Euthanasia is never an easy topic of discussion. But I recently read a post on Facebook where someone was asking which method was better and if you should be there or not.
The latter part of the question is more a personal decision that you have to make. Some people can't be there to watch. Others see it as their responsibility to be there until the end. Personally, I made a promise to each of my horses that I would be there until they took that very last breath. So I have seen each one of my family members pass away, as hard as it is.
But the first part of the question intrigued me and made me reflect on my euthanasia experiences. There's two methods when going to the vet. The first is to simply "drop them" and the second is to sedate and euthanize.
I've had to experience both and I can assure you, the "drop them" method is not easy to watch. There's pros and cons for both but in my experience, the "drop them" method left me scarred for life. People will say that doing the "drop them" method is quicker and they don't feel a thing. Perhaps, but it's still unpleasant to watch. In this method, the vet administers the euthanasia serum directly into the horse's vein while he/she is fully awake and standing. Unfortunately, the horse does NOT drop immediately to the ground. The two euthanasia experiences that I had to go through, the horses staggered around while the vet tried to hang on to the lead rope before the horse crashed to the ground unceremoniously. The experience left me shaking. That method might be quick but I don't see the dignity in it.
The second method includes sedation. I'm not sure if other vets follow this same method but my vet uses two sedatives before euthanizing (it also helps that my vet tells me exactly what he's doing and what the outcome will be while he's doing it so that I'm not shocked). The first sedative is a light dose tranquilizer, the type used to float teeth. After that takes affect, a second tranquilizer is used, the type used to put them to sleep for a gelding operation. This bit is a little bit tricky because the vet has to lay the horse down. It's a little traumatic to watch and is key to a smooth euthanasia. If the horse is on any type of incline, the euthanasia may take longer (if the horse has his/her head on the lower part of the incline). Once the second tranquilizer is fully in effect, the euthanasia serum is injected and the vet waits and watches. It's a much slower process. Some insist that the tranquilizer slows down the process and it takes longer to euthanize. But it's much more peaceful. I personally consider it more dignified.
In either case, the vet will listen for any heartbeat, check the eyes (and sometimes touch them to see if there's a reaction), and check any other vital signs. Sometimes there will be a "last breath" where air is released from the lungs. I've had it happen to a horse and a dog. It's very startling and a little disturbing but there is nothing that you can do to prevent it.
Some people don't want to go through the experience at all and will dump their horse at auction or sell the horse to an unsuspecting person who doesn't know about horses. But if you are a responsible owner and have made the decision to euthanize, you have options. Check with your vet first to make sure that he/she follows the procedure that you are comfortable with before making that appointment.
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