it would take to get yourself the 'same' horse again- IF- he can be fixed in such a way that he will be better and stay that way with no or minimal further care. If he's going to continue to suffer or have to keep having invasive things done to him, he'd tell you to put him down himself if he could talk and it would be the kindest thing to do for him. You need to do what you can live with. If it were me I'd always be haunted with the thought that if I'd spent a little more money I could have saved my horse so I'd have to know that the future for him is not a good one.

I guess what I'm thinking is that if he could be properly fixed, how much would that cost. And if there's no guarantees and you've already tried to get him fixed several times and no amount of money is going to make him well, then you need to do what's best for him and let him go.

Sorry for rambling but it's a huge, irreversible decision that you have to live with so I'm trying to give you all the sides of it. When we had the paint filly put down there were a couple of people who thought I was terrible. I'd had her x-rayed and I saw the x-rays and I knew she had poor quality of life and wasn't going to get better. But I still sometimes wake up at night after I've dreamt about her wondering 'what if'. What if those weren't her x-rays. They were, we were watching on the computer as they came through. What if there's a cure for it and I could have kept her alive until that happened. There's no better cure for it now than then, they can only keep them comfortable.

Anyway, my thoughts are with you in this. Good luck with your decision.

Horselady44 · 10-30-2009, 07:27 PM

I would euth as well...it is a hard hard HARD choice...but you have to put your emotions aside and think about whats best for your boy. He is suffering when it comes back...the treatments are just a blockage...its not helping long term...and for him to keep going through it just so you have him around isnt really fair either. I think you know what you need to do

Espiecally if you cannot afford the treatments...and they sound pointless really if they are not doing anything for him long term

I dont know. I cant TELL you what to do...but if it were me...I would have to think about whats best for him...and I think we all know what the answer is to that sadly. (((HUGS TO YOU AND MAX))) Im so sorry you have to go through this...its the hardest thing in the world to a horse owner.

mistbyrome · 10-30-2009, 07:54 PM

I disagree with her being selfish. If your grandmother was suffering and wanted to be taken of life support, you probably wouldn't want to do that would you? She obviously loves her gelding, and she will do whats best for him in the end because of that love, regardless of if it hurts. I believe you already know that you are going to have him euthanized, you've merely come to share your sorrow with people who will understand.

My thoughts, love him everyday that he is feeling great and happy. And the next time he gets discharge/sick/ uncomfortable again, have him euthanized. You can use the time from now until then to get comfortable with the notion of him being gone. And afterward you will have all these memories of him happy and healthy to tide you over rather then him sad and sick.

Dream Ponies · 10-30-2009, 08:57 PM

First of all, I am so sorry you are dealing with the pain of all of this. Obviously you love this horse and have done a great deal to try and heal him. Sometimes the only choice is the hardest one of all. However, I am not sure every easy option has been tried. Perhaps something in his environment is causing this. Have you tried switching his hay or grain? Or even his bedding?
When I was a young girl I worked for an amazing vet. And the one thing that I learned was sometimes its a simple fix. This vet would always sit down and ask about a horses lifestyle. And many times it worked and the cure was simple. Perhaps there is a holistic vet who will try some more natural remedies and take serious look at the total picture. I think too many times a procedure or drug is prescribed without taking a hard look at the cause of what is going on.
And I don't think you are selfish at all. This sweet horse is very lucky to have you.

gaitedhorse · 10-30-2009, 09:11 PM

First of Kudos to you for doing all that you can for your friend (horse). I know that I love them and really don't know how I could possibly deal with what you are going through.
I read some of the other posts and I don't think that I ever saw this question be asked.....
Would changing his environment (drier climate) help this? And could you let him go to a good home in a different climate to see him happy?

kanoo32 · 10-30-2009, 09:27 PM

I think that before you make a decision that is so....permanent, that you are unsure about, that you cannot take back, you should get a second opinion. I think there are other things you could do to treat this condition that you have not done and ways to manage his condition that have not been attempted. I think, after reading your previous posts, you will regret it if you destroy this horse without at least trying to fix this. A second opinion won't hurt, and if it doesn't help, then you can say, you tried everything you could to help him, and you just couldn't so you did the only thing you knew how to stop his suffering!

breburtch · 10-30-2009, 09:45 PM

Ask yourself these questions
1) Can you afford treatments(doesn't have to be the current one he's on)
2) Are the treatments doing anything at all or are they just wasting money
3) If you were the horse or even a very sick person would you want to be kept alive to suffer
4)does the horse have more good days then bad
5)are there other options to help make him better then the one you've tried

It's a hard decision to make but you have to not think of yourself and have to put your emotions aside and think of the horse.Think how the horse feels and how you would feel if you were in the horses position. What would the horses future be like and would he be happy being just a pasture puff even when he's not doing so well.

Do what you feel is best for the horse.

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10-30-2009, 04:35 PM
GodsGifts Weanling Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cornwall, Ontario Posts: 419	euthanize or not...what should i do? So I'm heart broken....and confused. My gelding has sinusitis as some of you may know. I've already put sooo much money into getting this solved and well....it's not working. I'm currently in school so I'm not working much and we're already in debt trying to get my gelding healthy. I've had some people tell me I should just put him down. But how do I make a choice like that? I can't afford to go further with this, but I can't stand the thought of walking into the barn and not seeing my Max there. To me it doesn't matter that I never ride him and that I spend more time nursing him then anything else. Before we did the last procedure (4wks ago) Max was super sick. Lost alot of weight, dull look in his eye, lethargic, couldn't breath well. I can't put him through that again, but it will happen again. So what would you guys do if this was your horse? Do I go further in debt and try to get this cured or do I just let him go. __________________ Animals Are Family We Choose For Ourselves

10-30-2009, 04:40 PM
ruffian Long Yearling Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Alberta Posts: 1,161	OOh boy, that is a tough one, first off I'm so sorry you are going through this Without any treatment at all, what is his quality of life? If it puts your finances at risk to keep him comfy, or the way round if you really can't keep him comfy, regardless of what you spend then the kindest choice might be to put him down. If he still has more good days than bad and your ok with having him as a pasture puff, then enjoy him as long as you can Either way it is your decision to live with and I don't think anyone can judge you for what you do. __________________ There is something about the outside of a Horse that\'s good for the inside of a man (Will Rogers)

10-30-2009, 04:49 PM
paso_lover Kid Safe Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sudbury Ontario Canada Posts: 6,683	Yes it's a toughy. When I lost my mare we put a price on her care, $2500 and that was exploratory surgery only. Full care and a 50/50 chance of recovery would have cost us $5000+. Go with your gut, mine said to let her go __________________ "Some people feel compelled to cut off the heads of others in order to make themselves appear taller" ---Paramahansa Yoginanda

10-30-2009, 05:30 PM
dunamovin Halter broke Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: where the blacktop ends Posts: 194	What is he telling you? Usually they will let you know when they're ready to give up. If there's no hope of him having a happy life even as a pasture puff then it's time to say goodby. You will have only good memories if you let him go before he gets worse. Always a tough choice. Will pray for you to make a wise decision.

10-30-2009, 05:32 PM
sundancer maiden Coming two Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Udall, KS Posts: 1,511	Yes, it is selfish, in a way. But every single one of us feels it, to one extend or another. Your gut twists, your heart hurts sooo badly, it's hard to think straight, etc. Have a stiff drink, or two or three...., take deep breaths, go in the stall and cry until you have no tears left. Unfortunitely the tear ducts fill back up way sooner than we think is possible. But that is the best time, I have found for me, to be able to see, to think. Try to turn off the emotions and only use your brain, think about what is best for him. The word selfish sounds so harsh, but finding another word for the feeling is near imposible! I can say the word euthanasia easily, until it comes to one of my four legged babies, then I, for the life of me can't say it. When I try nothing comes out. I need a vet that will ask the question and all I have to do is nod my head! Don't feel bad for having selfish feelings, but you need to put them aside. It is doable, hard but doable. __________________ You don't have to be crazy to be my friend, but it helps!!!

10-30-2009, 05:43 PM
horselady Kid Safe Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: albany new york Posts: 6,439	That is a tough call, I would have payed any amount of money to make my mare healthy again, but it was her choice to die with cancer. I feel your pain and being in a very cold region do you think he will have another attack than, or are most of them in summer? We can not answer that question, if it were me, I would take one day at a time, and let him tell me when he is ready. please read the prayer in my signature it might help. __________________ www.rainbow-horse-retirement.com We love and take care of your companion for the remainder of his lifetime

10-30-2009, 05:53 PM
GodsGifts Weanling Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cornwall, Ontario Posts: 419	He's nt suffering right now. He's happy and bright and playing around in the field...but the sinustitis is not gone, it's just been calmed down. But the discharge will come back, the sickness will come back. He's gotten this in the winter as well as in the summer. We've done this procedure twice and it hasn't worked. Nothing has worked. This is where I don't know what to do. Obviously right now I dont have to euth but when he gets bad again...do I do the procedure again and give him a few more months...then just keep doing it every 4-5mths? I can't afford to do that. I can't afford to go any further with this...It just feels so wrong to euth him...he's only 10yrs old! __________________ Animals Are Family We Choose For Ourselves

10-30-2009, 05:53 PM
tuffsmom Kid Safe Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Nebraska Posts: 5,740	I would put him down if he is suffering. We do have a dollar amount on all the horses. It is not an easy choice but I have made it and will do it again. We have made it on all my animals. In a way, we did it with Mom when she was sick. __________________

10-30-2009, 06:48 PM
singing tree Long Yearling Join Date: May 2009 Location: Hartville, Ohio Posts: 1,047	I also had to make that very difficult choice for a Morgan mare a few years ago. She was losing weight (very unusual) so I did all the normal stuff -teeth, wormings, etc. Then she had an impacted colon, so I doctored that, with money that we had, but did not want to use for the vet. She passed it, and I breathed a sigh of relief. But when she colicked again 3 weeks later, it was evident that something was wrong, and she would need exploratory surgery. We were going away, and I could not leave someone else in charge of a mare than could very well need vet care again, nor could I afford to go through another impaction, much less surgery. So I made the very difficult call to go ahead put her down. The worst was that the day the vet came, she was feeling fine, and thought we were going to go on a ride or something. We could not bury her, so had to bring her out by the road so her body could be easily taken away. It was awful! But in order to take good care of my other horses, I could not justify spending more on her. I have never found another driving horse that is her equal, but I did the very hard but right thing for not only her but for our family. Only you can decide what that right thing is, but if you cannot afford to take care of something that is so chronic, euth. might be the best.

10-30-2009, 07:25 PM
NorthernHorseGirl Yearling Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 510	OMG my heart aches for both of you. I don't know the whole story, sorry I missed it, so I don't have all the information but here's my humble opinion. I've had to have 2 horses put down. One was my 31 year old gelding Clint. I was absolutely crazy about him and have never had a horse I liked to ride as much before or since. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure just over a year ago and I had him put down a year ago as they really suffer over the winter. I spent $4000 to buy a horse to replace him but if $4000 could have fixed him- and made him younger- I'd have gladly forked it over. I'd have spent more than that, actually. The horse we had to have put down before that was a gorgeous paint filly who was just being started and would have been 4 in a couple of months. She started lying down a lot and doing the walking on eggshells thing. I took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with severe navicular. We had her put down a couple of weeks later. It can't be fixed, reversed or stopped so there was really no other option. It was really hard putting down such a nice young mare and I sat over her body sobbing and telling her how sorry I was. After my stories here's what my opinion is. He's young enough to make it worth it to spend the amount of money it would take to get yourself the 'same' horse again- IF- he can be fixed in such a way that he will be better and stay that way with no or minimal further care. If he's going to continue to suffer or have to keep having invasive things done to him, he'd tell you to put him down himself if he could talk and it would be the kindest thing to do for him. You need to do what you can live with. If it were me I'd always be haunted with the thought that if I'd spent a little more money I could have saved my horse so I'd have to know that the future for him is not a good one. I guess what I'm thinking is that if he could be properly fixed, how much would that cost. And if there's no guarantees and you've already tried to get him fixed several times and no amount of money is going to make him well, then you need to do what's best for him and let him go. Sorry for rambling but it's a huge, irreversible decision that you have to live with so I'm trying to give you all the sides of it. When we had the paint filly put down there were a couple of people who thought I was terrible. I'd had her x-rayed and I saw the x-rays and I knew she had poor quality of life and wasn't going to get better. But I still sometimes wake up at night after I've dreamt about her wondering 'what if'. What if those weren't her x-rays. They were, we were watching on the computer as they came through. What if there's a cure for it and I could have kept her alive until that happened. There's no better cure for it now than then, they can only keep them comfortable. Anyway, my thoughts are with you in this. Good luck with your decision. __________________ Some horses come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay awhile and make hoofprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same. Anonymous Rest in peace Clint, I'll always love you and I'll miss you for the rest of my life. You were and will always be my perfect horse.

10-30-2009, 07:27 PM
Horselady44 Started Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Montana Posts: 2,437	I would euth as well...it is a hard hard HARD choice...but you have to put your emotions aside and think about whats best for your boy. He is suffering when it comes back...the treatments are just a blockage...its not helping long term...and for him to keep going through it just so you have him around isnt really fair either. I think you know what you need to do Espiecally if you cannot afford the treatments...and they sound pointless really if they are not doing anything for him long term I dont know. I cant TELL you what to do...but if it were me...I would have to think about whats best for him...and I think we all know what the answer is to that sadly. (((HUGS TO YOU AND MAX))) Im so sorry you have to go through this...its the hardest thing in the world to a horse owner. __________________ A happy horse equals a happy rider!

10-30-2009, 07:54 PM
mistbyrome Newborn Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: BC Posts: 40	I disagree with her being selfish. If your grandmother was suffering and wanted to be taken of life support, you probably wouldn't want to do that would you? She obviously loves her gelding, and she will do whats best for him in the end because of that love, regardless of if it hurts. I believe you already know that you are going to have him euthanized, you've merely come to share your sorrow with people who will understand. My thoughts, love him everyday that he is feeling great and happy. And the next time he gets discharge/sick/ uncomfortable again, have him euthanized. You can use the time from now until then to get comfortable with the notion of him being gone. And afterward you will have all these memories of him happy and healthy to tide you over rather then him sad and sick.

10-30-2009, 08:57 PM
Dream Ponies Yearling Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: NY Posts: 764	First of all, I am so sorry you are dealing with the pain of all of this. Obviously you love this horse and have done a great deal to try and heal him. Sometimes the only choice is the hardest one of all. However, I am not sure every easy option has been tried. Perhaps something in his environment is causing this. Have you tried switching his hay or grain? Or even his bedding? When I was a young girl I worked for an amazing vet. And the one thing that I learned was sometimes its a simple fix. This vet would always sit down and ask about a horses lifestyle. And many times it worked and the cure was simple. Perhaps there is a holistic vet who will try some more natural remedies and take serious look at the total picture. I think too many times a procedure or drug is prescribed without taking a hard look at the cause of what is going on. And I don't think you are selfish at all. This sweet horse is very lucky to have you.

10-30-2009, 09:11 PM
gaitedhorse Newborn Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Marion KY Posts: 44	First of Kudos to you for doing all that you can for your friend (horse). I know that I love them and really don't know how I could possibly deal with what you are going through. I read some of the other posts and I don't think that I ever saw this question be asked..... Would changing his environment (drier climate) help this? And could you let him go to a good home in a different climate to see him happy?

10-30-2009, 09:27 PM
kanoo32 Seasoned Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 4,517	I think that before you make a decision that is so....permanent, that you are unsure about, that you cannot take back, you should get a second opinion. I think there are other things you could do to treat this condition that you have not done and ways to manage his condition that have not been attempted. I think, after reading your previous posts, you will regret it if you destroy this horse without at least trying to fix this. A second opinion won't hurt, and if it doesn't help, then you can say, you tried everything you could to help him, and you just couldn't so you did the only thing you knew how to stop his suffering! __________________ "Animals are such agreeable friends--they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms..." --George Eliot In Loving Memory of Spikey...My Best Friend...I Miss You RIP 1988-2009

10-30-2009, 09:45 PM
breburtch Started Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ennismore, Ontario Posts: 2,910	Ask yourself these questions 1) Can you afford treatments(doesn't have to be the current one he's on) 2) Are the treatments doing anything at all or are they just wasting money 3) If you were the horse or even a very sick person would you want to be kept alive to suffer 4)does the horse have more good days then bad 5)are there other options to help make him better then the one you've tried It's a hard decision to make but you have to not think of yourself and have to put your emotions aside and think of the horse.Think how the horse feels and how you would feel if you were in the horses position. What would the horses future be like and would he be happy being just a pasture puff even when he's not doing so well. Do what you feel is best for the horse.