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Re: [RC] When is it time? - Dot Wiggins

I'd like to add the following to Susan's list of signs to watch for.
Always remember that the horse, by nature, is a "flight" animal. The deepest, most instinctive, need is the ability to escape a threat. No matter how safe the present environment we provide, no matter how well we have trained them to trust, that need to be able to flee is still there.
Whenever, for any reason, whether it may be frailty, injury, inability to see well, any thing, the horse may doubt escape posibilities, remember how frightening it can be. Living in an uneasy state, or possibly terror, is not a good existance.
Be sure you keep the horse's perception of the surroundings and sense of safety in mind.





----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan E. Garlinghouse, DVM" <suendavid@xxxxxxx>
To: "'Ridecamp'" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, September 03, 2007 2:21 PM
Subject: [RC] deciding when to euthanize



First of all, I agree with Kat's comments that sending them on their way a
touch too early is preferable to too late; and also that a shorter,
comfortable life is preferable to a long, miserable one. That would also be
my preference for myself, as well, though it hasn't yet been put to the acid
test.


Since I'm a vet, I have to have "the talk" with owners on a regular basis.
I also very often hear the comment, "this must be the worst part of your
job." And that's not true, because in virtually all cases, I'm doing a
profound kindness for the animal, and very often, for the owner as well
(though they may not always realize it at the time, if ever). At least a
part of why I chose to become a veterinarian instead of a human physician is
because I can do for a suffering animal what we won't do for a suffering
fellow human being.


So I think one of the first things to consider, when wondering whether it's
"time", is that you are in all likelihood making a kind decision on your
animal's behalf, at least when the animal is having a significant amount of
pain just getting around. Please don't take this that I'm advocating
"getting rid of any pet just because it's no longer useful"---I'm not. I
have my share of creaky animals that will continue to live out their lives
as long as I can keep them comfortable and happy. When I can't, then
regardless of the personal pain their loss will cause me, it is my
responsibility as their caretaker to relieve them of their pain, even when
that solution entails a humane death.


When I'm talking to clients that are asking whether or not it's time, I
suggest that they make a handwritten list---don't just keep a mental tally
in your head, because then it's easy to give yourself a selective memory
when you want to avoid a difficult decision. Write it down and keep it
somewhere safe and easily found. The list should entail all the things you
know about that animal that define a quality, enjoyable life for THAT
animal---maybe not even at the prime of its life, but as a happy, healthy
animal with some good miles left. They can and should include big things
like eating with appetite and enjoyment; the ability to move themselves to
different areas to eat, drink, relieve themselves, thermoregulate and
socialize; and they can be little, individual things like flipping their
tail over their back to skip across the pasture, or playing fetch with the
stuffed bunny, or wanting to go for an outing of some sort, etc (obviously,
things appropriate to the species involved). It should, if appropriate,
also balance the need for invasive, uncomfortable medical therapies---a gram
of bute a day obviously isn't a big deal, while daily care of deteriorating,
painful, non-healing wounds are another.


Just as with anything data-point related, the longer the list, probably the
more accurate it will be in defining the animal's life. Then start marking
off the things as the animal no longer can or will do them, or only does
with great difficulty. And don't cheat. If the animal can only turn around
by slowly hopping, or limping so that bystanders wince, or won't move at
all when it easily would have a few years earlier, then it's time to cross
off "gets around with reasonable comfort".


When you've crossed off half your list, it's not time yet, but definitely
time to be paying more attention, and monitoring little extras to make their
life easier. When two-thirds to three-quarters of the list is crossed off,
it's probably in the not-too-distant future, depending on whether the
remaining list-points are big things, or little things. It's pretty
individual. IMO, when 80% of the list is crossed off, it's usually time to
say thank you, I love you, and goodbye; and if you've crossed off 90% or
more off the list, you've waited too long, which is a pretty poor thank you
to a good friend.


These are just guidelines, not rules. The concept isn't mine, it was
originally put together by some counselors that specialized in pet-loss
issues, as well as other veterinarians and a random ethicist or two. I
think it works pretty well, and not only helps avoid too-late animal
suffering issues (sometimes), as well as hopefully some of the feeling that
many owners subconsciously get of "I'm murdering my animal, I'm a bad
person", which has been well-documented in multiple studies.


I think the key element in deciding "when" is not based on when is the
kindest time for *you*, but when is the kindest time for your animal. It's
rare that the two coincide, and if we're to be responsible caretakers for
our animals, we have to choose to take on some extra pain for their behalf,
so they don't have to for ours.


JMO.

Susan Garlinghouse, DVM


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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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Replies
[RC] Old Horses and weighing decisions, k s swigart
[RC] deciding when to euthanize, Susan E. Garlinghouse, DVM