Friday, December 2, 2011

What are your thoughts on putting a horse to sleep by shooting?

Shooting or euthanasia? Which is best for the horse in your opinion?|||It's tough because I like the idea of a horse falling to sleep and then dying, but that's not always how it works, whereas a bullet to the brain is instant. I personally wouldn't be able to shoot my horse myself if it came to that, but I would rather someone shoot him in the head then risk him having an adverse reaction to the drugs and suffer before he goes. A few months ago my friends took their old laminitic mare out and shot her. They said right before they did, she had a very relieved "thank you" kind of look on her face like she knew what was coming.|||Putting animals down with a pistol or rifle is much more rapid than euthanizing with drugs- but it must be DONE CORRECTLY. That's the whole crux of the problem- most people who say that they could do it have no idea how to. They don't know, for example, that the stories one sees on TV where the sheriff's deputy or the cop shoots a horse that has broken a leg from a distance are just THAT- they are STORIES, and nothing more. In reality, a horse or any animal which is being destroyed that way needs to have someone who is brave enough to put the barrel of the gun directly against the animal's head and fire the bullet into the correct spot from there. To locate the proper spot, one needs to draw an imaginary line from the base of each ear to the corner of the opposite eye. The place where the two lines intersect or cross is where the bullet goes- and in most cases, it's right in the middle of the forehead. But the Hollywood movies never show this, nor do they ever make people aware of the fact that NO animal should be destroyed from any distance away. Stress and the emotions of the situation make it all but impossible for most lay people to aim a pistol or rifle correctly in such circumstances, and there's always a chance that the bullet will not hit its intended target. Then the person is left with a gravely wounded animal which is in agony but is unable to move. Still another thing that the movies and TV never show is what happens to a horse or cow that has been destroyed by shooting. They don't just flop over and never move again- it's not uncommon for the animal to thrash around and move its limbs, even though it is dead. Sometimes they moan or groan, or they shriek when the bullet hits them. This is extremely upsetting and scary for anybody who happens to be watching, and it is NOT for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs. For all these reasons, it is better to have an animal put to sleep by lethal injection when at all possible. The only exception to this is in cases where the horse or cow is going to be used for consumption or food purposes. Euthanasia solution is very POISONOUS, and animals destroyed that way can NEVER be used for food, either for people or other animals.





In euthanasia, the vet will inject the horse with a sedative first. After the horse lies down and is asleep, the vet will then inject euthanasia solution, which is usually made up of two different drugs: a barbituate ( sleeping drug) to shut down the central nervous system, and a paralytic anesthetic to stop the heart and breathing and kill the animal. In states which use lethal injection to kill convicted criminals, the process is essentially the same, as are the drugs used. The only difference there is the dosage and route of administration. In EMERGENCY situations when euthanasia must be given rapidly ( such as after catastrophic accidents at the racetrack, for example) the first step in the process is skipped, and euthanasia solution will be injected directly into the carotid artery of the horse's neck by the vet, usually in a much larger dose. That's what happened at Churchill Downs after Eight Belles broke down following the Derby in 2008. She was euthanized where she fell, and the horse ambulance picked up her remains after the vet confirmed that she was dead. The same thing happened at Belmont Park in 1989 when Go For Wand broke down so horrifically during the Breeder's Cup Distaff. The mare stumbled and flipped over in the homestretch, nearly amputating her right front foot- but incredibly, she managed to get up afterwards. Driven mad by pain, she bolted around the track on three legs for the next thirty minutes until the outriders finally caught up with her and forced her down. Even then, it was a struggle to keep her there. Within minutes, however, the track vet showed up with a bottle of euthanasia solution, which he injected into the mare's throat. If the vet had been unavailable, then one of the guards would have been called on to put the mare down. I've seen pictures and videos of Go For Wand's accident, and they are as horrific as watching the real thing would have been. I think that in situations like this, euthanasia is definitely better. It's also cleaner and less traumatic to watch than destruction with a gun would be.|||Have you ever watched a horse be put to sleep? It's horrific, not like I have a better alternative, though. There used to be an old euthanasia solution you could get that made the horse lay/fall down and then die. They stopped making that, and the new stuff, for some reason, freaks the horse out and a lot of them rear up and backwards and if they're lucky, they die before they slam the ground, but a good deal of them don't. It's also dangerous for the people involved. I was almost struck in the head by a horse trying to die. It also takes a lot longer to work for some reason, and they flail lot while it kicks in.





I don't think I could deal with the mess by shooting, though. Either way, it's pretty grim to think about|||It's situational to me. If your out in the bush and your horse falls and breaks a leg, having a pistol and a good shot will put a horse out of it's misery quite quickly. It's also a humane option if the vet cannot make it out right away and the horse is in an immeasurable amount of pain.





The idea of lethal injection is romantic in a sense. The horse just goes to sleep and doesn't wake up. The fact of the matter is, if the vet doesn't give a sedative to put the horse to sleep first and merely injects the barbiturates required to stop the heart, I would think that a massive heart attack would be quite painful.





So yeah, I guess I would prefer the ultimate of putting the animal to sleep first but if a well placed bullet is necessary, then so be it. The horse wouldn't even know what was going on.|||I think shooting is quicker as different horses can react to the drugs used by putting down by injection and things can take time with them and it is not always easy to gague how much of the drugs that a horse will need to work. Shooting is instantaneous and the horse knows nothing! They say the with drugs the horse knows nothing too, but then there is the problem of disposal of the remains. When a horse has had a drug induced death he cannot be buried or used for hunt hounds and has to be incinerated and this is expensive and traumatic. A horse that has been shot can be buried on home ground following the local authority guidelines.|||Either one I suppose is fine so long as the horse is killed quickly and as painlessly as possible. However from a human standpoint I could never, ever shoot a horse or be nearby when a horse is getting shot unless it was a very dire emergency and the horse needed to be put down immediately and we could not wait for a vet. It's just the emotional attachment thing.





I know biologically speaking if you aim a pistol at the right part of the forehead the bullet will travel through the brain and spinal column and kill the horse painlessly and instantly. But it's just the idea of shooting a horse that gives me shivers.|||Personally, and I have been present when a lot of horses were sent over the bridge, I would much prefer shooting with a humane killer. Far faster than with a needle which can actually take several minutes for them to actually die. I would also prefer my dogs shot with a humane killer too.



There is a certain amount of blood but a polythene sack over their heads contains it all.



Once they have been shot their flesh can be used for feeding hounds - or, if at an abattoir, humans, with a needle the body has to be disposed of by other means.



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Shoot a horse in the centre of its forehead and you will kill it but shoot it two or three inches above that and it will drop twice as fast. Also using a humane killer rather than a pistol or rifle is far better as the bullet used will shatter and spread. I agree that a lot of horses will thrash around, especially TBs it is just the nerves. In holding well over a hundred horses I have never heard one scream when shot with a humane killer.|||Whether it's done using drugs or a gun, it's still euthanasia (if the horse is being put down for humane reasons). Having seen some horses go into terrible seizures with the drugs, I'd say that the most humane, quickest way to put a horse down is using a gun. Not a nice thought, either way. Better than having them suffer in interminable pain, though.|||I have had 4 horses put down this year. Most were +35 years. It was time. I prefer having the vet do it. First he gives a sedative. They get sleepy and relaxed and lie down. You have a chance to say your good byes, stroke their heads, it's all very relaxed. The second shot stops their heart. It's very quick, painless and very peaceful and natural. Sort of like dying in their sleep.



Horse heads are very hard bone. What if the shot misses? Imagine the suffering. I'll stick with the vet.



foxhunter - just how do you get that sack over their heads? I'd think they would resist.|||I live on a farm and all my life, all our animals that needed to be put down were shot, except one who we found out she had stage 4 (maybe 5) cancer when we took her to the vet and had her put down via injection because she was in so much pain and she had stopped eating and layed around all the time. We shot a friends horse because it was blind in one eye and almost completely blind in the other eye and they couldn't take care of it due to improper facilities and he was mega old, I still wish we could have kept him and just out to pasture, in a good pasture. But I would never be able to do the shooting, my dad does it...|||I believe in shooting,. To me it is easier because you don't have to spend all that money on gettin then euthanased and then trailor home and so forth. not to mention that they actually feel the effects of the shots and things. if you shoot them in the middle of the forehead they won't feel the shot and they are dead immediatly.. Thats just my opinion though, if it bothers people them im sorry.. Im just an ol; country girl that has to deal with cattle and horses dying and thats the easiest way. and its cheaper..|||I would never have any of my animals put down by the injection method. I have seen way too many horses fight it and trust me it is nothing you want to witness. Once a vet was putting down a EPM case. He thrashed in his stall screaming for four hours. I still have nightmares. The was getting ready to give him a forth shot when i went to my truck AND GOT MY PISTOL. If you know how to shoot one they are down and gone before you even hear the bang. It is more humane than the injection and if you ever see one fight it you will agree also.|||euthanasia for sure! putting a horse to sleep is a hard thing to do and you should do it peacefully. shooting the horse will make it worse to handle the emotions, you will see the horse drop as euthanasia will allow the horse to calmly drift away.|||Euthinesia! Think about it this way if you shoot the horse and you don't kill him on the first shot That is some crazy amount of pain. If you absoloutly have to kill the horse do it as peacefully as possible Don't make the horse suffer.|||DEAD isn't "sleep",kid.


Euthanasia is KILLING to stop suffering-NOT the method thereof.


A well placed shot,of sufficient caliber, is INSTANT.|||I personally, would never want to shoot a horse, i would want it to go peacfully not its last sights being someone aiming at it with a gun.


But that is my personal opinion :)|||It depends if there is somebody around who is good with a gun. Done right a shot to the head is the way to go but if you make a mistake then it's a disaster.|||EUTHANASIA. Shooting is just WRONG. It puts the horse in more agony. Only kill if its the only option. Like if your horse is sick or something.|||Not shooting! I would go by euthanasia, it is WAY more humane. When they get shoot they feel lots of pain, they dont die like BOOM! Also shooting is very gory.|||In my years I have had to put down a few horses, I use a 357 to the head it is instant, no suffering.|||In my opinion euthanasia is better than shooting but shooting is better than slaughter.|||Shoot right in the head. Make it quick as possible. Its the right thing to do. Be Humane. Don't let the thing slowly die from poison crap!|||I would go for an injection. Same amount of pain or lack there of, for the horse. MUCH less traumatic for you.|||the vet can do it better. the animal just falls asleep.|||Injection is better because it is much less painful and it wont scare other people or horeses areound you|||euthanasia.... i dont like the idea of shooting....


i prefer if they were given an injection, like what happend too dogs :(


x|||shoot straight throw the head, Instant death the horse wouldn't feel it|||Shooting. It's free and it means instant death for the horse.|||dont shoot too muuchh pain eww dont please dont do it the nicer way DONT SHOOT|||dont shot him you dont want the last memory of your horse being blood everywhere and him hitting the ground it just sounds like huntint the horse i had to put down a horse with the vet and it was horible enough my friend had her dad shot her horse cause it was terible ill she said she will never do it again it was horible cause the horse just wanted to be with her and they keep sending it out to the field and finally shot it but he did not die right away do not shoot the needle does not hurt the horse at all so dont shoot.|||Please read the AVMA guidelines on Proper Euthanasia.

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