When do you put a horse down?

Question

I went away on vacation for a week, and the people that were taking care of my horses left the chicken feed box open. My mare, Babe, ate 3/4 of a 50 lb bag of layena. She coliced, we got her through that, but she also has laminitis. She is basically ruined. I cant ride her anymore. She is about 28 or 29, and shes only had the laminitis since 7-25-08, but she is in such a miserable state. She cant walk, even though im giving her bute. Its too expensive to get a vet out here, and it might not be the best idea to keep her fighting. Im giving her time, i cant just not give her a chance. But ifs she doesnt get better in a week or two..should i put her down?

Answer 1

Tough choice. I myself would beg the vet to come out, or find one willing to come a a lesser cost if I could not afford vet care for my horses. But the choice rests entirely upon you. For me, with my last horse to be put down it was clear she needed to go when SHE gave up. She had been fighting for some time and as long as se had the fight in her, I fought right beside her. But after a month, one day the old girl was just done. She removed herself from the other horses and just quit, so we put her down. Before that, she was trying to get better, so I felt I owed it to her to help her in any way.

Good Luck

Answer 2

I had a Quarter mare that I got for my 2nd birthday. She had to be put down 3 years ago at the age of 29. She was getting so stiff whe nshe would start to lay down she would lock up and fall the rest of the way to the ground and we had to help her up. When she got like that and I saw her suffering I called my vet. I was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I was so young that I cant even remember life before her, she was alway there, but I loved her and couldnt make her suffer anymore

Answer 3

Ask a vet to decide