Work on equine euthanasia to help owners facing the hardest decision

More work has been carried out on equine euthanasia to help owners through difficult decision-making.

In a study published in scientific journal Animals, researchers explored veterinary and equine charities teams’ experiences around helping horse owners with end-of-life decision-making. The aim was to understand what approaches people in different roles take, the barriers around euthanasia discussions and decisions and the emotional impact on those providing advice.

The work is part of a larger project by the University of Nottingham looking at how owners and vet teams can be supported through euthanasia decisions, and a follow-up to researcher Amelia Cameron’s review of end-of-life decision-making models in dogs, cats and equids (news, 23 June 2022).

The participants of the latest study shared their experiences, and Ms Cameron told H&H different approaches to euthanasia decision-making were preferred based on each situation.

“Vets talked about valuing continuity of care and a collaborative approach with owners, but this was in cases of chronic decline when they had built up a relationship over time, and in those situations a shared decision could be made with the owner,” she said.

“In emergency situations, there is less opportunity for that and it is more likely the vet has to take the lead and might be dealing with a distressed owner.”

Ms Cameron added that financial limitations were brought up by participants.

“Colic surgery was a common example, where the cost of surgery might not be fully covered by insurance, and when the owner doesn’t have the money to cover it, it leads to euthanasia decisions instead of treatment and with that people can experience emotional burden,” she said.

The paper concluded that having discussions with owners about their preferred role in decision-making would be valuable when approaching difficult decisions.

“Sometimes owners prefer to be led by the vet and have options explained to them, and in other cases owners might want to be more independent in this decision-making and it’s recognising that the owner has important knowledge of their horses and knows them well,” said Ms Cameron.

“Obviously it’s not very nice to talk about these things, but it can be useful to know what the options are, how much these things cost, because a lot of people might not be aware or think about this if they have not been involved in euthanasia decisions before.”

As part of the next stage of the project, euthanasia guidance resources are currently being trialled in some vet practices, following which a paper will be published on this.

A spokesperson for the British Horse Society (BHS) told H&H that knowing when to put your horse down is an “extremely difficult and emotional decision”.

“We support any study that helps horse owners during this challenging time and that advocates for preparing resources that can assist with the decision-making,” he said.

“We’re pleased to already offer such resources via our emergency care plan, which enables horse owners to pre-plan for end-of-life care. We recognise that time can be of the essence and having a clear plan will help owners make informed decisions and provide an authorised person with their wishes.”

The spokesperson added that through the BHS Friends at the End euthanasia support scheme more than 75 volunteers have received specialist training from vets and bereavement counsellors to offer assistance to owners before, during or after euthanasia.

“While they aren’t there to take the place of a vet, they do offer an extra pair of hands and ears, which goes a long way during what is an incredibly challenging time,” he said.

Owners can email friendsattheend@bhs.org.uk for more information, or visit bhs.org.uk/fate.

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